After running the table in Las Vegas at the Players Era Festival, the Kansas Jayhawks must quickly turn their focus to the Connecticut Huskies. With both teams coming off enormous wins, Tuesday night’s matchup will unquestionably be a battle between two of the nation’s top teams.
Let’s take a look at KU’s relatively brief history with UConn…
History vs the Huskies
Kansas is 4–0 against the Huskies all time, with the most recent matchup coming in the 2023–24 season, when the Jayhawks welcomed the No. 1 team in the country to Allen Fieldhouse. It was a battle between the previous two national champions, and Kansas came out on top by a score of 69–65.
In that matchup, senior wing Kevin McCullar Jr. led the way for KU with 21 points. KJ Adams was another big contributor, totaling 18 points, and Hunter Dickinson added 15. Elmarko Jackson is the only active Jayhawk who scored in that game, contributing six points as a freshman.
The most significant contest between the two storied programs came in the Round of 32 of the 2016 NCAA Tournament, where Kansas defeated UConn 73–61. In that one, Wayne Selden Jr. was KU’s leading scorer, dropping 22 points. Senior forward Perry Ellis added 21, and sophomore Devonte’ Graham contributed an additional 13 points to help KU advance to the Sweet Sixteen against Maryland.
The other two all-time matchups against UConn came from a home-and-away series with the Huskies in the 1990s, both of which Kansas won.
Tuesday Night's Matchup
We can bet that Dan Hurley's Huskies will be determined (and hungry) for a win when they come to town. That doesn’t mean the Jayhawks will let it happen, though, as they’re riding high after a season-defining win over Tennessee this past Wednesday.
UConn has looked phenomenal to start the season, posting a 6–1 record in November, including wins over BYU and Illinois. They are led by senior forward Alex Karaban, who is averaging 14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting a sensational 50.0% from beyond the arc. The Huskies are also supported by junior guard Solo Ball, who is averaging 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Additionally, they have the versatile Silas Demary Jr., off to a hot start with averages of 12.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, shooting 55.8% from the field.
Down low, the Huskies feature two hefty anchors: Tarris Reed Jr., who is averaging 15.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game, and Eric Reibe, contributing 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game.
When you combine that with three more players who each average nearly seven points per game (Jayden Ross, Jaylin Stewart, and Malachi Smith), it makes for an absolutely terrifying roster. On top of that, five-star freshman Braylon Mullins has just returned from an injury that kept him sidelined since before the start of the season.
Kansas will need Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller to play at an elite level if they hope to contain UConn’s sizeable frontcourt. Tre White will need to maintain the level he’s shown over the past five games, where he’s been averaging 17.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2 assists. He will also face the difficult task of defending two-time national champion Alex Karaban.
Melvin Council Jr. has proved that he can score and defend against the nation’s best, and he will need to elevate his game even further on Tuesday night to help secure an elite Jayhawk victory.
Elmarko Jackson is coming off the best game of his career, and if he can perform like that again on both ends of the floor, KU will have a strong chance to win.
We haven’t seen No. 1 overall freshman Darryn Peterson since Kansas’ meeting with North Carolina on November 7. No official word has been given on whether he will be back in time for this game, but all recent signs point to the phenom returning Tuesday night in the Phog.
Although the Jayhawks have looked great without Peterson, his return would significantly boost KU’s chances of winning. Bill Self has had to navigate a thin lineup early this season, and being able to put the top prospect on the floor should provide some relief for the entire roster and staff.
A win in this game would be huge for either team’s NCAA Tournament résumé and would especially bode well for the Jayhawks, who, immediately after facing UConn, have matchups against Missouri (Dec. 7 in Kansas City) and on the road at NC State (Dec. 13).
As we head into the latter half of the non-conference slate, the Kansas Jayhawks have an opportunity to make another big splash against the Huskies.
Will we see Darryn Peterson back on Tuesday night?
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