No. 7 Kansas set for trek to West Virginia

Freshman guard Quentin Grimes 

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 7/8 Kansas Jayhawks (15-2, 4-1) will hit the road to meet the West Virginia Mountaineers (8-9, 0-5) on Saturday, Jan. 19 inside WVU Coliseum. The Jayhawks, winners of four-straight against WVU, will look to maintain their spot atop the Big 12, now tied for first in the league standings with Texas Tech. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. (CT) on ESPN with Dave Flemming (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) calling the action.

WATCH JAYHAWK GAMEDAY LIVE FROM MORGANTOWN
Jayhawk Gameday Live, a 30-minute pregame show and a 60-minute postgame show, will be live before KU’s match-up with West Virginia starting at 12:30 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 is coming off an 80-78 win against Texas on Jan. 14. West Virginia looks to end a five-game losing streak after its 98-67 loss at TCU on Jan. 15.
• Kansas leads the overall series with West Virginia, 10-4, and has won the last four meetings. But the Mountaineers hold a 4-2 advantage against Kansas in games played in WVU Coliseum. Four of the last five KU-WVU clashes have been decided by eight points or less.
• Kansas is 90-39 in Big 12 road games under head coach Bill Self, including 1-1 this season. KU’s winning percentage (69.8%) in league road games since 2003-04 is the best among teams in the six major conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC).
• After its 80-78 win against Texas on Jan. 14, Kansas is 37-3 in conference games decided by 10 points or less since 2016.
• 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 at 19.2 ppg, while senior G Lagerald Vick is sixth at 15.2 ppg.
• A Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team selection, Dedric Lawson leads the Big 12 in rebounding at 10.6 rpg and double-doubles (11) 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.
• Senior G Lagerald Vick was 5-for-8 from 3-point range against Texas (1/14) and is 11-for-16 (68.8 percent) from beyond the arc in the last two games.
• Lawson, who was named the league’s Newcomer of the Week for the third time on Jan. 14, 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 Baylor’s Brian Skinner in 1996.

 
ABOUT KANSAS
No. 7/8 Kansas is 15-2 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play after its 80-78 win against Texas on ESPN Big Monday Jan. 14. In all games, Kansas ranks in the top three in the Big 12 in scoring offense (third at 78.8), field goal percentage (second at 48.1), field goal percentage defense (third at 40.0), steals (second at 7.5) and assists (third at 14.6). KU has a +8.7 scoring margin, +2.1 rebound margin and has outrebounded 10 of 17 opponents this season. KU also averages 7.1 3-pointers made and 3.9 blocked shots per game.
 
Redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson has seven double-doubles in his last 10 games and a Big 12-leading 11 for the season, which is tied for third nationally. Dedric Lawson, a Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team selection, has scored 20 or more points in nine games this season with eight in his last 14 contests. He is second in the Big 12 in scoring at 19.2 ppg and leads the league in rebounding at 10.6 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 19 blocked shots and his 1.1 blocks per game are ninth in the conference.
 

 
Senior G Lagerald Vick is coming off a 21-point performance against Texas and is averaging 19.5 points in his last two contests. He is 11-for-16 (68.8 percent) from 3-point range in his last two games. He scored his 1,000th-career point at Baylor (1/2). Vick is scoring 15.2 points per game, which is sixth in the league and he leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game at 3.2 and 3-point field goal percentage at 47.0 percent, which is 13th nationally. Vick’s 1.4 steals per game are eighth in the conference.
 
Freshman G Devon Dotson ranks sixth in the Big 12 in steals at 1.5, tied for ninth in assists at 3.2 and 12th in field goal percentage at 50.4. Dotson averages 11.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Freshman G Quentin Grimes is second on the team with 20 3-pointers made this season. He has scored 14 or more points in three of his last six games and averages 8.7 points per contest for the season.
 
Freshman G Ochai Agbaji pulled his redshirt against TCU (1/9). In just three games, Agbaji is averaging 23.7 minutes, 7.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and is shooting 60.0 percent from the floor. Sophomore G Marcus Garrett is coming off an outstanding game against Texas (1/14) where he scored a career-high 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting with three steals. Garrett has started the last four games and nine for the season. He has seven games with multiple steals this season and his 1.5 thefts average are seventh in the Big 12. Garrett is averaging 6.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game and has 43 assists.
 
Redshirt-sophomore G Charlie Moore has made nine 3-pointers in his last eight games and 12 of his 20 field goals this season have been beyond the arc. Moore scores 3.6 points per game.
 
