PROVO, Utah — Kansas has reached a low level with its uncharacteristic struggles in Huge 12 play.
The No. 23 Jayhawks misplaced 91-57 to BYU on Tuesday evening, matching their largest margin of defeat in Invoice Self’s tenure, after beforehand shedding 85-51 to USC within the second spherical of the 2021 NCAA Match. It additionally marked the primary time Kansas — the preseason No. 1 within the AP High 25 ballot — misplaced by 30-plus factors towards an unranked crew because the ballot started in 1948.
The Jayhawks haven’t led by their final 80 minutes of basketball after additionally falling to Utah 74-67 on Saturday. They’ve misplaced 4 of six video games because the begin of February.
“Clearly we’re going to catch quite a lot of flak, whether or not it’s followers or nationwide media, and rightfully so as a result of we simply misplaced by rattling close to 40,” stated senior middle Hunter Dickinson, who completed with 12 factors and 14 rebounds. “No one goes to really feel unhealthy for us now that NIL is the factor, and gamers are getting paid and the whole lot like that. No one goes to really feel unhealthy for you. They’re going to count on you to carry out like a paid participant.”
Kansas by no means got here near threatening the Cougars at any level. BYU shot 52% from the sphere and made 14 3-pointers en path to notching its third straight victory.
“We have been one foot in and one foot out in how we guarded and quite a lot of different issues proper from the soar,” Self stated. “It was crystal clear how we needed to attempt to guard them and proper from the soar we doubted and ended up hurting ourselves.”
BYU completed with 24 assists and 14 steals. It marked the primary recreation towards a ranked opponent over the past 25 seasons the place the Cougars totaled greater than 20 assists and 10 steals.
“I believe BYU might have beat anybody tonight,” Self stated. “They have been nice after which we didn’t do something to make them play lower than nice.”
The Cougars regarded spectacular on each ends of the court docket en path to transferring into fifth place within the Huge 12 standings.
That they had 15 assists on 15 baskets within the first half and compelled eight turnovers on their approach to constructing a 20-point halftime lead. BYU led by as many as 38 factors after halftime.
It’s a assertion win for the Cougars as a lot as a press release loss for the Jayhawks. BYU began 2-4 in Huge 12 play however has received seven of 9 since.
“We’ve been ready for a win towards a very storied program and a crew that’s good,” BYU coach Kevin Younger stated. “Tonight was spectacular by how our guys carried out the sport plan on each ends of the ground.”
