Why did Jayhawks coach Bill Self summon Zuby Ejiofor to be backup big man vs. Hoosiers?
Kansas’ first big man off the bench — actually the only power forward used to back up starter KJ Adams in the Jayhawks’ 84-62 victory over Indiana on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse — was freshman Zuby Ejiofor, who entered the Big 12/Big Ten matchup having played 52 minutes total in nine games.
Why was the 6-foot-9, 240-pound native of Garland, Texas called upon to spell Adams? Why not freshman Ernest Udeh, sophomore Zach Clemence or senior Cam Martin?
“Because Zuby consistently for the last 10 days has been our second best big,” KU coach Bill Self told Jayhawk radio network analyst Greg Gurley after Ejiofor scored a career-high eight points on 4-of-5 shooting with two rebounds and a block in a season-high 12 minutes.
“I was going to play Zach and Zuby because they have been our best bigs (as well as regular starting 5-man Adams, who had 11 points and two rebounds in 26 minutes) this week without question. I was going to play them and whoever had the best game, I thought it would be best to go with that person.”
Ejiofor was so effective Saturday that Self only used Clemence, Martin and Udeh during mop-up time.
“I told Zach after the game Zuby played so well — he’s a better matchup for Trayce (IU’s Jackson-Davis) — we needed him (Ejiofor) in the game,” Self said. “I’m glad we did because he (Ejiofor) gives us an element of running to the rim we don’t have where you can throw it up there (for lob dunks). Obviously he’s our best shot-blocker.”
Ejiofor had one of his own shots blocked by preseason All-American Jackson-Davis, a 6-9, 235-pound senior who scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds, but more importantly had nine blocks — the most rejections by an opposing player in a game in KU history.
“That was really exciting. The crowd and everything was just great,” Ejiofor said on the postgame radio show after the game. “This is every kid’s dream, really — being in the spotlight, finally getting the opportunity to show what you’ve got, and playing against an All-American like Trayce Jackson-Davis. It was fun.”
Ejiofor accepted a pair of passes from Dajuan Harris (10 assists, 10 points) and flushed a pair of dunks — first with 9:11 left to give KU a 62-46 lead and again at 7:35 to make it 66-47.
“Any time you can make the crowd go crazy, this gym erupts,” Ejiofor said of Allen Fieldhouse. “Everybody is excited. Everybody is connected. Just bringing energy by doing the things I do best is exciting.”
Before Saturday, Ejiofor’s longest stint in a game was 11 minutes against Texas Southern. He also played 10 minutes versus Duke.
“We all compete. We all want the chance to show what we’ve got,” Ejiofor said of KU’s big man group of starter Adams plus Ejiofor, Clemence and Martin. Martin has made very brief appearances in the last two games after missing the first nine because of a shoulder separation.
“We all are talented. We’ve all got different traits,” Ejiofor added. “We all play differently. It’s all about competition. I’m just excited coach gave me the chance to play and show what I’ve got this game.”
Ejiofor averaged 21.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.9 blocked shots and 1.9 steals per game during his senior year at Garland (Texas) High School.
“I want to win. I’m a winner. This is the best opportunity for me to do that,” he said of playing at KU.
KU backup point guard Bobby Pettiford, who scored 10 points with four assists in 22 minutes against the Hoosiers, said he was happy to see Ejiofor have the best game of his young college career on Saturday.
“This is Zuby. The game we saw today is what we see every practice,” Pettiford said. “Zuby is a guy who loves to learn. You can see the potential once he learns what coach likes.”
Ejiofor said he hopes to continue to practice well and earn some time in KU’s next game against Harvard (6 p.m. Thursday at Allen Fieldhouse).
“Just waiting for my time to be called,” Ejiofor said of his immediate goals. ”Keep doing the same thing I’m doing now. I think I did a pretty good job showing I can block shots and finish above the rim. Doing that is going to impress Coach Self and that’s what’s going to earn me more time on the court.”
More on Jackson-Davis’ rejections
The nine blocks by Trayce Jackson-Davis were not only the most by an opponent in a game against KU, but also the second-most by a Hoosier in a single game in Indiana program history.
Steve Downing had 10 blocks against Michigan on Feb. 23, 1971.
Jackson-Davis is one of 16 Big Ten players to have at least nine blocks in a game in the last 25 seasons. Nate Reuvers (Wisconsin) is the last Big Ten player to do so, against Eastern Illinois on Nov. 8, 2019.
Jackson-Davis’ nine blocks also made him the third Hoosier to reach 200 career blocks. Jackson-Davis ranks third in program history with 205 blocks. He only trails Jeff Newton (227) and Alan Henderson (213).
