It’s hard to find a better backcourt in college basketball than the one playing for the Jayhawks. Experts have been raving about the guards of Kansas since the first month the season. The triumvirate of Frank Mason III, Josh Jackson, and Devonte’ Graham has simply been too much to handle for opposing teams. Mason leads the team with 20.5 points per game, Jackson is second with 16.4, and Graham is third with 13.2. Together, they make up more than third of the Jayhawks’ offense that ranks 18th in the nation in scoring (82.7 PPG) and fifth in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency. The Jayhawks can do severe damage from the outside, where they make 8.7 threes per game on 40.8% shooting. Kansas is pegged at +800 to win the national championship.
Team Weaknesses:
For a team that shoots so well from the outside, it’s a bit surprising to see Kansas struggle at the foul line. The Jayhawks shot just 66.0% from the charity stripe during the regular season, second worst in the Big 12. In their third and last loss of the regular season, the Jayhawks made just 70.4% of their free throws (19-for-27) in a 92-89 setback at the hands of Iowa State. Only one player on the Jayhawks’ roster averaged at least 80% from the free throw line. Kansas could blow out opponents in the early rounds of the tourney without needing to rely on free shots but once the Jayhawks go deeper in the Big Dance, their free throw shooting woes could come back haunting them.
