Kansas vs. Towson Preview: Jayhawks Welcome CAA Favorite to Allen Fieldhouse
The Kansas Jayhawks are back home and looking to keep their December momentum rolling as they host the Towson Tigers on Tuesday night at Allen Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT, with the game airing on ESPN2.
Towson, picked to win the Coastal Athletic Association in the preseason coaches poll, enters the matchup at 6-4 and brings a physical, experienced squad to Lawrence. But the Tigers haven’t had much luck away from home this season - or historically against Kansas - and they’re walking into one of the toughest environments in college basketball.
Let’s break down what you need to know ahead of this matchup.
How to Watch
- When: Tuesday, 8 p.m. CT
- Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS
- TV: ESPN2
- Radio: WHB 810 (Kansas City), ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM
Projected Starters
Towson (6-4)
- F - Caleb Embeya (6-9, Soph.) - 2.2 ppg
- F - Tyler Coleman (6-7, Sr.) - 3.4 ppg
- G/F - Tyler Tejada (6-9, Jr.) - 18.8 ppg
- G - Tyler Schmidt (6-3, Sr.) - 4.3 ppg
- G - Dylan Williamson (6-1, Jr.) - 15.6 ppg
Kansas (8-3)
- F - Flory Bidunga (6-10, Soph.) - 14.1 ppg
- F - Bryson Tiller (6-11, Fr.) - 8.6 ppg
- F - Tre White (6-7, Sr.) - 14.1 ppg
- G - Melvin Council Jr. (6-4, Sr.) - 13.0 ppg
- G - Darryn Peterson (6-6, Fr.) - 19.3 ppg
Scouting Towson
Towson’s 6-4 record doesn’t tell the full story. The Tigers have handled business at home, going 4-0 in front of their own fans, including wins over Cornell and Norfolk State. But they’ve yet to figure things out on the road, dropping all three of their away games - including a 17-point loss at Houston and a 25-point defeat at UCF.
Still, this is a team with size, length, and experience. Four players have wingspans over seven feet, led by 7-foot-3.5 Mor Seck, a transfer from Fresno State. Eight players return from last year’s 22-win squad, and the Tigers added key pieces through the portal, including Ryan Conway (Howard CC), Tyler Schmidt (Valparaiso), and Seck.
At the heart of it all is junior wing Tyler Tejada, who’s averaging nearly 19 points per game and was named the 2025 Coastal Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He’s a versatile 6-foot-9 scorer who can stretch the floor and create mismatches. Alongside him, Dylan Williamson brings a steady scoring punch at 15.6 points per game and earned first-team all-conference honors.
Offensively, Towson averages 70.3 points per game and shoots 30% from three (66-of-220). Defensively, they’re giving up 68.2 points per game and have held opponents to just under 30% from beyond the arc. They’ve shown flashes - like their wins over Liberty and Rhode Island at the ESPN Events Invitational - but consistency, especially on the road, has been elusive.
Head coach Pat Skerry is in his 15th season at Towson and holds a 241-214 record. He’s no stranger to Kansas - his first game as Towson’s head coach came at Allen Fieldhouse back in 2011, a 100-54 loss that still stands as the largest margin of defeat in his tenure. The Tigers are 0-3 all-time against KU, with all three losses coming by at least 26 points.
No. 17 Kansas: Locked In at Home, Building Momentum
The Jayhawks come in at 8-3 on the season, and while they’ve had to grind out some wins, they’re still doing what Kansas does in December - win. Bill Self’s squad is now 120-19 in December games since he took over in 2003, and this year marks the 20th straight season KU has started 8-3 or better.
Saturday’s 77-76 overtime win at NC State was a gut-check performance. It was Kansas’ first overtime game of the season and their first OT road win since 2019. That kind of resilience - especially in a true road environment - is the kind of thing that can galvanize a team heading into conference play.
Defensively, Kansas has been elite. The Jayhawks lead the Big 12 in blocked shots per game (6.1), which ranks 10th nationally.
They also lead the league in 3-point defense, holding opponents to just 25.1% from deep - fifth-best in the country. Overall field goal percentage defense?
Second in the Big 12 and 13th nationally at 37.6%.
Flory Bidunga has been a force on the interior. The sophomore big man leads the conference with 26 blocks (2.4 per game), ranking 23rd in the nation.
He’s recorded at least one block in nine straight games and has pulled down 10 or more rebounds in three straight outings. His rim protection and rebounding have been a major anchor for this Kansas defense.
On the perimeter, freshman Darryn Peterson continues to shine. He leads the team with 19.3 points per game and has shown poise beyond his years.
Tre White has added veteran stability, scoring in double figures in nine games this year and grabbing six or more boards in nine straight. Melvin Council Jr. and Bryson Tiller round out a starting five that’s still finding its rhythm but boasts plenty of talent.
And of course, there’s the Allen Fieldhouse factor. Under Bill Self, Kansas is 272-9 against unranked opponents at home - that’s a staggering 96.8% win rate. Simply put, Towson is walking into a building where very few visiting teams leave happy.
What to Watch
- Kansas’ interior defense vs. Towson’s length: The Tigers have size, but can they match the physicality and timing of Bidunga and KU’s frontcourt?
- Tempo and shot selection: Kansas thrives when it controls pace and forces opponents into tough shots. If Towson struggles to generate clean looks, this one could get away from them early.
- Bench contributions: Kansas has leaned heavily on its starting five. If the Jayhawks can get quality minutes from their reserves, it could be a chance to build depth before Big 12 play ramps up.
Final Thought
Towson brings experience, length, and a couple of dynamic scorers to Allen Fieldhouse, but history - and the numbers - are not on their side. Kansas is coming off a gritty road win and returns to a building where they’ve been nearly untouchable under Bill Self. If the Jayhawks bring their usual defensive intensity and continue to get steady production from their core, they should be in good shape to handle business Tuesday night.