Dillons Sunflower Showdown heads to Allen Fieldhouse Monday

Freshman guard Devon Dotson 

 GM 28: vs. Kansas State
  Feb. 25
  8 p.m.
  Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
  Watch (ESPN)
  Listen
  Live Stats
  Game Notes

 

 Stats KU KSU
 Record 20-7 (9-5) 21-6 (11-3)
 Pts/GM 76.4 66.5
 FG% 47.2 43.7
 3FG% 36.3 34.0
 FT% 68.9 66.1
 Reb/GM 37.1 33.8
 Ast/GM 13.6 13.9
 Blk/GM 3.7 2.0
 Stl/GM 7.0 7.4
 Pts Allowed/GM 70.6 59.3
 FG% Defense 40.8 41.1
 3FG% Defense 33.9 31.2
 Rebound Margin +1.3 +2.4
 Ast-TO Ratio 1.0 1.2

 

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The 291st edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown is set for Monday, Feb. 25 when the Kansas Jayhawks host the Kansas State Wildcats at Allen Fieldhouse on ESPN Big Monday. Kansas, which enters the contest trailing the Big 12-leading Wildcats by two games in the league standings, will look to claim its 13th-straight win over its in-state rival in Lawrence. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. (CT) on ESPN, with Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Jay Bilas (analyst) and Holly Rowe (reporter) set to call the action.

WATCH JAYHAWK GAMEDAY LIVE FROM ALLEN FIELDHOUSE
Jayhawk Gameday Live, a 30-minute pregame show and a 60-minute postgame show, will be live before KU’s match-up with Kansas State starting at 7:30 p.m. (CT). Full postgame reaction and analysis will follow immediately after the game’s conclusion. The show will be available across the country on the ESPN app, as well as regionally on KMCI, Spectrum Sports, Midco Sports Network and Cox Cable. For more information on how to access Jayhawk Gameday Live as well as content from the Jayhawk Network, visit KUAthletics.com/JTV.
 
TIP-OFF

  • At 9-5, No. 12/12 Kansas is tied with Baylor for third in the Big 12 race with four games left in the league season. KU is two games behind Kansas State (11-3) and one behind Texas Tech (10-4).
  • Kansas is 6-3 against the current Associated Press top-25 with victories against No. 5 Tennessee, No. 10 Michigan State, No. 11 Marquette, No. 14 Texas Tech, No. 17 Villanova and No. 19 Iowa State.
  • KU leads the overall series with Kansas State, 196-94, including an 89-35 record in meetings in Lawrence (48-18 in Allen Fieldhouse). KU has won eight of the last nine match-ups and, since Feb. 12, 1994, Kansas has won 57 of the last 63 meetings with K-State.
  • Kansas’ 196 wins against Kansas State are the most for any team against an opponent in NCAA DI history.
  • Kansas 90-12 following a loss in the Bill Self era, including 5-1 this season. Since the 2013-14 season, KU is now 40-4 following a loss.
  • Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996-97, Kansas is 67-18 all-time on ESPN Big Monday (38-1 at home and 29-17 on the road), including 49-12 under head coach Bill Self (28-0 at home and 21-12 on the road). KU has won 32-straight Big Monday games in Allen Fieldhouse.
  • Kansas is 786-113 in Allen Fieldhouse and the Feb. 25 contest against Kansas State will be the 900th men’s basketball game played in the venue. This includes regular-season and postseason games (i.e. first round contests of the Big Eight Tournament).
  • At 9-5, Kansas is vying to win its 10th conference game for the 25th-consecutive season, a run which started in 1995 and is the longest active streak in the nation. 
  • Redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.0 ppg, rebounding at 10.1 rpg and double-doubles with 16. The last conference player to lead the league in scoring and rebounding in the same season was Blake Griffin of Oklahoma in 2008-09.

 
ABOUT KANSAS
No. 12/12 Kansas is 20-7 overall and 9-5 in Big 12 play after its 91-62 loss at No. 14/14 Texas Tech Feb. 23. In all games, Kansas ranks in the top three in the Big 12 in scoring offense (second at 76.4), field goal percentage (second at 47.2), field goal percentage defense (third at 40.8) and 3-point field goal percentage (third at 36.3). KU has a +1.3 rebound margin and also averages 7.5 3-pointers made, 13.6 assists, 7.0 steals and 3.7 blocked shots per game.
 
Redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.0 ppg, rebounding at 10.1 rpg and with 16 double-doubles. A national player of the year and All-American candidate, Dedric Lawson has 13 games of 20 or more points and his 16 DDs and is tied for 11th nationally. He is the only player in the league averaging a double-double. A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week (11/12, 11/26, 12/26) and five-time league newcomer of the week (12/3, 12/17, 1/14, 1/28, 2/11), Lawson leads KU with 29 blocked shots and his 1.1 blocks per game are fifth in the conference. His 50.3 field goal percentage is sixth in the league.
 
Freshman G Devon Dotson is averaging 16.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.5 apg and 1.7 spg in his last six games. Included was a 15-point and career-high-tying eight assists against West Virginia (2/16). Named the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week on Feb. 12, Dotson ranks 17th in the Big 12 in scoring (12.0), sixth in assists (3.6), ninth in FG% (50.0), seventh in steals (1.4) and eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5).
 
Freshman G Ochai Agbaji has scored in double figures in three of his last four games and five of his last seven contests. In his last four outings, Agbaji averaged 13.7 points and 5.5 rebounds. That includes his second double-double of the season with 20 points and a career-high 11 rebounds at TCU (2/11). Agbaji pulled his redshirt prior to the TCU game (1/9) and averages 10.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest and is making 51.1 percent from the floor.
 
Freshman G Quentin Grimes has nine assists in his last three games and four steals in his last two contests. He is second on the team with 34 3-pointers made this season. Grimes has made multiple treys in three of his last six games. Grimes averages 7.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
 
After missing five games with a sprained ankle, sophomore G Marcus Garrett came back and had nine points on 4-of-6 shooting at Texas Tech (2/23). Garrett ranks third in the Big 12 with 1.7 steals per contest. He has 10 games with multiple steals in 2018-19. Garrett averages 7.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game and has 47 assists.
 
Other KU regulars include redshirt-sophomore G K.J. Lawson (3.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg), redshirt-sophomore G Charlie Moore (3.3 ppg, 17 3-pointers), freshman F David McCormack (2.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg) and junior F Mitch Lightfoot (2.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg). McCormack has started each of the last four games and has averaged 9.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg in his last two contests.
Moore made three 3-pointers at Texas Tech (2/23) and his nine points for the game were his most in Big 12 play. Lightfoot has one steal in each of his last four games and four for the season. He is averaging 4.6 ppg and 6.2 rpg in his last five games.
 
ABOUT KANSAS STATE
Located in Manhattan, Kansas, with an enrollment of 22,221, No. 23/21 Kansas State is 21-6 overall and leads the Big 12 race with an 11-3 league record after its 85-46 win versus Oklahoma State (2/23). The Wildcats have won 11 of their last 12 conference games and are 6-1 in Big 12 road contests this season having won their last six league road outings.
 
K-State is coached by Bruce Weber who is 146-86 in his seventh season at KSU and 458-241 in his 21st season overall.
 
Kansas State leads the Big 12 in steals at 7.4 per game and defensive rebound percentage at 75.1. The Wildcats also rank in the top three in the conference in scoring defense (second at 59.3), scoring margin (third at +7.2), 3-point field goal percentage defense (third at 31.2), rebounding defense (second at 31.4), turnover margin (second at +3.2) and assist-to-turnover ratio (third at 1.2). KSU has a 66.5 scoring average and +2.4 rebound margin. K-State also averages 7.0 3-point field goals, 13.9 assists and 2.0 blocked shots per game.
 
Senior G Barry Brown Jr. leads Kansas State in scoring at 15.7 points per game, which is fourth in the Big 12. Brown leads the conference in steals at 2.0 and is third minutes played at 34.6 per contest. A preseason all-conference selection, Brown’s 74 assists are second most on the team and he has made 36 3-pointers.
 
Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Dean Wade is next in scoring at 13.1 points and he leads the team with 6.3 rebounds per contest. The senior forward has 59 assists and has made 19 3-pointers this season.
 
Junior F Xavier Sneed scores 10.4 points per game and he is second on the team with a 5.5 rebound average. He is also second among the Wildcats with 42 3-pointers made.
 
Senior G Kamau Stokes is eighth in the Big 12 in assists at 3.3 dimes per game. He averages 10.1 points per game and has made a team-high 49 3-pointers in 2018-19. Junior F Makol Mawien (6.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg) rounds out the K-State starters. Mawien leads the team with 16 blocked shots.
 
