Jayhawks falter in Big 12 semis with shooting woes, a surprise second-half benching and a glimmer of hope from an unexpected player.
Three Takeaways From Kansas Men's Basketball's 69-47 Loss To Houston In Big 12 Tournament Semifinals
Kansas men's basketball dropped its semifinal matchup against Houston on Friday night at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The Jayhawks struggled to make shots all night, and in the end, the Cougars dominated the Jayhawks 69-47. Here are three takeaways from the loss:
Kansas couldn't get a shot to fall
One quick look at the final box score would tell you that Kansas couldn't buy a bucket; that was correct. The Jayhawks shot 14/57 from the field, good for about 25%. After a bad shooting half, the Jayhawks followed it up with a 0/16 start to the second half.
Kansas totaled just 47 points, and Darryn Peterson led the team in scoring with 14 points. The combination of struggling to generate good looks and a poor shooting night proved to be the decider for the Jayhawks in the Big 12 semifinals.
Bryson Tiller doesn't play in the second half due to "coach's decision"
Tiller started in his usual spot for the Jayhawks tonight, but did not finish. After he struggled in the first half, Kansas head coach Bill Self started Elmarko Jackson in his place coming out of halftime, and he didn't check into the game in the second half. Self said that it was due to a "coach's decision" postgame. Kansas may be looking toward a lineup change heading into March Madness.
Kohl Rosario's minutes were encouraging
If Kansas fans and Self are taking away anything positive from this game, it's likely what Rosario put on the court. After starting the season in the starting lineup, his role has decreased as the season has progressed, but against Houston, he provided some good minutes.
Rosario showed his usual high motor and made the most of his 11 minutes on the court. He finished with eight points and was 2/2 from 3-point range, as well as four rebounds. For a team searching for depth heading into March Madness, Rosario could provide some.
Now, Kansas will put its attention on Selection Sunday. The Jayhawks are widely projected as a No. 4 seed, and their opponent will be announced Sunday. Fans can tune into Selection Sunday at 5 p.m. CST on CBS to find out where the Jayhawks will land.
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