Kansas basketball: Three takeaways from Jayhawks opening night rout of NC Central
By Kyle Jones
Kansas Basketball Takeaway No. 1: The Defense Is Legit And The Offense Should Benefit
The Jayhawks have made a name for themselves many times as a defensive nightmare for opposing teams. This year appears to be another one of those times. Yes, it was NC Central. Yes, they will play teams that are night and day better offensively. Still, the display they put on last night against the Eagles was nothing short of dominant.
Prior to clearing the bench with about five minutes to play, Kansas was holding NC Central to just 15-of-51 (29.4%) from the floor and 4-20 (20%) from deep. When the main players checked out for the final time, they had allowed just 40 points in 35 minutes of play. The leading scorer for the Eagles had just 12 points.
One great thing about having an elite defense is that it takes a ton of pressure off your offense. This team can win games by scoring 90 or by scoring 60, and that is a good thing to have in college basketball. If the defense plays at this level all season, the Jayhawks could once again be a top team on that end of the floor.