Jayhawks and Cyclones set for Big Monday battle

Freshman guard Devon Dotson 

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks (15-3, 4-2) return home to host the Iowa State Cyclones (14-4, 4-2) on ESPN’s Big 12 Monday inside Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 21. KU, coming off a 65-64 loss at West Virginia, will try to maintain its spot atop the league standings, currently in a four-way tie which includes ISU. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m., on ESPN, with Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Fran Fraschilla (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 Iowa 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

• Kansas leads the overall series with Texas, 31-8, including a 16-1 record in Lawrence (14-1 in Allen Fieldhouse). KU has won the last nine meetings with UT, but the last three have been decided by 10 points or less.
• Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996-97, Kansas is 65-18 all-time on ESPN Big Monday (37-1 at home and 28-17 on the road), including 45-12 under head coach Bill Self (26-0 at home and 19-12 on the road). KU has won 30-straight Big Monday games in Allen Fieldhouse. Overall, KU has won its last 10 ESPN Big Monday contests.
• Kansas has had six different players lead the team in scoring over the last eight games: Quentin Grimes, Devon Dotson, Udoka Azubuike, Dedric Lawson, Charlie Moore and Lagerald Vick.
• Kansas is the only team in the Big 12 with two players ranked in the top six in the league in scoring. RS-junior F Dedric Lawson is second in scoring at 19.3 ppg, while senior G Lagerald Vick is sixth at 14.8 ppg.
• On the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list, Dedric Lawson leads the Big 12 in rebounding at 10.8 rpg and is the only player in the league averaging a double-double. He is vying to become the first Jayhawk to lead the league in rebound average since All-American Thomas Robinson in 2011-12.
• Lawson had five blocked shots and five steals at Baylor (1/12). He became just the third player in Big 12 history to tally 5+ blocks and 5+ steals in a single game, joining Baylor’s Quincy Acy in 2008 and Brian Skinner in 1996.
• In his last outing at Baylor, Vick became the 61st player in KU history to score 1,000 career points, currently at 1,012, which is 59th on the KU list. Vick is the 16th in the Bill Self era (since 2003-04) to hit the 1K scoring mark.
• On Jan. 6, Kansas head coach Bill Self announced that junior C Udoka Azubuike will miss the remainder of the 2018-19 season due to an injured right wrist. Azubuike had successful surgery on the wrist Jan. 9.
• With its win against TCU (1/9), Kansas is 87-11 following a loss in the Bill Self era. Since 2013-14, the Jayhawks are 37-3 following a loss. When the game following a loss is in Allen Fieldhouse, KU is 48-3 in the Self era.  

About Kansas
No. 7/8 Kansas is 15-3 overall and 4-2 in Big 12 play after its 65-64 loss at West Virginia on Jan. 19. In all games, Kansas ranks in the top three in the Big 12 in scoring offense (third at 78.0), field goal percentage (second at 47.9), field goal percentage defense (third at 40.3), rebound offense (third at 38.1), steals (second at 7.4) and assists (third at 14.2). KU has a +8.2 scoring margin, +2.3 rebound margin and has outrebounded 11 of 18 opponents this season. KU also averages 6.9 3-pointers made and 3.8 blocked shots per game.

After his 15 points and 11 rebounds at West Virginia, redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson has eight double-doubles in his last 11 games and a Big 12-leading 12 for the season, which is tied for second nationally. Dedric Lawson, a Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team selection, has scored 20 or more points in nine games this season. He is second in the Big 12 in scoring at 18.9 ppg and leads the league in rebounding at 10.8 rpg. 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 three-time league newcomer of the week (12/3, 12/17, 1/14), Lawson leads KU with 20 blocked shots and his 1.1 blocks per game are tied for eighth in the conference.

Senior G Lagerald Vick has is averaging 17.3 points in his last three contests. He is 13-for-22 (59.1 percent) from 3-point range in his last three games. He scored his 1,000th-career point at Baylor (1/2). Vick is scoring 15.1 points per game, which is sixth in the league and he leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game at 3.1 and 3-point field goal percentage at 46.3 percent. Vick’s 1.3 steals per game are 10th in the conference.

Freshman G Devon Dotson ranks seventh in the Big 12 in steals at 1.4, ninth in assists at 3.1 and 10th in field goal percentage at 50.8. Dotson averages 10.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Freshman G Quentin Grimes is second on the team with 22 3-pointers made this season. He averages 8.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per contest and has 33 assists for the season. 

