‘Athletic, long, big’ Indiana Hoosiers are next test for Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday

Indiana’s 3-point shooting has been lacking entering Saturday’s nonconference men’s basketball game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.

The Hoosiers, in fact, have converted just 31 of 114 three-point attempts (27.2%) this season. KU’s made 66 of 173 (38.2%).

“They haven’t shot the ball like they’re capable of shooting it,” KU coach Bill Self said Thursday. “Of course, (it’s a) small sample size, but they haven’t.”

Saturday’s game is scheduled to tip off at 11:30 a.m. Central Time.

“We actually have shot the ball statistically better than what I feel like we’ve shot it,” Self said. “Hunter’s been so good.”

KU 7-footer Hunter Dickinson has made 11 of his 19 three-point attempt (57.9%) this season.

“That will be a big key to the game, who can make perimeter shots,” said Self, whose No. 2-ranked Jayhawks are 9-1. Unranked Indiana is 7-2.

“They are athletic, long, big,” Self continued. “We won’t play a bigger 4 and 5 at the same time together than what they do.

“(Kel’el) Ware can really stretch it. Their 4-man, (Malik) Reneau, is as hard as anybody to guard. He can put his head down and draw fouls. I like their team. Mike (Woodson, third-year IU head coach) has done a great job. It’ll be a hard game, especially (as) our first road game.”

Ware, a 7-foot, 242-pound sophomore, averages a team-leading 16.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game Reneau, a 6-9, 233-pound sophomore, averages 14.8 points and 4.9 rebounds.

Ware, a transfer from Oregon, is tied for the team lead in 3-point baskets with six in 12 attempts for 50%. Freshman Mackenzie Mgbako, a 6-8, 213-pound freshman who chose IU over KU and others in recruiting, is 6-of-29 from 3-point range (20.7%). Overall he averages 8.6 points and 3.7 rebounds.

KU’s Dickinson vs. Indiana’s Ware

The game will match two elite big men in KU’s Dickinson and IU’s Ware.

“They will be matched up some. They won’t be matched all the time, I wouldn’t think,” Self said. “They play so big. I bet they’ll throw different guys at Hunter, (and) us with them, too. Playing to his (Ware) quick-twitch explosiveness will be a big key. Hunter (who averages 19.4 points and 12.6 rebounds) isn’t really a power player. He can get deep-post touches and score down there. We need to do a better job getting him the ball in those situations.”

Indiana is hoping senior point guard Xavier Johnson (10,5 ppg, 2.3 apg) will return from a lower-body injury in the near future. He’s missed the last three games. Right now, IU’s starting backcourt consists of 6-2 freshman Gabe Cupps, who had a career-high 11 points in last Saturday’s 104-76 blowout loss at Auburn, and 6-5 senior Trey Galloway, who averages 8.8 points. Cupps has averaged 2.8 per outing.

On Kansas forward KJ Adamas

Self is hoping KU junior forward KJ Adams continues to play well. Adams scored 18 points against UConn and the Kansas City Roos and 17 against Missouri.

“I don’t know I’ve coached anybody who would be a better outside defensive end pass-rusher than KJ,” Self said, comparing the 6-7, 235-pound Adams to a football defender. “I’m sure we’ve had some bouncy, strong athletes. I don’t know I’ve coached anybody that’s more explosive than KJ, and as strong as well.”

Indiana’s two losses

Indiana this season has lost to Auburn and UConn. The Hoosiers have already played, and won, a pair of Big Ten Conference games — at Michigan (78-75) and at home against Maryland (65-53).

“They’ve played two hard Big Ten games and played Connecticut (77-57 loss in New York) and Auburn. They’ve had a good schedule so far,” Self said. “We’ve played Kentucky, Marquette, Tennessee, UConn and Missouri. I think you could say the same. Both teams come into it having played some good people.”

Jahawks’ next game, after this one

After this game, the Jayhawks return home to meet Yale at 7 p.m., Dec. 22.

KU will then embark on Christmas break, returning to Lawrence the night of Dec. 26.

“Usually we get better over Christmas break,” Self said. “We come back the 26th and play the 30th (against Wichita State in Kansas City).

“Big 12 play starts after that (vs TCU on Jan. 6 in Lawrence). We won’t have as many two-a-day opportunities as we’ve had in the past. This is an important time for us.”