MANHATTAN — Kansas basketball’s problem with finishing games on the road came up again Monday, when the Jayhawks suffered a 75-70 loss in Big 12 Conference play against Kansas State.
It was an overtime defeat this time, as opposed to the previous Big 12 road losses that came in regulation. But it counts just the same, as No. 4 Kansas (18-5, 6-4 in Big 12) squandered an opportunity to position itself even better in the league’s regular season title race. And losing against the Wildcats (15-8, 5-5 in Big 12) means the Jayhawks are now 1-4 in road games in Big 12 play.
Kansas does get to be back at home Saturday, when it faces No. 13 Baylor. The Jayhawks have yet to lose inside Allen Fieldhouse this season, in non-conference play or against a Big 12 opponent. But if three issues that occurred during the loss against Kansas State come up again, Kansas will have a good chance of doing something coach Bill Self often talks about avoiding — letting one loss become two.
Allowing a double-digit lead in the second half to fade away
Kansas’ largest lead of the game, 11 points, came early in the second half. After going into halftime up 32-30, the Jayhawks went on a 9-0 run to lead 41-30 before even three minutes had gone off the clock. With all that momentum, it appeared as if they would be able to control the remaining minutes and make their way home with a win.
But then Kansas State tied the score up at 41-41 not even three minutes later, thanks to an 11-0 run. From then on, the game became a back-and-forth affair. No team led by more than four points the rest of regulation, which wrapped up at 64-64, and the Wildcats only achieved their five-point margin of victory because they added a free throw late in overtime.
Kansas redshirt senior guard Dajuan Harris Jr. said when he and his teammates pushed their lead to 11, that’s when they should have put their feet on their opponents’ throats. Senior center Hunter Dickinson added it was pretty frustrating to see that lead evaporate in an eventual loss. Should the Jayhawks relinquish that kind of advantage against Baylor, a similar ending could follow.
Failing to avoid foul trouble
The existence of an overtime period allows for more time for players to get called for fouls. Had the game ended in regulation, neither Dickinson nor junior forward KJ Adams Jr. would have fouled out and freshman guard Johnny Furphy wouldn’t have been called for his fourth. But if Kansas is going to rely so heavily on its starters, having them on the cusp of foul trouble toward the end of regulation and in foul trouble in overtime are two things the Jayhawks can’t live with.
Self downplayed the foul trouble postgame, highlighting the overtime aspect of things and more. He didn’t think the fouls meant his guys were playing any differently. But regardless, that kind of foul trouble creates a situation Kansas has to manage.
Harris said the foul trouble played a big role late in this game. He said they have to play smarter. He alluded to an understanding that, when they’re on the road, this has the potential to happen.
Watching the bench not produce offensively if a starter struggles
Furphy’s four-point evening didn’t have to be something that stuck out so significantly postgame, even in a loss. As Self pointed out, with how well Furphy had been playing he was sort of due for a game like this, in which he shot 2-for-7 from the field and missed all four of his 3-point attempts. But Furphy’s performance did stick out, because the Kansas players who came off the bench didn’t step up for him.
The Jayhawks finished with just two bench points, from freshman guard Elmarko Jackson. He took the only shots from the field a bench player took that were of any consequence, finishing 1-for-2, considering freshman guard Jamari McDowell’s 3-pointer — which missed — came at the end of overtime when the game was already decided. It’s yet another game where Kansas’ lack of production from its bench was a topic of conversation postgame.
The Jayhawks’ reliance on their starters means the scoring production from their bench likely won’t be something that often pops off the stat sheet. Look at how many minutes the starters play compared to the guys who come off the bench, and it’s clear the opportunities to take shots and score are limited for the latter. But if a starter struggles, it can’t always only be up to the other starters to carry that burden.
RELATED: Kansas basketball vs. Kansas State recap: Jayhawks drop rivalry game in overtime
RELATED: Kansas basketball loses rivalry game on road against Big 12 Conference-foe Kansas State
RELATED: Here are key details in former Kansas football player Joe Krause’s diversion agreement
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: If Kansas basketball lets these 3 things happen again, it could lose
