Kansas basketball technically began its season on Nov. 4 when they dismantled Howard 87-57. However, the first real test of the season occurred on Friday night against North Carolina. In that matchup, there were many bright spots, but Zeke Mayo shined especially bright, scoring 21 points off the bench in the 92-89 win.
This is now the second game in a row that Mayo led KU in scoring, even posting the game-high in points for both contests. Against Howard, the Lawrence-native shot 7-for-12 from the field and 5-for-8 from beyond the arc for 19 points in 23 minutes. Against UNC, he added 21 points on 7-for-14 shooting (3-for-9 on threes) in 29 minutes.
The season is still young and the Jayhawks are 2-0, so there is not much to complain about, but it may already be time to think about giving Mayo the starting nod. The 6-foot-4 guard has looked poised on offense, consistently knocks down 3-pointers, and has held up defensively as well.
Who should Zeke Mayo be replacing in the starting five?
Kansas basketball has showcased the same starters in both games so far this season: Dajuan Harris Jr., KJ Adams, Hunter Dickinson, David Coit, and Rylan Griffen. Due to the former three Jayhawks all being tenured with Kansas, it is unlikely that any of the three would be benched. This means that Mayo would need to replace Coit or Griffen.
Both Coit and Griffen have shown the ability to make plays defensively and connect on a few of their long-range attempts, but neither has played up to the level of Mayo thus far. From a fit standpoint, Mayo joining Harris Jr. in the backcourt and replacing Coit makes the most sense, as the former Jackrabbit has already proven he can handle the ball when needed.
Griffen is more of a true wing, standing at 6-foot-6, who also presents KU with defensive versatility and size. Coit on the other hand is a bit undersized to play alongside Harris Jr. and may function better as a backup guard in the sixth man role.
What complicates things further for Bill Self in the starting lineup is that AJ Storr is playing well off the bench for Kansas. Luckily, this is a good problem to have and a refreshing change to see so many starting-caliber players suiting up for the crimson and blue.