Rider at No. 5 Kansas preview
P | No | Rider | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
C | 35 | Matt Lopez | 7-0 | Sr. | 7.3 |
F | 0 | Kahlil Thomas | 6-7 | So. | 4.7 |
G | 5 | Teddy Okereafor | 6-4 | Jr. | 15.7 |
G | 3 | Jimmie Taylor | 6-3 | So. | 10.7 |
G | 2 | Zedric Sadler | 6-3 | Jr. | 12.7 |
P | No | Kansas | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 31 | Jamari Traylor | 6-8 | Jr. | 2.0 |
F | 34 | Perry Ellis | 6-8 | Jr. | 8.5 |
G | 4 | Devonte’ Graham | 6-2 | Fr. | 14.0 |
G | 1 | Wayne Selden | 6-5 | So. | 9.5 |
G | 0 | Frank Mason | 5-11 | So. | 9.5 |
▪ WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Monday at Allen Fieldhouse
▪ TV/RADIO: Time Warner Cable SportsChannel; KCSP (610 AM)
▪ ABOUT RIDER (2-1): Located in Lawrenceville, N.J., Rider was projected to finish seventh in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, according to a preseason vote by the league’s coaches. Led by third-year coach Kevin Baggett, the program is 34-33 over the last two seasons. The Broncs lost their season opener to Princeton 64-58, and then scored a 73-57 victory over Penn last Tuesday and a 78-74 triumph against Lehigh on Friday. For Kansas, it should be a considerable step down in competition after a season-opening victory over UC Santa Barbara and last Tuesday’s 32-point loss to Kentucky. After its last victory, Rider ranked 191st in the country in KenPom.com’s efficiency rankings, though the Broncs do have some size in 7-foot senior center Matt Lopez.
▪ ABOUT KANSAS (1-1): Six days after the worst loss of the Bill Self era, Kansas will be happy to return to the floor at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks’ matchup with Rider marks the official start of the Orlando Classic. Following Monday’s game, the Jayhawks will travel to Orlando to play three games at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex, beginning against Rhode Island on Thursday. For now, though, Kansas can shake off the Kentucky loss with a home game against an overmatched opponent. In two games, the Jayhawks have looked like a group of disparate pieces on offense. Kentucky walled off Kansas’ inside game with a collection of 7-footers, and the Jayhawks have shot just 20 percent from three-point range (five of 25) in two games. Entering the season, Self expected junior forward Perry Ellis to be the kind of player who would average between 15 and 18 points per game. But in two games, Ellis has been limited to just 17 total points while making five of 13 shots. Freshman guard Devonte’ Graham is expected to play after suffering a sprained shoulder against Kentucky. Graham missed a few practices after the Jayhawks returned to Lawrence.
| Rustin Dodd, rdodd@kcstar.com
This story was originally published November 23, 2014 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Rider at No. 5 Kansas preview."