Kansas going for program win No. 2,200 against Texas Tech Saturday

Notes Kansas Game Notes (.pdf)
Notes Texas Tech Game Notes (.pdf)
Notes Big 12 Game Notes (.pdf)

GOING FOR 2,200
On the threshold of all-time victory No. 2,200, No. 3/2 Kansas (13-1, 2-0) plays host to Texas Tech (12-2, 1-1) Saturday, Jan. 7. The game from Allen Fieldhouse will begin at 6:15 p.m. (Central) and will be televised on ESPN2. Kansas won its 13th-straight game with a 90-88 victory versus Kansas State, Jan. 3, in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. Texas Tech is coming off a 77-76 overtime win against No. 7 West Virginia on Jan. 3.

When Kansas win its next game, it will become only the second team in NCAA Division I to have won 2,200 all-time games.

NCAA Division I All-Time Victories (as of Jan. 4, 2017)
1. Kentucky – 2,217-684
2. KANSAS – 2,199-837
3. North Carolina – 2,190-777
4. Duke – 2,100-866
5. Syracuse – 1,952-871

ABOUT KANSAS
Kansas’ 13-game winning streak is the third-longest in NCAA Division I behind Baylor (14) and Gonzaga (14). The Jayhawks have not lost since their season opener, Nov. 11, versus Indiana (103-99 in overtime). KU averages 86.8 points per game and has scored 86 or more in eight of its last nine contests. KU has a 16.9 scoring margin. Kansas is second in the Big 12 and fifth nationally with a 51.2 field goal percentage. KU leads the league with a 41.6 3-point field goal percentage, which is sixth in NCAA Division I. KU averages 40.5 rebounds per contest with a 6.1 rebound margin. KU also averages 18.4 assists, 7.0 steals and 5.6 blocked shots per game.

Two-time Big 12 Player of the Week in 2016-17, senior G Frank Mason III is second in the conference in scoring with a 19.5 scoring average. He has seven games of 20 points or more and has led Kansas in scoring in 10 of 13 games this season. Mason leads KU in 3-point field goal percentage at 50.8 percent, which is second in the conference. He leads the Big 12 with 5.8 assists per game. Freshman G Josh Jackson is next in scoring at 15.2 points per game which ranks seventh in the Big 12 and leads the league’s freshman class. He has earned Big 12 Player of the Week once and Big 12 Newcomer of the Week twice this season. Jackson is second on the team with 21 steals and leads KU with 19 blocked shots. Junior G Devonte’ Graham is Kansas’ third-leading scorer at 12.5 points per game. He leads KU with 22 steals and is second on the team with 65 assists. Graham is tied with Mason for second on the squad with 31 3-pointers made, one behind team-leader junior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk’s 32. Mykhailiuk has started the last four games and is averaging 14.0 points per game in that span. He is scoring 11.1 ppg for the season and has made nine 3-pointers in his last three games. Senior C Landen Lucas has posted back-to-back double-doubles in his last two games with 15 points and 17 rebounds at TCU (12/30) and 18 points and 12 boards versus Kansas State (1/3). The reigning Big 12 Player of the Week, Lucas leads KU with 7.0 rebounds per game, which is eighth in the Big 12. Lucas is scoring 7.4 points per game and is averaging 16.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in two conference games.

Sophomore G Lagerald Vick has started five games this season and is averaging 8.9 points, including 17 points at TCU (12/30). Vick has made seven 3-pointers in his last four games and 19 for the season. Sophomore F Carlton Bragg Jr. pulled down nine rebounds at TCU (12/30) and is averaging 5.7 boards per game. He is scoring 7.0 points per contest. Freshman F Mitch Lightfoot (1.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg) also sees time off the bench for KU.

