The Kansas basketball team lost 61-56 to fifth-ranked UConn on Tuesday, and it’s a game the Jayhawks have to feel like they squandered an opportunity to win against a top-tier opponent.
Without Darryn Peterson again, KU played well in the first half, leading by four at the intermission. They stalled offensively toward the end of the first half, but holding the lead was encouraging.
Unfortunately, things unravelled offensively in the second half.
Three things that went wrong for Kansas basketball in the second half vs UConn
No. 1: Field Goal Shooting
In the first half, the Jayhawks made 50 percent of their attempts from he field (13-26). Though they struggled a bit right before the half, having the lead gave hope that Kansas could pull off the upset.
The second half was a disaster for KU. They made just five field goals on only 20 attempts in the entire half. It is difficult to beat a team as good as UConn on any given night, but it is impossible when you connect on just 25 percent of your attempts.
At one point, Kansas went 1-17 from the floor and had an eight-minute stretch without a made field goal. The fact that their defense was so good and held the Huskies to just 61 points made it doubly frustrating. Just three more made shots, and KU probably wins this game.
No. 2: Rebounding
At one point late in the game, the ESPN broadcast team pointed out that KU had been out-rebounded in the second half, 18-6. That is brutally lopsided. And it was obvious that the Jayhawks were getting killed on the boards.
It means KU rebounded well in the first half and was awful after the break. UConn took, and missed, a lot of three-point shots (7 for 26), but they also hauled in a lot of long, offensive rebounds.
Kansas was slow to track down those long caroms and allowed some easy Husky rebounds underneath as well. They were being outhustled on the boards, and that shouldn’t be happening.
No. 3: Bryson Tiller and Tre White
Both White and Tiller have been instrumental in Kansas’ success with Peterson out for so long. They have been primary contributors all season, but they are awful offensively on Tuesday. They combined for 65 minutes, but only 12 points, on 3-for-11 shooting. They were 0-for-3 from beyond the arc, including a wide-open misfire late by Tiller when KU desperately needed a basket. The only reason the duo scored as much as they did was that White went 6-for-6 from the line.
These two players must be a bigger part of the offense. They have to be aggressive and also attack backboards on both ends. KU won’t win many games if these two are that bad on offense.
Two things that were pretty good for Kansas basketball vs UConn
No. 1: Defense
KU played a fantastic defensive game against the Huskies. UConn came into he contest averaging 82.4 points per game, and the Kansas defense held them to just 61 points. That should have been enough to beat UConn. Unfortunately, the offense was even worse.
The KU defense held the Huskies to just 42 percent shooting from the field and 27 percent from three-point range. It seems impossible that a KU team could do all that this team did defensively and not win the game.
Head coach Bill Self should be proud of how well Kansas hounded the Huskies on defense, but not so much on how poorly KU recovered UConn’s missed shots.
No. 2: Free-throw Shooting
The Jayhawks were great from the free-throw line last not, until they weren’t. Overall, they hit 15 of their 21 attempts for 71 percent.
Unfortunately, KU missed three of their last four down the stretch, and it had a massive impact on the game. Still, Kansas’ ability to shoot well from the line for most of the game kept them in it, while the rest of the offense struggled.
Free-throw shooting has been a strength for the Jayhawks most of the season, as they’ve nailed 75.9 percent of their attempts. It was good on Tuesday until the end, and it should remain a big part of their game as the season progresses.
This loss is disappointing because it was winnable. KU let it get away from them. No one could make a shot in the second half, and they gave away too many extra possessions in the second half on the boards. Still, it is encouraging that they could be so bad on offense against such a good opponent and still have a chance to win.
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