🏀 No. 4 Kansas to Play at Kansas State in Dillons Sunflower Showdown on ESPN Big Monday

LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 4 Kansas (18-4, 6-3 Big 12) hits the road to face Kansas State (14-8, 4-5) on ESPN Big Monday in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. Tip from Bramlage Coliseum is set for 8 p.m. CT.

Kansas is coming off a 78-65 win against then-No. 4 Houston on Feb. 3. With its win, Kansas and Houston sit atop the Big 12 standings with 6-3 records, one-half game ahead of Baylor, Iowa State and Texas Tech at 5-3. Kansas State has lost four straight games after its 75-72 loss at Oklahoma State on Feb. 3.

Kansas leads the overall series with Kansas State, 201-95, including 28-6 in Bramlage Coliseum. The 201 wins are the most victories over an opponent in NCAA Division I history.

Kansas enters Monday’s matchup averaging 79.1 points per game with a plus-11.6 scoring margin. The Jayhawks pull down 37.3 rebounds per outing with a plus-5.1 rebound margin. Kansas leads the nation in assists per game at 20.7. KU leads the Big 12 and is second nationally in field goal percentage (51.5%, Wright State is first at 53.4%). KU also averages 7.2 steals and 4.1 blocked shots per contest.

Named to the Wooden Award Late Top 20, graduate G Kevin McCullar Jr. leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.7 points per game, which is 37th nationally. His two triple-doubles are the most amongst the NCAA. McCullar also leads KU with 33 three-point field goals made. His 6.4 rebounds per game are second on the team and he ranks in 11 Big 12 statistical categories.

Also a Wooden Award Late Top 20 selection, senior C Hunter Dickinson leads the Big 12 and is sixth nationally in rebounds per game at 11.1. He has double-doubles in two of his last three games and his 12 DDs lead the Big 12 and are 10th nationally. A five-time Big 12 weekly award honoree this season, Dickinson is the only player in the Big 12 averaging a double-double. He also leads KU with 29 blocked shots and has 25 steals.

Junior F KJ Adams Jr. continues to lead the Big 12 and is eighth nationally in field goal percentage at 63.9%. He is 11-for-12 (91.7%) from the field in his last two games. Adams is averaging 13.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in Big 12 play and 12.6 points and 4.7 rebounds for the season. He has 76 assists in 2023-24, including 13 in his last two contests.

Named a Bob Cousy Award top-10 candidate, redshirt-senior G Dajuan Harris Jr. leads the Big 12 with 6.6 assists per game, which is eighth nationally. Harris averages 7.4 points per contest and has a team-high 34 steals.

Freshman G Johnny Furphy (8.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 32 threes made) posted his first career double-double where he had career-highs in points, with 23, and rebounds, with 11, against Cincinnati (1/22). Furphy has started the last seven games and is averaging 14.4 ppg and 6.9 rpg and is 17-for-33 (51.5%) from three-point range in that span.

Other KU regulars include freshman G Elmarko Jackson (4.6 ppg, 46 assists, 16 starts), graduate-senior G Nicolas Timberlake (3.6 ppg, 14 3FGs), graduate-senior F Parker Braun (2.6 ppg, 15 blocked shots) and freshman G Jamari McDowell (1.7 ppg).

UP NEXT
Kansas returns home to host Baylor on Feb. 10. Tip from Allen Fieldhouse will be at 5 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on ESPN.

ESPN’s College GameDay will originate from Allen Fieldhouse for the 12th time on Feb. 10 with the show running from 10-11 a.m. (Central).

Kansas is 35-9 all time against Baylor, including 19-1 in Lawrence meetings, all in Allen Fieldhouse. Baylor’s lone win in Lawrence was Jan. 11, 2020, and KU has won the last three meetings in Allen Fieldhouse.