Kansas Basketball: Keys to success on the road at Texas Tech
By Brian Rauf
1) Dedric Lawson needs to outplay Jarrett Culver
Despite the rash of injuries Kansas has suffered this season, they would be completely out of the running for the Big 12 title if Lawson was not playing at such a high level this season.
He leads the Jayhawks in points, rebounds, and blocks, and has been their only consistent option offensively over the past two months. Everything they do runs through him either in the high or low post, where he makes plays with his vision or looks to score.
Texas Tech is a bit more well-rounded than the Jayhawks but most of their offense also runs through one player in Jarrett Culver. He ranks in the top 50 nationally in usage rate, as over 30 percent of the Red Raiders’ possessions end in a Culver shot, assist, or turnover.
It’s easy to see why head coach Chris Beard wants to run everything through Culver. A projected top 10 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Culver is a multi-dimensional scoring threat. He can shoot, create his own shot, and is more than capable of attacking the basket and finishing around the rim.
The individual success of each player is heavily tied to the success of their respective teams. Lawson has only shot below 50 percent from the field seven times in conference play – Kansas is only 2-5 in those games. Culver, on the other hand, has shot below 38 percent in six conference games – Texas Tech is just 3-3 in said games.
Lawson and Culver won’t match up with each other in a one-on-one matchup, but whoever has the most productive game with a high level of efficiency will lead their team to a victory.