RCW: MBB Faces in the Crowd
Each week in Rock Chalk Weekly, the top Kansas Jayhawk performances are recognized as Faces in the Crowd. Get to know the impact players in this week’s basketball midseason issue, including career highlights and a link to their full bio.
FRANK MASON III
Sr. | G | 5-11 | Petersburg, Virginia
Bio Full Bio
Senior guard Frank Mason III is a national player of the year candidate and on almost every All-America team. An Oscar Robertson Trophy finalist, Mason leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.9 points per game. He also leads the conference with a 51.6 3-point percentage. A two-time Big 12 Player of the Week in 2016-17, Mason has led Kansas in scoring in 16 of 21 games this season and has 11 games of 20 or more points, including two 30-point efforts. One of 30 2017 Senior CLASS Award candidates, Mason will go down as one of the top guards in Kansas basketball history. The Petersburg, Virginia, native ranks 19th on the KU career scoring list with 1,550 points and 11th on KU all-time assists chart with 497. He is only the sixth player in KU history to rank that high in both categories.
JOSH JACKSON
Fr. | G | 6-8 | Detroit, Michigan
Bio Full Bio
One of the top freshmen in the country, Josh Jackson has made a huge impact on the highly-ranked Jayhawks in 2016-17. The Detroit native was the CBE Hall of Fame Classic Most Valuable Player in leading Kansas to the title in November. For his efforts he earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, an accolade he has won a KU-record five times this season. Jackson has was named the USBWA Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week Jan. 17 and is one of 12 players on the Wayman Tisdale Award watch list. Jackson ranks sixth in the Big 12 in scoring at 15.7 points per game and ninth in rebounds with a 6.7 average. He has six games with 20 or more points this season and five double-doubles for KU.
LANDEN LUCAS
Sr. | F | 6-10 | Portland, Oregon
Bio Full Bio
One of the best rebounders in the country, center Landen Lucas is having a stellar senior campaign in 2016-17. The Portland, Oregon, native leads the Big 12 in rebound average in league games with 11.3 boards per contest. He has seven games with 10 or more rebounds, including six against Big 12 competition. Overall, Lucas’ 7.9 rebound average ranks fourth in the Big 12. Lucas is vying to become KU’s leader in rebounds for the second-straight season. The last Jayhawk to accomplish the feat was Cole Aldrich in 2008-09 and 2009-10. To complement his work on the boards, Lucas is shooting 64.6 percent from the field in conference play. Lucas has been named Big 12 Player of the Week once this season.
SVIATOSLAV MYKHAILIUK
Jr. | G | 6-8 | Cherkasy, Ukraine
Bio Full Bio
Junior guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has emerged as a top player for the No. 2/1 Kansas team as he has started each of the last 11 games in 2016-17. The Cherkasy, Ukraine, native has made 44 3-pointers this season and he is second on the team with a 41.5 3-point field goal percentage, which ranks fifth in the Big 12. Mykhailiuk has made three or more 3-pointers in in seven games this season. A 2016 Academic All-Big 12 First-Team selection, Mykhailiuk’s 10.6 scoring average is fourth best on the team. He has seven games with multiple steals this season and has 20 thefts total.
