Jayhawks ready for Dillons Sunflower Showdown, part two

GAME 24

Date Monday, Feb. 6, 2017
Time 8 p.m. Central
Location Manhattan, Kan.
Venue Bramlage Coliseum
Notes KU Game Notes
Notes KSU Game Notes

LIVE COVERAGE
TV ESPN
Video WatchESPN
Radio Jayhawk Radio Network
Audio SiriusXM 81
Audio Audio Stream
Stats Live Stats

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 HOW THEY COMPARE

It is 88 miles from Allen Fieldhouse to Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas, where No. 3/2 Kansas (20-3, 8-2) plays Kansas State (16-7, 5-5) in the second matchup of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown on ESPN Big Monday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m. (Central). Kansas is coming off a 92-89 overtime loss to Iowa State on Feb. 4. The loss ended the nation’s active longest home court winning streak at 54 games, including 51 in Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas State won at No. 2/3 Baylor, 56-54, also on Feb. 4.

In 2016-17, Kansas will be making four ESPN Big Monday appearances for the 11th-straight season.  The Kansas State contest is KU’s second of the season having won at Iowa State, 76-62, on Jan. 16. Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996-97, Kansas is 58-20 all-time on Big Monday (33-1 at home, 25-19 on the road), including 39-12 under head coach Bill Self (22-0 at home, 17-12 on the road). Additionally, KU has won 26-straight Big Monday games in Allen Fieldhouse, which includes a 22-0 mark under Self.

ABOUT KANSAS
After back-to-back victories over top-5 ranked teams, Kansas is looking to rebound from a 92-89 overtime loss to Iowa State Feb. 4. KU averages 84.0 points per game and has a +12.2 scoring margin. Kansas leads the Big 12 and is ninth nationally with a 49.5 field goal percentage. KU leads the league with a 41.5 3-point field goal percentage, which is eighth in NCAA Division I. KU averages 40.1 rebounds per contest, which also leads the Big 12. KU has a +6.0 rebound margin and also averages 16.7 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.7 blocked shots per contest.

One of 10 watch list finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, senior G Frank Mason III is having a national player of the year season. Mason is coming off a career-high 32 points against Iowa State (2/4) which was his third 30-point game of the season. The two-time Big 12 Player of the Week leads the conference in scoring with a 20.4 average and his 21.2 points per game in league play are also tops in the Big 12. Mason has 12 games of 20 points or more and has led Kansas in scoring in 16 games this season. Mason leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage at 52.5 percent. Named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week for the fifth time this season on Jan. 30, freshman G Josh Jackson is coming off his third-straight and seventh double-double of the year with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Iowa State (2/4). He is averaging 20.0 points in his last four games and 10.0 rebounds in his last three contests. Jackson’s 16.0 scoring average is sixth in the Big 12 and his 7.0 rebounds per game are eighth. Jackson leads KU with 37 steals and 28 blocked shots. Junior G Devonte’ Graham has made multiple 3-pointers in each of his last five games and in 17 this season. Graham has made 14 3-pointers in his last five games and averages 13.4 points per outing on the season. He leads KU with 56 3-pointers and is second on the team in assists with 100 and steals with 36. Junior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has made six 3-pointers in his last two games and 50 for the season. He has made three or more treys in nine games this year with five against Big 12 foes. Mykhailiuk averages 10.9 points per game and is fourth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage at 42.4 percent and sixth in 3-pointers made at 2.2 per contest. Senior C Landen Lucas pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds against Iowa State (2/4). He leads the Big 12 in league games in rebounding at 11.9 rpg. He has pulled down 10 or more rebounds in nine games this season, including eight Big 12 and including four of his last five games. Overall, Lucas is third in the Big 12 in rebounds with an 8.5 average and he is scoring 7.4 points per game.

Sophomore G Lagerald Vick scored eight points against Iowa State (2/4) which was his most in five games. Vick has started five games this season and is averaging 7.2 points per game. He averages 23.5 minutes per game and has made 22 3-pointers. Freshman F Mitch Lightfoot has come off the bench each of the last four games, averaging 5.5 minutes in that span. He averages 1.1 points and 1.2 rebounds in 18 games played this season. Junior F Dwight Coleby’s 10 minutes played at Kentucky (1/28)  and six minutes versus Baylor (2/1). His six rebounds against Baylor (2/1) were his KU career high. Coleby averages 1.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per contest. Sophomore F Carlton Bragg Jr. (6.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg) was suspended indefinitely for violating team rules on Jan. 26 and has not played in the last three games. 