Other KU regulars include redshirt-sophomore G K.J. Lawson (2.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg), freshman F David McCormack (2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg) and junior F Mitch Lightfoot (1.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg). Lightfoot leads KU with five charges taken and is third on the team with nine blocked shots.
 
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA
Located in Morgantown, West Virginia, with an enrollment of 31,442, West Virginia (8-9, 0-5) looks to end a five-game losing streak when it hosts Kansas. The Mountaineers are coached by Bob Huggins who is 263-139 in his 12th season at WVU, his alma mater, and 853-349 in his 37th season overall.
 
West Virginia averages 75.2 points per game and has a +1.3 scoring margin. The Mountaineers lead the Big 12 in rebound margin at +6.8 and rank in the top three in the conference in rebounding offense (second at 41.2). The Mountaineers make 7.9 3-pointers per game and average 13.3 assists, 5.1 steals and 4.4 blocked shots.
 
West Virginia is deep as 12 players average nine or more minutes per game. Junior F Sagaba Konate (13.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 22 blocked shots in eight games) is WVU’s leading scorer but he is out indefinitely, and has missed the last eight games due to a knee injury. The next four WVU players average between 12.8 and 11.4 points per game, led by senior F Esa Ahmad at 12.8 points. He pulls down 5.4 rebounds per contest and has 13 steals, 10 blocked shots and 27 assists. Junior G James Bolden scores 12.2 points per game and leads team with 40 assists. His 26 3-point field goals are second most on the team. Freshman F Derek Culver has played in seven games and scores 12.0 points per contest. His 13.8 scoring average in Big 12 play leads WVU. Culver leads the team with 8.6 rebounds per outing. Junior F Lamont West has made a team-high 33 3-pointers in 2018-19 and he averages 11.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
 
Other WVU regulars include junior F Wesley Harris (8.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 17 3FGs), junior G Chase Harler (4.8 ppg, 17 3FGs), redshirt-freshman G Brandon Knapper (4.0 ppg, 27 assists), junior G Jermaine Haley (3.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 24 assists) and freshman G Jordan McCabe (2.7 ppg, 24 assists).
 
THE SERIES
The Kansas-West Virginia series started when WVU joined the Big 12 Conference in 2012-13, with KU holding a 10-4 advantage. The Jayhawks have won the last four meetings, yet are 2-4 in games played at WVU Coliseum. Four of the six clashes in Morgantown have been decided by six points or less. KU is 6-0 against West Virginia in games played in Allen Fieldhouse, 2-4 at WVU Coliseum and 2-0 in the Big 12 Championship. KU defeated WVU, 81-71, in the 2016 Big 12 title game and 81-70 in the 2018 Big 12 title game, with both at Sprint Center in Kansas City.
 
KU head coach Bill Self is 10-4 against West Virginia, with all 14 meetings as Kansas’ coach. Bob Huggins is 4-14 all-time against Kansas, 4-10 while at WVU.
 
A KANSAS WIN WOULD…
Make Kansas 16-2 and 5-1 or better in Big 12 play for the third-straight season and the 13th time in the last 14 seasons, beginning in 2006-07 … Give Kansas its fifth-straight win against WVU … Give Kansas an 11-4 all-time series record against West Virginia, including a 3-4 record in Morgantown with all seven meetings at WVU Coliseum … Make KU 11-4 against West Virginia in the Big 12 era, 9-4 in regular-season and 2-0 in the Big 12 Championship … Make Bill Self 463-98 while at Kansas, 670-203 overall and 11-4 all-time versus West Virginia (10-4 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,264-851 all-time.
 
A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…
Make Kansas 15-3 and 4-2 in conference play for the first time since the 2015-16 season when KU was also 4-2 … End a Kansas four-game winning streak against West Virginia and make the KU-WVU series 10-5 in favor of Kansas, 2-5 in games played in Morgantown with all seven meetings at WVU Coliseum … Make Bill Self 462-99 while at Kansas, 669-204 overall and 10-5 all-time versus West Virginia (10-5 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,263-852 all-time.
 
LAST TIME OUT
A career-high 20 points from sophomore guard Marcus Garrett along with a 21-point effort from senior guard Lagerald Vick helped the No. 7/8 Kansas Jayhawks hold off an upset-minded Texas Longhorns squad, 80-78, Jan. 12 inside Allen Fieldhouse. Redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson added 13 of his 17 points in the second half as the Jayhawks claimed their 31st-consecutive ESPN Big Monday win in Lawrence.
 
KU held UT at arm’s length for much of the game, but the Longhorn shooters caught fire late as Texas fought its way back into the game. Kerwin Roach II connected on his third triple of the night before Jase Febres buried three straight from 3-point land to tie the game at 73-73 with 2:26 to play.
 
