The Kansas basketball team will play the Louisville Cardinals on the road on Friday, October 24, at 6:30 p.m. CDT in what is little more than a glorified practice. This exhibition will be televised on the ACC Network, and you can stream it on FuboTV.
While games like these have no bearing on the season, they allow players to match up against someone other than teammates for the first time, in a game situation. In the case of Kansas and this game, it will help the players gain some experience in a hostile environment, and the coaches will be able to evaluate players more completely than in practice.
KU played Illinois in 2023 and Arkansas last year in similar exhibitions, but the atmosphere in both places was highly charged, more like a road conference game than a meaningless practice game. Expect it to be like that against Louisville as well.
This game will also give fans their first real look at this year’s squad. Hopefully, fans are eager to see Darryn Peterson for the first time and see if he lives up to the hype. Fans shouldn’t take too much from this game because of its nature, and whether the Jayhawks play well or poorly, they are going to improve no matter what.
There are some things, however, that might be gleaned from this contest. Performances might offer some indication of how far along players are in their development and how they might contribute.
Three things to watch for during the Kansas basketball exhibition vs. Louisville
No. 3 - Can Darryn Peterson create opportunities for his teammates?
There is little doubt that Darryn Peterson is the real deal. He can score, he can defend, and he can handle the ball.
But can he lead? Can he get the ball to his teammates when he is double-teamed? Will he make his teammates better?
It will also be interesting to see how he performs from three-point distance in games when guarded. Can he make clutch shots or get it to an open teammate? These are all things to watch on Friday. In this particular game, the results are not necessarily significant, but it would be nice if he looks the part of a superstar.
No. 2 - Is Elmarko Jackson ready for a much bigger role?
Two years ago, Jackson, a highly-regarded recruit, was thrust into the limelight and a starting role before he was ready. He seldom looked comfortable, and he struggled for most of the year.
After sitting out last season with a knee injury, Jackson is now healthy and looking for a more significant role. Last week during his news conference, head coach Bill Self mentioned that Jackson “looked great athletically,” and that the redshirt sophomore was (along with Melvin Council Jr.) “as athletic, as quick-twitch, as you’re going to find.”
Those comments, as well as those when Self hinted Jackson would be in line for a lot of minutes, are terrific indicators that Jackson is ready to realize his full potential.
This doesn’t mean Jackson will step onto the court and become an instant star, but it's worth watching for against Louisville.
No. 1 - Outside of Peterson and Flory Bidunga, who will also be able to score?
It’s a foregone conclusion that Peterson and Bidunga will be the first two options to score on this team. Even if they are successful, KU will need others to provide offense. At this time, it is unclear who the dependable scorers might be.
Transfer senior Tre White appears to be the best choice. He’s experienced playing against top talent, and he’s averaged 10.5 points a game in his three-year career. He can score from inside and out, and he’s improved his three-point shooting each season. Last year, he connected on 32.9 percent of his attempts from behind the arc. If he adds a couple more percentage points to that, he will be a dangerous player.
Jackson, Melvin Council Jr, Bryson Tiller, and Kohl Rosario may be other options for the Jayhawks. Jackson didn’t score much as a freshman, but he’s in a better situation now. Council averaged 14.8 points per game over the past two seasons, but scored those points in 36.4 minutes per game, and against lesser competition.
It will be interesting to see how productive Council will be in fewer minutes and against better competition. If he can come close to his career average, KU will be in fantastic shape.
Rosario and Tiller are freshmen, so it will be fun to see them develop and contribute. They will have to gain Self’s trust to earn key roles on this team, but they might be the dark horses on this team to add unexpected offense. Their games will improve over the season, so they might not shine as brightly in this early exhibition. Don’t count them out if they don’t play well on Friday.
Fans are ready for the Kansas basketball season to start, and this preseason matchup will be just the thing to get fans fired up for the season.
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