Gameday Breakdown, Elite Eight: KU vs. Oregon

The Jayhawks huddle up during the second half, Thursday, March 23, 2017 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.

? No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks (31-4) vs. No. 3 seed Oregon Ducks (32-5)

Time: 7:49 p.m. | Location: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo.

TV: TBS | Radio: IMG Jayhawk Radio Network

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— KU-Oregon by the numbers —

Keys for Kansas

1. Defense wins

The Jayhawks may be the first time since UConn in 1995 to score 90 or more points in its first three NCAA Tournament games, but no one in a crimson and blue jersey believes that offense is the reason the Jayhawks are still playing.

The Jayhawks, through three tourney games, are holding opponents to 40 percent shooting, 31 percent from 3-point range and have given up an average of just 66 points per contest.

“Our success has really come from the defensive end. It’s definitely a thing that we try to focus on a lot,” said KU freshman Josh Jackson. “When we get hot and go on a run, those are the times that we have to try to get stops and stop the other team from scoring because when we’re hot, we know that we’re gonna keep scoring. We know that we are.”

One of the big advantages of its improved defense has been KU’s ability to take opponents out of their game.

“The biggest reason I thought we kinda got it going (against Purdue on Thursday) is that energy and defense and deflections led to plays that created confidence,” KU coach Bill Self said. “We need to make sure that we don’t let Oregon play well, just like I’m sure that’s part of their game plan, not letting us get in a rhythm.”

2. Poise over pace

As crazy as it may sound to hear this Kansas team say it might look to slow the tempo against the fast and furious Ducks from Oregon, it’s important to realize one thing about what that means.

The Jayhawks aren’t going to play slow or turn this one into a half-court game. In fact, Self said Friday that the Jayhawks’ plan was still to “try to play as quick as we possibly can.”

But the reality of what Kansas wants to do on offense is play with poise while still playing fast. Run when you can run, attack the rim in transition when you have numbers. Be smart and run offense when you don’t.

“We can all feel the game out there when it gets a little bit too fast,” Jackson said. “Even though sometimes it plays into our favor, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes we just don’t make shots or we turn the ball over and in those times we really just gotta slow down and make sure we get a good shot on the offensive end.”

3. Find Tyler Dorsey

In its last five games, only one Oregon player has shot better from 3-point range than he has from 2-point range. That player is sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey.

Red hot from 3-point range in the past five games (19-of-30 overall and 11-of-16 during the NCAA Tournament), Dorsey is the kind of player who can heat up in a hurry and put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses.

One area the Jayhawks can emphasize to keep Dorsey from getting clean looks is the defensive glass. Both teams will look to run whenever possible, but the Ducks’ ability to crash the offensive glass (51 in the past five games) has led to a lot of wide-open, second-look 3-pointers for Dorsey.

At 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Dorsey has enough size to shoot over the top and go inside to force the defense to respect him all over the floor. Devonte’ Graham, Lagerald Vick and Svi Mykhailiuk figure to stalk Dorsey for most of the game, and two of the three having a height advantage on the Oregon sharp shooter should help KU’s defense.

Mega Matchup

KU freshman Josh Jackson vs. Oregon junior Dillon Brooks

One of the most clutch players in America versus one of the most talented, the battle between Brooks and Jackson figures to be fantastic all over the floor.

A natural match-up on both ends, the two players separated by one inch (Jackson’s 6-8, Brooks is 6-7) and 15 pounds have versatile enough games to give each other fits from start to finish.

If there’s one advantage that Jackson has, beyond length, athleticism and quickness, it’s the fact that the first three games in this year’s NCAA Tournament have featured tough offensive players standing across from him.

“Throughout this tournament, I’ve been going against great players, you know, (Michigan State’s) Miles Bridges, (Chima) Moneke from UC Davis, he’s a really good player, I had to guard (Purdue’s) Caleb Swanigan and next it’ll be Brooks,” Jackson said. “I don’t really think about it too much, I just look at it as another game and another player that I gotta guard.”

All three of the players Jackson mentioned out-weighed the KU freshman and Brooks will do the same. It remains to be seen if that inspires Brooks to take Jackson closer to the basket or if he’ll try to use his experience to out-duel Jackson on the perimeter.

Either way, the result of this game within the game will go a long way toward determining the outcome of this one and foul trouble could be a factor either way, as neither player likes to give up an inch to anybody.

Probable Starters

Kansas

G – Frank Mason III, 5-11, 190, Sr.

G – Devonte’ Graham, 6-2, 185, Jr.

G – Josh Jackson, 6-8, 207, Fr.

G – Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, 6-8, 205, Jr.

C – Landen Lucas, 6-10, 250, Sr.

Oregon

G – Dylan Ennis, 6-2, 195, Sr.

G – Payton Pritchard, 6-2, 200, Fr.

G – Tyler Dorsey, 6-4, 195, Soph.

F – Dillon Brooks, 6-7, 225, Jr.

F – Jordan Bell, 6-9, 225, Jr.


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