There is a common saying that revolves around the message that the season does not really begin until conference play starts. Some coaches call the out-of-conference stretch a “preseason,” which feels a little harsh; others call it the “first season.” Still a little aggressive, but more understandable. The bottom line is, there is an emphasis on a strong conference record.
Tomorrow provides the first chance for the Jayhawks to get off to that desired start, but it will not come without a challenge against an electric UCF offense.
After breaking down the Golden Knights’ 19 three-pointers they cashed against Florida Gulf Coast in a recent 102-80 win, Kansas head coach Bill Self gave a review full of praise of UCF’s offense.
“They really play well together, considering that they're all newcomers. The vast majority of [the team are] portal guys, and they seem to blend and are fitting in nicely together.”
UCF’s offense can cause almost any team in the nation serious issues. Johnny Dawkins’ team ranks 23rd in the nation with 88.3 points per game, and Self wasn’t being coy when talking about how dangerous the Golden Knights’ three-point game can be.
UCF has notched the 11th-best three-point rate in the country with a strong 39.8%, and an overall 49.6% field goal rate.
The most dangerous part of this UCF offense is its spaced-apart scoring. UCF enlists four players who average over 10+ points, including Jordan Burks (13.8), Riley Kugel (13.7), Themus Fulks (13.3), and Jamichael Stillwell (12.6), what adds even a bit more unpredictability is the fact that it is spread evenly between guards and forwards, which makes it harder to hem in on just one part of the court to focus your defense on.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. CT with streaming available on Peacock.
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