Jayhawks and Horned Frogs to clash Tuesday in Lawrence

Senior G Devonte’ Graham 

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 7/7 Kansas Jayhawks will look to rebound from its fifth loss of the season when the TCU Horned Frogs visit Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The Jayhawks, who are 81-11 following a loss under head coach Bill Self, will face a TCU squad also coming off a weekend defeat. ESPN2 will broadcast the contest slated for 8 p.m., with Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla calling the action.
 
TIP-OFF

• There is a logjam at the top of the Big 12 standings. Kansas and Texas Tech are tied for first in the conference race with 7-3 league records, while West Virginia and Oklahoma are one game back at 6-4.
• Kansas is 81-11 following a loss in the Bill Self era, which began in 2003-04. Since 2013-14, KU is 31-3 following a loss.
• Kansas ranks ninth nationally in the Ratings Percentage Index and is third in strength of schedule (through games of Feb. 3).
• Eight of Kansas’ 10 conference games this season have been decided by six points or less with the Jayhawks going 6-2 in those battles. Stretching back to last season, Kansas has played 19 Big 12 games that were decided by seven points or less. Kansas is 16-3 in those outcomes.
• Kansas is 15-2 all-time against TCU, including a 6-0 record in Lawrence with all six meetings coming in Allen Fieldhouse.
• Senior G Devonte’ Graham is the only player in NCAA Division I averaging 17.0-plus points, 7.0-plus assists, 1.8-plus steals and fewer than 3.0 turnovers per game. Graham is fifth nationally in assists per game at 7.5 and he leads the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.8.
• Sophomore C Udoka Azubuike leads the NCAA in field goal percentage at 76.2 percent. He is the only player to have a 70 percent or better field goal percentage with a minimum of five made shots per game.
• Redshirt-sophomore G Malik Newman is averaging 17.6 points in his last five games and has boosted his season average to 12.1 ppg.
• Kansas and William & Mary are the only two schools in NCAA Division I to have five players averaging 12.0 points or better this season (through games of Feb. 3).
• With his 17 points against Oklahoma State (2/3), senior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk became the 60th player in Kansas history to score 1,000 points for his career. This year Mykhailiuk is shooting 46.7 percent from 3-point range. That figure ranks him second in the Big 12 and 13th in the NCAA (among those that average 2.5 or more makes per game). Mykhailiuk’s 3.5 3-pointers made per game are ninth nationally.

 
ABOUT KANSAS
Kansas (18-5, 7-3) is ranked No. 7 in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches’ polls, released Jan 29. Kansas ranks in the top three in the Big 12 in scoring (third at 83.0), scoring margin (third at +12.6, 18th nationally), field goal percentage (second at 49.5, 17th nationally), 3-point field goal percentage (second at 40.7, 17th nationally), 3-point field goal percentage defense (second at 31.8), assists (second at 17.6, 12th nationally), assist-to-turnover ratio (second at 1.5, 13th nationally) and 3-point field goals made per game (second at 10.5, 17th nationally).
 
Senior G Devonte’ Graham is scoring 18.7 points per game in Big 12 play and 17.2 in all games, which is third in the Big 12. Graham leads the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.7) and is second in the conference in assists (7.5), fifth in free throw percentage (84.9), fifth in 3-point field goals made (2.9) and fourth in steals (1.9). Graham’s 67 3-pointers are second on the team to senior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk’s 81. Mykhailiuk is averaging 21.8 points in his last four games. His 17.0 scoring average is fourth in the Big 12. He is second in the league with 3.5 3-pointers made per game and his 46.6 3-point field goal percentage is third in the conference. Mykhailiuk is the only player in the league to rank in the top five in both 3-point statistics.
 
Sophomore C Udoka Azubuike is scoring 13.8 points per game, which is 16th in the Big 12. Azubuike leads the nation in field goal percentage at 76.2 percent and his 7.3 rebounds per game are a team best and tied for sixth in the Big 12. Junior G Lagerald Vick is a starter averaging 13.0 points per game, which is 18th in the conference. He is second on the team with a 5.3 rebound average. Redshirt-sophomore G Malik Newman is averaging 17.6 points in his last five games and 12.1 for the season. He is third on the team with 40 3-pointers made.
 
