Jayhawks Hit Holiday Break in Full Stride with 90-61 Rout of Davidson
At a time of year when college basketball teams can often look like they’ve already mentally checked into holiday mode, Kansas showed up Monday night like a squad with no interest in coasting. The Jayhawks put together their most explosive half of the season, dropping 51 points before the break and cruising to a 90-61 win over Davidson at Allen Fieldhouse.
This wasn’t just a tune-up before the holidays-it was a statement.
“We had a great time tonight,” redshirt sophomore guard Jamari McDowell said. “We were super excited to get out there and play one last time before the second season.”
Kansas didn’t just play-they imposed their will. All five starters hit double figures, and they got a strong boost off the bench from freshman wing Kohl Rosario, who poured in 13 points in just 18 minutes. The scoring was balanced, the ball movement was crisp, and the energy never dipped.
“You kind of always know it’s there, you just kind of wait until it comes to light,” McDowell said of the team’s offensive rhythm.
Offensive Flow, Defensive Identity
Head coach Bill Self didn’t mince words about what he saw.
“I thought this is the best we’ve looked-offensively,” Self said. “The ball moved, and (we) played with pace.
I thought we did some good things, guarded fairly well and rebounded well the first half, not as well late. I thought we looked pretty good.”
He wasn’t wrong. Kansas clicked on both ends early and often.
Flory Bidunga and Tre White each finished with 18 points and eight rebounds, while McDowell chipped in a career-best 10. Rosario’s offensive spark and defensive activity added a new wrinkle, and the Jayhawks looked like a team starting to find its identity.
Rosario echoed that sentiment.
“We were really excited to go into this Christmas,” he said. “We think our identity today was really the defense, and that led into offense as well.”
Fast Start, Fast Finish
McDowell got the party started with a three-pointer on KU’s first possession, and from there, the Jayhawks played with tempo and purpose. Davidson tried to disrupt the rhythm with early post doubles on Bidunga and some zone looks, but Kansas adjusted quickly. After a tight start, KU ripped off a 10-0 run, holding the Wildcats scoreless for over four minutes.
Melvin Council Jr. capped off that stretch with an and-one finish, and Tre White followed with a personal flurry-two threes and a driving layup-to help push the lead to double digits.
Davidson tried to claw back with a five-possession scoring run, cutting the deficit to 11, but Kansas had answers. Rosario threw down a lob dunk, White buried another three, and Bidunga hammered home a dunk that pushed the lead to 20. By halftime, it was 51-30, and the Jayhawks had all the momentum.
White led all scorers at the break with 16 points, and Kansas had already shown more offensive cohesion than they had in several previous outings.
Second-Half Control, Bench Production
Turnovers crept in early in the second half, but Kansas never lost control. Bryson Tiller drilled a corner three to force Davidson’s final timeout with 17 minutes still on the clock. Shortly after, Council limped off briefly after a collision but returned minutes later.
In the meantime, Rosario picked up right where he left off, knocking down back-to-back threes in transition-both assisted by Elmarko Jackson. Davidson responded with a 10-0 spurt of their own, cutting the lead back to 21, but the Jayhawks’ depth continued to shine.
Jayden Dawson made the most of his minutes, setting up Bidunga for a pair of easy buckets. The bench unit-Rosario, Dawson, Samis Calderon, and Paul Mbiya-kept the energy high and the scoreboard moving.
Rosario’s 13-point performance marked his first double-digit scoring game since Nov. 11, and it came at the perfect time.
“We wanted to finish this first season off good, and end with a win,” McDowell said. “Let everyone get in, get some good minutes, play hard, and come out with a W.”
Looking Ahead: Big 12 Play and a Health Watch
Kansas wraps up nonconference play with a 10-3 record and now turns its attention to Big 12 action, starting Jan. 3 on the road at UCF. The Jayhawks have done it without a fully available Darryn Peterson, who missed his second straight game due to lingering cramping issues. He’s only played in four games this season.
Self emphasized that Peterson is progressing, but the goal remains to have him as close to 100% as possible before returning.
“We want him to be as close to 100% as possible when he comes back, and he’s just not quite there yet,” Self said.
McDowell added: “Without a healthy DP, I think that’s pretty darn good if you ask me. I think we probably go almost undefeated with him.
It’s always exciting to see when he plays. It’s going to be even more exciting when he’s back.”
Self gave a measured assessment of the nonconference stretch.
“If you look at the record before the season started, I would say probably a B-minus,” he said. “If you look at it that we played it without DP, I would say probably a B-plus.”
The Jayhawks’ three losses came against Duke, UConn, and North Carolina-no shame in that, especially with a key piece missing. But Self believes the adversity could pay off down the line.
“Guys are learning to play through it, and hopefully we’ll be better for it,” he said.
If Monday night was any indication, Kansas is already on that path. With a deepening bench, a balanced offensive attack, and a defense starting to generate turnovers, the Jayhawks are entering conference play with momentum-and maybe a little extra edge.