A No. 2 Kansas staff that averages 77.8 factors per sport shall be challenged by a few of the greatest protection the Massive 12 can supply within the type of No. 14 Iowa State on Saturday. Kansas coach Invoice Self and beginning guard Dajuan Harris agree – the Cyclones play arduous protection.
Kansas (15-1, 4-0 Massive 12) enters Saturday’s sport recent off Tuesday’s rally-from-behind 79-75 win over Oklahoma to protect its undefeated begin on the convention schedule. Iowa State (13-2, 4-0 Massive 12) travels to Lawrence after an 84-50 overcome Texas Tech in Ames.
Each searching for a five-win begin to the Massive 12 slate, the Jayhawks and Cyclones share a commonality in discipline aim capturing (KU 47.2%, ISU 46.9) forward of Kansas’ 125-year celebration weekend on campus.
However, an ISU protection that sits atop the convention will make the Jayhawks work for each little bit of it. On Friday, Harris mentioned he expects Iowa State’s ball display protection to be a essential a part of the sport.
“I feel we get it to love a center ball display with me and KJ (Adams), possibly Zach (Clemence) too, and play to the brief row and attempt to see what can occur after that,” Harris mentioned concerning the ISU protection.
“We simply bought to share the ball, get them shifting facet to facet after which discover just like the open creases and attempt to assault that as a result of we all know that they are going to go down (screens),” Harris added. “We simply bought to ship cutters once we drive and look to do to the skip move and attempt to discover open creases.”
Harris, averaging 8.6 factors per sport, has opened Massive 12 play capturing 71% from three-point land. Scoring double-figures via his final three begins, Harris shot an ideal 5 of 5 from behind the arc throughout a career-high scoring evening (18) at Texas Tech on Jan. 3 and dropped three extra 3s at West Virginia on Jan. 7.
Tasked with juggling a heavy ball-screen protection simply as his scoring ramps up, Harris recalled slicing his enamel as a freshman towards former Kansas guard Marcus Garrett and heart Udoka Azubuike in apply.
“Once I first bought right here, it was Marcus Garrett guarding me after which Dok downing it, so it was arduous,” Harris mentioned. “They had been the 2 greatest defensive gamers within the nation, so once I first tried, I couldn’t do something and I used to be smaller than I’m now… I realized quite a bit freshman 12 months, simply to see what’s opening after which don’t attempt to pressure it.”
Often surpassing half-hour per sport, KU’s typical help chief mentioned the rise in offensive manufacturing is all psychological.
“My teammates and my coaches, they inform me daily I have to shoot the ball and groups are making me shoot the ball,” Harris mentioned. “I simply bought to have the arrogance to step up and make the shot.”
Assembly Harris on the defensive finish on Saturday shall be Iowa State guard Caleb Grill – one other speedy ballhandler that’s discovered his means into the three-point scoring column. Grill opened Massive 12 play with 5 3s every towards Baylor and Oklahoma.
Harris is trying ahead to mixing freshman guard Gradey Dick into the Kansas offense extra towards the Cyclones, as nicely. Dick scored eight factors via 36 minutes on Tuesday vs. the Sooners and enters Saturday seeking to break again into double figures.
Based on Harris, Dick’s able to including the best spark Kansas will want towards an Iowa State protection that’s out to impress.
“We have to set extra screens for (Dick) as a result of we all know they’re going to face guard the entire sport,” Harris mentioned. “We want him to get plenty of touches as a result of he’s one among our greatest scorers, greatest three-point shooter too. If we give him extra touches, that opens up extra for our offense. We want him going.”
