Here are 4 things to consider as KU basketball readies to face Texas Tech on senior night

LAWRENCE — Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self raved about the strength of the Big 12 Conference again Monday.

Self said there wasn’t an argument, that it is the best league in college basketball this season. While he already thought the nonconference slate the No. 3 Jayhawks (24-5, 12-4 in Big 12) played was good, the conference portion took their overall schedule to a different level. And Tuesday, it’ll continue with a senior night matchup inside Allen Fieldhouse against Texas Tech (16-13, 5-11 in Big 12).

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Here are four things to think about ahead of the 8 p.m. (CT) scheduled tip-off:

Fans will be able to see Jalen Wilson and Kevin McCullar Jr. play in Allen Fieldhouse one last time

This’ll be it for both redshirt junior forward Jalen Wilson and redshirt senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr. Although the two starters could return next year with the Jayhawks, they’ve each decided that this season will be the last they play at the college level. And when they do, they’ll have a chance to help Kansas earn at least a share of the Big 12 regular season championship.

Wilson thinks there were a lot of people who didn’t think his Jayhawks could be in this position, considering the talent they lost from last season’s team, but here they are. If he sees his mother start to cry on senior night, he allowed he probably will as well.

McCullar referred to every time he’s been able to step on the court and play for Kansas as a blessing, in a season that he feels has gone by so fast.

Kevin McCullar Jr. will be in an interesting position

On top of everything else this game will represent for McCullar, he’s also going to be playing against his former school. The veteran spent the past four years with the Red Raiders, before transferring to join the Jayhawks this past offseason. It’s a situation he never would have thought he’d be in when he made that decision.

Self said McCullar has been the perfect fit because of how he plays. McCullar can be an emergency point guard or 4-man for them, in addition to the roles he normally occupies. Self doesn’t think Kansas would have a chance as being as good defensively as it is without McCullar.

Here’s what Bill Self and Jalen Wilson think about Texas Tech

The Jayhawks are playing for a lot Tuesday, but they won’t be the only ones. Wilson knows Texas Tech is fighting for a spot in the NCAA tournament. He thinks they’ve been playing well in recent weeks.

Self added that the Red Raiders have improved a lot since the two sides last played, which saw Kansas win 75-72 in Lubbock. He thinks his Jayhawks will have to be better defensively than they were that day. He thinks Texas Tech has some capable scorers.

Dajuan Harris Jr. likely will play against Texas Tech

There was some concern around redshirt junior guard Dajuan Harris Jr.’s status because of an injury he suffered during Saturday’s win against West Virginia. However, Self anticipates Harris will play. It appears everyone outside of redshirt freshman guard Kyle Cuffe Jr. and super-senior forward Cam Martin will be available.

Cuffe is currently medically redshirting. Martin might also pursue a medical redshirt. So, that’s why neither of them are expected to play.

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.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Here's what to consider as KU basketball readies to face Texas Tech