Sophomore G Marcus Garrett has averaged 17.5 points in his last two games with a career-high 20 versus Texas (1/14) and 15 at West Virginia (1/19). He also posted a career-high six steals at WVU. Garrett, who is 14-for-23 (60.9 percent) from the field in his last two outings, has started the last five games and 10 for the season. He has eight games with multiple steals this season and his 1.7 thefts average are third in the Big 12. Garrett is averaging 7.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game and has 46 assists.

Freshman G Ochai Agbaji pulled his redshirt against TCU (1/9). In just four games, Agbaji is averaging 18.8 minutes, 5.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and is shooting 56.3 percent from the floor. Other KU regulars include redshirt-sophomore Charlie Moore (3.4 ppg, 12 3-pointers), redshirt-sophomore G K.J. Lawson (2.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg), freshman F David McCormack (2.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg) and junior F Mitch Lightfoot (1.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg). Lightfoot leads KU with five charges taken and is third on the team with nine blocked shots

About Iowa State
Located in Ames, Iowa, with an enrollment of 34,922, Iowa State is 14-4 overall and 4-2 in Big 12 play after its 72-59 win against Oklahoma State Jan. 19.

The Cyclones are coached by Steve Prohm who is 74-45 in his fourth season at ISU and 178-76 in his eighth season overall. Iowa State is 2-2 in true road games this season. ISU’s two Big 12 losses have been by a combined four points (73-70 at Baylor and 58-57 versus Kansas State). 

Iowa State leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage (72.4), steals (7.6), turnover margin (+4.1), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6) and 3-point field goals made per game (8.7). The Cyclones average 78.7 points per game and have a +14.4 scoring margin with both stats ranking second in the conference. Iowa State pulls down 35.7 rebounds per game with a +1.4 rebound margin. ISU also averages 16.3 assists and 4.7 blocked shots per game. 

Redshirt-senior G Marial Shayok leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.4 points per game. His 37 3-pointers made are first on the team and he pulls down 5.2 rebounds per game. Redshirt junior F Michael Jacobson is a starter who leads the team with 6.1 rebounds per game to complement his 13.1 scoring average.

A preseason All-Big 12 selection, Sophomore G Lindell Wigginton has played in eight games this season with one start and scores 11.9 points per contest. He has made 14 3-pointers in his shortened season. Freshman G Talen Horton-Tucker is second on the team with a 5.4 rebound average and 25 steals. He scores 11.7 points per game and his 51 assists are third on the team.

Redshirt senior G Nick Weiler-Babb is third in the Big 12 with 4.0 assists per game, just behind teammate freshman G Tyrese Haliburton’s 4.2, which is second in the league. Weiler-Babb averages 9.7 points and 4.5 rebounds. Haliburton leads the conference in steals at 2.0 per game and he averages 7.8 points and 3.7 rebounds. 

Other ISU regulars include sophomore G Terrence Lewis (5.1 ppg), redshirt-sophomore F Cameron Lard (4.7 ppg, 12 blocked shots in nine games) and freshman F George Conditt IV (1.9 ppg, team-high 20 blocked shots).

The Series
Kansas leads the all-time series with Iowa State, 181-65, dating back to 1908. With Iowa State’s 77-60 win on Jan. 5 in Ames, the series is tied at 2-2 in the last four meetings and 4-4 in the last eight. Iowa State won two of those contests in the Big 12 Championship (88-73 in the 2014 semifinals and 70-66 in the 2015 title game). Prior to ISU’s recent success, KU posted an 18-1 record versus the Cyclones from 2006 until 2014. KU is 93-16 versus ISU in games played in Lawrence, including 52-10 in Allen Fieldhouse. 

Since the inception of the Big 12, Kansas is 36-14 against Iowa State with a 33-12 record in regular-season play and a 3-2 mark in the Big 12 Championship. KU head coach Bill Self is 26-9 all-time versus Iowa State, including 25-9 while at KU, while ISU’s Steve Prohm is 3-4 against Kansas. Seven of the last 11 meetings have been decided by seven points or less and five by five points or fewer. 

