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Preview: Road showdown awaits KU in no. 2 Iowa State

Preview: Road showdown awaits KU in no. 2 Iowa State

On January 16, 2025By Littum

Photo by AP/Jeff Dean

Kansas’ KJ Adams Jr. (24) talks with teammate Hunter Dickinson (1) during an NCAA college basketball game against Cincinnati, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Cincinnati.

The Kansas men’s basketball team has rounded into form on defense of late, to the point that during their current three-game winning streak, the Jayhawks have allowed an average of just 48 points per game. game and 17 of those points in the second half.

“It might not be the most aesthetically pleasing form of basketball,” center Hunter Dickinson said Monday, “but I think it’s kind of what coach (Bill) Self would actually prefer in wins.”

A looming road showdown at Iowa State on Wednesday night, Dickinson said, will give KU an early opportunity to “kind of see how good our defense really is.”

As much of a challenge as it is to play at Hilton Coliseum under even the most favorable circumstances, Self often says that the best home fields tend to be the ones where the best teams play. This year’s edition of the Cyclones is a testament to the rebuild head coach TJ Otzelberger has engineered in his four seasons at the helm: ISU rose Monday to No. 2 in the nation, the highest ranking in program history, after beating Texas Tech 85.-84 in overtime in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday.

“I think this is the best team TJ has had,” Self said. “I think they’re great offensively, but the thing about them is, and what their identity has been is (to) really, really guard the half court, and they still do that just as well.”

Photo by AP/Annie Rice

Iowa State’s guard Curtis Jones, left, dribbles around Texas Tech’s guard Christian Anderson, right, during overtime of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas.

Photo by AP/Annie Rice

Iowa State’s guard Tamin Lipsey (3) goes for a layup in the second half of an NCAA basketball game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas.

Photo by AP/Annie Rice

Iowa State’s guard Keshon Gilbert (10) dribbles the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas.

With an average of 86.2 points per game in offense, the Cyclones lead the Big 12 and are no. 10 in the country; they’re also just one of 11 teams nationwide to make at least 50% of their shots, led by highly efficient guards Curtis Jones (team-high 17.3 points off the bench, 46.4% from the field, one of the league’s best outside shooting at 39.0% from deep), Keshon Gilbert (16.1 points on 52.2% shooting) and Tamin Lipsey (10.4 points, 48.1% shooting).

Meanwhile, Self said, “Their bigs are so much more capable than what they’ve had in the past.” Alongside Lipsey, Gilbert and hot-shooting wing Milan Momcilovic in the starting lineup are a pair of transfers in forward Joshua Jefferson (Saint Mary’s) and center Dishon Jackson (Charlotte), who combine for 21.5 points and 13 rebounds per game.

ISU controls possession and currently has one of the best turnover margins in the nation, giving up the ball just 9.9 times on average while forcing 15.7 opponent turnovers — the highest mark in the Big 12. Lipsey in particular is a standout defensive guard, a finalist for national defensive player of the year honors last year, who contributes 2.4 steals to the Cyclones’ league-best 9.9 per game.

The Jayhawks aren’t turning the ball over too often this season, especially with a trio of capable ball-handling guards in their current lineup. But they haven’t exactly capitalized on their offensive opportunities lately. KU is shooting an impeccable 39.2% from the field and a terrible 20.4% from deep in its last two games. Guards David Coit, Rylan Griffen and Dajuan Harris Jr. are among those looking to find their shooting touch, while the generally reliable Zeke Mayo still hasn’t transferred his high-level offensive production to a road game yet this season.

“I also expect to see our offense kind of shine through and see guys hit some shots,” Dickinson said. “I think we’re on our way to that. Guys like Diggy (Coit), guys like Rylan, Zeke, are going to have some explosive offensive plays and (we’re going to) try to score more than 54 points.”

If ISU’s recent results are any indication, KU may have to find its way into the 80s. The Cyclones haven’t lost since a late turnover and last-second tip-in sealed their fate in an 83-81 loss to now-No. 1 Auburn at the Maui Invitational on Nov. 25.

No. 2 Iowa State Cyclones (14-1, 4-0 Big 12) vs. No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks (12-3, 3-1 Big 12)

• Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa, at 6 p.m. Central Time

• Send out: ESPN2

• Radio: Jayhawk Radio Network (in Lawrence, KLWN AM 1320 / K269GB FM 101.7 / KMXN FM 92.9)

Keep an eye out

Development opportunities: Senior KJ Adams has quietly stepped up his work on the boards to average 7.7 rebounds per game. game in KU’s last three contests, more than doubling his 3.8 average from the previous 12 games while also being a key factor in the Jayhawks’ recent success. The challenge for Adams now is to maintain this level of production going forward; Adams had a similar stretch of 38 rebounds in four games around the start of conference play in 2023-24, but quickly dropped back to 4.6 boards per game. game, not far from his previous average. Self has also said that he wants Adams to be a better shot blocker, and believes that Adams “is a lot more active and goes after the ball when the shot is released.”

Finding a way in: The Jayhawks’ recent success has largely been independent of junior wing AJ Storr, whose minutes have dropped sharply in recent days as the much-touted transfer has sunk to eighth or ninth in KU’s rotation. Saturday’s Cincinnati game represented a slight uptick for Storr, who made a couple of strong offensive moves in the first half, and on the other end, Self acknowledged that he’s “definitely making an effort to defend.” But Self also said that with Adams arguably KU’s best player in the second half Saturday and new starting guard Shakeel Moore fueling the Jayhawks’ victory with his own defense, there wasn’t necessarily a window of opportunity for Storr down the stretch. “I don’t look at it like AJ, getting him going,” Self said, “I look at it more like getting a team going, and I think the two players I mentioned were probably even as big keys to us winning in Cincinnati as anyone.”

Reversal: Dickinson mentioned Coit as a player who needed a big offensive game, and the senior guard has certainly epitomized KU’s outside shooting game lately; he is now 1-for-14 from beyond the arc and 1-for-19 overall since the start of conference play. Coit hit more 3s against Missouri (four) on Dec. 8 than he has since (three). But the transfer from Northern Illinois continues to carve out playing time due to his relentless defense as he has made himself quite a nuisance for opposing guards. “Very surprising that his defense has probably been what he’s done most consistently,” Self said, “and we recruited him, you know, obviously to be offensive off the bench and to make shots.”

Off-kilter observation

Former KU quarterback Conrad Hawley is now in his third season as a walk-on for the ISU men’s basketball team. He played one minute in the Cyclones’ season-opening win over Mississippi Valley State.