Kansas opened the season with the kind of result that makes Allen Fieldhouse feel like it never really stopped buzzing. The Jayhawks rolled past Fordham 95-65 on Monday night, extending their home-opener winning streak to 53 straight and keeping Bill Self perfect in home openers as Kansas’ head coach.
The win came with a few rough edges early, though. Fordham hung around longer than Kansas probably wanted, and the Jayhawks looked like a team still figuring out its rhythm with a roster that includes late additions and a pair of freshmen in the starting lineup. Still, Kansas settled in, pulled away and walked out with the blowout it expected.
Tre White looked like he had never left Lawrence. One of three Kansas players back for a fifth season under a preliminary injunction from an Indiana court that blocks the NCAA from limiting his final year of eligibility, White led the Jayhawks with 22 points.
He shot 9-for-12 overall, hit 3 of 5 from deep and added five rebounds with just one turnover. After becoming a major piece of Self’s starting group during the 2025-2026 season, White picked up right where he left off.
Tyran Stokes also made a strong first impression in his official debut. The No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2026 finished with 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting, knocked down one 3-pointer and went 4-for-7 at the line.
He added seven rebounds and his first career block. Stokes needed a little time to get going - his first basket didn’t come until about six minutes into the game - but once he settled in, he started to look every bit the part.
Kansas also got a real push from Leroy Blyden Jr., who may have something to say about Taylen Kinney’s starting spot. Kinney got the nod at point guard, but the two true point guards split time fairly evenly and weren’t on the floor together much.
Blyden finished with 15 points and three assists, and he was doing damage in ways Kinney wasn’t, especially as a scorer. Self even viewed Blyden as one of the best players on the court for Kansas, which could turn that position into a real competition.
The biggest team-wide issue was turnovers. Kansas had 17 of them, slightly more than Fordham’s 15, and some came from miscommunication, poor decisions or simply losing the ball on the dribble. Tyran Stokes and Melvin Council Jr. each had four, which is not the kind of number Kansas can afford once the schedule tightens up in Big 12 play and the postseason.
The rebounding numbers, though, were a strong answer to any concern about life without Flory Bidunga. Kansas controlled the glass 50-33 and won the defensive rebounding battle 35-18, keeping Fordham from creating many second chances.
Kenaue Dawes led the Jayhawks with nine rebounds, while Christian Reeves and Trey Kaufman-Renn had five apiece. Stokes led the starters with seven boards, another sign that Kansas has plenty of size and activity around the rim even after Bidunga’s departure.
In Other News...
Kansas Fans Got Their First Real Look At A New Frontcourt Piece
Kansas fans finally got their first real look at Trey Kaufman-Renn in a Jayhawks uniform in the season opener against Fordham, and the Purdue transfer gave a quick glimpse of why he should matter in the frontcourt. In 23 minutes, he finished with nine points, five rebounds and two assists as Kansas rolled to a 95-65 win and stretched its home-opening winning streak to 54 games.
Kaufman-Renns debut came with a little more significance because the Jayhawks were also missing Kohl Rosario, who sat out because of a concussion and oral surgery tied to a recent injury. That left Kansas with one less body to sort through in the early rotation, making the first impressions from new pieces even more important as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Already Has A Taylen Kinney Question Bill Self Must Answer
Leroy Blyden Jr. gave Kansas something to think about in its recent game, and not just because he came off the bench and scored 15 points. Bill Self came away impressed, and the performance stood out even more because Taylen Kinney started the game but did not match Blydens impact. For a program that is always balancing immediate production with long-term development, nights like this can quickly turn into a rotation conversation.
Kinneys path is the bigger question hanging over it all. If Blyden keeps playing with the kind of confidence and experience he showed, his role could grow at the expense of a player many view as a longer-term project. Kansas has seen plenty of players benefit from staying in college longer to sharpen their game before heading to the NBA, and Self may soon have to decide whether Kinney needs more patience, more minutes, or both. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Suddenly Has More Problems Than BYU Fans Realized
UCFs trip to Baylor turned into a harsh reality check, as the Knights were routed 41-9 and came away without a touchdown for the first time this season. The bigger concern for anyone watching from a Kansas perspective is how many layers of trouble showed up at once, with Baylor piling up a season-high 503 yards and the Knights looking out of sync on both sides of the ball.
Scott Frost pointed to offensive line problems, while defensive coordinator Alex Grinch acknowledged communication breakdowns that left the unit chasing the game. The injury news only deepened the setback, with Owen Spell and RJ Jackson Jr. confirmed out for the rest of the season, leaving UCF with more to sort through than a single bad afternoon. [Read more 🡒]