Jalen Coleman-Lands, Mitch Lightfoot pace KU to 76-67 win over George Mason
Kansas’ No. 6-ranked men’s basketball team on most game days has been led by the one-two scoring punch of Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun.
On Saturday, a day the dynamic senior/junior guard duo combined to hit just 7 of 26 shots, the unlikely tandem of Jalen Coleman-Lands and Mitch Lightfoot combined for 34 points on 14-of-16 shooting in pacing the Remy Martin-less Jayhawks to a 76-67 victory over George Mason at Allen Fieldhouse.
“We wouldn’t have won the game without probably either one of them to be honest. Both of them collectively gave us a chance to win,” KU coach Bill Self said of seniors Coleman-Lands and Lightfoot after KU’s seventh win in a row and 11th in 12 tries. George Mason, coached by former Missouri Tiger Kim English, fell to 7-6.
“Mitch was great. J. Cole made some hard shots. I don’t know if I ever had two guys off the bench go 14 of 16. That was pretty impressive,” Self added.
Coleman-Lands, a transfer guard from Iowa State, hit 5 of 7 three-pointers in 25 minutes and finished with 20 points. He also had three assists, two rebounds, one turnover, two blocks and five fouls. Lightfoot — more on him later — had 14 points.
“Probably just the opportunity to play,” Self said of the reason for Coleman-Lands’ success. His previous high in points for KU was 10 against Tarleton State on Nov. 12. His previous high in minutes was 15 against Stony Brook on Nov. 18. His career high in scoring, if one includes all his stops in his college career, is 26 points against Rutgers while playing for Illinois back in 2016.
“The times he looked to score, how many times did he bounce it? Not many,” Self said of Coleman-Lands. “He either got it off the catch or shot fake, one bounce. Where he gets in trouble is when he doesn’t do that too much. That’s his strength, and he played to his strength because he can really shoot the ball. He’s the best shooter on our team.
“I haven’t given him many opportunities in large part because I want him to play the way he did today. Not as far as making shots, but as far as taking the ones (that are not forced). He needs to shoot it whenever he is open. He doesn’t need to go hunt it. I thought today he was good.”
Coleman-Lands likely played more minutes than usual Saturday because of the absence of Martin, who was out with a swollen right knee.
“It has a lot to do with feel, repetition, playing out there with the guys,” Coleman-Lands said of his success. “Of course the longer I’m out there helps as well, too. Whatever minutes I’m given, the more games I’m playing helps. Just knowing my role, it’s starting to become more clear and defined.”
Coleman-Lands said Self told him after the game, “great job. (You are) shooting the shots we want you to shoot. Keep shooting them. Play without over-thinking.”
Coleman-Lands had 11 points the first half and Lightfoot eight as KU led, 48-37, after 20 minutes. Backup big man Lightfoot played well on a day David McCormack had one point on 0-of-3 shooting with four rebounds and a turnover in 11 minutes.
“We’ve got to play Mitch more. It’s time to play him more, no question,” Self said.
Lightfoot, who tied a career high in scoring in a game, also scored 14 points against Omaha last season.
“I wouldn’t say I’m hunting shots or anything. (I’m) trying to find stuff within the rhythm of the offense,” Lightfoot said. “If you take the post out of any offense it becomes stale. Today I tried to give us what we need out of the post position. Today it was scoring. I was glad I was able to convert those jump hooks and stuff.”
He hasn’t given up on fellow senior McCormack.
“He’s a great player. He needs to get in rhythm,” Lightfoot said. “Tonight it was not clicking. He was one of the best bigs in the league last year. It’s going to happen. It’s a matter of time.”
Braun finished with 14 points and Agbaji 11. Jalen Wilson, who started in place of Martin, had eight points and seven rebounds.
Self said Arizona State transfer Martin hurt his right knee in the first half of Wednesday’s game against Nevada.
“Hopefully tomorrow he can get out there and at least get it loose,” Self said. “The MRI was negative. There’s nothing structurally where he can’t go. He had enough swelling he didn’t have much range of motion. Hopefully tomorrow he’ll be better, Monday full speed and be ready to go Tuesday (at Oklahoma State, 8 p.m.)”
Self said freshman Bobby Pettiford, who has been out several weeks with an abdominal strain, tested positive for COVID-19 two days ago. KU did contact tracing. Pettiford has had symptoms and has been away from teammates since. KU tested some other players for COVID and all those came back negative.
“I think we caught a break,” Self said.
KU, by the way, played before its 325th straight sellout crowd. There were some empty seats in the corners, but a KU official said all tickets were sold for the replacement game in the last 72 hours.
“The crowd was unbelievable. The people here are unbelievable,” Self said. “To have that many at a game where it’s not part of the season-ticket package, selling it out in 72 hours in minus-15-degree weather and ice all over the road and most of them have to come travel. It’s incredible to me.”
