Furman at Kansas | 6:00 PM | ESPN+
The Paladins are undefeated through seven games, putting them on a great track to achieving their preseason goals. They got to soak in the unbeaten vibes through Thanksgiving, but are preparing to face the toughest test the program has had in a while. Phog Allen Fieldhouse is one of the toughest environments in college basketball and has been for decades. The only slight comfort is that there may be less students in attendance due to the Thanksgiving break. No matter what, the Dins will be under pressure from the jump.
Furman pulled out their 7th win in a somewhat ugly game against Seattle in Vegas. 10 guys saw game action for each team, Cooper Bowser leading the way for the Dins with 17 points and 12 rebounds. The rebounding was an issue for Furman, with Seattle grabbing a whopping 22 offensive rebounds, leading to more opportunities than Furman should be comfortable with. Fortunately, Seattle shot an abysmal 26% from the field, giving the Paladins the opportunity to hold them at arms length. The rebounding will need to be addressed because Kansas will not shoot 26%, and possesses multiple players with solid rebounding numbers. No bench players besides Eddrin Bronson played over 10 minutes against Seattle, which should change in the upcoming games as depth is one of the things that has made Bob Richey’s squad formidable through their first few games. Furman’s preseason test against a different top 5 team, Auburn, showed that the Dins can compete against a team of Kansas’ caliber, it will just require limiting turnovers and committing to the boards. Bob Richey will look to come out quickly with the same starting five.
Projected Starting Five:
PJay Smith
Nick Anderson
Ben VanderWal
Garrett Hien
Cooper Bowser
Kansas Jayhawks
There’s not much to say that hasn’t already been mentioned about the Kansas Jayhawks. They already have two ranked wins over Duke and North Carolina, as well as a win over Michigan State. They’re deep, and led by 7’2 Hunter Dickinson who, aside from his 16 points and 9 rebounds, averages over 1 block and almost 2 steals per game. Point guard Dajuan Harris also grabs nearly 2 steals a game, so their defensive pressure will aim to disrupt the Furman offense all game. They bring a 6’10 freshman off the bench, who has a 7’2 wingspan and will be a problem inside when the Paladins drive.
Kansas is deep, and moves the ball well, averaging 82 points per game on 20 assists. The Jayhawks will run their offense through Hunter Dickinson, and live on his post ups and kick outs to the three point line. In addition, Zeke Mayo, AJ Storr, or Rylan Griffen are liable to explode offensively at any time. Fouls will be at a premium because Kansas expects to get to the line consistently. Once again, Garrett Hien and Cooper Bowser will have a big load to handle under the rim with both Dickinson and high-flying KJ Adams.
Projected Starting 5
Dajuan Harris: 10.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 5.8 APG
Zeke Mayo: 12.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.3 APG
AJ Storr: 9.7 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 1.8 APG
KJ Adams: 8.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.8 APG
Hunter Dickinson: 16.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.0 APG
Keys to the Game
Three point shooting: The only way Furman can stay within reach and compete in this game is closing the talent gap with three point shooting. Limiting opportunities for Mayo and Griffin while knocking down open looks on the other end is the formula.
Rebounds: As mentioned above, Furman struggled with closing possessions with a rebound against Seattle. If Furman gets stops in Lawrence, they can’t allow back-breaking second chance points if they want to remain in the game.
Bench Production: Furman needs something more than they got off the bench against Seattle. Tom House or Charles Johnston will need to have good performances along with solidity from Eddrin Bronson at the guard spot.
Great Article. We will definitely be covering that one on my substack tomorrow.