Jayhawks and Bears to battle in Waco Saturday

Senior guard Lagerald Vick 

 GM 16: at Baylor
  Jan. 12
  3 p.m. (CT)
  Ferrell Center (10,284)
  Watch
  Listen
  Live Stats
  Game Notes

 

 Stats KU BU
 Record 13-2 (2-1) 9-5 (1-1)
 Pts/GM 79.1 71.4
 FG% 47.5 45.1
 3FG% 33.3 29.2
 FT% 68.4 66.4
 Reb/GM 39.4 37.8
 Ast/GM 14.8 13.5
 Blk/GM 3.7 5.8
 Stl/GM 7.7 6.9
 Pts Allowed/GM 69.7 62.9
 FG% Defense 40.4 40.3
 3FG% Defense 33.2 32.4
 Rebound Margin +4.1 +6.3
 Ast-TO Ratio 1.1 1.0

 

LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 7/9 Kansas is set to journey to the Lone Star State to take on the Baylor Bears at the Ferrell Center on Saturday, Jan. 12. The Jayhawks are coming off a 77-68 win over No. 25 TCU Wednesday, while the Bears took down No. 20 Iowa State, 73-70, Tuesday. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. (CT) on ESPN. Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) will call the action.

WATCH JAYHAWK GAMEDAY LIVE FROM WACO
Jayhawk Gameday Live, a 30-minute pregame show and a 60-minute postgame show, will be live before KU’s match-up with Baylor starting at 2:30 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 leads the overall series with Baylor, 30-5, including a 12-3 record in Waco with all 15 meetings in the Ferrell Center. Baylor won the last meeting, 80-64, in the Ferrell Center on Feb. 10, 2018.
  • Since 2015, three of the last four meetings in Waco have been decided by six points or less.
  • Kansas has had six different players lead the team in scoring in six of the last seven games. Those have been Quentin Grimes, Devon Dotson, Udoka Azubuike, Dedric Lawson, Charlie Moore and Lagerald Vick.
  • Kansas is the only team in the Big 12 with two players ranked in the top eight in the league in scoring. RS-junior F Dedric Lawson is second in scoring at 19.5 ppg, while senior G Lagerald Vick is eighth at 14.6 ppg.
  • On the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list, Dedric Lawson leads the Big 12 in rebounding at 11.3 rpg 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.
  • Vick is six points from hitting the 1,000-point plateau for his career. He is looking to become the 61st player in KU history and the 16th in the Bill Self era (since 2003-04) to hit the 1K scoring mark.
  • On Jan. 6, Kansas head coach Bill Self announced that junior C Udoka Azubuike will miss the remainder of the 2018-19 season due to an injured right wrist. Azubuike had successful surgery on Jan. 9 and is expected to have a full recovery.
  • With its win against TCU (1/9), Kansas is 87-11 following a loss in the Bill Self era. Since 2013-14, the Jayhawks are 37-3 following a loss. When the game following a loss is in Allen Fieldhouse, KU is 48-3 in the Self era.

 
ABOUT KANSAS
No. 7/9 Kansas is 13-2 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play after its 77-68 win against TCU on Jan. 9. In all games, Kansas ranks in the top three in the Big 12 in scoring offense (third at 79.1), rebounding (third at 39.4), steals (second at 7.7) and assists (third at 14.8). KU has a +9.4 scoring margin, +4.1 rebound margin and has outrebounded 10 of 15 opponents this season. KU also averages 6.7 3-pointers made and 3.7 blocked shots per game.
 
After his 31-point, 14-rebound game against TCU (1/9), redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson has three straight and seven double-doubles in his last eight games and a Big 12-leading 11 for the season, which is tied for first nationally. Dedric Lawson has scored 20 or more points in eight of his last 12 games. He is second in the Big 12 in scoring at 19.5 ppg and leads the league in rebounding at 11.3 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 two-time league newcomer of the week (12/3, 12/17), Lawson leads KU with 14 blocked shots.
 

NCAA DI DOUBLE-DOUBLE LEADERS
Rnk Player (School) Games Double-Doubles
t1 Dedric Lawson (Kansas) 15 11
t1 Mike Daum (South Dakota St.) 18 11
t1 Demajeo Wiggins (Bowling Green) 15 11
Through games played on Jan. 9, 2019

 
Senior G Lagerald Vick is next in scoring at 14.6 points per game, which is eighth in the league. He is second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game at 2.9 and third in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage at 43.4 percent. Vick is second on the team lead with 23 steals this season and his 1.5 spg are seventh in the league.
 