ABOUT KANSAS STATE
Located in Manhattan, Kansas, with an enrollment of 24,212, Kansas State ended a three-game losing streak with a 56-54 win at No. 2/3 Baylor Feb. 4. The Wildcats are 16-7 on the season and 5-5 in Big 12 play. K-State is 11-2 at Bramlage Coliseum this season and coached by Bruce Weber, who is 95-61 in his fifth season at KSU and 408-217 in his 19th season overall. Kansas State averages 74.4 points per game and is third in the Big 12 with a 65.4 scoring defense for a +9.0 scoring margin. K-State is second in the league in field goal percentage defense at 41.5 and averages 33.5 rebounds per game with a +0.3 rebound margin. The Wildcats make 7.5 3-pointers per game and also average 16.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.9 blocked shots per game.

Kansas State has a balanced scoring attack as its top six scorers average between 12.2 and 8.9 points per game. Sophomore G Barry Brown leads the team with a 12.2 scoring average. He is second in the Big 12 with 2.3 steals per game and has made 34 3-pointers this season. Senior F Wesley Iwundu is next in scoring at 12.2 points per contest, one point behind Brown, and he has made a team-best 73 free throws. Iwundu averages 5.6 rebounds and has 82 assists and 25 steals this season. Sophomore G Kamau Stokes leads KSU with 45 3-pointers made and 105 assists to go along with his 12.1 scoring average. Stokes is second on the team with 30 steals. Senior F D.J. Johnson leads Kansas State in rebounds with 6.3 per game to complement his 11.9 scoring average. Johnson also has a team-best 37 blocked shots. Sophomore F Dean Wade rounds out the KSU starters. He averages 9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds and has made 24 3-pointers this season.

Freshman F Xavier Sneed is a reserve who averages 8.9 points per game. He has made 32 3-pointers this season. Senior G Carlbe Ervin II (2.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg),  and freshman F Isaiah Maurice (2.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg) are also regulars for KSU.

THE SERIES
Kansas leads the overall series with Kansas State, 192-93 and has won the last four match ups. Since Feb. 12, 1994, Kansas has won 53 of the last 58 meetings with K-State. This series started in 1907 and KU is 76-47 against KSU in games played in Manhattan, including a 24-4 record inside Bramlage Coliseum. Beginning in 1984, Kansas is 30-3 versus K-State in Manhattan, yet the Wildcats have won two of the past three meetings in the Little Apple. Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference, KU is 45-5 against KSU (36-5 in regular-season battles and 9-0 in the Big 12 Championship). Kansas head coach Bill Self is 28-5 all-time against K-State, including 27-5 while at KU. Bruce Weber is 2-10 against Kansas, all while at KSU.

Earlier this season Kansas junior Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk made a buzzer-beating layup to give KU a 90-88 win on Jan. 3 in Allen Fieldhouse. Mykhailiuk was one of five Jayhawks to score in double figures with freshman Josh Jackson leading the way with 22 points. Senior Landen Lucas had 18, Frank Mason III 15, Devonte’ Graham 13 and Mykhailiuk 11 for the game. Lucas notched a double-double leading all rebounders with 12 for the game.

A KANSAS WIN WOULD …
Make Kansas 21-3 overall, giving KU 21 wins for the 28th-consecutive season … Give Kansas its fifth-straight win against Kansas State, making the all-time series 193-93 … Make Kansas 77-47 against KSU in games played in Manhattan, including 25-4 in Bramlage Coliseum … Make Kansas 6-1 in true road games and 10-2 in games away from Allen Fieldhouse  this season … Improve Bill Self to 406-86 at KU and 613-191 overall … Make KU 2,207-839 all-time.

A KANSAS LOSS WOULD …
Make Kansas 20-4 overall and 8-3 in Big 12 play this season … Make the Kansas-Kansas State series 192-94 in favor of KU, including 76-48 in games played in Manhattan and 24-5 in Bramlage Coliseum … Give KSU three wins in Bramlage in KU’s last four trips to the Little Apple … Give Kansas consecutive losses for the first time since the 2013-14 season (Dec. 7 at Colorado and Dec. 14 at Florida) … Give KU consecutive league losses for the first time since the 2012-13 season (Feb. 2 vs. OSU, Feb. 6 at TCU, Feb. 9 at OU) … Make Bill Self 405-87 while at KU and  612-192 overall  … Make KU 2,206-840 all-time.

