Entering the game vs the Duke Blue Devils and their top-ranked recruit Cameron Boozer, the Kansas Jayhawks were massive underdogs, primarily due to Darryn Peterson being ruled out due to injury. Duke was understandably favored by 11 points to win and did in fact cover the spread with a solid 78-66 victory over KU, but the Jayhawks still showcased some good basketball.
Much like the team’s first loss against North Carolina on the road, the result is unfortunate, but there’s quite a few silver linings that fans should take from this game and feel optimistic about. For a little while at least, it even looked like Kansas might control the game, as they started out the game with energy and pace and even led by 26-20 with 7:!1 to go in the first half.
Sadly, the hopeful underdog win on the road did not pan out, in large part due to some foul trouble from fellow KU big men. Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller both ended the first half on the bench with 2 fouls each, and Duke went on a massive run to end the half, going into the break up by 8. Tiller would eventually foul out of the game, and Bidunga ended the game with 4 fouls.
The 2nd half was up and down, with Duke leading the entire rest of the way but Kansas bringing the deficit to within a two score game 5-6 times, including one moment with under five minutes left in the game, when Melvin Council Jr. made a three-pointer to make it a one score game and blocked a shot to give KU a chance to secure the ball down just 3. It just didn’t work out.
Effort, depth, and intriguing potential all shine through despite the loss
Losses almost never come with no silver linings or aspects that fans can look forward to in the future, and this loss at MSG to Duke is no different. While two losses to fellow blue bloods early on in the season are never fun, there are some positive indicators that KU is still in a good spot:
1. The effort level and energy was top-notch - Giving teams and/or players brownie points for “playing hard” feels very cliche and participation-trophy-esque, but the high-energy level to start the game on Tuesday night is too impressive not to bring up as a positive. Setting the tone at the beginning of the game is a must for a team with March Madness run aspirations.
There were times last year in which KU Hoops looked disengaged and/or bored, with many fans complaining about Hunter Dickinson and others looking sluggish to start games. Bill Self clearly had the fellas fully engaged and ready to go, leading to an awesome first 15 minutes of the game. This continues the trend of Kansas playing well early on in games.
2. Bidunga and White are still shining - Following the win against Princeton, many were shouting out the awesome performances of Flory Bidunga and Tre White, deservedly so. Fast-forward one game, and the duo is still carrying the load in Peterson’s absence. While it wasn’t perfect, both players stepped up to the occasion yet again, combining for 36 points and 15 rebounds.
Flory shot an impressive 7/10 from the field, and White shot a very solid 7/13 on FGs, 2/4 on 3s, and 6/7 from the FT line. Melvin Council Jr. was the only other player to score in double-figures for the Jayhawks.
3. Kansas defended Cameron Boozer well - While basketball fanatics were hopeful to see a Cameron Boozer vs Darryn Peterson duel, only one of them was able to suit up in Tuesday’s game. Boozer had a decent game, scoring 18 points, pulling down 10 boards, and dishing out 5 assists, but it was far from magical.
Kansas’ defense, led by Bidunga, actually held its own for the most part against the 6’9” son of Carlos Boozer. Despite scoring 18, he only shot 7/17 from the field (41.2%) and was also forced into multiple turnovers. Keeping Boozer in check was a big reason as to why Kansas was able to stay within reach for much of the game, and Kansas’ interior defense is legitimately good.
The Crimson and Blue now head to Las Vegas to face off with Notre Dame in the first tournament of the season. The game will take place on Monday, November 24th, and the Jayhawks will look to get back on track.
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