Kansas Jayhawks Basketball

One of the biggest upsets of the still-young 2021-22 college basketball season came on Friday, with the No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks falling to Dayton 74-73 in a thriller decided at the buzzer. 

Trailing by one point with the clock ticking down, Mustapha Amzil's jumper bounced off the rim and backboard before falling through the net after time expired to give the Flyers a stunning victory over the previously undefeated Jayhawks.  

DAYTON STUNS No. 4 KANSAS AT THE BUZZER 😱

First top-5 win for the Flyers since 1984. pic.twitter.com/IWgGZfpzQh

— ESPN (@espn) November 26, 2021

Amzil only finished with four points, and the final shot was his lone field-goal attempt of the game. Four of Dayton's five starters reached double figures in scoring, and the team shot 51.8 percent from the field. 

Kansas left a lot of points on the board at the free-throw line. Head coach Bill Self's team only made nine of 20 attempts from the charity stripe. 

The Flyers entered this matchup with a 2-3 record. Each of their three losses came in consecutive games, to UMass Lowell, Lipscomb and Austin Peay. 

Kansas had won each of its first four games by an average of 20 points. It looked to be on track for another big win early on Friday. The Jayhawks jumped out to an 11-1 lead in the first four minutes and led by as many as 15 points in the first half. 

Dayton is the 2nd team over the last 10 seasons to come from 15 points down and beat an AP Top-5 team on a buzzer-beater, joining Stephen F. Austin at (1) Duke in 2019.

That game was 2 years ago today...Nov. 26, 2019 👀 pic.twitter.com/lOLYxnLqAQ

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 26, 2021

Dayton upsets Kansas and snaps the Jayhawk's 35-game winning streak vs unranked non-conference opponents, which was the longest active streak in Division I.

It is Kansas' 1st loss as an AP top-5 team to an unranked opponent since Jan. 5, 2019 vs Iowa State. pic.twitter.com/uZ7tZvyGew

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 26, 2021

After a Remy Martin layup put Kansas up 49-37 with 18:13 remaining, Dayton scored 12 straight points to tie the game. The Flyers took their first lead at 51-50 on a Daron Holmes II dunk. 

Dayton did get its lead up to seven points with 7:23 left to play. Kansas stormed back by scoring 12 of the next 14 points to take a 73-70 advantage in the final minute. 

Malachi Smith cut that deficit to 73-72 on a layup with 45 seconds left. David McCormack was called for an offensive foul on the Jayhawks' ensuing possession, giving Dayton the ball back with 15 seconds remaining. 

McCormack looked like he was going to play the role of hero on defense when he blocked Smith's layup attempt. Amzil was able to corral the ball and put up a shot as time expired. 

The win gave Dayton its first victory over a team ranked in the top five of the Associated Press poll since a 72-71 win over No. 3 DePaul on Feb. 18, 1984.     

No. 3 Kansas kicked off its 2021-22 season with an 87-74 win over Michigan State in the Champions Classic on Tuesday.

Ochai Agbaji led the way for the Jayhawks with a career-high 29 points in the neutral-court game at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Christian Braun finds Ochai Agbaji for the Jayhawk alley-oop 💥 pic.twitter.com/NHu0Yn1xuB

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 10, 2021

The game was close in the early going until a late Kansas spurt gave the team a 39-32 lead at halftime. The Big 12 squad took control of the game in the second half while finding a lot of success on fast breaks.

Michigan State was within three points with about 16 minutes remaining in the second half, but the margin quickly ballooned to 15 thanks to a 21-9 run.

The Spartans couldn't keep up despite four players reaching double digits, led by 17 points from A.J. Hoggard.

Kansas has won five of the last six years in the Champions Classic.

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Notable Performances

Ochai Agbaji, G, KAN: 29 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals

Remy Martin, G, KAN: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

A.J. Hoggard, G, MSU: 17 points, 4 assists

Max Christie, G, MSU: 9 points, 3 rebounds

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Ochai Agbaji Shines in Deep Kansas Lineup

After making incremental improvements over the past three years, Ochai Agbaji has seemingly taken his game to a new level in the season-opener.