WHAT’S TRENDING
• Kansas leads the Big 12 in won-loss percentage (tied for first at 90.9), field goal percentage at 49.5 percent, 3-point field goal percentage at 41.5 percent and rebounding at 40.0 per game. Additionally, KU ranks in the upper half in the Big 12 in scoring (third at 84.0), scoring margin (third at +12.2), field goal percentage defense (fourth at 41.7), rebound margin (second at +6.0), assists (third at 16.7), assist-to-turnover ratio (fifth at 1.3) and blocked shots (third at 4.7).
• During Big 12 play, KU is shooting 70.1 percent at the charity stripe. In nonconference games KU had a 58.9 free throw percentage.
• Senior G Frank Mason III leads the Big 12 in scoring at 20.4 points per game and 3-point field goal percentage (52.5). He is fourth in assists at 5.2 per game, fifth in 3-pointers made per game (2.3), seventh in field goal percentage (51.2) and fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1).
• Mason is making 57.8 percent (26-for-45) from 3-point range in Big 12 play.
• Mason has led KU in scoring in 16 of 23 games this season, including six of the last nine contests. Mason has 12 games of 20 or more points including two of his last three outings.
• Mason was a perfect 12-of-12 from the free throw line versus Baylor (2/1), marking the most free throws made without a miss by a Jayhawk since Darnell Valentine also went 12-of-12 at Oklahoma (1/23/1980). Mason’s free throw streak ended at 18 as he was 10-for-12 against Iowa State (2/4).
• Freshman G Josh Jackson has three double-doubles in his last three games and is averaging 19.3 points and 10.0 rebounds in that span.
• Four of Jackson’s team-leading seven double-doubles this season have been against Big 12 foes.
• Jackson is 11-for-21 (52.3 percent) from 3-point range in his last five games. 
• Jackson ranks sixth in the Big 12 in scoring at 16.0 ppg, which leads the conference freshman class. His 7.0 rebounds per game are eighth in the league and he is eighth with 1.6 steals per game.
• Senior C Landen Lucas posted a career-high 18 rebounds against Iowa State (2/4). He leads the Big 12 in league games with an 11.9 rebound average. Overall, Lucas’ 8.5 rpg are fourth in the Big 12.
• Lucas leads KU with a 62.5 percent field goal percentage for all games.
• Junior G Devonte’ Graham has made multiple 3-pointers in each of his last five games and nine of his last 10 outings. He has two 20-point efforts this season with both against Big 12 foes.
• Graham ranks 13th in the Big 12 in scoring at 13.4, tied for eighth in assists at 4.3, tied for ninth in steals at 1.6, fourth in 3-point field goals made at 2.4 and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.5.
• Junior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has made six 3-pointers in his last two games and multiple 3-pointers in five of his last six outings. He is 6-for-12 (50.0 percent) from beyond the arc in his last two games.
• Mykhailiuk is sixth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made at 2.2 per game and fourth in 3-point field goal percentage at 42.4.

GOING FOR GUINNESS RECORD
One of the loudest venues in college basketball, Allen Fieldhouse will be going for a record when it hosts West Virginia on ESPN Big Monday, Feb. 13. Representatives from the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® will be in attendance to see if Allen Fieldhouse can set the world record for the “Loudest crowd roar at an indoor sports event.”

Kansas is going for a world record for the second-straight season.  Allen Fieldhouse set the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title for the “Largest gathering of people wearing holiday sweaters” on Dec. 19, 2015, in a home game against Montana when 3,473 patrons wore holiday sweaters.

DOWNTOWN
Kansas is currently averaging 8.8 3-point field goals made per game with a 41.5 3-point field goal percentage. Last season, Kansas set the school single-season 3-point record, making 304 from beyond the arc for 8.0 per game. KU’s 41.5 3-point field goal percentage in 2016-17 would be fifth on the single-season record list and its 8.8 made are first.

CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Including 2015-16, Kansas has won 16 of the 20 Big 12 regular-season titles (includes ties), including the last 12, which ranks second on the NCAA all-time consecutive list. Kansas’ 59 conference titles are the most in NCAA Division I. Kentucky is second with 47 and Penn third at 37. KU’s 12-straight league titles are the longest active streak in NCAA Division I and the longest streak in school history. UCLA, from 1967-79, holds the NCAA record of 13 straight, which was under two coaches. Kansas’ current run has been under head coach Bill Self.

THIS DATE IN KANSAS BASKETBALL HISTORY
Kansas is 20-7 all-time on Feb. 6.
Feb. 6, 1971: Kansas defeated Nebraska, 81-67, in a Big Eight Conference battle in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Jayhawks’ victory 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 for the game. The Jayhawks competed a second time against Nebraska on March 13, 1971, but this time in Allen Fieldhouse. KU came out on top with a 59-54 win. The Jayhawks beat Nebraska three times that year: once in Lincoln, once in Lawrence and once in Kansas City. Under head coach Ted Owens, the Jayhawks were 27-3 during the 1971 season with a perfect record of 14-0 in Big Eight Conference play. KU advanced to the Final Four in Houston and ended the year ranked fourth in the national polls.

UP NEXT
Kansas will play at Texas Tech on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m., on either ESPN or ESPN2. Kansas hosts West Virginia on ESPN Big Monday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m., and will then play at Baylor on Saturday, Feb. 18 at noon on CBS.

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