Following the cancellation of the Dec. 29th meeting with Harvard, Kansas didn’t waste much time finding an opponent, as it slotted Nevada in its vacant schedule Monday evening via Twitter.
The Jayhawks (9-1, 0-0 Big 12) have enjoyed an extended holiday break thanks to back-to-back cancellations with Colorado and Harvard due to COVID-19 issues and injuries.
Nevada found itself in a similar situation, unable to meet either Grand Canyon or San Jose State, setting up a convenient opening for a midweek trip to Lawrence. Wednesday's tipoff is set for 7 p.m. from Allen Fieldhouse.
Nevada at a glance:
It’s safe to say the Wolf Pack (6-4, 0-0 MWC) were riding strong heading into the break. They’ve won their last five straight, with the exception of another cancellation against Texas-Arlington in early December.
Led by Sunrise Christian product and former Wichita State Shocker Grant Sherfield, Nevada has some confidence up top. The junior dropped 24 points against Loyola Marymount but was held to 3-6 from the three-point range.
6’ 11” center Will Baker will be cleaning up the glass for the Wolf Pack. The young big averages 12.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Baker transferred from Texas after his freshman season.
Nevada head coach Steve Alford is in his third year, after reaching the Mountain West semifinal in the 2020-21 season. A former Olympic gold medalist, Alford began his coaching career in 1991 at Manchester in Indiana. He's made several coaching stops since then, including Iowa, New Mexico, and UCLA.
From the film room:
Nevada is a strong free-throw shooting team, 17th in the country strong. Staying out of foul trouble will be a must for the Jayhawks, and that may be a challenge with Baker’s physicality in the paint.
Baker racked up 13 points of his own against Loyola Marymount in a close 68-63 win over the Lions on Dec. 18.
A bulk of Nevada's scoring comes from Sherfield and Desmond Cambridge Jr., two guards who aren't afraid to drive inside. Both can finish at the rim and have a great deal of speed to their advantage.
Containing this pair will be vital for the Kansas defense, but another challenge comes at the three-point line. The Wolf Pack have improved their perimeter presence, knocking down six or more three-point buckets in their last five showings.
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