The guard generated much of the offense for Kansas while exhibiting excellence in a number of areas:

This sequence by the Jayhawks 🔥 pic.twitter.com/7OjnMWkBWq

— ESPN (@espn) November 10, 2021

Really impressed with Ochai Agbaji and the improvement in his ability to put the ball on the floor. Has made a couple of big-time plays tonight exploding to the basket.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 10, 2021

Kansas’ best offense: Give the ball to Ochai Agbaji and let him work.

— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) November 10, 2021

This is the best Ochai Agbaji's handle has ever looked.

— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) November 10, 2021

Agbaji has really developed into a smooth, efficient, confident player. Has really shined tonight. Jayhawks starting to pull away.

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) November 10, 2021

The efficiency was especially impressive as the guard finished 9-of-17 on the floor and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. 

Agbaji withdrew from the NBA draft last July, and it looks like he has made the right decision through the first game.

Of course, this is a deep roster with a lot of experience entering the year.

David McCormack, Mitch Lightfoot, Remy Martin, Jalen Coleman-Lands and Agbaji are all seniors in the rotation and will be relied upon heavily this season.

McCormack showcased his skill set on the defensive end with two blocks:

MEET ME AT THE RIM 😤 pic.twitter.com/75Dtj3GoEn

— ESPN (@espn) November 10, 2021

Martin also scored 15 points, all in the second half, to give the team another backcourt scorer.

Head coach Bill Self played 11 players with nine getting onto the scoresheet.

Kansas' depth is something. Look up and it's like, where did THAT dude come from?

— Dana O'Neil (@DanaONeilWriter) November 10, 2021

This Kansas team showing its depth without Jalen Wilson. Bill Self not afraid to go with his freshmen tonight, and Zach Clemence and Bobby Pettiford giving KU quality minutes.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 10, 2021

Adding Jalen Wilson, who was suspended for the first three games because of a DUI arrest, Kansas will have a lot of options this season.

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Turnovers Derail Michigan State in Loss

Backcourt play was a major issue for Michigan State last season with Joshua Langford and Rocket Watts struggling with consistency.

Hoggard showed there could be major improvements in this area.

The sophomore scored 17 off the bench and impressed with his aggressiveness:

Tom Izzo and @MSU_Basketball think they have their PG in @ajhoggard3.

He sure looked good on this transition And-1. pic.twitter.com/t04dUY5LZ5

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 10, 2021

A.J. Hoggard has been fantastic for Michigan State. 8 points 3 assists.

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) November 10, 2021

That's the stuff Izzo bragged up about Hoggard. Looked quick in transition and aggressive through contact to the hole for the and-1.

— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) November 10, 2021

Hoggard averaged just 2.5 points per game last year but looks like an impact player to start 2021-22.

Max Christie could be another weapon in the backcourt as a 5-star recruit with high expectations. He showcased some upside Tuesday on his way to nine points.

Remember the name, B1G fans: @Max12Christie. ✍️

The heralded @MSU_Basketball freshman just hit his first career bucket. pic.twitter.com/mFwVy19QO7

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 10, 2021

Max Christie's shot is so smooth, man. He's gonna be a good one.

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) November 10, 2021

The play was still extremely sloppy overall, even for the first game of the year.

Michigan State finished with 16 turnovers, many of them leading to easy plays on the other end for Kansas:

Honestly, so many of Michigan State’s turnovers are just unacceptable lazy passes. They’re making it easy on Kansas, and Kansas is taking advantage.

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) November 10, 2021

Michigan State turnover percentage: 28.3. Seemingly all of them live-ball.

— John Gasaway (@JohnGasaway) November 10, 2021

The team also got limited production from Tyson Walker (two points), who transferred in after averaging 18.8 points per game at Northeastern last year.

There is enough talent to improve as the season progresses, but the level of play was nowhere near good enough to match up with the No. 3 team in the country.

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What's Next?

