After an explosive win to open the season against Fordham, Kansas followed it up with another impressive performance, this one coming against Middle Tennessee. The Jayhawks took down the Blue Raiders 89-45 in a game where the offense exploded, and the defense was elite.
While this wasn't a game that had Kansas shaking in its boots by any means, it's crazy to believe this is Bill Self's first-ever win over Middle Tennessee in his long coaching career.
The Jayhawks looked great, and while there were a few sloppy moments for Kansas in the first half with the starters, Self's squad pulled it together and built a substantial lead and ultimately won in dominant fashion. There are definitely a few things that need a lot of attention for Kansas, but here are some of the biggest takeaways from the Jayhawks' second win of the season.
1. This Kansas defense is the real deal
Self has coached a lot of great basketball teams, but this one could shape up to be one of his best, and the defense will be a key reason for it. Granted, the Jayhawks were playing Middle Tennessee, but Kansas only allowed 14 points to the Blue Raiders in the first half, and they didn't eclipse 20 points until 13:30 in the second half.
Middle Tennessee didn't score on back-to-back possessions until 13 minutes left in the second half, showing that this defense isn't just good; it's elite. The key to this defense being so good is the depth that Self has on his bench. With such a large rotation of guys that he can go to on the bench, something the Jayhawks didn't have last season, Self can keep his starters as fresh as possible.
Kansas only allowed 45 points to the Blue Raiders in the end, finishing with 7 blocks and 7 steals, simply being a nightmare for Middle Tennessee.
2. Three-point and free throw shooting is still a problem for the Jayhawks
The Jayhawks were lucky to hit their second three-pointer in the first half thanks to a heave from Tre White at the buzzer, but shooting beyond the arc is a continued problem that has carried over from last season. Kansas finished just 7-for-19 from the three-point range, but luckily scoring in the paint isn't an issue for the Jayhawks.
The three-point shot began to fall later in the game as Middle Tennessee backed off and gave more space. The bench definitely shot the ball well from three-point range, working to gain a few extra minutes in this rotation. Luke Barnett came in for Self off the bench and hit three three-pointers, causing the bench to go crazy.
Not only did Kansas struggle from beyond the arc, but from the free-throw line as well. The Jayhawks are great at creating contact and forcing teams into foul trouble, but the missed free throws are just killing this team. Self's squad can get away with it right now in non-conference play, but when the game comes down to making free throws or not, the Jayhawks could be in a lot of trouble.
Shooting 55% from the stripe is not something Self has to be happy about, and it sounds like these guys need to be shooting a lot of free throws in practice.
3. Trey Kaufman-Renn was the biggest pickup in college basketball this season
Trey Kaufman-Renn joined the Jayhawks just a few weeks before the season began thanks to a temporary injunction that grants him a fifth season, but that may not last the entire year. Right now, Kaufman-Renn needs to play every game like it is his last, and it looked like he did against Middle Tennessee.
Getting his first start in a Kansas uniform, Kaufman-Renn went off, finishing with 17 points in just 18 minutes. While Kaufman-Renn wasn't as much of a factor on the boards with just four rebounds, he was the spark on offense that Kansas needed, leading the team in scoring.
It may not be known how long Kaufman-Renn will be able to stick around with the Jayhawks, but Kansas can certainly use his talent while he is still in Lawrence.
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