Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) glides in for a bucket against Oklahoma during the first half on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug

It took all of four minutes and 26 seconds for Kansas head coach Bill Self to be pleased with his decision to start freshman Johnny Furphy during a 78-66 win over Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon in Allen Fieldhouse.

Following a transition layup by Furphy to give the Jayhawks an early 12-4 lead, KU’s newest starter was responsible for the biggest hustle play of the game. With the shot clock winding down, the Sooners saved a ball that was headed out of bounds by launching it to the other end.

Rather than wait for the opponent to pick up the ball in the closing seconds of a possession, which would have likely led to an inefficient shot attempt, Furphy raced three OU defenders down the court. His effort was rewarded, as he leaped above everyone to grab the ball before anyone else could. As he came down to the floor, Oklahoma (13-3, 1-2 Big 12) tried to poke the ball away and ultimately hit it out of bounds.

The Jayhawks (14-2, 2-1) were awarded possession, as both teams headed to their bench for the first media timeout. Self unleashed a double fist pump in celebration, approving of Furphy’s energy to begin the game.

“The way you win games is you get 70% of the 50-50 balls,” Self said. “Over 20 possessions, you just got eight more possessions than your opponent. We’ve taken great pride in that, but we haven’t been great at that. I thought Johnny got us about three of those today.”

Furphy made his second collegiate start on Saturday, though the first one took place against Chaminade when KJ Adams had just flown into Hawaii. This time around, it was a deliberate decision to start Furphy over Elmarko Jackson following KU’s loss to UCF on Wednesday.

The Jayhawks needed a spark.

That’s exactly what they got from Furphy, especially early in the game. Furphy grabbed two offensive rebounds in the opening minutes, an important boost for a Kansas team that ranks 189th in the country in offensive rebound rate and is on pace to be one the worst offensive rebounding teams in the Self era.

Furphy’s layup in transition demonstrated his willingness to run the floor, and was set up by a brilliant pass by Adams. Furphy was active on the defensive end, though ultimately had to battle foul trouble after picking up a pair of quick fouls.

“I thought he played really well,” Self said. “I was disappointed he got two fouls early because I would have kept him in.”

Furphy’s final stat line ended up being a modest seven points, three rebounds and two steals. But his presence was felt to begin both halves, which is when the starting lineup spent the most time together.

Leading by just one point at the break, Kansas was able to stretch its lead to double digits midway through the second half en route to a comfortable victory. Furphy was a key part of KU’s run to open the second period.

He delivered a transition dunk off an assist from Kevin McCullar Jr. to get things started. The play was followed up by a slam from Hunter Dickinson, forcing Oklahoma into an early timeout as the crowd at Allen Fieldhouse roared in approval.

A few minutes later, Furphy found an open spot along the perimeter when the Jayhawks pushed the ball in transition. He drilled a 3-pointer off the pass from Dajuan Harris Jr., giving Kansas a 55-46 advantage with 13 minutes to go. Furphy eventually subbed out at the 11:20 mark, with KU having all the momentum at home.

“In the second half, he was on a roll and did some good things. But he got tired and asked to come out,” Self said. “I thought he did great, and I actually thought Elmarko was better off the bench too.”

Jackson, who scored his first two points in 2024 after making his lone shot attempt on Saturday, will likely remain a key reserve moving forward. Furphy’s effort is a critical component to support KU’s top four players, but he also forces teams to respect him from deep with his willingness to shoot the 3-ball. The numbers back that up, too.

According to CBB Analytics, Saturday’s starting lineup of Dickinson, Adams, Furphy, McCullar and Harris has now played 73 minutes together. That group leads all five-man lineups (of at least 10 minutes) for Kansas with a net rating of +37.6. That grouping has the best offensive rebound rate (37.5%), which is crucial for an offense that can struggle to score. The offensive rating of that lineup is 123.7, while the defensive rating is 86.1.

For comparison, the normal starting lineup featuring Jackson has played 231 minutes together. That five-man rotation has a net rating of +17.4, while also being worse in offensive rating (112.5) and defensive rating (95.1) so far this season.

“He’s just a really good player for us when he’s out there,” Adams said of Furphy’s impact.

Kansas hopes its new starting lineup will continue to have success on the road, as the team travels to Oklahoma State on Tuesday. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m.

photo by: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

Oklahoma guard Javian McCollum (2) jumps to avoid Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Lawrence.

photo by: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) and Oklahoma guard Le’Tre Darthard (0) go after a bad pass during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Lawrence.

Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) hangs his hand in the air after hitting a three against Oklahoma guard Rivaldo Soares (5) during the second half on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug

Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) competes for a rebound with Oklahoma forward Jalon Moore (14) during the first half on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug

Kansas head coach Bill Self pumps up his players during an Oklahoma timeout in the first half on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug