The Kansas basketball team is currently riding a three-game winning streak after opening conference play with a disheartening loss to West Virginia. Bill Self's Jayhawks will head to Hilton Coliseum to take on Iowa State in what might be the most important matchup to date for the squad.
While KU's offense has found itself in a rut lately, its defensive efforts have provided a much-needed spark. The Jayhawks are holding their opponents under 50 points per game during the stretch, and the team has slowly built its identity through gritty defense. Despite the improvements, the offense must play significantly better on Wednesday vs. the Cyclones.
Iowa State is the most prolific offense Kansas will face in Big 12 play
Not to take anything away from UCF, Arizona State, and Cincinnati, but none of those schools do a particularly good job putting the ball in the hoop. The latter two rank outside the top 100 in offensive rating, while UCF sits 82nd nationally. Even West Virginia, who Kansas fell to 62-61, ranks 79th in the country.
T.J. Otzelberger and his Cyclones are a completely different story. They rank sixth in the country in offense, scoring 86.2 points per game and ranking 10th in the country in field goal percentage. Pair that with a premier defense, and you've got yourself a championship contender.
Some defensive stats for @KUHoops since the WVU loss:
— Kyle Jones (@KyleJones_96) January 14, 2025
- Defensive Efficiency of .666
- 73.3 True Shooting Percentage Allowed
- 28.3 Opponent FG%
- 17 2nd Half Points Per Game
For reference, the season leaders in Def. Eff. and TSP are .814 and 90.1.
An unreal stretch.
If you look at some of the statistics Through the Phog contributor Kyle Jones found, it is difficult to believe how well the defense has played. But Iowa State's offense is a well-oiled machine that the Jayhawks will have a much tougher time forcing stops against. It will probably be the best offensive team KU faces until March Madness arrives.
The likelihood is that the Jayhawks won't be able to hold Iowa State near the 50-point mark. If one thing is for certain, Kansas cannot shoot 2-for-21 from 3-point range again if it wants a chance to upset one of the nation's best teams. Offensive stalwarts like Hunter Dickinson and Zeke Mayo need to step up tomorrow.