Kansas basketball should have its way with the Manhattan Jaspers tomorrow, so Bill Self might consider giving these three Jayhawks extended playing time.
The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks began the regular season with a victory over NC Central and are set to embark on their second test before the much-anticipated Champions Classic matchup versus Kentucky. It will be the final “buy game” KU plays, which should give Bill Self’s squad some extra preparation for the bigger games on the schedule. In tomorrow’s game against the Manhattan Jaspers, Kansas basketball should give these three players an extended run.
3 Kansas basketball players who should see increased minutes vs. Manhattan
1. Johnny Furphy
Furphy is a player that Kansas will need to perform down the stretch. His 6-foot-8 frame and tremendous athleticism will be essential for a Jayhawk squad severely lacking depth.
The freshman from Australia has been battling shin splints for the better part of a year and missed KU’s first exhibition. However, he was able to suit up for the past two contests and is slowly having his workload ramped up.
In Monday’s win, Furphy scored six points on 2-of-4 from beyond the arc while also recording five rebounds. He only played 17 minutes off the bench, the lowest total of any active Kansas basketball scholarship players. If he isn’t feeling any pain in pregame warmups, he should see closer to 25 minutes tomorrow.