Against a team that entered the night winless in Big 12 play, with faces that looked like they came from one of those basketball movies that only had a handful of on-court scenes, the 17th-ranked Kansas basketball team did enough to get past Colorado, 71-59 at Allen Fieldhouse.
It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t always pretty. And there’ll be plenty there for KU coach Bill Self to critique.
Such is life in the world of Kansas basketball right now.
More from Tuesday's win...
But there also were enough positive signs to draw on — as inconsistent as they might’ve been — for the Jayhawks to carry with them into their two-game road trip next week.
KU coach Bill Self called the game “pretty bland” and said he was glad they won but wasn’t overly thrilled with much else.
And KU big man Hunter Dickinson noted that the game had its ups and downs, adding that it was kind of like KU’s season to date.
Four Jayhawks reached double figures in scoring, led by Dickinson’s 19 points and 9 rebounds.
Next up, KU (17-7 overall, 8-5 Big 12) will head out on the road for back to back games in the state of Utah — Saturday night vs. the Utes (9 p.m. ESPN) and next Tuesday at BYU (8 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2).
After that, they’ll return home for a clash with Oklahoma State on Saturday, Feb. 22. Tipoff for that one is set for 3 p.m. on CBS.
Here’s a look back at some of Tuesday’ action against the Buffs at Allen Fieldhouse.
LIKES
• The return of KJ Adams – So much of what Adams did in this game reminded me of last year or the year before when he was at his absolute best. As a passer out of the short roll. Playing with fire and tenacity around the rim and on the defensive end. And finding a way to put up numbers and ignite the crowd and his teammates in the process. Adams was terrific in the first half and there’s no doubt his effort will be pointed out to everyone when these guys watch film of this one on Wednesday. It’s there. And in that very real way, this was Adams being a leader. Now others just have to follow. Adams finished this one with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in 32 minutes.
• Backcourt trap early – It didn’t happen a ton and doesn’t appear to be something they’ll do on a consistent basis, but it was good to see nonetheless. With Colorado and Kansas trading baskets in the first few minutes, the Jayhawks picked up with some man-to-man full-court pressure. That’s nothing new. We’ve seen that a handful of times this year and plenty throughout the years. But they don’t always trap off of it like they did in this game. Again, it was only one possession. And it didn’t even produce a turnover. But it did mess with Colorado’s flow and mojo, helping Kansas get the kind of energy and defensive pressure it didn’t have on Saturday at Kansas State.
• Gettin’ Diggy with it – KU got a huge lift from its bench in this one, with reserve guard Diggy Coit playing a huge role in that. Coit played a lot in the second half and did so because he was one of the few guys on the floor who not only could score but also wasn’t afraid to shoot. Coit hit a couple of 3s and a step-back jumper, all in a short span of time, to help Kansas hold onto its lead while Colorado made its comeback. Coit displayed the same attitude and approach that the Buffs had in the second half while helping keep Kansas in front — screw it, I’m shooting this. All of it came either within the offense or with the shot clock winding down. And all of it was needed to keep the Buffs at arm’s length.
• Danny’s return – There’s no doubt that it looked a little strange to see a black and gold buffalo on his chest instead of the Jayhawk, but, nonetheless, it was great to see KU legend Danny Manning back in Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday night. Manning, who had not been back since his son Evan’s senior night in 2016, had his daughter Taylor and her family, along with his wife, Julie, along with several other family members and friends in the stands. Manning received a warm welcome when he and fellow-former Jayhawk Tad Boyle (Colorado’s head coach) first walked onto the floor to join their team. And then got an even bigger ovation when he was introduced to the crowd and shown on the video board
DISLIKES
• 2nd half start – It was about as close to the complete opposite of what KU coach Bill Self would’ve wanted to see and it came with little resistance and in less than 2 minutes. Colorado opened the 2nd half with a much more aggressive mindset and approach, letting it fly from 3 and attacking whenever possible. KU, meanwhile, was a step slow everywhere and watched the Buffs trim the 14-point deficit to 8 early and then as low as 6 just a couple of minutes later. The trip to the locker room clearly took the Jayhawks’ edge from them.
• Points in the paint given up – Fans went wild when Flory Bidunga checked into the game for Hunter Dickinson in the early going of this one. And we all know the reason they love the freshman big man. But for all of the good things he does out there — catching lobs, blocking shots and using elite athleticism to make plays — there are still times when he reminds us that he’s just a freshman and still has a long way to go. Physically as much as anything. On back to back plays in the second half (and three times total in the final 20 minutes, with Colorado still very much in the game, the CU big man Elijah Malone went right at Bidunga in the post and scored with ease, using his strength and size to combat all of Bidunga’s advantages. This isn’t as much a knock on Bidunga as a reality check about where he’s at in his development still. Bottom line: He needs to get stronger. And he will.
• Open shots not falling – This team has too many holes to not be able to knock down open shots when they get them. That’s not always an issue, but it can be. And that’s a problem. With KU leading by 6-8 points late, the Jayhawks misfired on a few open 3-point looks late that would’ve iced the game had they gone down. At some point, if you struggle to play defense and have consistency elsewhere on the floor, the 3-point shot can be a great equalizer. It hasn’t been for this group yet, and it needs to be if they want to become the team they think they can. Zeke Mayo had a good night shooting the ball (3-for-6 from 3-point range) and finally buried the dagger late. But before that, they missed too many open looks to feel comfortable. KU finished the night 6-for-21 from 3-point range but also held Colorado to 4-for-23 shooting from distance to take some of the sting off of the Jayhawks’ misses.
WHAT THE?
• Adams’ vicious block – Late in the first half, while on a bit of a heater with his effort and intensity producing good things for the home team, KJ Adams delivered a nasty block that could stick around the highlight reels for a while. With CU’s Javon Ruffin picking up a loose ball along the baseline in front of the KU bench and quickly turning to get to the rim, Adams came from up the floor, behind the play, and blocked the shot attempt off the glass with his body facing the KU student section. It was a nasty block with plenty of attitude and it was the kind of athletic play that has made Self gush about Adams’ athleticism, often calling him the best athlete on the floor, throughout his career.
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