It’s the Battle of the Massive 12.
The Kansas Jayhawks will face the Cincinnati Bearcats at the moment, beginning at 2 pm ET, and it’s the matchup everybody has been ready for. The final time KU and Cincy confronted off the Bearcats took residence a 20-point dub in opposition to the Jayhawks within the convention match. However this season, the tables have barely turned for the them within the Massive 12, as they’re at present 0-3 in convention play and trying to bounce again from their dropping streak.
In the meantime, KU is at present 2-1 within the Massive 12—good for fourth within the convention—and maintain the No. 11 rating within the nation. This would be the first time the 2 packages will go face to face in Cincy since ’64.
If there’s one factor that you must find out about each squads, it’s that they don’t play in terms of protection, particularly the Bearcats, who can snag offensive boards with ease.
“Our half-court, man-to-man protection has been probably the most dependable factor we’ve had going all 12 months lengthy,” mentioned head coach Wes Miller after the loss to Baylor. “I even felt tonight that once we locked in on all 5, we felt there could be a breakthrough. Give them credit score—they bought a handful of baskets in transition and our protection had an absence of effort to get again.”
They’ll must convey that very same power and extra in opposition to KU, because the Jayhawks’ protection is so elite, they’ve been locking down opponents. Add in the truth that they’ve additionally bought the twenty fourth most effective offense in accordance with KenPom, and also you’re taking a look at a severely dominant staff that may present out on each ends of the ground.
“We had been nice defensively,” head coach Invoice Self advised the media after defeating Arizona State. “Who would have thought we shot the ball worse the second half from 2? We shot it worse from 3 and mainly held them to 11, then they get the layup there on the proper on the very finish. However that was distinctive.”
It’s going to be a showdown. To get you hyped for the sport, we’ve bought an unique faculty assortment for Kansas and Cincinnati gear. Lock in.