Both teams will now prepare for their home opener Friday. Michigan State will host Western Michigan, while Kansas will take on Tarleton.

Kansas sophomore forward Jalen Wilson was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Sunday, and as a result, he has been suspended for the Jayhawks' first three regular-season games.

Kansas head coach Bill Self told reporters that Wilson, who has also been suspended for Wednesday's exhibition against Emporia State, will "serve community hours during his suspension."

Wilson, whose 21st birthday is Thursday, was pulled over and arrested by a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy early Sunday morning. He was booked into jail before being released on bond.

Wilson apologized on Twitter.

"To my family, friends, coaches, teammates, and Jayhawk Nation - first and foremost, I want to apologize to all of you for my mistake this past weekend," Wilson wrote. "I accept full responsibility for my actions and am extremely remorseful in my lack of judgment.

"I know it wouldn't be fair for me to ask for forgiveness right now, so instead I plan to show you the true man I am and my true character through my actions and behavior moving forward. Again, I am truly sorry."

As a redshirt freshman last season, Wilson started 26 of 29 games and averaged 11.8 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds. He impressed early on with two 23-point, 10-rebound performances against Kentucky and Creighton.

Wilson was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team after ranking second in the conference in rebounding. The 6'8", 225-pound forward tested the NBA draft waters but chose to return to school.

Kansas is ranked No. 3 in both preseason polls. Wilson will miss the Jayhawks' games against Michigan State, Tarleton State and Stony Brook.

Kansas sophomore Jalen Wilson was arrested in Lawrence, Kansas, on suspicion of driving under the influence Sunday morning, according to Glenn Kinley and Tiffany Littler of KSNT.com.

The Kansas City Star's Jesse Newell shared a statement from Jayhawks men's basketball coach Bill Self: "We are aware of the incident involving Jalen Wilson last night, and are disappointed in his decisions. We are looking into the situation as we speak and will determine potential consequences with him once we have the rest of the details."

Per Newell, a deputy from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office observed a driver "not maintaining a proper lane" at 1:48 a.m. CT. Officers pulled Wilson over and asked him to perform field sobriety tests, and he was subsequently taken into custody.

The Denton, Texas, native was released after posting a $250 bond.

As a redshirt freshman in 2020-21, Wilson averaged 11.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 29 appearances. He shot 41.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.

The 6'8" forward explored his NBA draft prospects over the summer and opted to return to Kansas for the 2021-22 season. Heading into the year, he was one of 20 players placed on the preseason watch list for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.

The Jayhawks host Emporia State on Wednesday in an exhibition before tipping off the regular season Nov. 9 against Michigan State.

Kansas will add a top prospect to its 2022 recruiting class after MJ Rice committed to the school Tuesday.

Rice announced his decision via Joe Tipton of On3.

"I feel like Kansas is the place for me to be," Rice said. "I feel like Kansas is somewhere I can grow and mature. They have all resources I need to develop my game and develop my mental. I really enjoyed my visit there. Great coaches, staff, players and environment."

The small forward is a 5-star recruit and considered the No. 20 overall player in the class and fifth-best player at his position by 247Sports' composite rankings.

At 6'5", Rice is a bit undersized for a wing, but he makes up for it with impressive athleticism that allows him to finish at the rim with consistency. He also has enough strength to handle the bigger players he might match up against at forward.

He remains a mismatch with his shooting ability from deep, giving him the opportunity to score a lot of points even without a lot of touches on the offensive end.

The biggest concern during his high school career was a torn ACL that sidelined him in December 2019.

Rice returned to the court the next season and said he simply needed to get over the mental aspect.

"With me, it's more about making the jump mentally; I'm already a dog on the court, now it's about being a killer!" he said in a November blog entry for SI All-American.

Having two seasons back before playing at the next level should provide plenty of time to get over his injury.

If he can add some additional handle and playmaking ability to his skill set, Rice could be an elite player going forward.

He represents a big addition for the Jayhawks, providing the team with someone who can help on both ends immediately in his college career.

Rice has the talent to be a go-to option as a freshman and could consider making the leap to the NBA before too long. 

