Kansas will have to navigate the next stretch without one of its most important backcourt pieces after guard Melvin Council Jr. broke his right foot in Monday’s practice.
Head coach Bill Self said Council suffered a fifth metatarsal break and is scheduled for surgery in the next couple of days. The hope inside the program is that he can make it back near the beginning of conference play.
“Melvin broke the fifth metatarsal in his foot during Monday’s practice and will have surgery in the next couple of days,” Self said. “We expect a full recovery and we’re hopeful he will return around the start of the conference season.”
That timeline points toward Jan. 2, when Big 12 play opens and KU hosts West Virginia.
Council’s start to the season had been productive through two games in his fourth season of Division I basketball and sixth overall. He was averaging 8.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 21 minutes per game.
The Rochester, New York, native is eligible this season because of an injunction against the NCAA obtained in Monroe County, New York, court. Council had argued that his junior college years should not count against his Division I eligibility.
Last season, he was one of the centerpieces of Kansas’ offense and earned Big 12 newcomer of the year honors while putting up 12.7 points and 5.1 assists per game. He has also become a fan favorite during stops at Monroe College, Wagner and St. Bonaventure.
His absence begins Tuesday night against Kentucky in the Champions Classic in Chicago, where Kansas tips at 8:30 p.m. With Council sidelined, sophomore guard Leroy Blyden Jr. is expected to shoulder more of the load in the backcourt next to freshman Taylen Kinney.
Blyden, a transfer from Toledo, has averaged 10.5 points off the bench in his first two games as a Jayhawk. He was the MAC freshman of the year in his only season with the Rockets.
Kansas will also need more ball-handling from top-ranked freshman Tyran Stokes while it waits for Council to return, since Blyden and Kinney are the main options left to manage the offense.
In Other News...
Bill Self Sees Something In Trey Kaufman-Renn Kansas Could Need Fast
Trey Kaufman-Renn wasted little time making an impression in his second game with Kansas, jumping into the starting lineup and leading the way with 17 points on efficient shooting while adding four rebounds and two assists. For a team still sorting out its early-season rotation, that kind of immediate production matters, especially from a newcomer who already looks comfortable within Bill Selfs scheme.
Self said Kaufman-Renn has shown a strong grasp of what Kansas is trying to do and brings a scoring skill set that can help in a few different ways. The next step is getting his conditioning where it needs to be, and figuring out the best way to use him remains part of the equation as the Jayhawks continue to adjust around him. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Now Knows When A Crucial West Virginia Test Awaits
Kansas now knows when a key November road test will arrive, with the Big 12 setting the Jayhawks trip to West Virginia for Saturday, Nov. 14 at 4:30 p.m. CT. The matchup at Milan Puskar Stadium will air nationally on ESPNU and carry Heroes Day recognition, adding a little extra spotlight to a game that already figures to matter in the league race.
Kansas heads into the meeting coming off a close loss to UCF, while West Virginia also enters with fresh disappointment after falling to Texas Tech. For the Jayhawks, it is another chance to steady themselves and keep building in conference play, and the timing only sharpens the importance of a game that could carry plenty of weight by mid-November. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Suddenly Faces A Backcourt Problem Bill Self Didnt Need
Kansas suddenly has to adjust its backcourt plans after senior guard Melvin Council Jr. broke the fifth metatarsal in his foot during practice and will need surgery. For a team still trying to settle its rotation, the timing is especially awkward, because Council was part of the leadership structure in the guard group and someone Bill Self was counting on to steady things early.
The Jayhawks now have to get through the nonconference portion without one of their most experienced perimeter pieces, and the ripple effect goes beyond one lineup spot. Council is hopeful to be back around the start of conference play, but until then Kansas will have to sort out who absorbs his minutes, who handles the ball, and how the backcourt holds together without him. [Read more 🡒]