It’s the Battle of the Huge 12.
The Kansas Jayhawks will face the Cincinnati Bearcats at present, beginning at 2 pm ET, and it’s the matchup everybody has been ready for. The final time KU and Cincy confronted off the Bearcats took residence a 20-point dub in opposition to the Jayhawks within the convention event. However this season, the tables have barely turned for the them within the Huge 12, as they’re at the moment 0-3 in convention play and trying to bounce again from their shedding streak.
In the meantime, KU is at the moment 2-1 within the Huge 12—good for fourth within the convention—and maintain the No. 11 rating within the nation. This would be the first time the 2 packages will go face to face in Cincy since ’64.
If there’s one factor you must find out about each squads, it’s that they don’t play in the case of protection, particularly the Bearcats, who can snag offensive boards with ease.
“Our half-court, man-to-man protection has been probably the most dependable factor we’ve had going all yr lengthy,” stated head coach Wes Miller after the loss to Baylor. “I even felt tonight that once we locked in on all 5, we felt there could be a breakthrough. Give them credit score—they obtained a handful of baskets in transition and our protection had a scarcity of effort to get again.”
They’ll have to convey that very same vitality and extra in opposition to KU, because the Jayhawks’ protection is so elite, they’ve been locking down opponents. Add in the truth that they’ve additionally obtained the twenty fourth best offense in accordance with KenPom, and also you’re taking a look at a significantly dominant workforce that may present out on each ends of the ground.
“We had been nice defensively,” head coach Invoice Self informed the media after defeating Arizona State. “Who would have thought we shot the ball worse the second half from 2? We shot it worse from 3 and mainly held them to 11, then they get the layup there on the proper on the very finish. However that was distinctive.”
It’s going to be a showdown. To get you hyped for the sport, we’ve obtained an unique school assortment for Kansas and Cincinnati gear. Lock in.