Kansas Jayhawks Basketball

More than five months after the NCAA delivered its notice of allegations to the University of Kansas, KU responded with an emphatic and aggressive defense of its men's basketball program, calling out the organization for what it says are "novel theories" stemming from the 2018 federal criminal trials of former Adidas representatives T.J. Gassnola and Jim Gatto. 

The Jayhawks were hit with three Level 1 violations—the most significant charges the NCAA can levy—including lack of institutional control due to alleged payments made to the guardians of potential Kansas recruits meant to sway their college decisions. 

"There are several facts that are in dispute," Kansas wrote in an official response totaling more than 300 pages. "There are assumptions made; and, perhaps most importantly, there are unprecedented and novel theories put forward that, if found to have merit by the Panel, would dramatically alter the collegiate sports landscape in ways not contemplated by the Membership."

Additionally, Kansas challenged each allegation levied against its basketball team deeming "neither NCAA legislation nor the facts support the enforcement staff's allegations." 

In explaining its position, KU pointed to the NCAA's criticism of former Kansas head coach Larry Brown for maintaining contact with the current coaching staff and athletic department officials. 

"Here again, the enforcement staff asserts a novel theory—that a head coach becomes a representative of an institution for life—a contention that has no basis in NCAA legislation, case precedent, official interpretations or educational materials," KU wrote. "Again, this theory would have a ripple effect across the Membership as any former coach of an institution would be considered a representative of that institution's athletic interests forever."

Perhaps the strongest defense in the school's response came on behalf of head coach Bill Self, who the university argues did not violate any rules or have any knowledge of wrongdoing on the part of Adidas.

Considering Level 1 violations could lead to a show-cause penalty for Self, forfeiture of wins and potential postseason bans, it's not surprising to see KU stand firmly behind its coach. 

"As is laid out in great detail in the Response, there is no reasonable conclusion that members of the University, including the men's basketball staff, knew or should have known about any violations of NCAA rules," Kansas said. "Head Coach Bill Self had no knowledge of any NCAA rules violations or illicit conduct exhibited by Adidas, its employees or its consultants. In addition, as the University noted in September 2019, voluminous evidence demonstrates uncontestably that Coach Self did, in fact, promote an atmosphere of compliance and fully monitor his staff. The charges leveled against Coach Self are not based on fact."

The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 62-58 in Manhattan on Saturday and that alone felt like a win for both teams. 

It was the first meeting between the two in-state rivals since a skirmish escalated into an all-out brawl in the stands during the final seconds of their first game back in January. The Jayhawks were on their way to an 81-60 victory when forward Silvio De Sousa blocked a KSU shot at the buzzer, which led to punches thrown by both teams. 

De Sousa, who was seen momentarily holding a stool over his head during the fight, was suspended 12 games for his role in the altercation. 

Saturday included decidedly fewer fireworks thanks to Kansas' Bill Self. 

The head coach orchestrated a pregame handshake with both teams meeting at center court just before tipoff to continue easing tensions. 

"What happened over there at our place was an embarrassment to both teams, both schools, and certainly [there is] no place for it," Self said after the game, per ESPN's Myron Medcalf. "But we've never had a problem with K-State players, and they've never had a problem with our players."

Kansas State filled its student sections to the brim, but otherwise played in a stadium that was nowhere near capacity even with an increased police presence on the scene. 

After the Jayhawks fell to the Wildcats in Manhattan in 2015, students rushed the court and shoved KU's Jamari Traylor as he was leaving the floor. The added security helped ensure there wouldn't be a repeat. 

So, too, did Kansas' victory Saturday, which has them just one win away from clinching the Big 12 title. 

https://twitter.com/SilvioDeSousa5/status/1233867113439387655

"Obviously the first one ended in not a special moment in K-State-Kansas rivalry history," KSU coach Bruce Weber said. "We wanted to make sure this one started with a positive moment of sportsmanship. We can move forward now, worry about the game and how it's played."

