Dajuan Harris was the first to the floor, sprawling out to save a loose ball that Hunter Dickinson poked out of the hands of Keshon Gilbert on a transition opportunity. The ball was secured to Diggy Coit, who tossed a half-court lob to KJ Adams, who threw down a ferocious dunk to send Allen Fieldhouse into a frenzy.
That sequence exemplified Kansas’ 69-52 win over Iowa State. The Jayhawks’ effort was on full display, emphasizing winning 50-50 balls. The Cyclones are known for making 50-50 balls more like 75-25 balls in their favor, but Kansas was the first to the floor on Monday night.
“Usually when we play Iowa State, it’s always whoever’s the first one to get on the floor,” Harris said postgame. “I just wanted to make a play, get on the floor.”
Kansas also used a strong defensive effort to fluster a top-20 (per KenPom) offense. The Jayhawks held the Cyclones to their lowest scoring output of the season, and Iowa State shot just over 30% from the floor from the game.
“Our defensive intensity, first shot defense was probably as good as it’s been at any point in time this year,” Bill Self said.
The defensive intensity was seen from tip-off with KJ Adams returning to the starting lineup. Adams was injured in the game against Iowa State in Ames and re-entered the starting five ahead of the rematch. He helped Kansas’ ball-screen defense as the Jayhawks were able to switch positions one through four.
“With KJ back in the starting lineup, you can guard ball screens different because you can switch,” Self said. “So you’ve got your best defender guarding their best guy coming off a ball screen.”
Adams’ and Kansas’ guards limited an Iowa State trio that gave the Jayhawks fits in Hilton Coliseum. Curtis Jones, Tamin Lipsey, and Keshon Gilbert combined for 42 points in the Cyclones’ win in Ames on January 15th. On Monday night, the same trio scored 29 points on 13/40 shooting.
“I think our ball screen defense was pretty good,” Harris said. “But mainly stopping their guards getting into the lane because I think last time we played them down there in Ames, their guards got in the lane a lot and made a lot of plays. We stopped them, so that really helped us a lot, especially in the first half.”
Jones specifically torched Kansas for 25 points in Ames. He made just three shots in Lawrence including one three. Adams’ defensive presence was felt, doing a good job on the smaller Jones when he switched onto him.
“I think we did a better job [on him],” Self said. “I think that switching helped us a lot because a lot of times when he was coming off, KJ was the one switching to him. And that makes a big difference when he could be the guy guarding, their best scorer what not coming off.”
Self said he thought his team did a better job of paying attention to the scouting report. He also said the Jayhawks forced Iowa State into a lot of late shot-clock scenarios in the first half.
