LAWRENCE — The Kansas basketball programs were able to experience a renovated Allen Fieldhouse on Friday, during the Jayhawks’ annual Late Night in the Phog event.
On the men’s basketball side, during the scrimmage, freshman forward Flory Bidunga shined with 13 points and a couple of rebounds. He was on the blue squad, which won 30-26 against the crimson squad. On the crimson side, senior forward KJ Adams Jr. led the way with 10 points, a rebound, an assist and a steal.
On the women’s side, during their scrimmage, freshman guard Carla Osma and sophomore guard Brittany Harshaw each had five points. For a team that’s going to rely more on 3-point shooting than a year ago, the 4-for-9 mark from behind the arc served as a bright spot. Sophomore guard S’Mya Nichols didn’t score, but did come away with three assists.
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Here are some more takeaways from the event:
Bill Self comments on how the players performed
Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self said he didn’t watch it too closely, as he did radio, but he isn’t leaving upset about how the players performed. He thought they were all right. For them, it was their first time under the lights and there were some nerves to work through.
Bill Self thinks Flory Bidunga can be a fan favorite
Fans were able to catch a glimpse of what Bidunga is capable of, and Self thinks he can be a fan favorite. Of course, Self hopes that for a lot of his players and rattled off some of the other newcomers as possibilities. But he added it’s fun to play with someone who can make plays above the rim like Bidunga.
Bill Self updates Hunter Dickinson’s status
Self said men’s basketball graduate center Hunter Dickinson, who had two points and a rebound in the scrimmage before exiting, has a sprained foot. It was an aggravation of something Dickinson’s been dealing with for about a week.. Self described Dickinson as day-to-day.
Bill Self highlights his expectations for Jamari McDowell
Self said he talked with men’s basketball sophomore guard Jamari McDowell’s family today, and that McDowell — who had two points, three rebounds and three assists in the scrimmage — is doing well. When it comes to possible redshirt candidates on the team, it sounds like McDowell is one of those players and Self noted they’ll take it up to the start of the season to determine what McDowell’s role is going to be. McDowell has the advantage over some of the newcomers right now, but that could change in the weeks ahead and Self described McDowell as too good of a player to waste a year just playing spot minutes again.
Brandon Schneider wants to break the home attendance record
Kansas women’s basketball coach Brandon Schneider wants to see his team’s Jayhawks fans break the home attendance record this season. Last year, they went 13-1 inside Allen Fieldhouse. They want to continue to try to establish a true home court advantage.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
