What a difference three weeks make.
When Kansas fell to Kentucky by 32 points over three weeks ago, and the Wildcats blocked as many shot attempts as the Jayhawks saw go through the net, panic for this reloaded Kansas squad set in.
However, victories over Rhode Island, Tennessee and Florida at home; over Michigan State on a neutral floor; and at Georgetown this past Wednesday have changed the mood in Lawrence.
Frank Mason III and Perry Ellis have been sturdy throughout this stretch, as they are expected to be for the Jayhawks all season. Wayne Selden is starting to come around after a slow start, showing flashes of the skill that had some expecting him to be a first-round pick in the last NBA draft. Selden started the season shooting just 26.5 percent from the floor, but scored 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting against Florida.
Blue-chip freshman Cliff Alexander has been fairly inconsistent, which you expect of 19-year-old, but he has improved in recent games. Alexander has been coming off the bench, but has scored 16, 6, 12 and 7 points in his last four games. Finding a groove for Alexander could eventually determine if Kansas is a national power at the end of the season or an early exit in March.
Another freshman, Kelly Oubre, has started seeing more time recently. Despite high expections, Oubre has been brought along slowly. Coming into the Florida win, Oubre was ninth in minutes played on the Jayhawks’ roster, but the arrest and one-game suspension of Jamari Traylor may have opened the door for him. Oubre played nearly double his normal minutes in the win against Georgetown Wednesday.
Even Brannen Greene showed the ability to knock down some shots on Wednesday, a weapon the Jayhawks have been looking for. Greene was 5-for-5 beyond the arc against the Hoyas, scoring 19 points, after coming in averaging just over six per game.
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After losing Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid, Bill Self reloaded his roster coming into this season. While there is some experience returning, younger players have been forced into highly important and expansive roles early in the campaign. While some have responded better than others, playing the better teams in the country and beating them has Kansas in a good position going into conference play.
With all of the youth on the Jayhawks’ roster, growing pains are to be expected. While playing a typically tough Bill Self non-conference schedule, Kansas has to be confident about its ability to solve problems: The Jayhawks have gotten through nearly a full month of competition with just the single blemish against a conspicuously imposing Kentucky squad.
After battling Utah on Saturday in Kansas City, Kansas will have a few warm-ups and a trip to Temple before kicking off Big 12 conference play just after the new year. While the Jayhawks are still quite a ways from the elites in the country – Kentucky, Duke, Wisconsin, and Arizona – it’s not where you are in December, it’s where you are in March. With all the talent on this Kansas squad, the Jayhawks will be just fine in a difficult Big 12 with the trials they have already faced.