Elite 2022 men's basketball prospect Shaedon Sharpe has narrowed his options to Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State and the G League Ignite, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The 5-star prospect is rated the No. 6 overall player in the class, per 247Sports.

Sharpe has official visits planned for Kansas, Arizona and Oklahoma State and could decide shortly after his final visit in September.

"I'm 100 percent open to all options right now," the guard said. "I want to see what all of them have to offer. I need to learn more about the G League in terms of what their offer is and which other players will be on the team to decide whether that's something I want to do."

Sharpe has already taken a visit to Kentucky, which is his predicted choice by 100 percent of 247Sports' crystal ball contributors, but he clarified the Wildcats aren't currently the leader.

"People have been penciling me in with Kentucky, and I'm honestly not sure where that's coming from," he said, per Givony. "Maybe it's because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went there from Uplay and was one and done. ... No one really knows anything about my situation besides my family and [director of Uplay Canada, Dwayne Washington]."

Kentucky has produced its fair share of one-and-done talent under head coach John Calipari, although Oklahoma State has some impressive recent pedigree after Cade Cunningham was selected first overall in the 2021 NBA draft as a one-and-done.

The G League Ignite also developed top talent in its first year, including Jalen Green (No. 2 overall pick), Jonathan Kuminga (No. 7) and Isaiah Todd (No. 31).

The 6'4" Sharpe will likely make a move to the NBA before too long regardless of where he goes after high school. The guard has rocketed up rankings after an impressive performance at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, averaging 22.6 points across 12 games.

Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self has tested positive for COVID-19. 

In a statement released on Twitter, Self said he got tested on Thursday after experiencing "some minor symptoms," and a final test taken Friday confirmed the positive. 

A statement from @CoachBillSelf pic.twitter.com/2U0EOHyOz8

— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) July 23, 2021

Self also said that he has been fully vaccinated. 

The Jayhawks head coach was scheduled to take recruiting trips this weekend but is currently in isolation. 

Self also delivered a message for everyone to get vaccinated so “we don’t have to worry about this virus continuing to affect our communities and loved ones.”

The 58-year-old is entering his 19th season at Kansas. He was hired in 2003 to replace Roy Williams, who left for North Carolina. 

KU has made the NCAA tournament every year it has been held since Self became head coach. He led the program to the national title during the 2007-08 season, 15 Big 12 regular-season titles and eight conference tournament titles. 

The Oklahoma State graduate previously worked as the head basketball coach at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois.    

Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji has reportedly withdrawn his name from the 2021 NBA draft class and will return to the Jayhawks for his senior season.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported the news Tuesday and noted Agbaji was projected as a potential second-round pick before opting to return for another year of college basketball.

The 21-year-old Wisconsin native has made steady progress across three years at KU. He averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals across 30 appearances during the 2020-21 season while also typically garnering the assignment of defending the opponent's top wing scorer.

Agbaji (6'6'', 214 lbs) made significant strides as an outside shooter. He shot just 30.7 percent from three-point range as a freshman in 2018-19, but he knocked down 37.7 percent of his outside shots last season while pouring in 2.6 threes per contest. His overall shooting percentage (42.0 last season) still needs work, though.

"I will be keeping my NCAA eligibility throughout this process and look forward to hearing from NBA professionals on ways I can improve my game. This is a great opportunity as I work towards my goal of being a professional basketball player," Agbaji said in a statement after initially declaring for the draft.

Givony noted Agbaji could establish himself as a first-round pick next year if he continues his upward trend in his final season with the Jayhawks.

Meanwhile, his return further bolsters an already promising outlook for Kansas next season.

The Jayhawks return their top three scorers (Agbaji, David McCormack and Jalen Wilson) from a team that went 21-9 and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament, and they added one of the top transfers in the country, Remy Martin, who averaged 19.1 points each of the last two years at Arizona State.

Andy Katz of NCAA.com ranked KU at No. 5 in his early power rankings for the 2021-22 campaign in April.