If Kansas State and Kansas meet again this season, it'll come during the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City next month. 

The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks ended the Baylor Bears' 23-game winning streak with a 64-61 victory at the Ferrell Center on Saturday.

In addition to snapping Baylor's Big 12-record streak, Kansas tied the nation's top-ranked team atop the conference standings (13-1) with four games remaining in the regular season for both teams.

The Jayhawks earned a measure of revenge after Baylor won the first meeting between these two teams 67-55 at Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 11.

Udoka Azubuike was an unstoppable force on both ends in the win. He recorded his fourth double-double in the past six games and had a season-high 19 rebounds.

The Baylor offense struggled until the final six minutes of the game. The Bears had a chance to tie the score at the end of regulation, but Jared Butler's three-point attempt hit the front of the rim.

   

Notable Stats

• Udoka Azubuike, KU: 23 points, 19 rebounds, 3 blocks
• Devon Dotson, KU: 13 points, 3 assists
• Isaiah Moss, KU: 11 points, 3 rebounds
• Jared Butler: Baylor: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists
• Freddie Gillespie, Baylor: 10 points, 7 rebounds
• Matthew Mayer, Baylor: 10 points, 3 rebounds

   

Azubuike, Defense Carry Jayhawks to Victory

One problem for the Jayhawks in their January loss to Baylor was Azubuike's limited involvement. The senior star scored just six points on 3-of-6 shooting in 32 minutes.

Kansas doesn't need Azubuike to dominate every game because guards Devon Dotson and Ochai Agbaji are better shot-creators. But the 7-footer proved yet again he's capable of taking over in a big spot. He dropped 29 in the Jayhawks' 90-84 overtime win against Dayton on Nov. 27.

Saturday was Azubuike's crowning moment of the season. He was the only Kansas player to score in double figures in the first half (13 points) and recorded a double-double with almost 16 minutes remaining in the second half.

Azubuike has a double-double with 15:40 left to play. Baylor bigs are going to need some whirlpool time after banging with him.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) February 22, 2020

Azubuike’s like the dad in the den dunking on his 6-year old son on a Fisher Price.

— Chris Spatola (@Chris_Spatola) February 22, 2020

It's gotten lost in the wake of Baylor's winning streak, but Kansas took off after the first meeting between these teams. It has won 12 consecutive games, with Azubuike averaging 13.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game during this streak.

Udoka Azubuike continues to DOMINATE 💪 pic.twitter.com/gBcThkGXSN

— ESPN (@espn) February 22, 2020

If this is the version of Azubuike that head coach Bill Self and Co. are going to get for the remainder of the season, the Jayhawks will be one of the most difficult teams to beat in the NCAA tournament.

Azubuike makes all the difference for Kansas. They're my pick to win it all.

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) February 22, 2020

Udoka Azubuike out here looking like the National Player of the Year!!

— Kentucky Wildcats 24/7 (@BallTalk365) February 22, 2020

Even though the Baylor defense has deservedly received acclaim for its performance this season, Kansas proved it can match anyone on that end of the court. The Jayhawks entered Saturday ranked fourth in the nation, allowing a 43.3 effective field-goal percentage; the Bears weren't far behind in seventh at 43.5 percent.

The Kansas defense swarmed Baylor, holding it to 39.7 percent shooting and 7-of-20 from three-point range.

This is the version of Kansas everyone expected when it started the season ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press poll.

   

Baylor's 2nd-Half Surge Comes Up Short

Baylor struggled to break through against the Kansas defense and faced a 54-44 deficit with 6:38 remaining.