Freshman G Devon Dotson ranks fourth in the Big 12 in steals at 1.7 and fifth in free throw percentage at 79.6. Dotson averages 10.9 points per game and shoots 49.5 percent from the floor, which is 13th in the Big 12. Freshman G Quentin Grimes is second on the team with 17 3-pointers made this season. He has scored 14 or more points in three of his last four games and averages 9.0 points per contest.
 
Freshman G Ochai Agbaji pulled his redshirt against TCU (1/9) and played 25 minutes with seven points on 3-of-5 shooting, had four rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot. Sophomore G Marcus Garrett has started the last two games and seven for the season. After his eight-point, four-rebound and two-steal game against TCU, Garrett has six games with multiple steals this season and his 1.5 thefts average are eighth in the Big 12. Garrett is averaging 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds and is second on the team with 36 assists.
 
Redshirt sophomore G Charlie Moore has made nine 3-pointers in his last five games and his 12 treys are tied with Dotson for third most on the team. Moore scores 4.4 points per game.
 
Other KU regulars include redshirt-sophomore G Charlie Moore (4.1 ppg, 12 steals), redshirt sophomore G K.J. Lawson (2.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, seven points vs. TCU), freshman F David McCormack (2.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg) and junior F Mitch Lightfoot (2.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg). Lightfoot leads KU with five charges taken and is third on the team with eight blocked shots.
 
ABOUT BAYLOR
Located in Waco, Texas, with an enrollment of 17,059, Baylor is 9-5 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play after its 73-70 win against No. 20/21 Iowa State on Jan. 8. The Bears are coached by Scott Drew who is 305-200 in his 16th season at Baylor and 325-211 in his 17th season overall. Baylor is 7-2 at the Ferrell Center this season and has won its last three games on its home court.
 
The Bears average 71.4 points and have a +8.6 scoring margin. BU leads the Big 12 with 5.8 blocked shots per game and ranks in the top three in the conference in scoring defense (third at 62.9), rebounding defense (second at 31.5) and rebound margin (second at +6.3). Baylor also averages 13.5 assists, 6.9 steals and 6.4 3-pointers made per game.
 
Makai Mason leads Baylor in scoring at 15.1 points per game, which is fifth in the Big 12. Mason is second on the team with 20 3-pointers made and 33 assists. Mason averages 3.1 rebounds per game. Tristan Clark is second on the team in scoring at 14.6 points per contest and third in rebounding with a 6.3 average. Clark is third in the conference with 2.4 blocked shots per game. King McClure leads Baylor with 25 3-pointers made, 34 assists and 23 steals. His 1.6 steals per contest are tied for fifth in the Big 12 and he averages 10.2 points per game. Mario Kegler has started all eight games played this season and he is second on the team with 6.5 rebounds per contest. Kegler averages 8.8 points per outing. Mark Vital rounds out the Baylor starters. Vital is sixth in the Big 12 and leads BU with 7.2 rebounds per game. He averages 6.0 points per contest and is second on the team with 18 steals and 10 blocked shots.
 
Other BU regulars include Devonte Bandoo (6.8 ppg, 14 3-pointers made), Jared Butler (6.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg), and Matthew Mayer (6.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg).
 
THE SERIES
The Kansas-Baylor series dates back to 1951 with the Jayhawks leading 30-5. Kansas has won 11 of the last 12 in the series and holds a 16-3 advantage in the last 19 meetings. Baylor’s three wins in that stretch came last season, Feb. 10, 2018, 80-64, in Waco; March 9, 2013, 81-51, in Waco; and March 9, 2012, 81-72, at the Big 12 Championship semifinals at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas is 12-3 against Baylor in Waco, with all 15 meetings at the Ferrell Center. Since the inception of the Big 12, KU is 28-5 against Baylor — 26-3 in regular-season play and 2-2 in the Big 12 Championship. Kansas head coach Bill Self is 22-5 all-time against Baylor, including a 22-4 mark while at Kansas. Baylor’s Scott Drew is 4-22 versus Kansas. Expect a close game, as five of the last six meetings have been decided by six points or less with last year’s outcome in Waco being the lone exception. Dating back to 2015, the last four meetings in Waco have been decided by an average of 6.3 points, including last season’s 16-point win for Baylor.
 
A KANSAS WIN WOULD…
Make Kansas 14-2 and 3-1 or better in Big 12 play for the 13th-straight season beginning in 2006-07 … Give Kansas a 31-5 all-time series record against Baylor, including a 13-3 record in Waco with all the meetings in the Ferrell Center … Make KU 29-5 against Baylor in the Big 12 era … Make Bill Self 461-98 while at Kansas, 668-203 overall and 23-5 all-time versus Baylor (23-4 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,262-851 all-time.
 
