What we learned – Wofford at Kansas: Four-guard lineups ahead?
Despite winning the game, Kansas lost Udoka Azubuike for several weeks to an ankle injury. Are four-guard lineups about to become a regular thing for KU?
Eight minute into Tuesday’s 72-47 win over Wofford, No. 2 Kansas lost center Udoka Azubuike to a sprained ankle that is expected to keep him sidelined until January.
PODCAST LINK FOR MOBILE LISTENERS: LINK
Azubuike is one of the most efficient players in the country, shooting higher than 75% from the floor since the beginning of the 2017-18 season. Kansas loses a lot of easy baskets when he’s off the floor, but there are definitely parts of the game where Azubuike’s presence slows them down.
On Tuesday night, we saw the offense hit a new gear in the second half without Azubuike in the game. Using a four-guard lineup, the Jayhawks finally stretched the floor a bit and ran an opponent off the court. Transition opportunities were plentiful. Alley-oops became an option because the floor was so open. All five players on the court were a threat to both drive the ball and shoot it from three.
In the next five games, expect a healthy dosage of four-guard lineups from Bill Self. David McCormack is averaging less than five minutes per game, so there isn’t going to be a whole lot of two-big lineups KU uses without Azubuike available. Marcus Garrett figures to start and average near 30 minutes per contest with Azubuike out. K.J. Lawson should get the biggest increase in minutes, but he plays more like a wing than a traditional “big.”
Last year, the Jayhawks thrived in four-guard lineups by being able to shoot three-pointers well as a team. This year’s squad, save for Lagerald Vick and one half of one game by Quentin Grimes, has been truly horrific at scoring from deep. Eventually, I expect that to improve. Grimes, Charlie Moore, and Devon Dotson are all capable three-point shooters that should settle into a 37%-ish rate. Forcing three-pointers is never a good way to get a team going, but I think the upped athleticism on the floor will open up driving range, which will in time set up more and more open three-point, catch-and-shoot opportunities.
I also think that four-guard lineups will improve Kansas’ three-point defense tremendously. They guarded the three better against Wofford than they have in any game all year. It’s no coincidence that they ran more four-guard lineups in that game than in all others. More speed and athleticism being on the court allows for better close-outs on shooters, which is what KU needs more than anything else right now.
Garrett is the key to this team right now. He does everything in basketball, save for shooting, remarkably well. His ball-handling has improved immensely. He can guard the post. He can play point guard. He has excellent court-vision. He and Devon Dotson combine for one of college basketball’s smartest backcourts. With Vick playing as well as he has thus far, Grimes’ confidence rising, and Dedric Lawson consistently putting up 20 and 10, the Jayhawks should have a stabilizing floor. If Grimes can quietly turn into a consistent player, Kansas will thrive in the four-guard lineup. Depth was preached all offseason for this squad, and now it will be put to the test.
Also, it’s not exactly like Kansas is preparing to face murderers’ row in the next three weeks. Home games against New Mexico State, South Dakota, and Eastern Michigan should be borderline-blowout wins. KU should handle Villanova at home as long as they are competent shooting threes. And Arizona State figures to be tough, as the game is on the road, but even if KU loses that, you’re 9-1 entering conference play when Azubuike is presumably set to return.
Azubuike is a fabulous player who is the no-brainer guy to go to when you need a basket. But Kansas has the tools to succeed with him off the floor, and a four-guard lineup is exactly the way to do it.
Pingback: Game 8: New Mexico State at No. 2 Kansas - Preview and Prediction
order cialis pills – where to buy cialis generic brand cialis price
buy stromectol uk – ivermectin 6mg tablet for lice ivermectin for covid
play casino – best casino online real casino
natural ed pills – erectile dysfunction meds erectile dysfunction pills at gnc
prednisone 0.5 mg – where can i get prednisone over the counter prednisone 5092
order viagra soft – sildenafil pfizer cheap prices for viagra
tadalafil 10mg generic – Cialis on sale buy cialis 5mg online australia
stromectol generic – stromectol stromectol buy ivermectin malaria
ed pills walmart – muse ed best pills for ed
ventolin generic – gnrventolin.com order Albuterol
cytotec tablets for sale – order cytotec cytotec price uk
doxycycline 100mg tablet – site doxycycline india cost
neurontin generic – buy neurontin online synthroid mcg
sildenafil 20mg generic cost – female viagra buy online india
cialis 5mg daily for sale – buying cialis online safe
vardenafil cost – free vardenafil samples vardenafil 20mg
stromectol pills canada – ivermectin tablets for sale walmart stromectol coupon
where can you get prednisone – prednisone 1 mg tab prednisone for back pain
accutane us – accutane medicine online buy accutane 40mg online
generic amoxil 250mg – site amoxil
medrol 32 mg price – medrol 40 mg 2019 lyrica coupon
purchase essays online – help essay writing help me with my research paper
order viagra no prescription – Overnight canadian viagra cheap viagra 200mg
cheap tadalafil canada – Cialis order where to buy cialis for daily use
buy stromectol 6mg – ivermectin lotion price ivermectin 18mg
prednisone corticosteroid – order prednisone prednisone 10mg buy online
how to get lasix without a prescription – furosemide tab 20mg cost furosemide 120 mg daily
generic ventolin – ventolin hfa inhaler Albuterol online
cost of cytotec tablet in india – cytotec cytotec over the counter
doxycycline 100 capsules – prednisolone 5mg price prednisolone prednisone
buy ivermectin usa – stromectol drug buy ivermectin cream
ivermectin 4 – ivermectin 50ml stromectol pill for humans
sildenafil price – sildenafil for sale generic sildenafil names
tadalafil pills – buy real tadalafil online tadalafil online reviews
term paper service – help writing papers for college custom written papers
viagra tablets in india online purchase – viagra for sale online cheap online tadalafil 20mg
ivermectin cream uk http://stromectolfive.com/# stromectol 0.5 mg
penny vardenafil generic – generic levitra best place to buy ed pills online
propecia 2012
plaquenil generic name – site buy prednisone online no script
cenforce 100 – kamagra gold 100 vidalista 60mg
orlistat cancer – orlistat 60mg vs 120mg orlistat starting dose
prednisone vs prednisolone
ivermectin tablets for sale walmart – stromectol over the counter uk buy ivermectin for humans australia
cost of 10mg tadalafil pills
Howdy! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that
would be okay. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.
how much is female viagra – sildenafil 50mg where to buy cheap viagra online
cialis super active buy – buy 5mg cialis best canadian pharmacy
1 mg prednisone daily – generic prednisone 10mg prednisone 10 mg purchase
what is the active ingredient in the prescription drug zithromax
best price cialis 20mg australia – cialis 10mg online pharmacy without s
can you buy ventolin in italy
stromectol online – can i buy ivermectin online stromectol 2mg
buy ivermectin tablets – generic ivermectin for humans ivermectin 90 mg
viagra online without a prescription – buy viagra arizona viagra cream
viagra pills in india – viagra overnight shipping sildenafil pills
hydroxychloroquine zithromax
cialis online us – is cialis generic purchase cialis for daily use
international pharmacy no prescription – Cialis in usa generic tadalafil 60 mg
stromectola online – ivermectin for humans where to buy ivermectin pills
stromectol buy – ivermectin cost canada buy ivermectin 12 mg online
best online casino real money – online casino real money us casino games
buy essay now – help with thesis write my thesis
viagra sublingual – Us viagra sildenafil 2 mg cost
cialis pharmacy india
ivermectin 3 mg over counter – stromectol oral solution topical ivermectin cost
purchase prednisone from india – prednisone 20mg medication purchase prednisone no prescription
deltasone over the counter uk – prednisone 20mg tablets order prednisone on line
where to order generic viagra
price of accutane – accutane tablets buy online accutane cost canada
amoxicillin online – purchase amoxicillin 500mg canada purchase amoxil usa
azithromycin and amoxicillin at the same time – azithromycin over the counter walgreens zinc and zithromax
price of ivermectin – ivermectin over the counter uk stromectol pharmacy
ivermectin 6 mg tablets – stromectol new zealand ivermectin 3 mg without a doctor prescription
azithromycin how long side effects – azithromycin similar drugs over the counter zithromax espaГ±ol
pala casino online – gambling games online casino games
ivermectin 6mg online – stromectol pill cost cost of ivermectin
best canadian online pharmacy reviews – canadian pharmacy meds reviews trusted online pharmacy reviews
male erection pills – top ed drugs cheap erectile dysfunction
where to buy prednisone 20mg no prescription – prednisone 20mg for sale buy prednisone 20mg online
prednisone 5mg pack – medication prednisone prednisone online
accutane cost in south africa – accutplus.com accutane from canada
buy amoxicilin noscript canada – buy amoxicillina noscript buy amoxicilin 500 mg from canada
slot machine games – online casino game gambling games
stromectol cost – stromectol ivermectin stromectol coupon
cost for generic cialis – Viagra mail order us viagra discount online