The Jayhawks at that point had nearly equaled what the Bears give up on average for full games:

Baylor is allowing 58.4 PPG, a record setting pace:

Fewest PPG Allowed in a Season - Big 12 History

'06-07 Texas A&M 59.4
'18-19 Texas Tech 59.5
'18-19 Kansas St 59.6
'06-07 Oklahoma 59.6

Baylor has now won 22 straight, tying the longest win streak in Big 12 history. pic.twitter.com/LmvC22G6XZ

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 15, 2020

From that point on, though, the Bears finally started to look like the team that has been ranked No. 1 in the Top 25 for the last month. They cut the deficit to three by going on a 9-2 run.

But Adubuike and Marcus Garrett gave Kansas breathing room by scoring four straight points. The final ray of hope for Baylor came when MaCio Teague sank a three with 18 seconds remaining to make it 62-61.

MACIO TEAGUE COMING UP CLUTCH! pic.twitter.com/fr8Zw4tcnv

— ESPN (@espn) February 22, 2020

After Isaiah Moss made two free throws on Kansas' ensuing possession, Butler had a decent look, but his attempt was short.

Even though the result wasn't what Baylor wanted, the team made the game competitive when little was going right and Kansas was playing as well as it has all season.

Kansas did not play its best when Baylor won at Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

Baylor did not play its best today when Kansas won in Waco.

Let's do this two more times.

Once at the Big 12 Tournament.

Once at the Final Four in Atlanta.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 22, 2020

Scott Drew and his staff will be able to learn from this game heading into the home stretch. The Bears have only one more matchup against a ranked opponent—at No. 17 West Virginia on March 7—so their path to at least a share of a regular-season conference title for the first time since 1949-50 is clear.

   

What's Next?

Baylor will host Kansas State on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Kansas will return home for a matchup with Oklahoma State on Monday at 9 p.m. ET.

Kansas men's basketball sophomore forward Silvio De Sousa has been suspended 12 games for his role in a brawl between KU and Kansas State near the end of the Jayhawks' 81-60 home win Tuesday.

De Sousa was just one of four players suspended by the Big 12 as a result of the melee:

• Kansas forward Silvio De Sousa: 12 games
• Kansas forward David McCormack: two games
• Kansas State forward James Love: eight games
• Kansas State forward Antonio Gordon: three games

"This kind of behavior cannot be tolerated and these suspensions reflect the severity of last evening's events," Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said of the brawl. "I am appreciative of the cooperation of both institutions in resolving this matter."

This discipline comes after head coach Bill Self had suspended De Sousa indefinitely.

"I have suspended Silvio De Sousa indefinitely pending the final outcome of the review by KU and the Big 12 Conference," Self announced earlier Wednesday. "As I said last night, we are disappointed in his actions, and there is no place in the game for that behavior."

Self and the Jayhawks expressed their support regarding the discipline in a statement, per the team's official website:

"Chancellor Girod, Jeff Long and I fully support the decision by the Big 12 Conference and appreciate their commitment to working through this situation with us. Like I said last night, I am disappointed and embarrassed by what transpired because there is no place for that type of behavior in any competition. After meeting with my team and discussing the incident in detail, it is evident that everyone fully understands the magnitude of their actions and all are remorseful for what occurred. We represent the University of Kansas and will all learn from this experience moving forward."

De Sousa took to social media to apologize for his actions:

I’m sorry for my actions last night, please read this: pic.twitter.com/cmkEO0I5Ax

— Silvio De Sousa ™ (@SilvioDeSousa5) January 23, 2020

De Sousa was seen picking up a stool in the middle of a scrum during the fight before dropping it:

The photo of the night, from @nickkrug pic.twitter.com/vfqXfYul3Y

— David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) January 22, 2020

https://twitter.com/WIBWTyler/status/1219802735308091393

Tyler Greever of WIBW and Rock Chalk Blog provided background on what led to the fight:

https://twitter.com/WIBWTyler/status/1219802735308091393

Kansas State went for an F U dunk at the end. Silvio De Sousa blocked it at the buzzer. Both benches went running to the dust-up. De Sousa, as well as at least two K-State players, threw a punch. What a scene.