Freshman G Marcus Garrett has started six games this season. He averages 3.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per contest. Garrett is second on the team with 26 steals and his 1.1 steal average is 15th in the conference. Sophomore F Mitch Lightfoot leads Kansas with 37 blocked shots per contest and his 1.6 blocks per game are seventh in the conference. Lightfoot averages 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
 
ABOUT TCU
Located in Fort Worth, Texas, with an enrollment of 10,394, TCU is 16-7 on the season and 4-6 in Big 12 play, which is tied for seventh with Oklahoma State. The Horned Frogs are coming off an 83-71 loss to No. 10/10 Texas Tech on Feb. 3. TCU is coached by Jamie Dixon who is 40-22 in his second season at TCU and 368-145 in his 15th season overall. TCU is 5-4 in games not played at home this season, including 2-4 in true road contests. TCU is 18th nationally in strength of schedule, which only trails Kansas’ third among Big 12 teams.
 
TCU averages 85.8 points per game and has a plus-8.5 scoring margin. The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 50.4 percent (11th nationally), 3-point field goal percentage (41.2, 13th nationally), assists (19.7, second nationally) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5). They also rank in the top three in the conference in scoring offense (second at 85.8) and rebound margin (second at +7.2). TCU averages 6.8 steals and 3.6 blocked shots per game.
 
TCU has a balanced team as six players average 8.7 points or better per game, excluding sophomore G Jaylen Fisher who had a season-ending injury in January. Senior F Vlad Brodziansky is leads TCU in scoring at 15.2 ppg and he has a team-high 40 blocked shots. Brodziansky averages 4.9 rebounds per contest. In conference play, Brodziansky is averaging 17.3 ppg and 5.5 rpg. Senior G Kenrich Williams is next in scoring at 14.3 ppg and he leads the team with a 9.7 rebounds per game, which is second in the Big 12. Williams has a team-high 44 steals and his 2.0 per game are tied for second in the league. Sophomore G Desmond Bane leads TCU with 43 3-pointers made and he averages 11.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest. Redshirt freshman F Kouat Noi scores 9.7 points per game and he is second on the team with 37 3-pointers made. Junior F JD Miller is a starter who averages 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Junior G Alex Robinson who scores 8.7 ppg and is fifth in the Big 12 with 6.0 assists per contest).
 
THE SERIES
Kansas is 15-2 all-time against TCU in a series which dates back to 1952 when the Jayhawks defeated the Horned Frogs, 68-64, on March 21 in the NCAA Midwest Regional at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas has won 11 of the last 12 meetings against the Horned Frogs, including an 88-84 win on Jan. 6, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas. Last year, TCU defeated Kansas, 85-82, in the quarterfinals of the 2017 Big 12 Championship. As members of the Big 12, KU leads the series 11-2, including a 6-0 record in Lawrence, with all six games in Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas head coach Bill Self is 19-5 all-time against TCU, including 12-2 while at Kansas. TCU head coach Jamie Dixon is 1-3 versus Kansas.
 
THE LAST MEETING
Earlier this season, No. 10 Kansas saw a 10-point second-half lead disappear, but were able to fend off the No. 16/15 TCU, 88-84, with the help of some clutch free throw shooting down the stretch inside Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Kansas senior guard Devonte’ Graham led all scorers with 28 points which included eight-straight free throws in the final two minutes to help KU secure the victory. Jayhawk senior Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk scored 20 points, while teammate Udoka Azubuike added 14 points. Sophomore Mitch Lightfoot had nine points, seven rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots for KU. TCU was led by Vlad Brodziansky who had 20 points, while teammate Kenrich Williams had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
 
A KANSAS WIN WOULD…
Make Kansas 19-5 or better for the fourth-straight season, starting in 2014-15 … Make Kansas 8-3 or better in Big 12 play for the 21st time in the 22-year history of the Big 12 (KU was 7-4 in 2000) … Make the KU-TCU series 16-2 in favor of the Jayhawks, including 7-0 in games played in Lawrence (7-0 in Allen Fieldhouse … Make Kansas 11-3 in Allen Fieldhouse this season, 231-13 under Self and 768-113 all-time in the venue … Make Self 20-5 all-time against TCU (13-2 while at KU), 435-93 while at KU and 642-198 for his career … Make Kansas 2,236-846 all-time.
 
A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…
Make Kansas 18-6 on the season … Make Kansas 7-4 in Big 12 play for the first time since the 1999-2000, which was the only other time KU was 7-4 in Big 12 history … Make the KU-TCU series 15-3 in favor of the Jayhawks and give TCU its first win in Allen Fieldhouse in seven tries … Make Kansas 10-4 in Allen Fieldhouse this season and give KU four losses in the venue for the first time since 1988-89 (10-4) … Make Bill Self 230-14 in Allen Fieldhouse and Kansas 767-114 all-time in the venue … Make Self 19-6 against TCU (12-3 while at KU), 434-94 while at Kansas and 641-199 as a head coach … Make KU 2,235-847 all-time.
 
