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In their second regular-season game, the Kansas Jayhawks seized an early lead against Middle Tennessee State and never relinquished it, delighting the Allen Fieldhouse crowd with an 89-45 rout on Friday night.
This marked the second time in a month that the two athletic departments clashed, following the football team's 55-0 victory over MTSU, and the basketball outcome was similarly lopsided. Kansas now stands at 2-0 as they prepare for a pivotal matchup against Kentucky in the Champions Classic next week.
Despite the overmatched opponent, several observations emerged from the contest.
Defensive Potential Shines
After allowing an average of 89.5 points per game in preseason losses to Louisville and Duke, concerns about KU's defense were mounting. Those worries were temporarily silenced by a stellar defensive display. MTSU shot a woeful 25% from the field (17-for-68), and the Jayhawks forced 16 turnovers for the second consecutive game. The team's versatility when playing small stands out, with lineups featuring five switchable players who can disrupt opposing offenses. While the Jayhawks lack the rim protection they had with Flory Bidunga last year, the length of Melvin Council Jr., Keanu Dawes, and Tre White compensates. The defense must prove itself against tougher competition, but early progress is encouraging.
Freshmen Face Growing Pains
Tyran Stokes was not ineffective, but his statistics over the first two games fall short of National Player of the Year expectations. He took only five shots on Friday, finishing with eight points and five rebounds while continuing to struggle at the free-throw line. The box score fails to capture Stokes's impact as a passer and the attention he draws. Nevertheless, he has yet to produce the jaw-dropping moments that Darryn Peterson delivered a year ago when his game-changing talent was immediately apparent. Additionally, former Overtime Elite standout Taylen Kinney is clearly adjusting; he made just one shot in 21 minutes and was virtually invisible offensively. Given Leroy Blyden Jr.'s performance thus far, the coaching staff may begin to split their minutes.
Bill Self Finds His Post Presence in Trey Kaufman-Renn
This victory can officially be dubbed the Trey Kaufman-Renn breakout game. In his first start as a Jayhawk, Kaufman-Renn logged 18 minutes and poured in a team-high 17 points on an efficient 7-for-8 shooting. His game is not flashy, but Kansas has not had a post player of his caliber in a long time. He displays a soft touch around the rim and knocks down post hooks with ease—simply put, he is a natural and ethical hooper. With less than a month in the program, Kaufman-Renn is already absorbing the playbook and sharing his veteran knowledge with younger teammates. Assuming he remains eligible for the rest of the season, TKR will be a dangerous weapon in KU's frontcourt.