— Rock Chalk Blog (@RockChalkBlog) January 22, 2020

De Sousa is averaging 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game for the Jayhawks.

The 6'9" native of Angola came to Lawrence as a highly touted recruit out of IMG Academy in Florida, ranking 32nd on 247Sports' class of 2017 list. However, his KU career has not panned out, as Jeff Goodman of Stadium noted:

Silvio De Sousa was supposed to be a huge lift for Kansas. Instead, his KU career has been a complete mess. His guardian took money, kid was suspended basically for a year and a half, was a complete non-factor this season (2.8 ppm, 2.9 rpg) & now this. Should be done for a while.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 22, 2020

DeSousa had played eight or fewer minutes in seven of his past eight games.

Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self called his team's role in a game-ending fight with Kansas State on Tuesday an "embarrassment" and said that he's "sure" he will announce further consequences Wednesday:

"That was an embarrassment on our part for the role that we played in it and there will be consequences that I'm sure I'll announce tomorrow." - Bill Self on the fight.#kubball #kstatembb #billself pic.twitter.com/PXBMcZafZX

— Pete Francis (@Pete_Francis) January 22, 2020

The matchup's conclusion saw both teams engage in a massive brawl that spilled past the baseline.

Tyler Greever of WIBW explained how the fight started:

https://twitter.com/WIBWTyler/status/1219802735308091393

Of note, KU forward Silvio De Sousa was seen picking up a stool before dropping it:

Kansas’ Silvio De Sousa went full WWE and picked up a chair amid a huge brawl between Kansas and Kansas State. pic.twitter.com/flC5NDPRfd

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) January 22, 2020

Kansas beat its in-state rival 81-60 at home. After the game, athletic director Jeff Long released a statement:

https://twitter.com/Kyle__Boone/status/1219818863552012288

It's been a tumultuous season in Lawrence.

The NCAA sent the school a notice of allegations on Sept. 23 alleging that Kansas committed three Level I violations, which are the most severe penalties in the NCAA rulebook.

Kansas then apologized for Snoop Dogg's performance at its "Late Night at the Phog" event during which the rapper shot fake $100 bills out of a T-shirt gun and dancers performed on stripper poles. This came after KU promoted Snoop Dogg's performance with a video starring Self.

Now KU will have to navigate the fallout following a brawl between the two in-state rivals, who will face each other again on Feb. 29 in Manhattan, Kansas.

The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks began Big 12 play with a 60-53 victory over the No. 16 West Virginia Mountaineers at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.

The Mountaineers led by as many as 10 points, including a 30-24 halftime lead despite being held scoreless for the final three minutes of the first half, but Kansas surged once the second-half whistle blew.

Jayhawks senior center Udoka Azubuike had just six points in the first 20 minutes before leading KU's comeback effort by notching his fifth double-double of the season. Azubuike and sophomore guard Devon Dotson combined for 33 of Kansas' 60 points.

Neither squad shot particularly well. Kansas shot 40.4 percent from the field but went only 3-of-17 from three-point range, while West Virginia labored toward a 32.2 shooting percentage from the field (3-of-14 from three).

The Jayhawks improved to 11-2, having most recently lost 56-55 to No. 10 Villanova on Dec. 21. Kansas was ranked No. 1 in the country at the time.

West Virginia saw its four-game winning streak snapped by the Jayhawks. The 11-2 Mountaineers were riding high into this matchup after upsetting No. 2 Ohio State 67-59 on Sunday.

       

Notable Performances

KU C Udoka Azubuike: 17 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal, 6 blocks

KU G Devon Dotson: 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals

KU G Marcus Garrett: 12 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

KU G Ochai Agbaji: 7 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal

WVU F Oscar Tshiebwe: 17 points, 17 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks

WVU G Miles McBride: 13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal

WVU F Derek Culver: 5 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

WVU G Jordan McCabe: 7 points, 1 assist, 1 steal

       

Oscar Tshiebwe's Importance to Mountaineers Reiterated in Loss

The freshman big man established his territory in the paint early and often at Allen Fieldhouse.