OKLAHOMA STATE LEFTOVERS & NOTABLES

• Kansas is 7-3 in Big 12 play for the first time since 2015-16 and fourth time in the Bill Self era (6-4 in 2003-04, 7-3 in 2012-13 and 7-3 in 2015-16) with all the other seasons having no more than two losses.
• Kansas is 10-3 in Allen Fieldhouse this season and with the three losses in the venue for the first time since 1998-99 (10-3).
• Kansas outscored Oklahoma State in the paint with 36 points to the Cowboys’ 28. KU has now held the advantage in the paint in 17 of its 23 contests this season.
• The Jayhawks trailed by 13 at half, the largest halftime deficit this season and KU’s largest at intermission since it trailed West Virginia by 14 points (40-26) on March 3, 2015 in Lawrence.
• Senior G Devonte’ Graham has made at least one three-pointer in 23-straight games, which is the fifth longest streak in school history.
• Graham leads the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.7. He is at 2.8 in the stat over the last six games.
• Graham has played 38 or more minutes 14 times is his 23 outings this season, that includes six straight 40 minute efforts.
• Sophomore G Malik Newman has posted double-figure scoring for the sixth time in his last eight outings, in that span he is averaging 16.4 points and 6.5 rebounds.
• Senior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk became the 60th player in KU history to hit 1,000 total points in his career. He also became the 15th 1,000-point scorer in the Bill Self era (15 seasons).
• Sophomore C Udoka Azubuike led the Jayhawks with 20 points and tied the team high five rebounds. He has led KU in scoring four times this season and has posted 20 or more points on five occasions.
• With his 8-11 performance, Azubuike has hit better than 70 percent from the field 17 times this season. His NCAA-leading field goal percentage is now up to 72.6 percent this season.

 
RECORD BOOK REVIEW

• Here are some things to keep an eye on as several Jayhawks continue to make an impact on the career and single-season KU record books:
• Last game, senior Svi Mykhailiuk became the 60th player in KU history to score 1,000 points, currently at 1,003. He is the 15th player in Bill Self’s 15 seasons at Kansas to reach the milestone. Mykhailiuk is 42 points shy from cracking the school’s all-time top 50 in scoring.
• Mykhailiuk is already tied for ninth on the KU single-season 3-point field goals made list with 81 (Jeff Boschee in 1999-2000). He is eight threes from the top five and closing in on “Downtown” Terry Brown’s record of 111 treys hit during the 1990-91 season.
• And finally, Mykhailiuk is hoping to continue one of the most accurate 3-point shooting seasons ever by a Jayhawk. He has hit 46.6 percent of his tries from long-range, which currently ranks ninth on the KU single-season 3-point percentage chart.
• Senior Devonte’ Graham recently became just the third player in school history to tally 1,400 points, 500 assists and 175 steals in a career. Darnell Valentine and Kirk Hinrich are the only other Jayhawks to hit those numbers.
• Graham is also on pace to became the No. 2 3-point shooter in school history. His 253 treys trail Billy Thomas by 16 for second on Kansas’ career 3-pointers list.
• Continuing to look at Graham’s impressive shooting stroke, his 84.9 percent clip from the free throw line this year currently has him seventh on KU’s single-season free throw percentage list.
• Graham is logging 36.8 minutes per game this year, which ranks as the sixth most in a single season.
• Sophomore Udoka Azubuike is primed to become the most-efficient shooting Jayhawk in a single season. His 76.2 shooting percentage is nearly 12 points better than Mark Randall’s record clip of 64.6 percent achieved during the 1988-89 campaign.

 
SELF GARNERS 200TH BIG 12 VICTORY
What has seemed like a nearly every-week occurrence lately, KU head coach Bill Self hit yet another coaching milestone. The Jayhawks’ win over West Virginia on Jan. 15 marked Self’s 200th Big 12 regular-season victory as the KU head man, now in his 15th season in Lawrence. That number ranks Self No. 1 among the league’s all-time coaches, 16 victories ahead of former Texas head man Rick Barnes.
 
On Kansas’ all-time coaches list, which features five Naismith Hall of Famers, Self’s 202 league wins is second behind Dr. Phog Allen, who collected 334 victories in league play over his 39 seasons when KU was a member of the Missouri Valley, Big Six and Big Seven Conferences.
 
During Self’s tenure, KU has never won fewer than 12 Big 12 regular-season contests in a season and has claimed 15 or more league wins on four occasions. The Jayhawks have won at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season crown in all but one of Self’s 14 years in Lawrence, his first season in 2003-04, which saw KU claim a runner-up finish that year. 
 
