Kansas basketball survived a nerve-wracking battle against UCF in Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday, escaping with a much-needed victory. While the Jayhawks got a boost with the return of KJ Adams, they were missing a key piece of their backcourt for the first time in nearly 100 games. Veteran point guard Dajuan Harris was sidelined due to a tweaked ankle, marking the end of his impressive streak of 98 consecutive starts.
Despite his absence, Kansas managed to grind out a win, but the road ahead will not get any easier. A major test awaits this weekend as the Jayhawks travel to Waco to take on Baylor, and Harris' potential return remains uncertain. Head coach Bill Self noted in his postgame press conference that the team is unsure if their floor general will be available against the Bears:
Dajuan Harris remains questionable for Baylor game
"I don’t know. I certainly hope [Dajuan will be back next game]. We thought he was playing this morning. We thought he was fine this morning, and obviously he goes out to shootaround and couldn’t do anything on it."Bill Self
A fifth-year senior from Missouri, Harris has been a crucial part of KU’s lineup for years. Seeing Kansas attempt to close out a game without him on the floor was unfamiliar for fans, and the team’s defensive struggles highlighted just how vital he is to the Jayhawks' success.
Harris is averaging 9.6 points, 5.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals while shooting 44.1% from the field this season. Although he is not known for his scoring, his ability to control the offense's tempo and disrupt opponents defensively makes him one of the most valuable guards in the country.
In his absence, Shakeel Moore drew his ninth straight start but played just 12 minutes. Instead, Diggy Coit took on the bulk of the minutes at point guard, logging 28 minutes and hitting four three-pointers. Rylan Griffen was inserted into the starting lineup, while Adams came off the bench and played 26 minutes in his return.
If Harris is unable to suit up against Baylor, Kansas will need its supporting cast to step up once again to handle a talented Bears team on the road.