Tshiebwe entered halftime with 15 points and 10 rebounds, notching his sixth double-double of the season.

Halftime, Kansas trailing West Virginia 30-24. Devon Dotson with 12 to lead the Hawks. Oscar Tshiebwe with 15/10 to lead everyone, and also this pic.twitter.com/PWkuOKZXWM

— Matt Henderson (@mhendersontv) January 4, 2020

That didn’t take long... Big O with the double-double in the first half.#HailWV pic.twitter.com/2pm1XPI0Hc

— WVU Men's Basketball (@WVUhoops) January 4, 2020

Big O scores four straight and will go to the line as WVU takes a 21-13 lead. Official timeout comes at 7:57. pic.twitter.com/himjew4bL4

— WVU Men's Basketball (@WVUhoops) January 4, 2020

Kansas experienced firsthand what the Tshiebwe-led Mountaineers are capable of when the Congo native avoids foul trouble.

Oscar Tshiebwe is doing to Kansas what we have become so accustomed to seeing Udoka Azubuike do to whoever Kansas is playing. Straight bully ball.

And he started talking sh*t after banking in a three. I'm all in on Big Sheeb™.

— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) January 4, 2020

West Virginia still managed to upset No. 2 Ohio State while Tshiebwe was held scoreless in an abbreviated eight-minute outing. That was not the case for West Virginia on Saturday when Tshiebwe was neutralized in the second half:

In the first half, #WVU guard play was abysmal, but bailed out by an unreal Oscar Tshiebwe performance. In second half, Oscar has been just okay which won't cover up the guard play (or poor play from Culver).

— Chris Anderson (@CMAnderson247) January 4, 2020

Tshiebwe's dominant first-half performance did not completely absolve the Mountaineers from struggling:

West Virginia didn't score in final 3:30 of half and still takes a 30-24 lead into the break. Missed opportunity for KU there.

— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) January 4, 2020

WVU at 0.91 PPP in that first half. Even with Tshiebwe going crazy on the offensive glass ... KU's defense hasn't been the issue.

— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) January 4, 2020

West Virginia doesn't need to feel discouraged by this, however. It's January, and the Mountaineers are already four victories away from matching their 2018-19 win total. Instead, leaving Kansas with a loss should serve as an early reminder for head coach Bob Huggins that Tshiebwe's supporting cast can't rely solely on him in order to ride this wave into the NCAA tournament.

       

KU's Quest to Regain Big 12 Title Won't Be Easy

Kansas State and Texas Tech shared the Big 12 regular-season title last season, marking the first time since 2003-04 that the Jayhawks did not at least hold a share.

Iowa State then beat Kansas 78-66 in the Big 12 tournament final.

Saturday's opening of conference play, even though it resulted in a win, served as a reminder that the Jayhawks are no longer necessarily automatically a lock to claim the Big 12 like they were for 14 consecutive years.

Head coach Bill Self seemed to acknowledge this postgame:

Bill Self says in a weird way, he felt like his guys grew up today. Said the players who were out there learned the toughness needed to win games in the Big 12.

— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) January 4, 2020

The Mountaineers' efforts fell apart once Tshiebwe was shaken off his game in the second half, but moving forward, what could be more concerning for Kansas is that West Virginia's bench outscored Jayhawks reserves 20-6.

KU's next three games will serve as a good gauge. The Jayhawks will rematch with Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, before hosting the No. 6 Baylor Bears (Jan. 11) and traveling to Oklahoma (Jan. 14).

Baylor owns the conference's second-best scoring defense, second-best scoring margin and third-best scoring offense, according to the Big 12's official website. Kansas ranks seventh, first and first in those respective categories.

The Jayhawks' win over West Virginia served as a primer for what can be learned about this team against the Bears.

