Jayhawks to face Bulldogs in CBE Hall of Fame Classic finals

Kansas game notes in PDF

CBE HALL OF FAME CLASSIC
No. 5/6 Kansas (3-1) advanced to its third-straight CBE Hall of Fame Classic title game with an 83-63 win against UAB Nov. 21. The Jayhawks will face SEC foe Georgia (3-1) on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 9 p.m. (Central) on ESPN2. Georgia reached the title game with an 81-73 win against George Washington, 81-73, also on Nov. 21.
 
Kansas is vying for its second CBE Hall of Fame title, with its previous in 2012. The Jayhawks are looking to win their third straight and sixth overall in-season tournament under head coach Bill Self.
 
KU In-Season Tournament Titles Under Bill Self
2006 – Las Vegas Invitational
2010 – Las Vegas Invitational
2012 – CBE Hall of Fame Classic
2014 – Orlando Classic
2015 – Maui Invitational
 
KANSAS IN THE CBE HALL OF FAME CLASSIC
Kansas is participating in its third CBE Hall of Fame Classic and its first since winning the 2012 event at Sprint Center in Kansas City. The Jayhawks are 9-1 in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic with a 5-0 record in host contests and 4-1 mark in the championship brackets. KU first played in the event in 2008 losing to Syracuse, 89-81 in overtime, in the title game. KU defeated Saint Louis, 73-59, in the 2012 championship game.
 
KU’s Travis Releford was the Most Valuable Player of the 2012 event and was joined by Jayhawk Ben McLemore on the all-tournament team. KU’s Sherron Collins was a member of the 2008 CBE Hall of Fame Classic All-Tournament Team.
 
Originally called the Guardians Classic, the event started in 2001 with the championship rounds played in Kansas City at either Kemper Arena or Sprint Center.
 
ABOUT KANSAS
Kansas has won three straight games which includes a 77-75 victory over No. 1 Duke (11/15) in the Champions Classic in New York City, an 86-65 win versus Siena (11/18) and Monday’s 83-63 win against UAB. The Jayhawks average 86.3 points per game and have a +9.8 scoring margin. KU averages 39.8 rebounds per game with a +3.0 rebound margin. Kansas averages 16.5 assists, 7.3 steals and 5.0 blocked shots per game.
 
Senior G Frank Mason III has led KU in scoring in three of four games. He has scored 20 or more points in three of his four contests, including a career-high 30 against Indiana (11/11) and 20 versus UAB (11/21). The Nov. 14 Big 12 Player of the Week, Mason is averaging 22.3 points per game and also averages 5.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. Junior G Devonte’ Graham is next in scoring at 14.5 points per game after his 16 points versus UAB (11/21). He is also second on the team with 5.3 assists per game. Graham has 16 assists and two turnovers in his last two games. Freshman G Josh Jackson led KU with 22 points against UAB (11/21) and averages 14.3 points per game. Jackson leads KU with six steals through four games, including three versus UAB. Sophomore F Carlton Bragg Jr. recorded his first career double-double that included career highs in points (15) and rebounds (11) against Siena (11/18). Bragg leads the team with 6.3 rebounds per game to go along with his 10.3 scoring average. Senior C Landen Lucas rounds out the KU starters. Lucas tied his career high with five blocked shots against Siena (11/18) and he averages 5.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest.
 
Junior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk leads KU with eight 3-pointers made this season, including a 4-for-5 effort against UAB (11/21). He averages 9.3 points per game. Sophomore G Lagerald Vick has been the first Jayhawk off the bench in all four games. He had career highs in points (12) and rebounds (8) against Siena and averages 7.0 points per game. Freshman C Udoka Azubuike (2.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg) rounds out the KU regulars. Azubuike pulled down 12 rebounds against No. 1 Duke (11/15) and seven against UAB (11/21).
 
THE SERIES
Kansas and Georgia are meeting for the fourth time in men’s basketball and the first time since the opening round of the 1999 Great Alaska Shootout, an event Kansas went on to win. KU holds a 3-0 series advantage over Georgia. KU defeated UGA 76-65 on Dec. 1, 1992, in Allen Fieldhouse and 89-79 the following year, Dec. 18, 1993, in Atlanta. The Jayhawks defeated the Bulldogs 88-78 in the 1999 Great Alaska Shootout match-up.
 
KANSAS IN KANSAS CITY
Kansas City has been a second home of sorts for Kansas over the years. KU’s first-ever game — a 16-5 loss to Kansas City YMCA on Feb. 3, 1899 — was played in Kansas City. The 2016 CBE Hall of Fame Classic title game against Georgia will mark KU’s 298th game played all-time in Kansas City, and its 39th in Sprint Center. KU is 32-6 in Sprint Center including winning the 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016 Big 12 Championships in the venue and the 2012 CBE Hall of Fame Classic.
 
KU played 106 games in Kemper Arena with an 81-25 record. KU is 217-80 in games played in Kansas City. 
 
IN THE POLLS
Kansas entered the 2016-17 season No. 3 in the Associated Press poll and No. 2 in the USA TODAY Coaches’ Poll. In this week’s rankings, the Jayhawks are No. 6 coaches’ poll and No. 5 in the AP poll.
 
Kansas has been ranked in each of the last 145 AP polls dating back to the 2008-09 season, which is the longest active streak in NCAA Division I.
 
UP NEXT
Kansas returns to Allen Fieldhouse to host UNC Asheville in its second host game of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic on Friday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m., on Jayhawk TV/ESPN3. The contest marks the first of a KU six-game homestand. KU will host Long Beach State on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m., Stanford on Dec. 3 at 2:30 p.m., UMKC on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m., Nebraska on Dec. 10 at 2:15 p.m. and Davidson at Sprint Center on Dec. 17.