No. 1 Kansas Basketball Takes First Loss to Creighton: Key Takeaways
The Kansas Jayhawks, ranked No. 1 in the country, suffered their first loss of the season on Wednesday night, falling to Creighton 76-63 at CHI Health Center in Omaha. The loss, which was especially significant given Kansas’ high ranking and undefeated record, came without a key player in the lineup and revealed several challenges that the team will need to address moving forward.
The game was nearly over by the time the Bluejays’ faithful began chanting “C-U” as they celebrated a dominant performance. Kansas (7-1) never held a lead throughout the contest, trailing from start to finish. Guard Dajuan Harris led the Jayhawks with 15 points, but it came on a challenging 21-shot performance. Transfer guards Zeke Mayo and AJ Storr contributed 12 points each, but it was not enough to keep up with Creighton’s hot shooting and aggressive play.
Kansas cut Creighton’s lead to just one point early in the second half (41-40), but the Bluejays quickly responded with a 10-0 run that helped put the game out of reach. As the game grew increasingly tense, Kansas head coach Bill Self was hit with a technical foul after protesting a few calls. The Jayhawks would never recover, with Creighton eventually leading by as many as 17 points, sealing their first-ever win over a No. 1 team in school history.
Creighton’s 3-Point Shooting Sparks the Upset
One of the most glaring differences in the game was Creighton’s shooting from beyond the arc. Coming into the game, the Bluejays were shooting just 31.4% from 3-point range, but they caught fire against Kansas, shooting 50% (7-for-14) from deep in the first half. The Jayhawks, by contrast, made only 5-of-14 (35.7%) of their 3-point attempts in the opening period.
No matter how well Kansas played defense, Creighton seemed to find the basket, making it difficult for the Jayhawks to catch up. By the end of the game, Creighton finished with a 41.4% shooting percentage from three, while Kansas shot just 34.8%. Self later acknowledged the Bluejays’ shooting advantage, saying, “They dared us to shoot, which was a good game plan.” Unfortunately for Kansas, they weren’t able to capitalize on the space given by Creighton’s defense, and it was evident that their offense wasn’t functioning at its highest level.
Hunter Dickinson Struggles Against Ryan Kalkbrenner
One of the most anticipated matchups in the game was between Kansas center Hunter Dickinson and Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, two towering 7-footers. Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, it was Kalkbrenner who dominated the contest. In the first half, Kalkbrenner had nine points and five rebounds, while Dickinson was limited to just two points on 1-for-2 shooting. Throughout the game, Dickinson appeared hesitant to attack Kalkbrenner and was unable to find any rhythm offensively.
Kalkbrenner, a three-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, made his presence felt on both ends of the floor. He finished the game with 17 points and 10 rebounds, outplaying Dickinson in what was expected to be a marquee battle. Dickinson, meanwhile, was largely ineffective, finishing with just six points on 4-for-8 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds.
Self acknowledged that part of Dickinson’s lack of involvement was due to Creighton’s defense, which often packed the paint with four defenders. “There was a reason why [Dickinson] didn’t get as many touches,” Self said. “We’ve got to do a better job of feeding him the ball.” Moving forward, Kansas will need to find ways to get their star center more involved in the offense if they are to reach their potential this season.
Mixed Results from Zeke Mayo and Dajuan Harris
Kansas’ offense, as a whole, struggled throughout the game. However, Zeke Mayo was one of the few bright spots for the Jayhawks, especially in the first half. Mayo kept Kansas in the game early, scoring 12 points and adding two assists, with all of his points coming before halftime. Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, his contributions were not enough to overcome Creighton’s impressive shooting and defensive strategy.
Dajuan Harris, another key contributor for Kansas, struggled mightily with his shooting. Harris finished the game with 15 points, but it came on an inefficient 6-for-21 shooting performance. Creighton’s defensive game plan was to sag off Harris, daring him to make shots, and he was unable to capitalize on the space given to him. Self acknowledged that Kansas’ offense lacked patience, which was a critical factor in their inability to execute their game plan effectively.