       

What's Next?

The Mountaineers will continue their road trip Monday against Oklahoma State.

The Jayhawks will travel to take on the Iowa State Cyclones, the reigning Big 12 tournament champions, on Wednesday.

University of Kansas head basketball coach Bill Self has shot down speculation he'll replace San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich for the 2020-21 NBA season.

"There's zero truth to that," Self told reporters Friday.

Seth Greenberg of ESPN forecast the potential Spurs coaching change during an appearance on Wednesday's Get Up as part of his bold predictions for 2020:

In April, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported San Antonio ownership believes Popovich is "entitled to manage his future the way he wants," so it's fine with letting him decide whether to keep coaching on a year-to-year basis regardless of his contract status.

The Spurs are coming off their 22nd consecutive playoff berth and hold the eighth seed in the Western Conference despite a 14-19 record. However, they are no longer among the NBA's select group of title contenders without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard.

As well, Popovich will lead what should be a star-studded Team USA roster in the 2020 Summer Olympics, potentially providing an exit strategy for the 70-year-old Air Force veteran.

If the Americans win gold, Pop could enter retirement on a high note and hand the Spurs' coaching staff to someone else to lead a new era in franchise history. He'd probably handle some type of emeritus role within the organization, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy9yqWHPMBQ

Self, who owns 35 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, has never worked in the NBA. He's posted a 690-213 record as head coach at Kansas, Illinois, Tulsa and Oral Roberts. He guided the Jayhawks to a national championship in 2008 and has three Final Four appearances.

His resume and the stability he's provided at Kansas since 2003 seemingly make him the type of candidate San Antonio, one of the gold standards in sports organizations, would consider.

That said, Self would likely be an underdog candidate to Spurs assistant Becky Hammon, who'd become the first female head coach in a Big Four sport; one of the team's other assistants (Duncan, Will Hardy, Chip Engelland and Mitch Johnson); or any of the numerous former Spurs staffers who've accepted jobs elsewhere.

A plane carrying the Kansas men's basketball team needed to make an emergency landing Sunday because of an engine issue.

"Upon our return flight home from San Jose, CA, roughly 20 minutes into the flight, one of the engines failed," the school said in a statement. "The pilot immediately contacted the San Jose Airport, where we returned and made a safe landing. We are grateful to the pilots and the entire flight crew of Swift Air. We will stay the night in San Jose and return to Lawrence once the plans have been finalized."

The Jayhawks' official men's basketball account added that "everyone onboard is safe and sound."

Ryan White, Kansas' senior associate athletic director of development, shared a video from inside the plane as it was in the air:

@KUHoops plane blows engine on flight back to Lawrence. We just landed safely back in San Jose. 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/aAKPcavCUK

— Ryan White (@ryanwhite_01) December 30, 2019

The fifth-ranked Jayhawks beat Stanford 72-56 at Maples Pavilion on Sunday to improve to 10-2. Isaiah Moss had a team-high 17 points off the bench, while Devon Dotson and Ochai Agbaji chipped in with 14 points apiece.

Kansas doesn't return to action until Saturday when it hosts No. 22 West Virginia for its Big 12 opener.

Nobody is safe in college basketball this season. 

First then-No. 1 Kentucky lost to Evansville on Nov. 12. Then, preseason No. 1 Michigan State lost to Virginia Tech on Monday. Not to be outdone, current No. 1 Duke lost to Stephen F. Austin in overtime on Tuesday.

The No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks nearly joined the list.

The Big 12 powerhouse survived a scare from the Dayton Flyers of the Atlantic 10 with a 90-84 overtime victory in the 2019 Maui Invitational championship game on Wednesday. Dayton's Jalen Crutcher drilled a three-pointer in the waning seconds to force overtime, but the Flyers had no answer for big man Udoka Azubuike in extra time.