GRAHAM’S MIDSEASON WATCH LIST GROWS
Kansas senior Devonte’ Graham has been named to two national player of the year watch lists. On Jan. 11, he was selected to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 25. On Jan. 22, Graham was one of 14 student-athletes named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List, present by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). KU’s Frank Mason III won both honors in 2017.
 
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2018 John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s. The leading candidates will be further pared to 20 top players in early February. The ten-man Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2018 John R. Wooden Award will be presented during the ESPN College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s on Friday, April 6, 2018.
 
Balloting for the USBWA’s All-America Team, All-District Teams and the association’s individual awards will take place in March. The Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented at a news conference on Friday, March 30, at the Final Four in San Antonio.
 
THIS DATE IN KANSAS BASKETBALL HISTORY
KU is 20-7 All-Time on Feb. 6
Feb. 6, 1971: Kansas defeated Nebraska, 81-67, in what was then the Big Eight Conference. The Jayhawks’ victory in Lincoln was led by senior forward Dave Robisch, who tallied 23 points, and senior center Roger Brown who grabbed 12 rebounds and 19 points giving him a double-double. Under head coach Ted Owens, the Jayhawks were 27-3 during the 1971 season with a perfect record of 14-0 in Big Eight play. KU advanced to the Final Four in Houston and ended the year ranked fourth in the national polls.
 
KU FROM DOWNTOWN
Kansas is averaging 10.5 3-point field goals made per game, which is second in the Big 12. The Jayhawks are also second in the conference with a 40.7 3-point field goal percentage. Kansas has made 10 or more 3-pointers in six conference games and 13 total in 2017-18. For the season, the Jayhawks are 11-2 in games where they have made 10 or more threes. KU has also been deadly from long range in Allen Fieldhouse, hitting 43.4 percent of its 3-point tries on its home floor. Both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 Jayhawk squads hit better than 44 percent from three on James Naismith Court.
 
Last year, KU set the school single-season 3-point record, making 318 from beyond the arc for 8.8 per game. Three of the last eight Jayhawk squads have averaged more than seven treys per game, with both of the last two KU teams hitting an average of eight or more threes per contest. With this year’s team only nine away, past KU teams have made 250 3-pointers five times in a season.
 
DEVONTE’ + SVI = THREES
The senior pairing of Devonte’ Graham and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk recently established itself as one of the top long-range shooting duos in KU history. Already this year, the two Jayhawk guards have combined for 148 of KU’s 241 3-pointers, which is 61.4 percent of the team’s threes. The prolific outside shooting from these two is nothing new as they continue to move up the all-time KU 3-point charts.
 
Since the advent of the 3-point line prior to the 1986-87 season, no other Kansas duo has tallied more threes over a three-year stretch than the 424 that Graham and Mykhailiuk have combined for since the 2015-16 season. At Oklahoma (1/23), Graham and Mykhailiuk passed Jeff Boschee and Kirk Hinrich as the most prolific 3-point shooting twosome in school history. Boschee and Hinrich amassed 405 treys while they played together from 2000-02. Graham is also one half of another sharp-shooting pair after he and Frank Mason III combined for the fourth-most threes (353) among KU duos during the last three seasons (2015-17).
 
Graham and Mykhailiuk are also among the most-accurate Jayhawk pairs. They have teamed up to shoot 41.8 percent from beyond the arc in that same three-year span, the third-best mark among KU teammates who have combined for 700 or more attempts. Rush and Chalmers boast the best combined percentage with a 42.7 percent (385-of-901) clip coming during their three seasons in Lawrence from 2006-08.
 
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
Udoka Azubuike ranks first in NCAA Division I in field goal percentage at 76.2 percent and he is the only player shooting 70 percent or better with a minimum of five shots made per game. Azubuike is on pace to set the Big 12 single-season record of 69.3 percent by Ricardo Ratliffe of Missouri in 2011-12.
 
History has shown that it isn’t easy to lead the nation in a statistic. In fact, checking the NCAA Records Book of annual leaders, only twice has a Jayhawk led the country in a season stat and both were KU All-Americans. KU legend Clyde Lovellette led the NCAA in scoring average in 1951-52 at 28.6 points per game. More recently, Thomas Robinson led the country in double-doubles with 27 during the 2011-12 season. Under Lovellette’s leadership KU won the 1952 NCAA National Championship and Robinson led the Jayhawks to a runner-up finish in 2012.
 
With a minimum of 175 attempts, the Kansas single-season field goal percentage record is 64.6 percent by Mark Randall in 1988-89. Last year, Landen Lucas shot 63.1 percent from the field, which ranks fourth on the KU single-season list. On the NCAA level, with a minimum of five makes per game, there have been only 12 players who have shot 70 percent or better in a season, with the most recent being Devontae Cacok of UNC-Wilmington, who set the NCAA record last season (2016-17) at 80.0 percent.
 