A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…
Make Kansas 13-3 and 2-2 in conference play for the first time since the 2005-06 season … Make the KU-Baylor series 30-6 in favor of Kansas … Give Baylor its first two-game winning streak against Kansas and make the series 12-4 in favor of KU in Waco meetings … Make Bill Self 460-99 while at Kansas, 667-204 overall and 22-6 all-time versus Baylor (22-5 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,261-852 all-time.
 
LAST TIME OUT
A season-high 31 points from redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson and a spark off the bench from freshman Ochai Agbaji in his collegiate debut proved too much for TCU as the No. 7/9 Jayhawks outdueled the No. 25/rv Horned Frogs, 77-68, Jan. 9 inside Allen Fieldhouse. Lawson turned his NCAA-leading 11th double-double as KU snapped TCU’s nine-game winning streak.
 
Kansas built a nine-point lead with less than 10 minutes to play in regulation with help from a 12-3 run over the next four minutes. Lawson scored nine-straight points during that spurt, including his second 3-pointer of the night, to get the Jayhawks seemingly back in control at 64-53 with just over eight minutes remaining.
 
But the pesky Frogs refused to go away. Back-to-back TCU 3-pointers pulled the Horned Frogs to within three points, 68-65, with under four minutes to play. A Bill Self timeout following Alex Robinson’s 3-pointer did the trick though, halting the TCU momentum and getting his team organized for a strong closing stretch.
 
The Jayhawks held the Horned Frogs scoreless over the final 1:41 of regulation. Meanwhile, some clutch free throw shooting and a key offensive rebound and putback from Marcus Garrett with 1:10 remaining helped Kansas put TCU away once and for all to close out the 77-68 victory.
 
TCU LEFTOVERS & Notables

  • The Jayhawks forced 20 TCU turnovers, a season high for both TCU and a Kansas opponent this season.
  • TCU’s 46.3 shooting percentage marked the third time this season a KU opponent has shot better than Kansas. KU has now won two out of those three games.
  • After committing 24 turnovers against Iowa State, the Jayhawks cut that number in half against TCU. Kansas committed 12 turnovers in the win while limiting TCU to just 13 points off turnovers.
  • Dedric Lawson recorded his 47th-career double-double, 11th as a Jayhawk with 31 points and 14 rebounds. Lawson went 10-of-18 from the field and shot consistently at the line finishing 9-of-13.
  • Lawson’s 31-points marked a season high, and the third time he’s scored 30+ in a game, including two as a Jayhawk. The 31 point night is the highest by a junior since Wayne Selden tallied 33 against Kentucky (1/30/16).
  • Lawson’s three steals matched a career high which he has met eight times, including twice this season.
  • Freshman G Ochai Agbaji made his Kansas debut, checking in at the 15:51 mark of the first half.
  • Agbaji didn’t take long to enter the scoring column, converting on an alley-oop dunk just 10 seconds after he checked in for his first points as a Jayhawk.
  • Agbaji’s 25 minutes are the most by a non-starting Jayhawk in a KU debut since Devonte’ Graham registered 26 minutes against UC Santa Barbara on 11/14/14.
  • Senior G Lagerald Vick made two 3-pointers and tied Ryan Robertson for the 18th-most 3-point field goals made in KU history at 144.

 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Redshirt junior F Dedric Lawson leads the Big 12 with 11 double-doubles this season, including seven in his last eight 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 third on the NCAA Division I active list. Lawson is the only non-senior on the NCAA Division I top-10 list.
 

ACTIVE NCAA DI CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLE LEADERS
Rnk Player (Team)  Gms Double-Doubles
1 James Thompson VI (E. Mich.) 115 65
Jordan Murphy (Minnesota) 112 54
3 Dedric Lawson (Memphis/Kansas) 80 47
4 Devontae Cacok (UNC-Willmington) 112 45
t5 Mike Daum (South Dakota State) 122 43
t5 Jordan Konchar (Purdue-FW) 118 43
Through games played on Jan. 9, 2019

 
 
LAWSON NAMED TO WOODEN MIDSEASON LIST
Kansas redshirt junior Dedric Lawson has been named to the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s Midseason Top 25 list, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Jan. 9. Just two seasons ago, KU’s Frank Mason III won the 2017 Wooden Award, becoming the second Jayhawk to win the honor as he joined Danny Manning (1988).
 
The Memphis, Tennessee, forward leads the Big 12 in rebounding at 11.1 rebounds per game and double-doubles with 10, which is tied for third nationally. He is third in the conference in scoring at 18.6 points per contest. A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week (11/12, 11/26, 12/26) and two-time league newcomer of the week (12/3, 12/17), Lawson is the only player in the conference averaging a double-double.
 
Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team™ will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
VICK ON THE VERGE OF 1,000 CAREER POINTS
Senior Lagerald Vick is six points shy from scoring his 1,000th-career point, sitting at 994. Vick has averaged 9.1 ppg in his 109 outings as a Jayhawk and 12.8 ppg since the start of his junior season. He will look to become the 61st Jayhawk and the 16th player in the Bill Self era (since 2003-04) to hit the 1,000-point plateau. Kansas has had at least one player hit 1,000 points in nine of the last 11 years, including each of the last four seasons.
 

1,000 POINT SCORERS IN THE BILL SELF ERA
Player (Years) Games Points PPG
Sherron Collins (2007-10) 143 1,888 13.2
Frank Mason III (2014-17) 145 1,885 13.0
Keith Langford (2002-05) 136 1,812 13.3
Perry Ellis (2013-16) 144 1,798 12.5
Devonte’ Graham (2015-18) 142 1,750 12.3
Wayne Simien (2002-05) 106 1,593 15.0
Tyshawn Taylor (2009-12) 146 1,580 10.8
Brandon Rush (2006-08) 109 1,477 13.6
Marcus Morris (2009-11) 109 1,371 12.6
Mario Chalmers (2006-08) 110 1,341 12.2
Wayne Selden Jr. (2014-16) 109 1,202 13.8
Aaron Miles (2002-05) 138 1,183 8.6
Svi Mykhailiuk (2015-18) 136 1,181 8.7
Cole Aldrich (2008-10) 111 1,038 9.4
Thomas Robinson (2010-12) 105 1,026 9.8
Lagerald Vick (2016-Pres.) 109 994 9.1

 
 
AZUBUIKE TO MISS REMAINDER OF 2018-19 SEASON
Kansas junior center Udoka Azubuike will miss the rest of the 2018-19 season due to surgery required to repair ligament damage in his right hand, KU announced Jan. 6. Successful surgery happened Jan. 9. 
 
“Udoka had an MRI done this morning and the MRI revealed he tore the same ligament in his right hand that he tore in his left hand his freshman season (Dec. 2016),” said Kansas head coach Bill Self. “This occurred in practice on Friday (Jan. 4) and although the initial x-rays did not reveal the extent of the injury, the MRI did and it will require season-ending surgery. The surgery date will be set early this week. The doctors expect a complete recovery and Udoka will be able to assume full basketball activities at some point this summer.”
 
Azubuike saw action in nine games this season, averaging 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He was a named as a candidate for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award prior to the start of the season and was also on the preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention list.
 
KANSAS VS TOP-25 TEAMS
With its win versus No. 25 TCU (1/9), Kansas is 5-1 against top-25 teams in 2018-19. Under head coach Bill Self, KU is now 95-46 against AP-ranked opponents. In his first 16 seasons at KU, Self’s Jayhawks have collected four wins or more over top-25 ranked foes in 13 of those seasons, which includes a 40-17 record from 2014-present. KU’s record against top-10 ranked opponents is even more impressive. KU is 18-4 against foes ranked inside the top-10 of the AP poll since 2013-14, including 4-1 in 2017-18. Last season, KU’s top-10 wins included Kentucky, West Virginia, Texas Tech and Duke. Since Bill Self’s first season, the Jayhawks are 13-3 against AP top-10 teams inside Allen Fieldhouse, which includes KU’s current streak of nine-straight home victories against top-10 foes.
 

KU VS. AP TOP-25 TEAMS UNDER SELF
Season Record vs. Top-10
2018-19 5-1 2-0
2017-18 8-4 4-1
2016-17 6-3 5-1
2015-16 12-4 4-1
2014-15 10-6 0-1
2013-14 7-2 3-0
2012-13 5-2 2-1
2011-12 7-5 6-4
2010-11 5-1 1-1
2009-10 8-1 2-0
2008-09 3-3 1-2
2007-08 5-2 3-1
2006-07 5-2 2-2
2005-06 3-3 1-2
2004-05 4-2 3-1
2003-04 2-5 1-2
TOTAL 95-46 40-20

 
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks host their first Big Monday of the season when the Texas Longhorns come to Lawrence for the contest set for Monday, Jan. 14 on ESPN. Tip-off Allen Fieldhouse is set for 8 p.m.
 
Kansas is 31-8 all-time against Texas, including a 16-1 advantage in Lawrence and a 14-1 edge inside Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks have won 14 of the last 15 meetings with the Longhorns, including an 80-70 victory in the most recent meeting on Feb. 26, 2018. 

FOLLOW 

@KUHoops

/KansasBasketball

@KUHoops 

KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.