The Kansas Jayhawks, at times, feel like they are firing on all cylinders, like with their recent wins over No. 5 Houston and No. 1 Arizona. However, there are also games where it is a question which team is on the court, like in the losses to Cincinnati and No. 5 Iowa State.
March is looming, and the regular season will be coming to a close very soon. The time to prepare for the win-or-go-home games is quickly dwindling. Luckily for Kansas, it has the talents of star freshman Darryn Peterson, but he has struggled with missing games this season.
There is also Melvin Council Jr., who, in his first season with the Jayhawks, has shone, and Flory Bidunga, who has taken a massive step forward from last season. While starters are important, bench players play a key role as well, and there are a couple for Kansas that could really break out in March if Self needs them to.
With a high ceiling, these Kansas bench players can break out in March
After the win over No. 5 Houston on Monday night, Self talked about how Kansas still has a super high ceiling to reach this season, and with March approaching quickly, they'd better hope to reach it at the right time. Self has many great players on his roster, but his bench could be his secret weapon come the NCAA Tournament.
Here are two bench players that could break out in March and become the stars Bill Self needs.
Elmarko Jackson
Elmarko Jackson is in his second season with the Jayhawks, and while it seemed like he played a bigger role last season for the Jayhawks, he has been able to become a reliable teammate on the court. While he doesn't light up the stat sheet, he is crucial to the movement of the ball, and his defense has been elite for Kansas.
Jamari McDowell
Jamari McDowell has been the stand-in when Darryn Peterson hasn't been able to go for the Jayhawks. At times, McDowell has shone and really been a consistent scorer for Kansas. With attention being placed on players like Peterson, Council, and Bidunga, McDowell will have the perfect opportunity to slip in and become a star in March.