Kansas to Host West Virginia Tuesday for Senior Night in Men’s Hoops

Kansas to Host West Virginia on Senior Night
No. 9/10 Kansas (23-6, 12-4) will host No. 20/20 West Virginia (22-7, 10-6)  on Tuesday, March 3, at 8 p.m., on ESPN2. KU is coming off a 69-64 win against Texas on Feb. 28, while West Virginia heads to Lawrence after a 78-66 loss at No. 19/20 Baylor on Feb. 28.
 
The Kansas-West Virginia contest will mark the final home game for KU senior guard Christian Garrett, a 2010-11 redshirt who joined the men’s basketball team in Jan. 2011. In Garrett’s four-plus seasons with the Jayhawks the Los Angeles guard has been a part of four Big 12 regular-season championship teams, two Big 12 Tournament title squads, two NCAA Tournament Elite Eights and one Final Four. With Garrett on the roster, Kansas is 128-31 (80.5 percent) overall and 52-2 (96.3 percent) in Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas has won 31-straight home finales, including 30 consecutive Senior Nights, dating back to the 1983-84 season. In 2006-07, Kansas did not have a senior on its roster. KU senior managers Jordan Buell (Valley Center, Kansas), Chris Huey (Kansas City, Kansas) and Emily Tyler (Lee’s Summit, Missouri) will also be recognized prior to tip off.
 
With Iowa State defeating Oklahoma on ESPN Big Monday, March 2, Kansas men’s basketball has claimed at least a share of the 2015 Big 12 Conference regular-season championship. With two games remaining in the Big 12 slate for the Jayhawks, KU’s Tuesday opponent West Virginia (22-7, 10-6) and its March 7 foe Oklahoma (20-9, 11-6) could tie Kansas (23-6, 12-4) as could Iowa State (21-8, 11-6).
 
The conference title for Kansas is its 11th-straight, 15th Big 12 and NCAA-leading 58th overall. The 11-consecutive titles, beginning in 2004-05 and all under head coach Bill Self, ranks tied for second all-time on NCAA Division I list with Gonzaga’s 11-straight Big West regular-season championships from 2001-11 and only trails UCLA’s 13-consecutive titles as members of the then-Pac-10 Conference from 1967-79.. At 12-4, Kansas has guaranteed itself of not playing on the first day of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, March 11-14, at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
 
About Kansas
No. 9/10 Kansas (23-6, 12-4) scores 71.7 points per game and has a +7.1 scoring margin. The Jayhawks average 38.1 boards per game and have a +4.4 rebound margin. KU leads the Big 12 in three-point field goal percentage at 39.7 percent and averages 13.9 assists, 6.4 steals and 5.0 blocked shots per game.
 
Coming off a season-high 28 points and his seventh double-double of the season with 13 rebounds against Texas (2/28), Academic All-Big 12 junior F Perry Ellis leads Kansas with a 14.5 scoring average and 7.2 rebound average. He is the only player in the Big 12 to rank sixth or higher in scoring (sixth) and rebounding (fourth). Ellis has led KU in scoring in each of the last five games and 12 times this season. Sophomore G Frank Mason III is next in scoring at 12.1 points per game, which is 10th in the Big 12. Mason has 41 assists in his last eight games and is tied for third in the league in assists at 4.3 and is ninth in field goal percentage at 45.5, which is just behind Ellis who sits in sixth (47.3 percent). Mason leads KU with 40 steals and his 34 three-pointers made this season are third most on the team. Sophomore G Wayne Selden, Jr., has made a team-high 45 three-pointers and his 1.6 made per game are 11th in the Big 12. Selden scores 9.6 points per game and is second on the team with 87 assists. Rounding out the KU starters are freshman G Kelly Oubre, Jr., and junior F Jamari Traylor. After his 15 points against Texas (2/28), Oubre averages 10.0 points in Big 12 play and 8.8 in all games. He is second on the team with 31 steals, averages 5.0 rebounds and has made 30 three-pointers this season. Traylor has started 15 games this season, scores 4.4 points per contest and pulls down 3.6 rebounds. His 31 blocked shots are second on the team and his 1.1 blocks per game are 11th in the Big 12. Traylor replaced freshman F Cliff Alexander (7.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.3 blocked shots per game, six starts) in the starting lineup versus the Longhorns. Alexander sat out the Texas (2/28) contest as a precautionary measure as the NCAA alerted KU about issues that could affect Alexander’s eligibility.
 
