As Kansas gears up for the grind of Big 12 play, head coach Bill Self knows one thing for sure - if the Jayhawks are going to make a serious run this season, they're going to need more from their bench.
Kansas started the 2025-26 campaign showing signs of depth, getting double-digit scoring from the reserves in each of the first four games. But since then, the bench has gone quiet.
In the last eight contests, KU has topped the 10-point mark off the bench just three times. That inconsistency is becoming a concern, especially with the intensity of conference play looming.
Take Tuesday night’s win over Towson. The Jayhawks got just nine points from the bench, even with extended minutes for the reserves in the second half. It wasn’t the kind of spark Self was hoping to see from his second unit.
“I thought our bench really struggled tonight, with the exception of Elmarko,” Self said postgame. “I thought Elmarko was pretty solid.
But I didn’t think our bench played great tonight. I was really hoping they would have a chance to play and get some rhythm.”
Elmarko Jackson was the lone bright spot among the reserves, finishing with two points, two boards, and four assists. It wasn’t a flashy stat line, but it showed his ability to impact the game in multiple ways - something KU desperately needs from its bench right now.
The numbers back up Self’s concern. Kansas ranks No. 306 in bench minutes nationally, according to KenPom - that’s deep in the 16th percentile.
And when it comes to scoring, it’s not much better. Per CBB Analytics, the Jayhawks sit in the seventh percentile in bench points per game.
Over the last five outings, they’re averaging just 11.8 points from the bench - and even that figure is inflated by Jackson’s 17-point second-half outburst against Tennessee.
Two players at the heart of KU’s bench scoring struggles are Kohl Rosario and Jayden Dawson.
Rosario, who lost his starting spot after the team’s return from the Players Era tournament, has had a tough stretch. In the last four games, he’s scored just seven points on 3-of-10 shooting, including a 1-for-8 mark from deep.
In 33 minutes of action, he’s added six rebounds, one assist, one turnover, two steals, and five fouls. It’s a small sample, but it paints a clear picture: Rosario hasn’t found his rhythm.
Dawson, meanwhile, continues to search for his role. He logged double-digit minutes against Towson - his first time hitting that mark since the Champions Classic - but the production hasn’t followed.
Since the Duke game, he’s totaled five points on 2-of-8 shooting across 30 minutes. For a guard who was expected to bring energy and scoring off the bench, it’s been a slow start.
With Darryn Peterson sidelined and the reserve guards struggling, Self experimented with a different approach on Tuesday. He gave Tre White a few possessions as the lead ball handler when Melvin Council Jr. was off the floor.
“I told Tre, I went down there and I said, ‘Do you think I made a mistake and didn’t put somebody in as a mistake? Or do you think I wanted you to play point?’
He said, ‘You wanted me to play point, for sure,’” Self said. “So I actually did want to see, just if he could handle it or whatever.
But they weren’t pressuring. That was by design, but certainly not a lineup that I think that we would play a lot moving forward.”
The move wasn’t about making a permanent change - more of a test run to see what’s in the toolbox. But it underscores where Kansas is right now: searching for answers and trying to coax more production out of a bench that, so far, hasn’t delivered consistently.
Still, Self remains optimistic that improvement is possible.
“I think that’s an area we can certainly get better in,” he said.
And he’s right. The Jayhawks have the talent.
Now it’s about finding the right combinations, building confidence, and getting that second unit to play with the kind of edge and purpose that defines Kansas basketball. Because once the Big 12 schedule hits full stride, the margin for error shrinks - and depth can be the difference between a good team and a great one.