Two ranked teams faced off Saturday afternoon as Houston heads up to Kansas; will the Cougars get a prime road win or do the Jayhawks tough out a good one at home?
TV schedule: Saturday, January 25, 6:30 pm ET. ESPN
Arena: Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas
With struggles confined to November, Houston (15-3) is putting together another fantastic season and it starts on the defensive end. The Cougars had a few tough performances against Alabama, Auburn, and San Diego State but have won every game since then and are off to a perfect start in Big 12 play. Can that really continue with their first big win of the season?
Offensively, the Cougars are missing their All-American guards from recent years but are still getting great run from LJ Cryer (13.8 ppg), who has played a great role after coming over from Baylor. While his scoring numbers aren’t flashy, do not underestimate what sophomore forward Joseph Tugler (5.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) brings on the defensive end, especially as a shot blocker. Additionally, the hot hand on offense seems to be Emanuel Sharp (13.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg), who has been one of the Big 12’s best shooters, nailing 46% of his 3-pointers and nearly 93% from the free throw line.
The Cougars are #7 in the AP Top 25, though they actually sit 3rd in both KenPom and the NET. The metrics love what this team has done on the court, ranking first in the nation in defensive efficiency and points allowed. This team has run off 11 wins in a row but strangely lack a Quad 1 win this season despite their dominance in recent weeks.
Even with a few rough showings, Kansas (14-4) is still showing that they’re one of the premier programs in the Big 12. The Jayhawks have awesome wins over Duke and Michigan State and are off to a 5-2 start in league play, with recent notable road wins over Cincinnati and TCU by double-digits. Their defense has shown up in league play but it’s all about getting enough consistency on both ends.
The action starts with All-American center Hunter Dickinson (15.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg), who in his fifth year of collegiate ball continues to prove that he’s among the nation’s most prominent frontcourt players. His skill and contributions are quite clear, though the Jayhawks are hoping for more from the rest of this roster. Zeke Mayo (14.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.9 apg) has had some great performances since coming over from South Dakota State while DaJuan Harris Jr. (9.7 ppg, 5.4 apg) continues to operate as one of the nation’s greatest point guards, but could this team be getting more out of this roster?
Kansas is #12 in the AP Top 25, 7th in KenPom, and 9th in the NET rankings. While that offense has dealt with inconsistency, flailing in a few of their earlier losses, that defense is now 4th in the nation in efficiency. In fact, the Jayhawks have allowed less than 65 points in five of their first seven Big 12 contests, though they’re going to need better play from AJ Storr and a few other players in this rotation.
This game might be played in Lawrence, but the Cougars aren’t afraid based on the way they’ve played ball recently. The Jayhawks were upset at home by West Virginia just under four weeks ago and have been vastly inconsistent. Houston’s defense has been too hot for anyone to handle since the end of November and it’ll be interesting to see what measures they have, especially with Tugler and J’Wan Roberts limiting Dickinson.
With that being said, we can’t dismiss Kansas at home with the talent on this roster. This might come down to someone outside of those stars we mentioned shining with their opportunities. Houston doesn’t allow many opportunities so you have to take advantage. We’re giving a slight edge towards a hungry Cougars team still looking for that first Quad 1 win, but anything can happen in this great matchup.
Prediction: Houston 62, Kansas 59