Other Kansas State regulars include sophomore G Cartier Diarra (6.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 22 steals, seven starts), sophomore G Mike McGuirl (3.5 ppg, 18 steals) and sophomore F Levi Stockard III (1.7 ppg).
 
THE SERIES
Kansas leads the overall series with Kansas State, 196-94, and has won eight of the last nine matchups. Since Feb. 12, 1994, Kansas has won 57 of the last 63 meetings with K-State. This series started in 1907 and Kansas is 89-35 against Kansas State in games played in Lawrence, including a 48-18 record in Allen Fieldhouse. Beginning in Feb. 7, 2007, Kansas has won the last 12 meetings in Allen Fieldhouse. The last two outcomes have been by a combined three points (90-88 on Jan. 3, 2017 and 73-72 on Jan. 13, 2018).
 
Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference, KU is 49-6 against KSU (39-6 in regular-season battles and 10-0 in the Big 12 Championship). Kansas head coach Bill Self is 32-6 all-time against K-State, all while at KU. Expect a close game as three of the last six battles have been decided by three points or less and eight of the last 12 matchups have been single-digit outcomes.
 

MOST ALL-TIME VICTORIES OVER AN OPPONENT IN NCAA DI HISTORY
W-L Record Team Opponent Years of Series
196-94 KANSAS Kansas State 1907-2019
190-115 Washington Oregon 1904-2019
189-159 Oregon State Oregon 1903-2019
185-104 Washington Washington St. 1910-2019
182-64 KANSAS Iowa State 1908-2019
173-124 Oregon State Washington St. 1907-2019
172-95 KANSAS Missouri 1907-2012
172-71 KANSAS Nebraska 1900-2018

 
A KANSAS WIN WOULD…
Make Kansas 21-7 and 10-5 in Big 12 play … Give Kansas 21 victories for the 30th-consecutive season, beginning in 1989-90 … Give KU 10 league victories for the 25th-straight year, beginning in 1994-95 and would add to its nation’s longest active league 10-win streak … Give Kansas its 13th-straight win against Kansas State in Allen Fieldhouse … Make the KU-KSU series 197-94 in favor of the Jayhawks … Extend KU’s home court winning streak to 20 games, including 19 in Allen Fieldhouse … Make Kansas 15-0 in Allen Fieldhouse this season, 787-113 all-time in the venue, including 248-13 under head coach Bill Self … Make Self 468-103 while at Kansas, 675-208 overall and 33-6 all-time versus Kansas State (33-6 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,269-856 all-time.
 
A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…
Make Kansas 20-8 and 9-6 in conference play, giving KU is most league losses since 1988-89 (6-8) … Give KU two-straight losses for the second time this season with the last time that occurred was during the ’05-06 season … Make Kansas State only the second school to sweep a home-and-home series in the Bill Self era … End a Kansas 12-game winning streak against K-State in Allen Fieldhouse … Make the KU-KSU series 196-95 in favor of Kansas … Be KSU’s first back-to-back wins against KU since March 13, 1993 and Jan. 17, 1994 in the Big Eight Conference era … End a KU 19-game home court winning streak, including 18 straight in Allen Fieldhouse … Make KU 14-1 in Allen Fieldhouse this season, 786-114 all-time, including 248-14 under Self … Make Self 467-104 while at Kansas, 674-209 overall and 32-7 all-time versus Kansas State (32-7 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,268-857 all-time.
 
LAST TIME OUT
A school-record 16 3-pointers and a 60 percent shooting night propelled the No. 14/14 Texas Tech Red Raiders to a 91-62 win over the No. 12/12 Kansas Jayhawks Feb. 23 inside United Supermarkets Arena. Redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson led KU with 14 points to go along with five rebounds, but that was countered with a game-high 26 points from TTU’s Jarrett Culver and six different Red Raiders hitting multiple 3-pointers to end KU’s eight-game winning streak in Lubbock.
 
Lawson led the Jayhawks in scoring for the 13th time this season, going 3-of-8 from the field and adding seven free throws to collect 14 points in 26 minutes. Charlie Moore and Marcus Garrett each added nine points as the two combined to go 4-of-8 from 3-point range. David McCormack and K.J. Lawson rounded out KU’s top scorers as they added eight points apiece.
 
