🏀 Lightfoot Provides Spark in Friday’s 95-50 Win Over Omaha

by Hunter Ristau

LAWRENCE, Kan. – From the opening tip inside of Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks set the tone and took ownership of the Friday night contest. Starting the game on a 17-0 run that lasted for the first five minutes of the game, paved the way for senior Mitch Lightfoot to come into the game and provide a spark in the first half.

Lightfoot scored a career-high 14 points against the Omaha Mavericks, leading the Jayhawks to a 95-50 win.

When Lightfoot stepped onto the court five minutes into the game, he got right to work. In the ten minutes that Lightfoot was checked into the game he went 4-5 in the paint, then scored his first three pointer of the season. By halftime, Lightfoot put up 12 points which was a new career high.

Head coach Bill Self had some complete faith in Lightfoot at the halfway mark of the contest.

“[Self] said that you’re playing well and keep it up. I think that it was important for him to see the other guys who might have not gotten out there to play as many minutes today,” said Lightfoot. “It was cool to see everyone get out there a score tonight.”

The second half wasn’t much different, in the short four mins that Lightfoot was in the game he put up four points and went 2-2 from the line. Lightfoot also went on to rebound the ball three more times making his game total seven rebounds.

Lightfoot also blocked three shots on Friday, which moved him past Markieff Morris into 20th on Kansas’ all-time blocks records list. Lightfoot currently stands at 105 career blocks in his Jayhawk career

Lightfoot was happy with the performance that he put on Friday night.

“I think that my role is to give us energy. Anything that will give us extra possessions, score when I need to score, offensive rebounds, and running around to give people room.”

Mitch Lightfoot

Self was happy with the overall team performance Friday night, with this being the last game before conference play opens up against Texas Tech on December 17 at 6 p.m., in Lubbock, Texas.