KU’s Elmarko Jackson explains reasons for success stepping in for injured McCullar
Kansas senior All-America candidate Kevin McCullar, whose nagging bone bruise in his knee prevented him from playing in Tuesday’s home game against Oklahoma State, spoke to his replacement in the starting lineup, freshman Elmarko Jackson, moments before the 8 p.m. tip at Allen Fieldhouse.
“He said, ‘You’re good, boy, you’re good.’ When you get confidence like that it helps you, (it) catapults your play,” Jackson said after scoring 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting with two rebounds, one assist and two turnovers in No. 8-ranked KU’s 83-54 victory over the Cowboys.
Jackson had come off the bench in KU’s last five games after starting the first 15 of the season.
“It was definitely something I was thinking a little about before the game. ‘Kev’ was kind of shaky, his play, during shootaround,” Jackson added, of McCullar, who at that time was considered doubtful for the game.
The keys to his productive 26-minute outing?
“Staying ready, being confident in my work and the work I put in leading up to the game,” Jackson said. “... Having trust in my teammates and them having trust in me to pass the ball to me in open circumstances, getting my shot to fall.”
The 6-foot-3 McDonald’s All-American out of Marlton, New Jersey, was 2-for-2 from 3 in helping the Jayhawks improve to 17-4 overall and 5-3 in the Big 12. Oklahoma State fell to 9-12, 1-7.
“We’ve got a saying here, ‘Next man up,’’’ Jackson said, “being ready for your opportunity and seizing it.”
Jackson’s previous scoring high in a Big 12 game was two points on four occasions.
“Getting more comfortable, making the game more easy,” Jackson said of progress he’s made of late. “Practice is one thing but playing in a game is another. Finding that ‘comfortability,’ finding what situations to do what and repetition with that.”
Jackson said coach Bill Self has wanted him to “talk on defense more, make switches easier. Being on the back layer of our defense, talking to everybody so they can hear me, make sure the rotation is right. Offensively, make easy plays, drive, draw help and kick to the shooters we have.”
Without McCullar — Self said the injury is not believed serious and he’s hoping he’ll be able to practice Friday in advance of Saturday’s 3 p.m. home game against Houston — the Jayhawks had bench players Nick Timberlake (seven points, six rebounds), Parker Braun (six rebounds) and Jamari McDowell (six points, three rebounds) each play 10 minutes or more.
KU’s coach was pleased with the work put in by Jackson.
“I thought offensively he was good. Defensively I would say there are some things he can improve on,” Self said. “I’ll be honest with you, it’s easy to get comfortable when you make a couple shots early and everything, then all of a sudden you feel there’s not pressure to make the next one.
“It was good to see. He is a good player. He just hasn’t played probably the way he thought he would thus far. Tonight was a good step.”
The Jayhawks rolled over OSU, which lost former KU guard Bryce Thompson to a shoulder injury early in the first half. Yes, KU won by 29 points without All-America candidate McCullar, thanks in part to all five starters scoring in double figures.
Hunter Dickinson and KJ Adams led the way with 16 points apiece.
“He was definitely somebody we wanted to have on the court,” Adams said of McCullar after a game in which he dished six assists and flushed four dunks off lobs. “But we had guys step up like Elmarko and everybody else on the bench who were ready to play. Kevin was helpful as much when he’s on the court as when he’s off. He helps people during the game when we have timeouts. Kevin is a good leader. He helps us even when he’s not on the court.”