ABOUT TEXAS TECH
Located in Lubbock, Texas, with an enrollment of 35,893, Texas Tech is 12-2 on the season and 1-1 in Big 12 play after its 77-76 overtime win versus No. 7 West Virginia on Jan. 3. The Red Raiders are coached by Chris Beard who is 12-2 in his first season at Texas Tech and 152-50 in his seventh season overall. Texas Tech leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 51.4 percent and rebound margin at 10.6. The Red Raiders average 79.8 points per game and have at 18.6 scoring margin. They pull down 36.7 rebounds per game and limit opponents to just 26.1 boards. Texas Tech also averages 6.6 3-pointers, 16.8 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.0 blocked shots per game.

Junior G Keenan Evans leads Texas Tech in scoring at 13.4 points per game. He is second on the team with 22 3-pointers, 47 assists and 18 steals. Senior F Anthony Livingston is next in scoring at 12.9 points per game and he leads Texas Tech with 27 3-pointers this season. Livingston pulls down 4.8 rebounds per game. Junior F Zach Smith leads the team with 7.9 rebounds per game, which is third in the Big 12, and his 1.8 blocked shots per game are sixth in the conference. Smith scores 12.1 points per game. Junior F Justin Gray scores 9.6 points per game and is second on the team with 16 blocked shots and a 5.9 rebound average. Senior G Devon Thomas rounds out the Texas Tech starters. Thomas leads the Red Raiders with 3.9 assists per game, which is tied for 10th in the league. He averages 5.1 points and 3.3 rebounds this season.

Other Texas Tech regulars include senior F Aaron Ross (10.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg), junior G Niem Stevenson (7.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg), and junior G Shadell Millinghaus (7.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg).

THE SERIES
Kansas leads the overall series with Texas Tech, 31-4, in a series that began in 1959. The Jayhawks have won 14-straight in the series since Jan. 16, 2010. Kansas is 16-0 against Texas Tech in games played in Lawrence, with all 16 contests in Allen Fieldhouse. Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1997, Kansas is 24-4 against Texas Tech; 21-4 in regular-season match-ups and 3-0 in conference championship meetings. Kansas head coach Bill Self is 18-6 all-time against Texas Tech, including 17-3 while at Kansas. Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard will be facing Kansas for the first time as a head coach.

KANSAS STATE LEFTOVERS
• The Jayhawks played in front of a sold-out Allen Fieldhouse crowd for the 250th-straight game on Tuesday night. The streak dates back to the 2001-02 season. Kansas has led its league in attendance for the last 30 seasons, dating back to the 1986-87 season.
• Kansas now has 2,199 wins in program history (2,199-837; .724).
• Kansas is 13-1 or better for the second-straight season and seventh time in the Bill Self era.
• KU’s 13th-straight win ties for the ninth-longest during the Bill Self era.
• Kansas State entered Tuesday holding opponents to 58.8 points per game. KU’s 90 total points became the most surrendered by the Wildcats this season.
• It is the fifth time in 14 games that Kansas has had five double-figure scorers in the same game.
• Starting his 88th-straight game, senior G Frank Mason III scored 15 points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.
• Mason became the 25th Jayhawk to score 1,400 career points, currently at 1,405. He is 28 points shy of catching Wilt Chamberlain who had 1,433 points from from 1956-57 to 1957-58.
• Junior G Devonte’ Graham finished with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting and passed Tyshawn Taylor for 19th place on the 3-point field goals made list with 123 career treys.
• Freshman G Josh Jackson tied his career-high 22 points. Jackson reached 20 points for the third time this season.
• Jackson scored 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting with five rebounds and five assists in the first half.
• Junior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, who made a buzzer-beating fast break layup at the end of regulation to give Kansas the 90-88 victory, finished with 11 points.
• Mykhailiuk made 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and has made at least one 3-pointer in 13 of 14 games this season.
• Father, Iurii Mykhailiuk, was in attendance, traveling over 5,500 miles from Ukraine to watch his son play.
• Senior C Landen Lucas scored a career-high 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting with 12 rebounds in 28 minutes. It was his second straight and sixth career double-double.
• Lucas passed the 500 career rebound mark, currently at 503.