Earlier this season, Iowa State defeated Kansas, 77-60, on Jan. 5, in Hilton Coliseum. KU freshman Quentin Grimes led the Jayhawks with 19 points, including three 3-pointers. Redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson posted a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds yet KU committed a season-high 24 turnovers in the contest. Iowa State led 36-32 at halftime and outscored KU 41-28 in the second half. ISU’s Marial Sayok led all scorers with 24 points.

A Kansas Win Would…
Make Kansas 16-3 and 5-2 or better in Big 12 play for the 15th-straight season … Make Kansas 182-65 all-time against Iowa State, including 94-16 in meetings in Lawrence (53-10 in Allen Fieldhouse) … Extend Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse winning streak to 15 games … Make Kansas 11-0 in Allen Fieldhouse this season, 783-113 all-time in the venue, including 245-13 under Bill Self … Make Self 463-99 while at Kansas, 670-204 overall and 27-9 all-time versus Iowa State (26-9 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,264-852 all-time.

A Kansas loss Would…
Make Kansas 15-4 and 4-3 in conference play for the first time since the 2004-05 season when KU was also 4-3 … Give Iowa State a season sweep over Kansas for the first time since the 2000-01 season … Make the KU-ISU series 181-66 in favor of the Jayhawks, including 93-17 in Lawrence meetings (52-11 in Allen Fieldhouse) … End a Kansas 14-game win streak in Allen Fieldhouse … Make KU 10-1 in Allen Fieldhouse this season, 782-114 all-time in the venue, including 244-14 under Self … Make Self 462-100 while at Kansas, 669-205 overall and 26-10 all-time versus Iowa State (25-10 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,263-853 all-time.

Last Time Out
Holding Kansas scoreless over the final 2:34 of regulation, the West Virginia Mountaineers blew past the No. 7/8 Jayhawks in the final seconds, 65-64, Jan. 19, inside WVU Coliseum. West Virginia’s Jermaine Haley hit the go-ahead bucket with eight seconds remaining before two Jayhawk game-winning attempts on the other end fell short as KU suffered its second loss of the Big 12 season.

With Kansas leading by six points and just over two minutes remaining, as it had done all game, West Virginia refused to go away. Wesley Harris connected on a 3-pointer at the 2:14 mark to cut the KU lead in half, 64-61, before a missed Marcus Garrett jumper on the other end quickly gave the home side the ball back with 1:51 to play.
 
Derek Culver made it a one-point game just 25 seconds later when he sliced to the rim for a lay-up. For a moment it seemed as though Garrett made a game-saving play on the Jayhawks’ next trip down the court, stealing the ball after a missed lay-up to give his team a fresh possession with only 54 ticks left in the game. But a missed 3-pointer from Lagerald Vick put the ball in Haley’s hands, where he was able to convert on the other end on his lay-up with seven seconds to go in regulation. It marked WVU’s first lead since the 13:38 mark of the second half.
 
The Jayhawks got two tries at a potential game-winner but Dedric Lawson’s jumper as time expired didn’t go, however, as Kansas suffered a heartbreaking 65-64 loss.
 
Garrett and Lawson each finished with 15 points, with Lawson adding 11 rebounds to collect his 12th double-double of the season and Garrett posting a career-best six steals. Vick was the third Jayhawk to score in double figures, tallying 13 points in 33 minutes.

West Virginia Leftovers & Notables

• The loss marked Kansas’ first to a team 0-5 or worse in Big 12 play since KU fell at TCU (0-8) on Feb. 6, 2013.
• The Jayhawks were held without a 3-point field goal in a half (0-6 in the first half) for just the second time this season. KU was also held without a triple in the first half against Stanford (12/1/18).
• Kansas tallied one assist in the first half, marking the lowest by the Jayhawks in a half since Kansas recorded just one in the first half against Stanford (12/1/18). 
• Kansas’ six assists were the fewest in a conference game since KU posted six against Texas Tech on Feb. 18, 2014.
• West Virginia entered the game averaging 14.8 offensive rebounds a game, ranking it fifth in the nation. Kansas limited the Mountaineers to just five offensive boards.
• The 17 lead changes were the most this season in a single Kansas game.
• KU outrebounded West Virginia 34-28, marking the 11th time this season Kansas has edged its opponent on the glass. 
• The loss marked the second time this season KU has been defeated after leading with 5:00 remaining in regulation. The Jayhawks are 13-2 on the season and 424-17 in the Bill Self era when ahead with five minutes to play.
• Senior G Lagerald Vick’s 13 points moved him past Cole Aldrich (1,038), Carl Henry (1,044) and Nolen Ellison (1,045) to 51st all-time in Kansas scoring with 1,046 points. 
• With two 3-pointers made, Vick also moved past Jerod Haase (156) for 14th all-time in Kansas 3-point makes at 157.
• Dedric Lawson finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, marking his 12th double-double of the season and 48th of his career.
• Sophomore G Marcus Garrett collected a career-high six steals, marking the most by a Jayhawk since Xavier Henry racked up seven steals against Baylor (1/20/10). Garrett’s steal total marked the most by a KU sophomore since Mario Chalmers tallied six thefts against UCLA (3/24/07). 