BIG 12 RUN NO CAKEWALK
Kansas ended 2016-17 ranked No. 4 in the NCAA Rating Percentage Index (RPI) and its strength of schedule was 19th nationally. In Self’s first 14 seasons, KU has ranked fifth or higher in the final RPI 10 times, including each of the last eight years. This season the strength of the Big 12 is quite prevalent. Kansas tops leads the league in RPI at ninth nationally and strength of schedule at No. 3. Oklahoma is second on both (14th in RPI and 19th in strength of schedule).
 
KANSAS VS TOP-25 TEAMS
Kansas is 3-3 against ranked foes this season with wins over then-No. 7 Kentucky on Nov. 14, No. 16 TCU on Jan. 6 and No. 6 West Virginia on Jan. 15. The KU losses were to No. 16/17 Arizona State on Dec. 10, No. 18 Texas Tech on Jan. 2 and at No. 12 Oklahoma on Jan. 22. Under Bill Self, Kansas is 85-44 against AP ranked opponents. In his first 14 seasons, Self’s Jayhawks have collected four wins or more over top-25 ranked foes in 11 of those seasons, which includes a 30-15 record from 2014-present.
 
Kansas’ record against top-10 ranked opponents is even more impressive. KU is 14-3 against foes ranked inside the top-10 of the AP poll since 2013-14. This number includes the Jayhawks’ victory over Kentucky on Nov. 14 and at West Virginia on Jan. 15. Since Bill Self’s first season, the Jayhawks are 13-2 against AP top-10 teams inside Allen Fieldhouse, which includes KU’s current streak of nine-straight home victories against top-10 foes.
 
CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Including 2016-17, Kansas has won 17 of the 21 Big 12 regular-season titles (includes ties), including the last 13, which is tied for the NCAA record. Kansas’ 60 conference titles are the most in NCAA Division I. Kentucky is second with 54 and Penn third at 37. KU’s 13-straight league titles are the longest active streak in NCAA Division I and the longest streak in school history. Kansas is now tied with UCLA, which from 1967-79, also won the NCAA record of 13 straight, which was under two coaches. Kansas’ current run has been under head coach Bill Self.
 
WHAT ELSE TO WATCH FOR…

• Senior G Devonte’ Graham is quickly moving up the school’s all-time career lists. Graham entered his senior season No. 45 on the KU scoring list with 1,075 points. At West Virginia (1/15), Graham became the 26th player in KU history to score 1,400 career points. He currently sits 25th with 1,471 points and is six points from passing former KU All-American Brandon Rush who had 1,477 points from 2006-08.
• Against Iowa State (1/9), Graham moved into third all-time on the KU 3-point field goal list, currently at 253. Jeff Boschee (1999-2002) is first at 338 and Billy Thomas (1995-98) is second at 269.
• Graham is 253-for-612 (41.3 percent) all-time from 3-point range. His 3-point attempts are fourth on the KU career list and his 3-point field goal percentage is tied for ninth with Brady Morningstar (2007-11).
• Graham has 523 career assists, which is 10th on the KU career assists list. Additionally, his 178 steals are 10th on the KU career list.
• Senior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk is 60th on the KU career scoring list with 1,003 points. Mykhailiuk’s 203 3-pointers made are seventh on the KU career list. He is sixth in 3-pointers attempted at 494 and his 41.1 all-time 3-point field goal percentage is 12th on the KU career list.
• Entering 2017-18 with a 247-48 (83.7 percent) record since 2010, Kansas is the winningest program, by percentage, this decade: 1. KANSAS (247-48, 83.7%); 2. Gonzaga (239-47, 83.6%); 3. Kentucky (249-53, 82.5%); 4. Wichita State (233-53, 81.7); 5. Duke (238-56, 81.0%).
• The Jayhawks are pursuing their 14th-conseuctive Big 12 regular-season championship. A 14th league title would break UCLA’s NCAA record mark of 13-consecutive conference championships from 1967-79.

 
UP NEXT
Kansas hits the road for two games beginning at Baylor, Saturday, Feb. 10, at 1 p.m. (CST) on CBS. Kansas is 30-4 all-time against Baylor, including a 70-67 win on Jan. 20, 2018, in Lawrence. Kansas has won the last 11 meetings with Baylor, including the last seven at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas.
 
KU will conclude the road swing at Iowa State on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m. (CST). That game will be televised on ESPN2.
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