Sophomore G Brannen Greene averages 6.1 points and is second on the team with 36 three-pointers made. He makes a team best 45.6 percent from beyond the arc in 2014-15. Freshman G Devonte’ Graham scored a career-high 20 points against TCU (2/21). He is scoring 5.0 points per game and is third on the team with 42 assists. Sophomore F Landen Lucas played a career-high 25 minutes against Texas (2/28). He scored a career-high-tying nine points against Baylor (2/14). He averages 2.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
 
About West Virginia
Located in Morgantown, West Virginia, with an enrollment of 31,976, No. 20/20 West Virginia (22-7, 10-6) is looking to rebound from a 78-66 loss at No. 19/20 Baylor on Feb. 28. The Mountaineers are coached by Bob Huggins who is 172-98 in his eighth season at WVU and 762-309 in his 33rd season overall. WVU averages 74.0 points and has a +8.1 scoring margin. The Mountaineers pull down 36.9 rebounds per game and have a +3.2 rebound margin. West Virginia leads the country in steals per game at 11.3 and is second in turnover margin at +7.5. WVU forces 20.2 turnovers per contest and 45.9 percent of its rebounds are on the offensive end. WVU also averages 14.5 assists and 2.9 blocked shots per game.
 
Senior G Juwan Staten, the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, leads West Virginia in scoring at 14.5 points per game, which is fifth in the Big 12. Staten is third in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.4 and leads WVU with 125 assists and 111 free throws made. Sophomore F Devin Williams leads the Mountaineers in rebounding at 8.1 boards per game, which is second in the conference. He scores 10.8 points per game. Junior F Jonathan Holton has a team-high 26 blocked shots and his 6.0 rebounds per game are second on the squad. Holton scores 7.9 points per contest and is second on the team with 37 steals. Rounding out the WVU starters are senior G Gary Browne and freshman G Daxter Miles, Jr. Browne scores 7.0 points per game, has 33 steals and has made 26 three-pointers. Miles has 36 steals, has made 27 threes and scores 6.3 points per game.
 
Freshman G Jevon Carter leads West Virginia with 52 steals and 44 three-pointers made. He scores 8.8 points per game and is second on the team with 50 assists. Junior G Jaysean Paige averages 5.6 points per game and has 30 steals. His 28 threes are second on the WVU team this season. Other WVU regulars include redshirt freshman F Elijah Macon (4.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg), sophomore G Tarik Phillip (3.4 ppg, 34 steals) and sophomore F Nathan Adrian (3.0 ppg, 27 steals).
 
The Kansas-West Virginia Series
Kansas and West Virginia are meeting for only the six time in men’s basketball with the Jayhawks owning a 3-2 series advantage, however, the Mountaineers have won the last two meetings: 92-86, on March 8, 2014 and 62-61 on Feb. 16, 2015 with both wins in Morgantown. KU won the first three meetings: 61-56 on Jan. 28, 2013, in Morgantown; 91-56 on March 2, 2013, in Allen Fieldhouse and 83-69 on Feb. 8, 2014, in Allen Fieldhouse. KU head coach Bill Self is 3-2 against West Virginia, while WVU’s Bob Huggins is 2-7 all-time versus Kansas (2-3 while at WVU).
 
Earlier this season, West Virginia senior G Juwan Staten made a layup with 3.4 seconds remaining in the game to give the Mountaineers a 62-61 victory, Feb. 16, on ESPN Big Monday in Morgantown. Following a home-run pass completion from KU junior F Jamari Traylor, junior F Perry Ellis’ shot rimmed out in the waning seconds. Ellis led KU with 19 points for the game, including 15 in the second half, while sophomore G Frank Mason III had 18 and Kelly Oubre, Jr., 14 in the loss. Staten led all scorers with 20 points.
 
