Kansas basketball left no doubt in this one, taking care of Howard from the start, and never looked back.
Everything that people said positively about the Jayhawks came into effect tonight. The shooting was improved, the frontcourt was dominant, and the new pieces came to play. It was an impressive performance throughout, never trailing in the game and never really allowing Howard to get on any kind of run.
With the big game looming against UNC, here are three takeaways from tonight’s game.
Takeaway #1: The hometown hero shines in his debut
Zeke Mayo grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, and in his first game repping the crimson and blue, he put on a show, leading the scoring with 19 points and hitting 5 threes. Bill brought in Zeke Mayo for one reason, to provide a scoring boost, and he did just that. Mayo will come off the bench, and if he can provide this kind of help to the depth every night, this Kansas Jayhawk basketball team will not be losing many games.
Takeaway #2: The defense is relentless all night
Kansas was expected to win this game pretty easily, but while the offense was great, the defense was the real difference maker. They allowed just 19 points in the first half on 24% shooting, and forced 15 total turnovers.
Obviously, Howard isn’t as good as many of their future opponents, but athleticism this team possess is on full display. Even on days when Mayo struggles and the offense isn’t producing at a high level, this defense can win any game.
Takeaway #3: Freshman five-star looks the part
It’s pretty common to see freshmen struggle early on as they transition from high school to college level. Flory Bidunga showed no rust, scoring 13 points on 6-6 shooting in just 15 minutes. He also added 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals to his statline.
One of the reasons why Kansas basketball couldn’t hit its ceiling last year was not having that second big when Hunter Dickinson was tired or struggling. Bidunga certainly looked like he could be an impact player all season long. The only complaint? Jayhawk fans might only get one season of him if he continues to play this well.
Next up for Kansas (1-0):Â vs. UNC (1-0) on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. EST
Next up for Howard (0-1):Â at Missouri on Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. EST
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