Agbaji and the Jayhawks are scheduled to open the season Nov. 9 with a high-profile clash against Michigan State in the State Farm Champions Classic.

Former Kansas big Silvio De Sousa has entered the transfer portal, according to Scott Chasen of 247Sports. 

De Sousa opted out of the 2020-21 season amid "personal issues," Chasen reported in October. But weeks after his decision was made public, he was charged with aggravated battery stemming from an incident that occurred on New Year's Day in 2020. 

Per an affidavit, De Sousa struck a man outside of a restaurant. The victim lost vision in one eye despite having multiple surgeries to repair his injuries, reported Dylan Lysen of KUSports.com. 

"I have a lot of things weighing on my mind and need to address these by taking time for myself and stepping away from basketball," he wrote in a Twitter post last October. "I do not know what my next plan will be right now, but I will decide that when the time is right."

Isaiah 41:10🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/TOJA772bbx

— Silvio De Sousa ™ (@SilvioDeSousa5) October 16, 2020

Lysen reported in April that De Sousa sought a diversion from the charge in order to avoid legal proceedings and instead complete rehabilitation or pay a fine, but negotiations in that process had "fallen through," his attorney said. 

Instead, De Sousa pleaded not guilty at a preliminary hearing May 4. He will stand trial Aug. 2, according to Jesse Newell of the Kansas City Star. 

The victim, Grant Davis, said at the preliminary hearing that he intervened when De Sousa, who he did not know, was arguing with his girlfriend and her softball teammate. Davis said De Sousa "charged and struck him," which "felt like my eye was getting hit with bricks." 

Witnesses said several other former and current Kansas basketball players were at the Lawrence restaurant on the night of the incident. 

De Sousa's career at Kansas was inconsistent. He was a member of the team's 2018 Final Four run but didn't play the next year. He was implicated in a scandal that season when it was discovered his guardian received payments related to his commitment to Kansas.

He was suspended 12 games during the 2019-20 season for his role in a fight between Kansas and Kansas State in January of that year. 

Former Arizona State star Remy Martin has committed to Kansas but left the door open for a possible jump to the NBA.

"I just want to be able to play for a historic program," Martin told Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today. "I’m very excited to play for Coach Self and get my master's degree. I'm hoping to interact with the fans and play in such a historic place like Phog Allen Fieldhouse."

The 6'0" guard averaged 19.1 points, 3.7 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 23 games for the Sun Devils this past season.

Martin entered the transfer portal Tuesday. His father, Sam, told The Athletic's Doug Haller the three-time All-Pac 12 player was "just trying to hedge his bets a little bit" and is "full-bore, straight-ahead on trying to get to the league."

Martin also flirted with the NBA prior to the 2020-21 season before eventually returning to Arizona State.

With the NCAA allowing fall and winter sports athletes to gain an extra year of eligibility, suiting up for the Jayhawks will likely allow him to showcase his skills better than he could have with the Sun Devils. While it's still early, Kansas figures to be a Final Four contender in 2021-22, and the addition of Martin tips the scales even more in the program's favor.

Brian Bennett and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic ranked him as the best player in the transfer portal:

But Martin has a bulldog mentality that makes up for some of his shortcomings, and he's one of the few guys in the transfer portal who can get you 20 points a night in a power conference. He finished his Arizona State career ranked sixth all-time in scoring and second in assists. ... He's a winning player who could be one of the prizes of the portal.

Especially if Ochai Agbaji, who's also exploring his draft prospects, returns to Lawrence, the Jayhawks could have a dynamic backcourt combination. Agbaji was the team's leading scorer at 14.1 points per game.

From an NBA perspective, Martin might still have some work to do. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman didn't list him among the top 50 players on May 4, and he was absent on ESPN's list of the top 100 available.

The downside for Martin is that he'd be 24 by the time the 2022 NBA draft rolls around if he chooses to wait. Obi Toppin was considered an older player in his draft class, and he was 22 when the New York Knicks selected him eighth overall.

Whatever he decides, Martin has until July 19 to make up his mind.