Dedric Lawson responded with a pair of free throws on KU’s next possession before Vick knocked down his fifth 3-pointer of the game on the Jayhawks’ next trip down the floor, pushing his team’s lead to 78-73 with 1:15 remaining.
 
A free throw each from Lawson and Garrett on KU’s next two possession were just enough to hold off the valiant Longhorn comeback and close out the 80-78 win.
 
TEXAS LEFTOVERS & NOTABLES

• The victory improved KU’s record to 27-0 when playing on ESPN Big Monday inside Allen Fieldhouse under Bill Self (since 03-04).
• The Jayhawks trailed for the sixth time this season at the half. Kansas has a 5-1 record in those games.
• The Jayhawks’ four turnovers for the game marked their fewest since posting just three giveaways against Texas on Jan. 24, 2015.
• Kansas improved to 37-3 since 2016 in Big 12 regular-season games decided by 10 points or less.
• The teams combined for just 10 turnovers which marks the fewest by the Jayhawks and an opponent. The record was previously 12 in a game at Texas (1/24/15).
• With senior G Lagerald Vick and sophomore G Marcus Garrett each surpassing the 20-point mark, Kansas has now seen multiple 20 point scorers in five contests this season (Michigan State, Vermont, Stanford, Villanova, Texas).
• Vick’s 21 points on the day moved him past Thomas Robinson (1,026) on the list of 1,000-point scorers in the Bill Self era and sits 54th all-time. Vick has 1,033 points as a Jayhawk.
• Connecting five times from deep, Vick also moved past Rex Walters (151) and Kevin Pritchard (154) with threes made in a career. Vick sits 15th all-time at 155. He is seven away from former teammate Wayne Selden’s 162 which are 13th.
• In his last two outings, Vick has connected on 11-of-16 (68.8 percent) of his 3-point tries. In the five contests prior, he was 9-of-36 (25.0 percent).
• Garrett had a night to remember, posting a career-high 20 points, 17 of which came in the first half. Garrett finished the first half 7-of-7 from the field including a 3-for-3 mark from 3-point range.
• Garrett’s three 3-pointers tied a career high. He also hit three triples against Texas Southern on Nov. 21, 2017.
• Dedric Lawson pulled down his 800th career rebound and his 805 rank 17th on the NCAA career active list.

 
KANSAS RARELY HOMESICK IN THE BIG 12
While Allen Fieldhouse has proven itself as one of the top home court advantages in the nation, the Jayhawks’ strength on the road is just as impressive, especially against their brethren in the Big 12.
 
Since Bill Self took the helm prior to the 2003-04 season, Kansas has amassed a record of 90-39 in regular-season Big 12 road games, good for a 69.8 winning percentage. Not only does that make the Jayhawks the only current or former member of the league with a winning record on the road, but it is the best winning percentage by any team in the six major conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) in that span. Since the Big 12 went to an 18-game, round-robin schedule in 2012, KU has posted a winning road record in six of the seven seasons since.
 

 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson leads the Big 12 with 11 double-doubles this season, including seven in his last 10 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 47 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 seven double-doubles in his last 10 games and a Big 12-leading 11 for the season, which is tied for first nationally. The Memphis, Tennessee, forward has scored 20 or more points in nine games this season with eight in his last 14 contests. Lawson is second in the Big 12 in scoring at 19.2 ppg and leads the league in rebounding at 10.6 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 19 blocked shots and his 1.1 blocks per game are ninth 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
 
VICK COLLECTS 1,000TH-CAREER POINT
Senior G Lagerald Vick scored his 1,000th-career point at Baylor Jan. 12. Vick has averaged 9.2 ppg in his 110 outings as a Jayhawk and 12.9 ppg since the start of his junior season. He is the 61st Jayhawk and the 16th player in the Bill Self era (since 2003-04) to hit the 1,000-point plateau. His 1,033 career points are 54th on the school list. Kansas has had at least one player hit 1,000 points in nine of the last 11 years, including each of the last five seasons. 
 

 
UP NEXT
Kansas returns home for its second meeting against Iowa State in 16 days when the Cyclones come to Allen Fieldhouse for an 8 p.m., (CT) tip-off on ESPN’s Big Monday, Jan. 21. Kansas is 181-65 all-time against Iowa State, including a 93-16 advantage in Lawrence and a 52-10 edge in Allen Fieldhouse. The Cyclones came out on top in the first meeting this season in Ames, 77-60, on Jan. 5. 

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