Kansas' recent home struggles have been a tough pill to swallow for the Jayhawks, especially for fifth-year senior guard Melvin Council Jr. After a close loss to UConn earlier in the season, Kansas faced another home defeat against Cincinnati, 84-68, leaving Council frustrated.
"We’re supposed to defend the home court always," he emphasized. "Losing to UConn, now Cincinnati, it’s just - you can’t do it no more."
Such back-to-back home losses are rare for Kansas, a team that hasn't dropped consecutive games at Allen Fieldhouse since 1989. The pressure is on as they prepare to host No.
2 Houston, with head coach Bill Self's impeccable 40-0 Big Monday home record on the line. Both teams are eyeing a share of the Big 12 regular-season title, but Kansas' chances are dwindling.
The loss to Cincinnati was unexpected, with forward Flory Bidunga suggesting a lack of respect for their opponents. Self, however, dismissed this notion. "We respected their opponent, but the bottom line is we didn’t bring it as a unit from an energy standpoint," he explained.
Kansas must now face a formidable Houston squad, known for their defensive prowess under coach Kelvin Sampson. The Cougars are a defensive powerhouse, ranking high in national scoring defense and KenPom defensive efficiency.
Offensively, they’re led by a dynamic guard trio: freshman Kingston Flemings and veterans Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan. Flemings, averaging 16.6 points per game, is a standout freshman drawing NBA interest.
Houston, despite their talent, is coming off a tough stretch, including a home loss to Arizona and a slip-up against Iowa State. The matchup against Kansas is crucial for them to regain momentum.
The Cougars excel in turnover margin, committing just 7.5 per game while forcing 12.4. Flemings and Uzan are key contributors with impressive assist-to-turnover ratios. Inside, junior Joseph Tugler, last season's Big 12 defensive player of the year, poses a significant threat on the boards, especially given Kansas' recent rebounding struggles.
Kansas allowed 14 offensive rebounds to Cincinnati, a concerning stat as they face Houston's aggressive play. The Jayhawks' frontcourt duo, Bidunga and Bryson Tiller, will need to step up after a tough outing against the Bearcats.
Self remains confident in his team’s ability to bounce back. "We’ll meet tomorrow and go over it," he said.
"Things happen and we got to stay together. If you can’t make other people play poorly, no matter where you’re playing, it could be a long afternoon or evening."
The stage is set for a pivotal Big 12 clash, with both teams eager to prove themselves and keep their title hopes alive.