After months of waiting around, the college basketball season finally arrived Monday. Kansas Jayhawks fans were able to tune into a 2023 NCAA Tournament rematch against Howard.
Head coach Bill Self’s squad lost a scrimmage to Arkansas and created some outside concern, but the Jayhawks looked every bit like the nation’s preseason No. 1 team in a decisive 87-57 victory over the Bison.
Kansas basketball steamrolls Howard in season opener
Howard never really had a chance following a short slump by KU at the beginning of the game. The Jayhawks led by 27 at halftime and coasted through the second half en route to a massive win.
There were several encouraging signs from the contest, such as the 3-point shooting. Kansas players shot 11-for-22 (50%) from beyond the arc, a significant step up from last year’s subpar outside shooting percentage.
Notable players in their KU debut include freshman center Flory Bidunga and South Dakota State transfer Zeke Mayo. Bidunga posted 13 points off the bench, throwing down multiple alley-oop dunks while adding eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Mayo finished with a game-high 19 points, showcasing his outside shot by connecting on 5-of-8 tries from 3-point range.
Hunter Dickinson returned to the court for the first time since spraining his foot during Late Night in the Phog. While he is not 100% yet, Dickinson only needed 21 minutes of action to score 16 points, block two shots, and record three steals. Mississippi State transfer Shakeel Moore was expected to suit up for his Jayhawk debut, but he showed up in street clothes as he continues to work back from a broken foot.
Diggy Coit remained in the starting lineup, and AJ Storr moved to the bench in place of Rylan Griffen. The Jayhawk faithful were reminded just how much depth this roster had last night — 10 players played 14+ minutes, even with Moore inactive.
Kansas begins the season 1-0 but will have a much tougher test this Friday when it plays No. 9 North Carolina in Allen Fieldhouse. It is one of the most highly anticipated KU basketball games in recent history.