TEXAS TECH LEFTOVERS & NOTABLES

  • Kansas’ loss gave Texas Tech its first win against Kansas in Lubbock since March 4, 2009, ending a KU eight-game winning streak in Lubbock meetings.
  • The loss gave KU just its 10th loss under Bill Self in games following five or more days off. Kansas is now 70-10 in such games since 2003-04 and 4-1 this season.
  • Kansas’ 20 first-half points are the fewest by the Jayhawks in a half since KU scored 20 against Baylor (2/10/18).
  • KU’s 25-point halftime deficit was its largest since Kansas trailed 47-22 at Baylor on Feb. 12, 2001.
  • KU’s 29-point loss marked its largest margin of defeat since Kentucky defeated Kansas by 32 points on Nov. 18, 2014, and the largest by a conference opponent since Oklahoma State topped the Jayhawks by 33 on Feb. 7, 2000.
  • Kansas gave up a season-high 91 points. KU is now 3-7 in the Bill Self era when its opponent tallies 90 or more points.
  • TTU’s 16 3-pointers marked the third-most ever by a Jayhawk opponent and the most this season. It also tied the TTU school record for single-game 3-pointers.
  • Kansas’ 23 rebounds were its fewest since Kansas grabbed 23 against Kansas State on Feb. 14, 2011.
  • The Red Raiders were 16-of-26 from 3-point range for a 61.5 percent clip. That’s the best 3-point shooting by a KU opponent with a minimum of five attempts since Iowa State hit 64.7 percent of its tries on Feb. 5, 2001.
  • The Red Raiders shot 60.7 percent from the field, the highest by a Kansas opponent since Long Beach State shot 62.8 percent on Jan. 25, 1993.
  • Tech’s 91 points were the most by a Jayhawk opponent since Iowa State hit 92 (2/4/17) and the most in a non-overtime game since Iowa State tallied 94 in a Jayhawk loss (3/14/14).
  • Redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson tallied 14 points, including a 7-of-8 mark from the free throw line. Lawson has now scored 10-plus points in 25 games this season and 81 times in his career.
  • Dedric Lawson has now hit a 3-pointer in each of his last nine games. In that nine-game span, he has hit 17-of-33 (52 percent) from beyond the arc.
  • Dedric Lawson was the only Jayhawk to score in double-figures marking the fewest double-figure scorers for KU since Kansas had just one against TCU on Jan. 28, 2015.

 
ESPN BIG MONDAY REGULARS
For the 13th year in a row Kansas men’s basketball will have been featured four times on ESPN Big Monday in 2018-19. Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996-97, Kansas is 67-18 all-time on ESPN Big Monday (38-1 at home and 29-17 on the road), including 49-12 under head coach Bill Self (28-0 at home and 21-12 on the road).
 
After its 80-76 win against Iowa State on Jan. 21, KU has won 32-straight Big Monday games in Allen Fieldhouse. KU has won its last 13 ESPN Big Monday contests, including its first three this season.
 

KU ON ESPN’S BIG MONDAY (SINCE 2004)
Season Home Away Total
2004 1-0 1-2 2-2
2005 1-0 0-2 1-2
2006 1-0 1-1 2-1
2007 1-0 3-0 4-0
2008 3-0 0-1 3-1
2009 1-0 2-1 3-1
2010 2-0 2-0 4-0
2011 2-0 1-1 3-1
2012 2-0 2-0 4-0
2013 2-0 2-0 4-0
2014 2-0 1-1 3-1
2015 2-0 0-2 2-2
2016 2-0 1-1 3-1
2017 2-0 2-0 4-0
2018 2-0 2-0 4-0
2019 2-0 1-0 3-0
TOTAL 28-0 21-12 49-12

 
 
LAWSON COLLECTION OF MIDSEASON WATCH LISTS GROWS
Redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson has a quickly growing collection of midseason accolades that have him among a small list of players on watch for national awards come season’s end. Here is a quick rundown of the recent announcements that included Lawson:

  • Lawson was named to the 2018-19 Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team, the publication announced Jan. 15. Last year, 11 of the 15 players on the midseason team made on the final ballot.
  • On Feb. 4, Lawson was named to the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s Late Season Top 20 list by the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Kansas has had representation each of the last two seasons at the Wooden Award ceremony as Frank Mason III won the award in 2017 and Devonte’ Graham was a finalist last year. Lawson is vying to become the third Jayhawk to win the honor with Mason in 2017 and Danny Manning in 1988.
  • On Feb. 6, Lawson was named one of 12 to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Final Midseason Watch List by the USBWA. Like the Wooden, the Oscar Robertson Trophy recognizes the national player of the year. Frank Mason III was the first KU player to win the Oscar Robertson Trophy in 2017.
  • On Feb. 7, Lawson was named one of 10 finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year by the Naismith Hall of Fame. Established in 2015, the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year will be narrowed down to five finalists with the winner being named April 12, 2019.
  • On Feb. 13, Lawson was one of 30 named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Team by the Atlanta Tip Off Club. KU’s Frank Mason III won the honor in 2017 as did Danny Manning in 1988. The Naismith Trophy will narrow down its nominees to 10 on March 6 and later will announce its four finalists.

