Conference season begins with a bang for the Kansas Jayhawks when they host instate rival Kansas State on Wednesday night. The Wildcats enter the game with the better record (11-1) but they also enter the game ranked 156th in Strength of Schedule in the country. A win versus the college basketball monster to the east would certainly cause a lot of people around the country to take notice of the Wildcats this season.
The series:
The Jayhawks lead the all time series 181-91, including 42 of the last 45 and 7 of the last 8 and have won 16 of the last 17 games against the Wildcats in Lawrence. Since the start of the Big 12 the Jayhawks are 34-3 against the Wildcats.
Kansas State:
Kansas State ranks 35th in the country in points per game with 77.2, and ranks 59th in possessions per game with 70.9. The Wildcats rank 97th in the country in fiel goal percentage by only shooting 45.5% from the field, and 34.8% from behind the arc ranks the Wildcats 151st in the country.
The Wildcats look to overcome their poor shooting by getting to the free throw line almost 30 times per game. The Wildcats currently average 28.8 free throw attempts per game, and make 18.8 per game.
A huge focus for the Wildcats is rebounding. This is where they gain multiple extra possessions and get to the free throw line. Kansas State ranks 6th in rebounds per game with 41.8, including 15.2 per game on the offensive glass which ranks 13th in the country.
On the defense end of the court the Wildcats have been very impressive this season. The Wilcats rank 67th in the country by holding opponents to 61.7 points per game, and 10th in the country in field goal percentage defense by holding opponents to 36.7%. The Wildcats don’t allow teams to get hot from three either. They rank 19th in the country by holding opponents to 27.7% from behind the arc.
Kansas:
The Jayhawks rank 50th in the country by averaging 76.0 points per game and 111th in the country in possessions at 69.5. The Jayhawks rank 34th in field goal percentage at 48.1%, but 127th from three at 35.5%. Kansas has shot better than 11 of their 13 opponents this season.
Kansas rebounding, led by Captain Double Double Thomas Robinson, ranks 53rd in the country at 38.5 per game. However, the Jayhawks’ 11.8 offensive rebounds per game is only good for 147th in the country. Kansas has out-rebounds 12 of their 13 opponents this season, including their last 11.
Defensively the Jayhawks rank 40th in points per game allowed by holding opponents to 59.8 per game. They also rank near the top in field goal percentage defense at 37.4%. However, opponents shoot 34.6% from three which ranks 204th in the country.
