LAWRENCE, Kan. — Dajuan Harris Jr. doesn’t love his new existence on the deepest workforce he’s performed on in his 5 seasons at Kansas — “I like enjoying,” he says — however due to the depth Invoice Self added this offseason, Harris and Hunter Dickinson might save their greatest for final within the ultimate minutes of an enormous November matchup with No. 9 North Carolina on Friday night time.
A 12 months in the past, that’s possibly a sport Kansas would have let slip away due to drained legs.
However there was Harris on the ultimate possession, trying as bouncy and fast as if it have been the primary minute of the sport, disrupting what North Carolina needed by ensuring RJ Davis couldn’t contact the ball. Dickinson obtained the game-sealing cease when he switched onto Elliot Cadeau to problem the shot that might have despatched the sport to time beyond regulation, and he scored the game-winning basket with simply over a minute left.
Final spring, Self needed depth and taking pictures and landed top-of-the-line portal courses in school basketball. And depth and taking pictures — or at the least the specter of it — allowed the top-ranked Jayhawks to carry off North Carolina 92-89.
Self mentioned he didn’t suppose Harris and Dickinson would have completed the best way they completed had they performed their normal minutes load from a 12 months in the past. In video games determined by 10 factors or fewer final season, Harris averaged 37.8 minutes and Dickinson 34.5. Friday, they performed 29 minutes apiece and Self had a rotation of eight gamers.
In two video games, KU’s bench has scored 87 factors. Final season, KU’s bench topped 20 factors solely thrice, one among which was Senior Night time when starters KJ Adams Jr. and Johnny Furphy got here off the bench.
The potential for the Jayhawks was obvious within the first half when Self was capable of play floor-spacers round Dickinson and made offense look simple. KU shot 59.5 p.c and led 53-38 at halftime.
“They have been getting all the pieces that they needed,” UNC coach Hubert Davis mentioned. “They have been operating their offense like they do in shootaround.”
Davis put that on UNC’s protection, and there was some reality to that. Nevertheless it’s additionally onerous to maintain up when Self is dialing up actions for his greatest gamers and everybody on the ground is a menace. Final season, groups might shrink the ground due to a scarcity of taking pictures and just a few guys who needed to take pictures. Now, with additions like Zeke Mayo (21 factors Friday), AJ Storr (13 factors) and Rylan Griffen (6 factors), KU has perimeter scorers who have to be revered.
AJ confirmed out‼️
🔴 13 PTS
🔵 3 AST#PayHeed x @storr_aj pic.twitter.com/ETyaNrYxJX— Kansas Males’s Basketball (@KUHoops) November 9, 2024
Final 12 months, Dickinson needed to make his strikes shortly. Friday, he might take a number of dribbles earlier than UNC would even take into consideration coming to double.
“It nearly felt a bit bizarre once I had a lot area,” Dickinson mentioned.
Final 12 months when Dickinson went to the bench, KU was 30.2 factors per 100 possessions worse, in line with CBB Analytics. In opposition to UNC when Dickinson went to the bench, the Jayhawks have been simply pretty much as good. Freshman Flory Bidunga is a pleasant changeup, offering a vertical lob menace and velocity. In solely 11 minutes, Bidunga had 8 factors and eight rebounds, and KU was plus-six with him on the ground. It’s just like what Connecticut had a 12 months in the past with Donovan Clingan and Samson Johnson. It’s like enjoying two groups.
The Jayhawks nonetheless have quite a bit to iron out, as evidenced by blowing a 20-point lead and having to play from behind within the final 4 minutes. KU struggled to maintain fast guards in entrance of it towards Arkansas and UNC. The Heels put stress on the rim with their velocity, and that obtained them to the free-throw line, the place they made 28 of 31. Additionally they picked on Dickinson within the pick-and-roll, which is the place he has struggled for many of his profession.
Self put a few of the blame on himself, saying he would have modified up his protection if he had it to do over once more. And with a lot roster turnover, the Jayhawks aren’t as linked as they should be on that finish. That’s the problem of bringing in older gamers and never growing them in your program. There’s a studying curve that has to occur shortly within the portal period.
“We obtained a few guys that the items don’t fairly simply match but,” Self mentioned. “They simply don’t know but. And hopefully that’ll change.”
However there may be room for error as a result of Self has so many choices that he’s capable of deliver a man like Storr, who led Wisconsin in scoring final season, off the bench. As coveted as Storr was within the portal, some coaches would possibly really feel the necessity to begin him instantly and let him study on the job. Self has a lot depth that he can await Storr to determine what he needs from him and make him earn the job, which started to occur Friday.
“One factor that we did see tonight, when AJ Storr performs downhill, he’s fairly good,” Self mentioned.
So is the Corridor of Famer when he has the items to play chess late in video games. On the ultimate two possessions, he ran one among his favourite units that arrange Dickinson to attain and get fouled. Late final 12 months, KU was laboring to attain, and it was clear Self wanted to refill his board and get Harris, Dickinson and Adams some assist.
“I don’t even obtained to make lots of performs,” Harris mentioned of his new life. “, I barely even did something within the first half; they did all of the work. So I simply fall in behind. They made it simpler for me.”
Harris’ time arrived down the stretch, and it was simpler for him then, too.
The final time the Jayhawks had one other level guard who would enable Harris to get some relaxation, they gained a nationwide title; he performed his greatest basketball within the ultimate 20 minutes of that season. The Jayhawks have an extended option to go to get to that time, however saving their veterans’ legs might assist guarantee they’ve sufficient if they’ll discover a option to get there once more.
(Photograph of KJ Adams Jr.: Jamie Squire / Getty Pictures)