Suites & Sneakers to Fight Cancer
Both Kansas and Iowa State will wear sneakers for its ESPN Big Monday battle on Jan. 21. From the American Cancer Society, below are talking points to share when spreading the word about Suits And Sneakers Week (Jan. 21-27): 

• The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) teamed with the American Cancer Society over 25 years ago to form Coaches vs. Cancer.  
• 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.
• During Suits And Sneakers Week, college and high school coaches across the nation will wear sneakers with their suits during games to raise awareness for Coaches vs. Cancer and the fight against cancer. 
• Since its inception, Coaches vs. Cancer has raised over $115 million to support the American Cancer Society and save lives. 
• The fight against cancer is working. From 1991-2016, the cancer death rate fell 27%. That means more than 2.6 million deaths were avoided from 1991-2016.
• With a presence in more than 5,000 communities, the American Cancer Society is structured to fight cancer on all fronts.

ESPN Big Monday Regulars
For the 13th year in a row Kansas men’s basketball will be featured four times on ESPN Big Monday beginning Jan. 14 against Texas. Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996-97, Kansas is 65-18 all-time on ESPN Big Monday (37-1 at home and 28-17 on the road), including 47-12 under head coach Bill Self (27-0 at home and 20-12 on the road).

After its 80-78 win against Texas on Jan. 14, KU has won 31-straight Big Monday games in Allen Fieldhouse. KU has won its last 11 ESPN Big Monday contests. The Jayhawks are 6-2 versus Iowa State on Big Monday, including 3-1 at home. 

Double-Double Machine
After his 15 points and 11 rebounds at West Virginia (1/9), redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson leads the Big 12 with 12 double-doubles this season, including eight in his last 11 outings. Lawson entered the 2018-19 season with 36 double-doubles in his two seasons at Memphis. He had 17 as a freshman in 2015-16 and 19 as a sophomore in 2016-17. 

Lawson’s 48 career double-doubles are tied for third on the NCAA Division I active list. Lawson is the only non-senior on the NCAA Division I top-10 list.

Lawson a Sporting News Midseason All-American
Redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson has been 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.

Lawson has eight double-doubles in his last 11 games and a Big 12-leading 12 for the season, which is tied for second nationally. The Memphis, Tennessee, forward has scored 20 or more points in nine games this season. Lawson is second in the Big 12 in scoring at 18.9 ppg and leads the league in rebounding at 10.7 rpg. 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 three-time league newcomer of the week (12/3, 12/17, 1/14), Lawson leads KU with 20 blocked shots and his 1.1 blocks per game are tied for eighth in the conference.

2018-19 Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team
Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga
DEDRIC LAWSON, KANSAS
Grant Williams, Tennessee
Zion Williamson, Duke
Cassius Winston, Michigan State

Kansas vs Top-25 Teams
With its win versus No. 25 TCU (1/9), Kansas is 5-1 against top-25 teams in 2018-19. Under Bill Self, KU is now 95-46 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 40-17 record from 2014-present.

KU’s record against top-10 ranked opponents is even more impressive. KU is 18-4 against foes ranked inside the top-10 of the AP poll since 2013-14, including 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.
 
Up Next
The top-two all-time winningest programs in college basketball history will meet for the seventh time in the last 10 seasons when Kansas journeys into Rupp Arena to take on the Kentucky Wildcats as part of the SEC/BIG 12 Challenge on Saturday, Jan. 26. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m. (CT) on ESPN. The game will also be the site of ESPN College Gameday. It will mark the 17th time KU has been a part of a College Gameday contest.

Kentucky leads the all-time series 22-9, however the Jayhawks have won three-straight in the series, with each coming in the last three seasons.
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