WHAT’S TRENDING
• Kansas leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.6 percent. KU also ranks in the upper half in the Big 12 in win-loss percentage (second at 92.9), scoring (third at 86.8), scoring margin (fifth at 16.9), field goal percentage (second at 51.2), rebounding (second at 40.5), rebounding defense (fifth at 34.4), rebound margin (third at 6.1), assists (second at 18.4), blocked shots (second at 5.6) and 3-point average (third at 8.8).
• Senior G Frank Mason III is second in the Big 12 in scoring at 19.5 points per game. He has led KU in scoring in 10 of 14 games this season, including five of the last seven contests.
• Mason leads the Big 12 with 5.8 assists per game and a 50.8 3-point field goal percentage. He ranks tied for eighth in field goal percentage (.529) and tied for sixth in 3-pointers made (2.2).
• Senior C Landen Lucas leads the Big 12 in rebounding with a 14.5 average in two conference games. His 16.5 scoring average in league play is tied for sixth and his 78.9 field goal percentage is fourth.
• Lucas is averaging 16.5 ppg and 14.5 rpg in Big 12 play and 7.4 ppg and 7.0 rpg in all games. He is shooting 65.0 percent for the season, including 78.9 in Big 12 contests.
• Freshman G Josh Jackson ranks eighth in the Big 12 in scoring at 15.2 ppg, which leads the conference freshman class. His 6.4 rebounds per game are tied for 10th in the league.
• Junior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has made multiple 3-pointers in 11 games this season, a feat he accomplished 11 times last season. He is fifth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made at 2.3 per game and fifth in 3-point field goal percentage at 45.7.
• Mykhailiuk is 10-for-18 (55.6 percent) from behind the arc in his last three games.

STREAKING
Here are some active Kansas streaks, all of which lead the nation:
• 12 Big 12 Conference regular-season titles
• 27 NCAA Tournament appearances
• 27 seasons with 20 wins
• 50 wins at home, including 47 in Allen Fieldhouse
• 149 weeks ranked in AP Top 25
• Won at least 12 league games for 16-straight years.

IN THE POLLS
Kansas jumped one spot to No. 2 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll and remained at No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25, released Jan. 2. KU entered the 2016-17 season with the exact same ranking — No. 3 in the AP poll and No. 2 in the coaches’ poll.

The Jayhawks have been ranked in each of the last 149 AP polls dating back to the 2008-09 season, which is the longest active streak in NCAA Division I.

Kansas was ranked in the preseason for the 25th time in time in the 28-year history of the coaches’ poll. The No. 2 preseason ranking marked the sixth time KU has been preseason No. 2 or higher in the coaches’ poll.

The AP ranking marked the highest preseason rank for the Jayhawks since entering the 2009-10 season No. 1. This is the fourth-straight season KU has been ranked No. 5 or higher by the AP preseason poll. KU was No. 4 last season in the AP preseason poll and No. 5 in 2014-15 and 2013-14. It is also the seventh time in the last eight seasons that the Jayhawks have entered the season No. 7 or higher by the AP.

TOP GUARDS
When you talk top point guards in the Bill Self era at Kansas, senior G Frank Mason III has to be part of the discussion. Mason leads the Big 12 with a 19.8 scoring average.

KU Guard Top Seasons Under Bill Self
Name (season)        PPG    APG    SPG
Frank Mason III (2016-17)   19.5    5.8     1.3
Sherron Collins (2008-09)    18.9    5.0     1.1
Andrew Wiggins (2013-14)   17.1    1.5     1.2
Tyshawn Taylor (2011-12)   16.6    4.8     1.3
Ben McLemore (2012-13)     15.9    2.0     1.0

NOT BAD COMPANY
Senior G Frank Mason III is 26th in KU men’s basketball history with 1,405 all-time points and 12th with 470 career assists. Mason is only the sixth Jayhawk to rank that high in both categories.

