The No. 10 Jayhawks Defeat No. 20 Cyclones without Ochai Agbaji

The Kansas Jayhawks went on the road into Ames, Iowa, to take on the Iowa State Cyclones. The Hilton Coliseum is always rocking when Kansas comes to town, and the fan base is for sure the sixth man. KU also would be missing some key players in this game. The Jayhawks would prevail and win, 70-61.

Senior Ochai Agbaji would not make the trip due to Covid-19 protocols. Agbaji is currently in the running for National Player of the Year, so this had the potential to be a big blow to the Jayhawks lineup. KU would also be without super-senior Remy Martin. Martin is dealing with a nagging knee injury. Before the game, Bill Self said they would give time for Martin to recover and noticed he was not 100% in the Kentucky game.

KU played a well-rounded game as they would shoot 28-out-of-50 (56%) from the floor and 5-out-of-13 (38.5%) from the 3-point line. The Jayhawks extended their win streak against Iowa State to six straight. Kansas finished the game with four players in double figures, with numerous players getting career-high stats.

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Who Stepped up for the Kansas Jayhawks?

Kansas truthfully got an overall team contribution in this victory, but we will highlight the key contributors. Senior David McCormack needed to have a big game, and he did just that. McCormack posted his fifth double-double of the season, shooting a perfect 7-out-of-7 for 14 points. He also added a game-high 14 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. McCormack stepped up in the absence of Ochai Agbaji.

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Redshirt-sophomore Dajuan Harris had a career-high night in Ames, Iowa. Harris would shoot 6-out-of-8, scoring a career-high-tying 14 points. He also added two rebounds, a career-high eight assists, and a career-high-tying four steals. Harris stepped up, and it was noticeable not only on the stat sheet but also on the floor.

A player that surprised Jayhawk fans was sophomore Joseph Yesufu. Yesufu played with high energy, and his motor was very noticeable. He added seven points, season-high five rebounds, season-high-tying four assists, and a season-high three steals. Yesufu also played 23 minutes off the bench, which was also a season-high.

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What Is Next for the Kansas Jayhawks?

The No. 10 Jayhawks have a significant Big 12 matchup on Saturday, February 5th. The Baylor Bears will travel to Lawrence, Kansas to take on the Jayhawks inside Allen Fieldhouse. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 P.M. CT and will be aired on ESPN. Baylor, currently in second place of the Big 12, is sporting a 7-2 record and an overall record of 19-3.