Kansas didn’t waste any time making a statement in its 2026-27 opener.
The Jayhawks rolled past Fordham 95-65 on Monday night at Allen Fieldhouse, getting a big offensive night from Tre White and a balanced effort that had four players finish in double figures. White led the way with 22 points, hitting 9 of 12 shots, while Kansas as a team connected on 58% of its attempts.
But the night also offered a first look at Trey Kaufman-Renn in a Kansas uniform, and that debut stood out in more ways than one.
Kaufman-Renn scored 9 points on 4-for-5 shooting, knocked down his lone 3-point try, and added five rebounds and a block. After coming into the season with conditioning questions following exhibition absences against Louisville and Duke, he logged 23 minutes against Fordham.
“He’s definitely a winner,” White said about Kaufman-Renn. “He’s a great guy, a competitor, and he brings experience to our team. He’s probably one of the strongest guys in this conference.”
Self said Kaufman-Renn’s conditioning is moving in the right direction, but not all the way there yet.
“I think it’s better,” Self said about Kaufman-Renn’s conditioning. “But he had to come out of the game a couple times, so it’s obviously not where it needs to be. He’s probably another week or two away from being [able] to play 30 minutes."
Kansas started Melvin Council Jr., Taylen Kinney, Tyran Stokes, Tre White and Christian Reeves, and Self said Kaufman-Renn will be in the starting group as long as he’s healthy.
The scoring depth showed up all night. After White’s 22, Leroy Blyden Jr. added 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting, and Self didn’t hide his enthusiasm for what he saw.
“I thought he was the best player in the game,” Self said about Blyden.
Stokes turned seven shot attempts into 15 points and also pulled down seven rebounds. Council chipped in across the board with 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
The minutes distribution gave a clearer picture of where Kansas may be heading with its rotation. Blyden, Kaufman-Renn and the four starters other than Reeves all played in the low-to-mid 20s. Keanu Dawes logged 15 minutes, while Reeves played 13.
That leaves eight rotation spots looking fairly settled. Dennis Parker Jr. and Trent Perry saw only limited action, and Paul Mbiya, Luke Barnett and Davion Adkins didn’t enter until the under-four timeout with the outcome already decided. Self said Perry’s energy makes him tough to keep off the court.
White pointed to the team’s depth as a major plus.
“I feel like the blessing about our team is how deep we are,” White said. “And you see today, I don’t know how many guys we played, [but] everyone came in and made an impact.”
Kohl Rosario remains out with a concussion and has not been cleared to practice, leaving his role unclear once he returns.
Kansas is back at Allen Fieldhouse on Friday against Middle Tennessee. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m., and the game will air on ESPNU.
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Kansas Already Has One Early Issue Fans Wont Ignore
Kansas opened its regular season at home with a comfortable 95-65 win over Fordham, extending a remarkable run of 54 straight home opener victories. The Jayhawks got contributions from all 15 players on the roster, with White leading the way in scoring and Kaufman-Renn making his debut in the rotation, giving the night plenty of early-season positives to build on.
Still, the box score also pointed to a familiar concern that cant be brushed aside just because the final margin was so lopsided. Kansas committed more turnovers than Fordham, an issue that stood out even in a game the Jayhawks controlled from start to finish, and it gives the staff something concrete to clean up before the schedule gets more demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Kaufman-Renn Is Already Forcing His Way Into Kansas Plans
Trey Kaufman-Renn wasted little time making himself part of the conversation in his Kansas debut, giving the Jayhawks a useful lift in a victory over Fordham. In 23 minutes, he scored nine points and pulled down five rebounds, the kind of steady production that can matter quickly for a team still sorting out roles early in the season.
Bill Self already sounds ready to make the fit more permanent. After Kaufman-Renn became eligible following an injunction in Indiana that opened the door to a fifth season of college basketball, the Kansas coach confirmed he will be a starter and pointed to the way he affects the Jayhawks beyond the box score. For a team looking to build chemistry and depth, that kind of immediate buy-in can change the shape of the rotation in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Fans Got Their First Real Look At A New Frontcourt Piece
Kansas fans got their first real look at Trey Kaufman-Renn in the Jayhawks season opener against Fordham, and the Purdue transfer gave them a useful early glimpse of what he can bring to the frontcourt. In 23 minutes, he finished with nine points, five rebounds and two assists as Kansas rolled to a 95-65 win and kept its home-opening winning streak alive at 54 games.
Kaufman-Renns debut also came with a little more room for the Jayhawks to sort through their rotation, especially with Kohl Rosario unavailable after a concussion and oral surgery tied to a recent injury. Even in a lopsided opener, those kinds of early minutes matter for a new piece in the frontcourt, and Kansas will be watching closely to see how quickly he settles into the mix. [Read more 🡒]