Name (KU seasons)      Rank/Points      Rank/Assists
Sherron Collins (2007-10)    1,888/5th      552/8th
Darnell Valentine (1978-81)  1,821/6th      609/5th
Kirk Hinrich (2000-03)         1,753/11th     668/4th
Kevin Pritchard (1987-90)    1,692/12th     499/10th
Tyshawn Taylor (2009-12)   1,580/15th     575/6th
Frank Mason III (2014-pres.) 1,405/26th     470/12th

15 TIMES
With its 89-71 win against Davidson (12/17), Kansas posted its 10th-straight win. Under Bill Self, KU has won 10 or more straight games 15 times. KU’s current 12-game win streak ranks tied for the 11th longest in the Self era.

KU 10-Plus Winning Streaks Under Bill Self (2003-04)
20      Nov. 9, 2007-Jan. 26, 2008
18      Nov. 15, 2012-Jan. 28, 2013
18      Nov. 12, 2010-Jan. 17, 2011
17      Jan. 30, 2016-March 24, 2016
16      Feb. 27, 2008-Nov. 24, 2008
14      Nov. 13, 2009-Jan. 6, 2010
14      Feb. 7, 2007-March 22, 2007
14      Nov. 19, 2004-Jan. 19, 2005
13      Nov. 15, 2016-present
13      Nov. 23, 2015-Jan. 9, 2016
13      Jan. 13, 2010-Feb. 22, 2010
11      Feb. 19, 2011-March 25, 2011
10      Dec. 22, 2011-Jan. 23, 2012
10      Dec. 4, 2006-Jan. 15, 2007
10      Nov. 21, 2005-Feb. 21, 2006

Fast Big 12 Starts
No doubt fast starts are important but in Kansas’ 16 Big 12 regular-season titles in the 20-year history of the league, eight have seen the Jayhawks open conference play with a 7-0 record or better. On the flip side, in five of the titles, Kansas started 3-0, then lost, yet went on the claim the crown. Naturally, the 2001-02 team set the mark as the only team in Big 12 history to go undefeated in league play at 16-0.

Kansas Big 12 Starts
Season   Start Finish (Place)
2001-02   16-0    16-0 (1st)
2009-10   13-0    15-1 (1st)
2004-05   10-0   12-4, t-1st)
2008-09    8-0    14-2 (1st)
1996-97    8-0    15-1 (1st)
2013-14    7-0    14-4 (1st)
2012-13    7-0   14-4 (t-1st)
2011-12    7-0    16-2 (1st)
2000-01    6-0   12-4 (t-2nd)
2007-08    5-0   13-3 (t-1st)
2003-04    5-0   12-4 (t-2nd)
1998-99    5-0   11-5 (t-2nd)
1997-98    5-0    15-1 (1st)
2002-03    4-0    14-2 (1st)
1999-2000 4-0    11-5 (5th)
2015-16    3-0    15-3 (1st)
2014-15    3-0    13-5 (1st)
2010-11    3-0    14-2 (1st)
2006-07    3-0    14-2 (1st)
2016-17   2-0          ???
2005-06        1-0     13-3 (t-1st)

THIS DATE IN KANSAS BASKETBALL HISTORY
Kansas is 21-5 all-time on Jan. 7.
Jan. 7, 1967: Senior Bob Wilson registered a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Kansas to a 97-73 victory against Oklahoma in each team’s Big Eight Conference opener. Playing in front of a crowd of 12,500 in Allen Fieldhouse, KU took a commanding 19-point lead into halftime, 51-32, and cruised to the 24-point win. Kansas shot 21-for-27 at the free throw line, led by Wilson’s 9-for-10 effort from the charity stripe. Five Jayhawks scored in double figures, including sophomore Jo Jo White and senior Ron Franz with 17 points each. The Jayhawks won their second-straight Big Eight title in 1967 with a 13-1 mark in league play. They finished the season with a 23-4 record after falling to Houston in the NCAA Tournament.

UP NEXT
Kansas will travel to Oklahoma on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 8 p.m., on ESPN2 and then return home to host Oklahoma State on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 1 p.m., on ESPN2. KU will then play its first of four ESPN Big Monday games at Iowa State on Jan. 16 at 8 p.m.

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