Udoka Azubuike leads Kansas Jayhawks past Texas after coming off the bench
Kansas center Udoka Azubuike recorded the ninth double-double of his senior season on Monday night against Texas.
It was the 7-foot, Delta, Nigeria native’s first as a non-starter.
“I think I came out with the same intensity,” Azubuike said matter-of-factly after scoring 17 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and blocking two shots in a reserve role during No. 3 Kansas’ 69-58 victory over the Longhorns in Allen Fieldhouse.
Azubuike insisted his first productive game in the last three games — he combined for 11 points and 15 boards in wins over Texas Tech and Oklahoma State — had nothing to do with his having his starting job taken away one game for what ESPN’s announcing crew called a “dust-up” between he and coach Bill Self in Saturday’s win over the Red Raiders.
“I kind of knew like two or three days ago I wasn’t going to start,” said Azubuike, who had started the first 21 games of his senior season. Sophomore David McCormack opened at the 5 spot versus Texas and scored six points with three boards and a block in 15 minutes.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Azubuike added, when asked by a reporter if he was kept out of the lineup for something “that happened (at practice) Sunday.”
Self, who said he thought Azubuike played “great,” would not delve into specifics.
“We didn’t have a great day yesterday,” Self said, ostensibly referring to practice on Sunday, not Saturday’s game. “We’re going to keep that in house on that.
“His attitude was good. I was actually very proud of him. I thought he came out, showed maturity and responded in a way you are supposed to.”
Self, before speaking to reporters in the interview room, told KU radio analyst Greg Gurley: “Doke is our starter. No doubt about that. We didn’t have a great day yesterday. That’s about the extent of that. He responded beautifully. He played with a lot of energy.”
Azubuike did start the second half and came up big by scoring six points in an 8-0 run that gave KU a 52-42 lead at 8:31. That run extended to 19-4, effectively putting away what had been a close game.
“Sometimes Doke can let the fact our guys maybe don’t get him the ball as much as he thinks they should (get to him),” Self said. “When you watch tape he’s usually not as open as he thinks he is. Also we don’t have the best passing, post-feeding team.
“Tonight we did a decent job getting the ball to him. He he gets 10 shots a game, that’s going to be pretty positive.”
Azubuike, who hit 8 of 10 shots (1 of 2 from the line), did credit his teammates for feeding him the ball.
“Coach told the team, ‘You’ve got to go through me (Azubuike). Give me the ball,’’’ Azubuike said. “My teammates did a good job finding me down the stretch. (In) the past few games teams have been trying different options on me — two-man, triple team. It’s hard to get me the ball.”
Azubuike, who was matched against Texas’ Jericho Sims (17 points, nine boards), said he doesn’t look at his scoring totals after all games because at times he’s swarmed by two to three defenders.
“A lot of people out there have this many stats, this many numbers,” Azubuike said. “For me I get double, triple teamed every time. I don’t get points everybody is going to get. It’s about the difference you make in the game. I feel I make a difference in the game. I draw a lot of attention. That helps my teammates. There’s nothing I can do when I have three people on me.”
Devon Dotson scored 16 points and Marcus Garrett 11 points with five rebounds, four assists and four steals, Ochai Agbaji scored eight points and grabbed six boards and Isaiah Moss contributed seven points for KU (19-3, 8-1 Big 12), which hit 2 of 12 threes to UT’s (14-8, 4-5) 4 of 24.
For the year, Azubuike has averaged 12.6 points on 76.3% shooting. He’s averaged 9.5 rebounds per contest and has 55 blocks in 22 games.
“It’s been good. I won’t say it’s been all sugar, sweet type,” he said of his final season at KU. “I won’t say it’s been all smooth. There’s been rough edges. It’s my senior year. I am going to live in the moment. I know I’m going to look back one day and think about this time.”
KU will next meet TCU at 11 a.m. Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.
Dotson player of week
KU’s Devon Dotson, who helped KU to victories over Texas Tech (21 points) and Oklahoma State (11 points) last week, on Monday was chosen Big 12 player of the week for the third time this season. He also was picked as one of 10 candidates for the Bob Cousy point guard of the year award. Baylor’s Jared Butler and Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton also were on the list.
KU offers Tamar Bates
KU has extended a scholarship offer to Tamar Bates, a 6-4 junior shooting guard from Kansas City Piper High School, who is ranked No. 95 in the recruiting Class of 2021 by Rivals.com.
Bates has also received scholarship offers from Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma State. Creighton, Wichita State and others.
Tamar’s brother, Trey, is a freshman basketball player at Neosho County Community College. Both helped Piper to a Class 4A state title in Kansas last season.
Tamar recently told The Star that KU coaches told him his skill-set is similar to junior combo guard Marcus Garrett.
“They see me as somebody who can come in and play the 1 and 2 for them and just be all over the floor doing everything: playing defense, stopping the best players from scoring the ball when needed. Just being an all-around player,” Bates said.
This story was originally published February 3, 2020 at 10:21 PM.
