photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Elijah Johnson hovers over Howard guard Prince Okoroh during the first half Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Note: Here is a listing of definitions for some terms used in this blog. Also, feel free to ask questions in the comments section below if something doesn’t make sense.

Holding a team to 34 points perhaps isn’t as rare this season as it has been in years past.

For example, Wisconsin’s basketball team has held an opponent under 34 four times in 14 games.

Still, KU’s 89-34 victory over Howard is a little more impressive when we take another factor into consideration: possessions.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Elijah Johnson hovers over Howard guard Prince Okoroh during the first half Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Because Thursday night’s game had a relatively high number of possessions (68), limiting a team to just 34 points becomes much more difficult.

The Jayhawks ended up holding the Bison to just 0.5 points per possession. Amazingly, that’s the third-lowest PPP total from any Div. I team in a game this season. Only Arkansas State (against Louisville) and Northern Illinois (against Purdue) had lower PPP totals.

Lots of credit for this number should go to KU’s bench players, who kept up the intensity when receiving extended minutes in the second half.

http://www2.kusports.com/videos/2011/dec/29/35289/

Normally, a strong PPP number can be ruined when backups and bench players check into the game late, but that didn’t happen Thursday. Howard scored just 14 points in the game’s final 13 1/2 minutes … and that included nearly 10 minutes of having all KU reserves on the floor.

M.O.J. (Most Outstanding Jayhawk)

In limited minutes, Tyshawn Taylor posted one of his best statistical games of the season.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor pulls up for a three pointer from the corner over Howard forward Mike Phillips during the second half on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse.

The senior guard posted 1.60 points per possession used (a season high) while still ending 21.3 percent of KU’s possessions.

Taylor contributed 35.3 percent of his team’s available assists and continued his hot shooting from the outside. He made 3 of 4 three-pointers and currently sits at 53.1 percent from three-point range this season (17 of 32).

He also had just one turnover, which puts him at just three turnovers in his last 55 minutes played.

Honorable mention here goes to Jeff Withey, whose defensive performance shouldn’t go overlooked.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas center Jeff Withey stuffs a shot by Howard forward Mike Phillips during the first half Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse.

The 7-footer blocked one-third of Howard’s two-point attempts while he was in the game. That’s even more amazing when you stop to think about it.

The junior also had to have had some effect on the Bison’s psyche offensively. During Withey’s 20 minutes on the floor, Howard scored a total of seven points. Seven.

While Withey was in, KU outscored Howard, 47-7. Pretty crazy plus-minus numbers for the big guy.

Room for Improvement

KU’s two biggest blowouts have been two of its worst defensive rebounding games.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Kevin Young fights for a rebound with Howard guard Prince Okoroh during the first half on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Howard grabbed 35.6 percent of the available offensive rebounds Thursday, which was the third-highest number for a KU opponent this year behind Towson (42.9 percent) and Ohio State (35.9 percent).

Yes, some of that has to do with KU’s bench players being in late. Still, Howard had an offensive rebound percentage of 31.8 percent in the first half, which is a bit higher than would be expected.

Other than that, it’s hard to gripe about much regarding KU’s performance.

Tough-Luck Line

Hard to pick one when KU played so well, but with a lack of options, we’ll go with Naadir Tharpe here.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Naadir Tharpe shoots during warmups prior to tipoff against Towson on Friday, Nov. 11, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse.

The freshman guard posted 1.02 points per possession used (the lowest among KU’s scholarship players) while ending 17.3 percent of the possessions he was in.

Tharpe did do a good job of distributing, notching 38.3 percent of the available assists while he was in the game.

Obviously, the biggest issue was his turnovers. He posted three in 17 minutes, including an awful one during a two-on-one break in the first half that drew a “What are you doing?” from KU coach Bill Self.

http://www2.kusports.com/videos/2011/dec/29/35288/

Because Tharpe doesn’t shoot a lot, KU can’t afford to have him turning the ball over at such a high rate — especially when he’s still a bit of a liability defensively.

Bottom Line

Even against a poor opponent, KU put together an impressive defensive effort in a high-possession game.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor, right, and Thomas Robinson pressure Howard guard Simuel Frazier during the first half on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Not only did he Jayhawks hold the Bison to 0.50 points per possession, they also limited them to an effective field-goal percentage of 25.0 percent. That tied for the seventh-lowest mark by a Div. I team this season.

KU’s defense also forced turnovers on 35.3 percent of Howard’s possessions, which was the highest number in the last two seasons.

With the strong defensive effort, KU has moved up to third in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency ratings, behind only Wisconsin and Ohio State.

If the Jayhawks didn’t know it before, they should know it now: This should be a team that “hangs its hat” — as Self would say — on locking down other teams defensively.