Bill Self called Jamari McDowell ‘rock solid.’ Here’s why he chose to start him
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- Jamari McDowell started, scored career-high nine points, logged 34 minutes, no turnovers
- Bill Self replaced Kohl Rosario, praised McDowell as steady contributor
- KU defense held Syracuse to 31.7% shooting and outrebounded them 49-29
Kansas sophomore guard Jamari McDowell didn’t suffer a case of jitters when coach Bill Self informed him he’d be making his first career start Tuesday in the Jayhawks’ second-round Players Era tournament game against Syracuse.
“I was very excited, but I don’t think I was nervous,” McDowell said after scoring a career-high nine points on 3-of-7 shooting (2-of-6 from 3 and 1-of-2 from line) with four rebounds, two assists and no turnovers.
The Jayhawks (5-2) defeated the Orange (4-3) 71-60 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
He was called upon to open the game in place of Kohl Rosario, who didn’t score in 19 minutes in Monday’s 71-61 opening win over Notre Dame and had struggled shooting (he’s 8-of-27 from 3) early in his freshman season.
What’s more, Jayden Dawson, who played just four minutes Monday, was unavailable Tuesday with a right hand injury that will keep him from playing in Wednesday’s third and final game in Vegas. He did not suffer any broken bones while injuring his hand dunking in warmups Monday, Self said, noting he’s expected to be back soon.
“I didn’t change my approach at all. I just stayed consistent in what I was doing, the same thing over and over every day,” added McDowell, who played a career high 34 minutes. “So I just thank the Lord for what he’s giving me — the opportunity. (He) knocked on it and I opened the door. Just be faithful in yours.”
McDowell, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound native of Houston, redshirted a year ago after playing sparingly in 2024-25.
Rosario in his first game off the bench as a Jayhawk responded with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting. He was 1-of-2 from 3 and had a steal in 20 minutes.
Self explained his decision to start McDowell over other candidates such as Elmarko Jackson (two points, one assist in eight minutes).
“Well, I thought that he played the best yesterday (against Notre Dame),” Self said. “And Kohl ... he’s been laboring. I thought, give Kohl a different look to maybe come off the bench and not feel the pressure starting. Kohl played better today. Tre (White, 15 points, 10 rebounds) made some hard layups and played well the whole game. And Jamari was rock solid. He was steady out there for us.”
White, who scored six points in an 11-0 run that stretched a 52-50 lead to 63-50 with three minutes left, said McDowell was a big factor in a victory that assured KU of playing a final game in the tourney on Wednesday, not Thursday.
KU is expected to land a spot in the title game or third place game, with matchups to be made after Tuesday night’s games. KU could receive the news of its situation as late as midnight Central.
“He took a lot of pressure off us,” White said of McDowell. “When he comes in, he stretches the floor. Any dribble handoffs, if they don’t step up, he’s shooting it from halfcourt, volleyball line, whatever.
“Driving the ball downhill, he’s good at making the right reads. I feel like he came in seamless and was ready for his minutes,” White added.
Freshman Bryson Tiller, who scored 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting with eight rebounds in 30 minutes, said of McDowell: “Jamari was great today. He was a key piece that we needed. He brought a lot of energy.”
Tiller wasn’t surprised at all that McDowell shattered his previous high of 27 minutes his true freshman year (against Tennessee) in Maui. His previous high of seven points came in that game against the Vols as well as a game against Cincinnati in the Big 12 tournament.
“We work in practice every day. We have tough practices so he’s definitely ready for it. (I) see great things out of him,” Tiller stated.
Self said he was pleased with the team’s defense versus the Orange. Syracuse hit 31.7% of its shots and went 7-of-30 from 3. KU hit 44.4% overall and was 5-of-16 from 3.
“I thought our ball screen defense was good the first half (in leading 34-25 at the break), and then we switched up the second half and switched everything,” Self said. “But I thought it was actually pretty good. They didn’t shoot it well, which we were fortunate, because the good looks they got, they didn’t make a real good percentage. We didn’t turn it over, obviously.”
Syracuse had just two turnovers the entire game to KU’s 15.
“But the thing about it is we really rebounded the ball, especially early,” Self added. His Jayhawks outboarded the Orange 49-29. “So that gave us the extra possessions that we didn’t make up for turnover margins.”
Sophomore forward Flory Bidunga, who started quickly with 11 of KU’s first 16 points, finished with 13 points and 14 boards in 34 minutes
“We got the ball to him more the first half than second,” Self said. “They didn’t double him. We didn’t take advantage of that. We will get better at that.”
Of responding when Syracuse cut a 13-point deficit to two, Self said: “We did have that good stretch after that, and that was good to see, because when you win, you like to be stressed, and that stress will probably be good for us moving forward.”