What’s Trending

• The NCAA is listing statistics and Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) on a regular basis. Through games as of Feb. 28, Kansas is No. 2 nationally in the RPI behind Kentucky and No. 1 nationally in the toughest schedule.
• Kansas’ bench has outscored its opponent’s bench in 10 of the last 14 games, including 37-19 against TCU (2/21). Kansas’s bench has outscored its opponent’s bench 302-181 for a 21.6 to 12.9 average in the last 14 games.
• Kansas leads the Big 12 in three-point field goal percentage at 39.7 percent. The Jayhawks also rank in the upper half of the conference in scoring offense (fourth at 71.7), field goal percentage (third at 44.4), free throw percentage (fourth at 71.4), three-point field goal percentage defense (third at 31.8), assists (fourth at 13.9), rebounding (third at 38.1), rebound margin (third at +4.4), blocked shots (fifth at 5.0), steals (fifth at 6.4) and assist-to-turnover ratio (fifth at 1.1).
• Kansas has outrebounded 19 of 29 opponents this season, compiling a 17-2 record in those contests. Seven of those games have been by double figures, including two in Big 12 play.
• Junior F Perry Ellis has scored 23 or more points in each of his last three games and has averaged 25.0 points and 9.7 rebounds in that span. In his last three games, Ellis is 28-for-47 (59.6 percent) from the field with 29 rebounds, four steals and four blocked shots. Ellis has shot 50 percent or better in eight Big 12 games this season with four contests at 62.5 percent or better. His seven double-doubles in 2014-15 are tied for second in the Big 12 and he is the only player in the conference to rank in the top six in scoring (sixth at 14.5 ppg) and rebounding (fourth at 7.2 rpg).
• Sophomore G Frank Mason III scored 12 points against Texas (2/28) and made KU’s lone three-pointer for the game. He had three steals at Kansas State (2/23) which were one shy of his career high set against UNLV (1/4). Mason has at least one steal in each of his last nine games with 15 in that span.
• Freshman G Kelly Oubre, Jr., recorded his 12th game of the season with 10 or more points by scoring 15 points against Texas (2/28). He also pulled down nine boards against the Longhorns to mark the 10th time this season he has pulled down seven or more rebounds. Oubre, who averages 5.0 rebounds per game for the season, has averaged 6.6 rebounds in his last four games.
• Sophomore G Wayne Selden Jr., has scored in double figures in five of his last nine games. His five straight 10-plus point games prior to West Virginia (2/16) marked his longest consecutive double-figure scoring mark as a Jayhawk. Selden’s 13 games of multiple threes are best on the KU team this season.
• Freshman G Devonte’ Graham had a nearly perfect game against TCU (2/21) where he scored a career-high 20 points on 7-for-7 shooting, including 2-for-2 from three-point range. Graham was 4-for-6 from the free throw line with three assists against the Horned Frogs. He has three or more assists in nine games this season, with eight against Big 12 teams.
• Sophomore G Brannen Greene is 19-for-38 (50.0 percent) from three-point range in his last 12 games. 
• Sophomore F Landen Lucas logged a career-high 25 minutes against Texas (2/28). He pulled down six rebounds at West Virginia (2/16). He tied his career high with nine points against Baylor (2/14).

In the Polls
In the Feb. 23 national polls, Kansas is No. 8 in the Associated Press and No. 9 in the USA Today Coaches’ polls. This season, the Jayhawks have been ranked in the top 10 in the AP and coaches’ poll 11 and 10 weeks, respectively. The Jayhawks have been ranked in each of the last 120 Associated Press polls dating back to the 2008-09 season, including in the top five 50 times. In the coaches’ poll, the Jayhawks have been ranked in each of the past 126 polls and in the top five on 54 occasions.
 
Versus Ranked Teams
With its 62-61 loss at No. 16 West Virginia on Feb. 16, Kansas is 61-32 against Associated Press (AP) ranked teams, including 8-3 in 2014-15. In each of the last five seasons, the Jayhawks have a winning record versus AP ranked foes, including a 7-3 mark in 2013-14. Since the 2009-10 season, KU is 39-15 against AP ranked teams.
 
From Downtown
Kansas leads the Big 12 in three-point field goal percentage at 39.7 percent. Historically, Kansas has shot 40 percent or better from three-point range five times with the single-season record being 43.3 percent in 1989-90 (41.6 in 1988-89, 40.8 in 1992-93, 41.8 in 2001-02 and 40.4 in 2009-10). In the Bill Self era, the 2014-15 Jayhawks are just under pace to have their best three-point shooting season behind the 40.4 percent in 2009-10.
 
From the Line
Kansas enters the West Virginia game making 71.4 percent of its free throws in 2014-15. In the Bill Self era, the Jayhawks have made 70 percent or better from the charity stripe each of the last two seasons and five times in the previous 11 years. In 2012-13, KU set the single-season free throw percentage record at 73.7 percent.
 