What a shot by Dayton to force OT with No. 4 Kansas for the Maui Invitational Championship! pic.twitter.com/sxsSnlmlls

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 28, 2019

Azubuike fouled out with 27.3 seconds remaining in overtime but only after he poured in 29 points with four blocks and three rebounds on 12-of-15 shooting.

It appeared as if the Flyers were going to pull away when Ibi Watson hit a three-pointer to open up an eight-point lead with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation, but Kansas responded with an 11-0 run. It consistently turned to Azubuike down low as it battled back, and the big man registered a monster block while nursing a one-point lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation.

He was also the focal point in the extra period, as Kansas patiently played through the low post.

While Dayton didn't have the strength on the inside to counter the senior, it responded by unleashing three-pointers throughout the contest.

The Flyers finished 16-of-33 (48.5 percent) from deep, while Obi Toppin spearheaded the overall effort as someone who could attack the basket, score from the blocks and extend his game beyond the arc. Toppin finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and one stare down of the Kansas bench:

That’s cold, Obi.

Turned around and stared down the Kansas bench before the shot went in 🔥

(via @marchmadness)https://t.co/AzrwZ9Ty27

— Bleacher Report CBB (@br_CBB) November 27, 2019

It wasn't all Azubuike and Toppin for their respective teams.

Devon Dotson had 31 points, six rebounds, five steals and four assists for Kansas, while Ryan Mikesell posted 19 points, five rebounds and four points for the Flyers.

Kansas is now 6-1 on the campaign, while Dayton fell to 5-1.

The Flyers proved their mettle against power conference foes throughout the tournament, defeating Georgia and Virginia Tech to reach the championship game. Kansas beat Chaminade and BYU in its first two contests.

Both teams return home for the next game. Dayton hosts Houston Baptist on Tuesday, while Kansas faces Colorado on Dec. 7.

The Kansas Jayhawks added one of the highest-regarded recruits in the 2020 class to their future backcourt Tuesday.

Bryce Thompson, who checks in at 6'5" and 175 pounds, committed to the Jayhawks over North Carolina, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, per CBS Sports:

The next big Kansas Jayhawk.

Bryce Thompson officially commits to playing in Lawrence for Bill Self and @KUHoops.https://t.co/8azcNxTE3n pic.twitter.com/iR5moEnQe5

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) November 12, 2019

“Great fit for me, (Bill Self) told me everything and where I could fit in.”

Bryce Thompson breaks down his decision to join @KUHoops.https://t.co/8azcNxTE3n pic.twitter.com/zdUvR4ZfIa

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) November 12, 2019

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Thompson is a 5-star prospect and the No. 19 overall player, No. 4 combo guard and No. 1 player from the state of Oklahoma in the 2020 class. 

Thompson can score in a variety of ways.

He can hit from three-point range, attack off the dribble, finish through contact and cut into space away from the ball, helping to open the offense whenever he is on the floor. He is also a capable facilitator whenever he draws additional defensive attention.

Thompson's versatility allows him to defend multiple positions.

Gary Bedore of the Kansas City Star noted a hyperextended left elbow forced him to miss drills at the SC30 Select camp, but it is a testament to his ability that he was even there, considering it is an invite-only camp sponsored by Golden State Warriors great Stephen Curry.

Thompson averaged a head-turning 25.3 points per game on the Oklahoma Run PWP during the Under Armour Circuit this past AAU season, per Bedore. He also hit 47 percent of his three-pointers, which is music to the ears of his new school.

He fits the profile of so many difference-makers in a modern game that emphasizes versatile playmakers on the wing who can both handle the ball and shoot from three-point range.

That should allow him to compete for significant playing time right away, and he only figures to capitalize on his immense potential as he garners experience with the Jayhawks.

Kansas is on the short list of national powerhouses in large part because of its ability to land players such as Thompson. If he fulfills his potential, he'll help the Jayhawks compete for conference and national titles.