Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15), Kansas forward Jalen Wilson (10) and Kansas guard Gradey Dick (4) celebrate a Jayhawk run late in the game against Indiana on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022 at Allen Fieldhouse.

No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks (10-1) vs. Harvard Crimson (8-4)

Time: 6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022

Location: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas

TV: ESPN2 | Radio: Jayhawk Radio Network via Learfield

Keys for Kansas

1. Encore for Mr. Ejiofor?

In his last outing — by far his best of the season — KU freshman Zuby Ejiofor scored eight points on 4-of-5 shooting while playing with an aggressive edge and good physicality.

Ejiofor said this week that his performance was the product of taking advantage of the opportunity. The 12 minutes he played were a season-high and his eight points nearly doubled his production from his first nine games.

“It’s all about confidence,” he said. “It’s just about waiting for when your time is called and you’ve got to stay ready at all times. That’s what I did.”

None of his teammates are looking for Ejiofor to move mountains. They just want to see him provide KU with solid minutes when he’s on the floor. For Ejiofor providing a spark means playing above the rim.

“That’s the thing I do most,” he said. “Catching lobs and trying to finish through contact at all times.”

While playing this type of role is new for him, given the fact that he was the go-to guy on his high school team, Ejiofor said he has enjoyed the challenge and likes how his strengths serve him well in it.

Outside of starting 5 man KJ Adams, none of the rest of KU’s big men have put together back-to-back highly productive games so far this season. With Ejiofor’s confidence at a season-high, following up the solid showing against Indiana with another one against Harvard would be a significant development for the Jayhawks.

2. Dominate with defense

Based on the first 11 games Harvard has played this season, it seems as if Kansas’ top priority in this one should be on the defensive end.

Because the Jayhawks may not need many points to win.

Harvard has failed to get out of the 60s in eight of their first 11 games this season. That includes scoring in the 60s in four of their wins and all four of their losses.

KU, meanwhile, has finished with 69 points twice — both wins — and 50 points in their lone loss to Tennessee. Other than that, it’s been 80 points or better for Bill Self’s bunch, which should not need to score in the 80s to win this game, although it’s entirely possible — perhaps even likely — that that might happen.

The Jayhawks own the nation’s ninth best defensive efficiency rating, per KenPom.com, and Harvard will counter that by bringing the country’s 270th-ranked offensive efficiency team to town.

That alone makes this a bit of a mismatch. But there are several other statistical and physical areas where that rings true, as well.

Harvard will likely want to play as slow of a game as possible. Kansas can’t let them. And based on the way the Jayhawks have been defending of late, with intense pressure and steals turning to easy points in transition, the Jayhawks likely won’t.

3. Forget 3-pointers

Harvard enters this game ranked 345th nationally in 3-point percentage, shooting just 27.3% from behind the arc so far this season, with 70 makes in 256 attempts.

That works out to be roughly 21 3-point attempts per game so far this season, which is a pretty high number for a team that shoots it that poorly and plays a slower tempo.

What’s more, Harvard holds teams to 28% shooting from 3-point range, meaning Kansas might want to make this one all about transition and getting to the rim on offense while protecting the paint on defense.

When you think about Ivy League teams, you think about patience, discipline, basketball IQ and good shots. And while Tommy Amaker’s club has those traits in spots, they do not always lead to good 3-point looks. Harvard shoots from long distance just 36% of the time, which ranks 233rd nationally per KenPom.

Harvard did have one game recently when it made a whopping 14 of 31 (45%) shots from 3-point range. But the games around that one certainly made it look like an anomaly. In the other seven games in Harvard’s recent eight-game stretch, it shot just 19.6% with 27 total 3-point makes, less than four per game.

Harvard made 4 of 22 3-point attempts in its win over UC-Irvine on Tuesday night and yet still shot 47.4% from the floor. That’s because Amaker’s team made 14 of its 16 2-point field goals and 14 of 17 free throws. 6-foot-6 forward Chris Ledlum leads Harvard at 18.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 63.3% from 2-point range.

Slow him down and attack downhill on offense and you’ll likely be looking at a KU opponent that’s pretty uncomfortable.

Probable Starters

No. 4 Kansas

G – Dajuan Harris Jr., 6-1, 175, Jr.

G – Kevin McCullar Jr., 6-6, 210, Sr.

G – Gradey Dick, 6-8, 205, Fr.

F – Jalen Wilson, 6-8, 225, Soph.

F – KJ Adams, 6-7, 225, Soph.

Harvard

G – Evan Nelson, 6-2, 170, Soph.

G – Sam Silverstein, 6-6, 195, Jr.

G – Luka Sakota, 6-6, 195, Sr.

F – Chris Ledlum, 6-6, 225, Sr.

F – Justice Ajogbor, 6-10, 255, Jr.