 
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Kansas has one of the youngest teams in the nation having started four freshmen in each of its last three games. In KU’s 14 conference games, the Jayhawk freshmen have accounted for 46 percent of the minutes played and 41.8 percent of the scoring.
 

KANSAS CLASS BREAKDOWN IN BIG 12 PLAY
Class Min played % Pts scored %
Senior 10.8% 12.4%
Junior 22.5% 28.5%
Sophomore 20.7% 17.3%
Freshman 46.0% 41.8%

 
KANSAS STREAKING AT HOME (AGAIN)
The Jayhawks are once again building an impressive winning streak on their home court, something that has been a common occurrence in Lawrence over recent decades. KU has won 19-straight home games, 18 of which have come at Allen Fieldhouse (Dec. 8, 2018 win at Sprint Center considered a home game). The streak currently ranks as the sixth-longest active among NCAA DI schools. KU’s last home loss came to Oklahoma State on Feb. 3, 2018.
 
Kansas has posted home-court winning streaks of 20 games or more 14 times, with 10 of those streaks coming at Allen Fieldhouse. The program record is 69-straight home wins from Feb. 7, 2007 to Jan. 22, 2011. That streak is a Big 12 record and the 11th-longest in NCAA DI history.
 

NCAA DI LONGEST ACTIVE HOME COURT
WINNING STREAKS
TEAM STREAK STARTED NEXT HOME GAME
Houston 32 11/10/17 vs. UCF (3/2)
Tennessee 24 1/06/18 vs. Kentucky (3/2)
Buffalo 24 12/09/17 vs. Akron (2/26)
Gonzaga 22 1/27/18 N/A
Michigan 21 1/15/18 vs. Michigan St. (2/24)
KANSAS 19 2/6/18 vs. Kansas State (2/25)

 
KANSAS VS. TOP-25 TEAMS
With its win versus then-No. 16 Texas Tech (2/2), Kansas is now 7-3 against top-25 teams in 2018-19. Under Bill Self, KU is now 97-48 against AP-ranked opponents. In his first 16 seasons at KU, Self’s Jayhawks have collected four wins or more over top-25 ranked foes in 13 of those seasons, which includes a 42-19 record from 2014-present.
 
KU’s record against top-10 ranked opponents is even more impressive. KU is 18-5 against foes ranked inside the top-10 of the AP poll since 2013-14, including 2-1 this season and 4-1 in 2017-18. Last season, KU’s top-10 wins included Kentucky, West Virginia, Texas Tech and Duke. Since Bill Self’s first season, the Jayhawks are 13-3 against AP top-10 teams inside Allen Fieldhouse, which includes KU’s current streak of nine-straight home victories against top-10 foes.
 

KU VS. AP TOP-25 TEAMS UNDER SELF
Season Record vs. Top-10
2018-19 7-3 2-1
2017-18 8-4 4-1
2016-17 6-3 5-1
2015-16 12-4 4-1
2014-15 10-6 0-1
2013-14 7-2 3-0
2012-13 5-2 2-1
2011-12 7-5 6-4
2010-11 5-1 1-1
2009-10 8-1 2-0
2008-09 3-3 1-2
2007-08 5-2 3-0
2006-07 5-2 2-2
2005-06 3-3 1-2
2004-05 4-2 3-1
2003-04 2-5 1-2
TOTAL 97-48 40-20

 
UP NEXT
Kansas will journey to Stillwater, Oklahoma for a date with the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday, March 2. Tip-off from Gallagher-Iba Arena is set for 11 a.m. (CT) on CBS. The Jayhawks lead the all-time series with OSU, 115-49, which includes an 84-72 KU win in Lawrence on Feb. 9. The Cowboys narrowly hold an advantage inside Gallagher-Iba Arena at 35-34 and has won four of the last five meetings against the Jayhawks in Stillwater.
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