Escapismnanaimo

The Pulse of Today, The Insight for Tomorrow

Preview: KU welcomes Big 12 newcomer ASU

Preview: KU welcomes Big 12 newcomer ASU

On January 9, 2025By Littum

Photo by AP/Kevin Kolczynski

Kansas guard Shakeel Moore (0) reacts as they play Central Florida during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Orlando, Fla.

The Kansas men’s basketball team got about as good a response as anyone could have imagined after losing its conference opener at home.

Sunday’s 99-48 rout of UCF set school records as the biggest road win in school history over a Division I opponent — in a league game, no less — and the most dominant performance by a road team in Big 12 Conference history.

But just as quickly as KU reset after its New Year’s Eve disappointment, it must now attack its next game just as hard as the Big 12 program progresses at a breakneck pace. After returning from its road trip a little later than usual due to the weekend’s winter storm — the Jayhawks left Florida mid-morning Monday and had to take the day off as a result — KU will welcome new conference foe Arizona State to Lawrence on Wednesday at 7 p.m. 8 p.m

“It was rough,” guard Shakeel Moore said of the schedule. “I’ve been there before, done it many times where I’ve had to spend the night, but it happens. This is what we signed up for.”

ASU may be new to the conference, but it has faced KU 11 times and holds a 6-5 advantage in the all-time series, with Bobby Hurley taking on Bill Self in their two matchups, a 95-85 win over the other. -ranked Jayhawks (an eventual Final Four team) in Lawrence during the 2017–18 season and an 80–76 record in Tempe, Arizona, the following year.

This year’s Sun Devils hope to advance past the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. They’ve had an up-and-down start to the season so far, exemplified by their first two net-neutral Big 12 results: a loss at 20 points at BYU on Dec. 31, immediately followed by a 20-point win against Colorado on Saturday.

ASU played a non-conference schedule largely defined by uncomfortably close non-conference wins over mid-major foes (Idaho State 55-48 on Nov. 5, Cal Poly 93-89 on Nov. 20, etc.), though the Sun Devils got a quality win over Saint Mary’s in the title game of the Acrisure Classic in Palm Desert, Calif., led by 19 points off the bench from freshman guard Joson Sanon.

Sanon, a 2025 five-star recruit KU recruited who originally reclassified and committed to Arizona before returning to ASU, has averaged 13.5 points per game. with duty colleague Adam Miller. (As a team, ASU ranks third in the Big 12 with a 37.6% 3-point percentage.) However, Sanon missed the CU game with an ankle injury, and Hurley labeled him a game-time decision for Wednesday, saying, that “he desperately wants to play.”

The Sun Devils have another standout freshman in forward Jayden Quaintance, who is averaging 9.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and a league-leading 3.2 blocks per game. match. He forms a potent frontcourt duo with Ball State transfer Basheer Jihad (13.5 points).

“They score easily, they’re extremely long, very gifted physically — their whole team,” Self said.

One thing ASU doesn’t do is create extra possessions (an area where KU excelled against UCF). Despite the efforts of Quaintance and Jihad, the Sun Devils are the worst offensive rebounding team in the Big 12 and 291st in the country at 9.2 per game. Given that KU is now the best defensive rebounding team in the league and the No. 10 in the country after grabbing 41 defensive boards at UCF, second-chance points don’t seem like a likely path to success for ASU on Wednesday.

ASU is also tied with KU for last in the league in turnovers forced (11.8 per game) and alone for last in steals (six).

The Jayhawks have a chance to re-establish their dominance at Allen Fieldhouse after the rare misstep on Dec. 31.

“We know we dropped West Virginia, first conference game, and we know we can’t let that happen in front of our fans, and we’re super ready to go,” Moore said.

No. 11 Kansas Jayhawks (10-3, 1-1 Big 12) vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (10-3, 1-1 Big 12)

• Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, at 8 p.m

• Send out: ESPN2

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

Keep an eye out

Freshman phenomena: KU center Flory Bidunga’s stock has never been higher after a six-block showing against UCF showed his potential to develop into an elite rim protector long-term, as well as his ability to play alongside teammate Hunter Dickinson on cards term. His matchup with Quaintance, who Self called “a different-looking guy,” will be one to watch when the two are on the floor at the same time. They consistently ranked among the top centers in the 2024 class and struggled not only in the recruiting rankings, but on the field, including at the Adidas 3SSB Circuit and the McDonald’s All American Game; Wednesday is their first meeting at the collegiate level.

Suitable: Moore started his first game as a Jayhawk against UCF, primarily because Self believed he was an ideal physical matchup for the Knights’ star guard Darius Johnson, and in turn could let Dajuan Harris Jr. take on Jordan Ivy-Curry. ASU doesn’t have quite the same firepower in the backcourt — especially if Sanon is out — but Self said Tuesday he plans to start Moore again. He praised the guard’s ability to establish a “defensive mindset right from the start.” Moore, for his part, has a pre-existing familiarity with some of ASU’s staff, having gone to high school with guard BJ Freeman and playing against Miller in the SEC.

New kids on the block: How intimidated will the Sun Devils be by the atmosphere at Allen Fieldhouse? Students still won’t be back in full force, but the building has been just as full and reasonably loud for winter break games against Brown and West Virginia. ASU’s players will generally be experiencing the venue for the first time (although guard Alston Mason, an Overland Park native, previously played at Allen Fieldhouse during his year at Oklahoma). Colorado will get the same treatment on February 11th, as will ASU’s rival Arizona on March 8th. Utah does not visit the Fieldhouse this season. UCF, although in the league last year, also visits Lawrence on Jan. 28.

Off-kilter observation

The men’s basketball game will make up the second half of a doubleheader at Allen Fieldhouse after the KU women’s team hosts No. 11 TCU at 2 p.m., an unusual occurrence that was also a result of the storm.