Game 5: No. 4 Kansas vs. Chaminade – Preview and Prediction

The Kansas Jayhawks open up the 2019 Maui Jim Maui Invitational on Monday night, as they take on host Chaminade. The Jayhawks look to defend their Maui crown, as they won the event the last time they appeared in it in 2015.

• Monday, November 25, 2019, 8:00 pm CDT
• Lahaina Civic Center — Maui, Hawaii
• ESPNU or ESPN App
• Kansas is participating in its seventh Maui Jim Maui Invitational and has a combined record of 15-6 in the event. The Jayhawks are 3-0 mark in campus round games and a 12-6 record in Maui.
• Kansas has won two Maui Invitationals in 1996 and 2015, its last appearance in the event.
• Kansas has won its last five in-season tournaments with the 2015 Maui Invitational included in the run. The streak started with the 2014 Orlando Classic, then the 2015 Maui Invitational, the 2016 CBE Classic, the 2017 HoopHall Miami Invitational and the 2018 NIT Season Tip Off.
• Kansas is 3-0 in Allen Fieldhouse this season and has a 24-game home court winning streak, which is third longest nationally behind Tennessee (28) and Gonzaga (25).
• Kansas is ranked No. 4 in the Nov. 18 Associated Press national poll. KU has been ranked in the top-five 339 times overall and 133 times in the Bill Self era.
• KU has been ranked in each of the last 203 AP polls dating back to 2008- 09. The 203-consecutive weeks in the polls is the longest active streak in the nation. KU holds the same streak in the coaches’ poll at 211.

Silversword to Watch

Tyler Cartaino – Senior, Guard, 6’6″
Cartaino was a First Team All-Conference player last season as he averaged 17.7 PPG. Through the first two games of the season, he’s averaging 20.5 points and shooting 66.7 percent from the field. He’s also dishing out four assists and grabbing five boards a game.

Prediction

Kansas is supremely talented compared to Chaminade. This one will get ugly early. The size of KU will be too much. I expect a similar performance and outcome as the Monmouth game. It should be a chance for KU to get some more PT for their younger bench players like Tristan Enaruma and Christian Braun.

This is also an opportunity for Ochai Agbaji to get going, as he has not yet to hit his stride in the young season. I couldn’t find a line for this game, but I’m betting on Kansas to cover a hypothetical spread that I’d guess would be about 35ish.

Kansas 96, Chaminade 50
KU -?

AUDIO PREVIEW: LINK (go to 60:00 mark of podcast)

Season Record: 3-1 (2-2 ATS)