Ellis Eclipses 1,000 Career Points
Junior F Perry Ellis scored his 1,000th career point against Baylor (2/14). He became the 56th Jayhawk to accomplish the feat and the 11th in the Bill Self era with the previous being 2012 Consensus All-American Thomas Robinson. At 1,109 career points, Ellis is already No. 41 on the Kansas all-time scoring list.
 
More Ellis Accolades
In addition to his Academic All-Big 12 honors, junior F Perry Ellis has twice been named the Big 12 Player of the Week. The 2014 Orlando Classic Most Valuable Player is one of 16 student-athletes named to the watch list for the 2015 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The award is in its inaugural year and the list will be narrowed down to five finalists in early March with the winner being named April 10, 2015.
 
Historic Allen Fieldhouse Celebrating 60 Years
Kansas is currently playing its 60th season in historic Allen Fieldhouse, which has been deemed the greatest place to watch a college basketball game. Dedicated on March 1, 1955, in a 77-67 win against rival Kansas State, here are some notables regarding Allen Fieldhouse:

• Allen Fieldhouse has sold out each of its last 226 games back to the 2001-02 season.
• Kansas won its 700th regular-season game in Allen Fieldhouse with an 80-63 victory against ULM on Nov. 18, 2013. KU is 727-109 all-time in the venue.
• Five of the eight KU head coaches have coached in Allen Fieldhouse. Ted Owens has the most victories with 206, followed by Roy Williams (201), Bill Self (189), Larry Brown (71), Dick Harp (51) and Phog Allen (9).
• Starting with Wilt Chamberlain in 1957, 12 of KU’s NCAA-leading 28 Consensus All-American First Team selections played in Allen Fieldhouse.
• Kansas has led its league in home attendance each of the last 27 seasons dating back to 1986-87 and 32 times in the last 36 years.
• KU is second all-time winningest program in NCAA Division I history with 2,149 wins and the Jayhawks won victories 1,000, 1,100, 1,200, 1,300, 1,400 and 1,900 in Allen Fieldhouse. The 1,900th all-time win also won the 2007 Big 12 regular-season title outright.
• Kansas has won 31-straight home season finales in Allen Fieldhouse, including 30 consecutive Senior Nights. In 2006-07, Kansas did not have a senior on its roster.
• From 2006-13 Kansas won 68-straight games against non-conference competition in Allen Fieldhouse.
• Self is 189-9 in games played at Allen Fieldhouse for a 95.5 winning percentage, which includes four of Kansas’ 17 undefeated home seasons.
• Self’s Big 12 regular-season titles (10) are more than his home losses while at Kansas (9).
• Kansas’ school-record 69-game home-court winning streak from Feb. 7, 2007 to Jan. 22, 2011, led the nation for more than two seasons and ranks 11th all-time in the NCAA records book.
• KU’s current 23-game winning streak inside Allen Fieldhouse ranks 11th on the school’s all-time home-court win streak list and is the third longest in the Self era.
• Kansas is 131-3 in Allen Fieldhouse in its last 134 games.

Conference Success
Kansas has won 15 of the 19 Big 12 regular-season titles (includes ties), including the last 10, which ranks tied for second on the NCAA all-time consecutive list. Kansas’ 58 conference titles are the most in NCAA Division I. Kentucky is second with 51 and Penn third at 37 (entering 2014-15). KU’s 11-straight league titles are the longest active streak in NCAA Division I and the longest streak in school history.
 
Consecutive Conference Regular-Season Winners
(source: NCAA Record Book; *active streak)
No.      Team                     Conference              Seasons
13      UCLA                  PAC-10                  1967-79
11*     KANSAS                 Big 12                       2005-14
11      Gonzaga              West Coast             2001-11
10      Connecticut          Yankee                  1951-60
10      UNLV                  Big West                1983-92
9        Idaho St.             Rocky Mountain       1953-61
9        Kentucky             Southeastern          1944-52
 
Up Next
Kansas will close out the regular season at No. 16/17 Oklahoma on Saturday, March 7, which will be televised on ESPN with a 3 p.m. tip. The Jayhawks will then play in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, March 11-14, at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas will play its first game on March 12 with the opponent and time to be determined. Kansas has won 13 conference postseason tournament titles, including nine in the Big 12.
 
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