Kansas-UC Santa Barbara college basketball preview
UC Santa Barbara at No. 5 Kansas
P | No. | Kansas | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 31 | Jamari Traylor | 6-8 | Sr. | 0.0 |
F | 34 | Perry Ellis | 6-8 | Sr. | 0.0 |
G | 1 | Wayne Selden | 6-5 | So. | 0.0 |
G | 4 | Devonte’ Graham | 6-0 | Fr. | 0.0 |
G | 0 | Frank Mason | 6-0 | So. | 0.0 |
P | No. | UCSB | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 15 | Alan Williams | 6-8 | Sr. | 0.0 |
F | 21 | Mitch Brewe | 6-8 | Jr. | 0.0 |
F | 24 | Michael Bryson | 6-4 | Jr. | 0.0 |
G | 3 | Zalmico Harmon | 6-1 | Sr. | 0.0 |
G | 2 | Gabe Vincent | 6-2 | Fr. | 0.0 |
▪ WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Friday at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence
▪ TV/RADIO: Time Warner Cable SportsChannel; KCSP (610 AM)
▪ ABOUT UCSB (0-0): The Gauchos return four starters and 11 players from a team that finished 21-9 overall and second in the Big West Conference last season. Senior forward Alan Williams is the reigning Big West player of the year and led the nation in rebounding last season with 11.5 per game. He also led the Big West with 21.5 points per game. “He’s a man down there,” Kansas coach Bill Self said, “and he goes after the ball like a man.” UC Santa Barbara, which is picked to finish second in the Big West this season, is coached by Bob Williams, who is in his 17th season at the school. According to advanced metrics at KenPom.com, the Gauchos are projected as the 92nd best team in the country.
▪ ABOUT KANSAS (0-0): The revamped Jayhawks, featuring four freshmen and zero seniors, begin their 12th season under Bill Self. On Thursday, Self confirmed four starters for Friday’s opener — sophomore guards Wayne Selden and Frank Mason and junior forwards Perry Ellis and Jamari Traylor. There are a couple options for the fifth spot; freshman guard Devonte’ Graham started the first exhibition game and looked poised on Tuesday against Emporia State. Freshman wing Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk started the second exhibition game. “Svi didn’t play well offensively,” Self said. “But he played a lot better after watching the tape.” Sophomore Brannen Greene and freshman Kelly Oubre will also be in the rotation on Friday. For now, Self expects to play nine or 10 players while sorting through different combinations.
▪ BOTTOM LINE: The Jayhawks have won 41 straight home openers at Allen Fieldhouse, dating back to the 1973-74 season. It will become 42 on Friday, but Kansas needs to perform well heading into Tuesday’s clash with No. 1 Kentucky at the Champions Classic in Indianapolis.
| Rustin Dodd, rdodd@kcstar.com
This story was originally published November 13, 2014 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Kansas-UC Santa Barbara college basketball preview."