It’s the Battle of the Big 12.
The Kansas Jayhawks will face the Cincinnati Bearcats today, starting at 2 pm ET, and it’s the matchup everyone has been waiting for. The last time KU and Cincy faced off the Bearcats took home a 20-point dub against the Jayhawks in the conference tournament. But this season, the tables have slightly turned for the them in the Big 12, as they’re currently 0-3 in conference play and looking to bounce back from their losing streak.
Meanwhile, KU is currently 2-1 in the Big 12—good for fourth in the conference—and hold the No. 11 ranking in the country. This will be the first time the two programs will go head to head in Cincy since ’64.
If there’s one thing you need to know about both squads, it’s that they don’t play when it comes to defense, especially the Bearcats, who can snag offensive boards with ease.
“Our half-court, man-to-man defense has been the most reliable thing we’ve had going all year long,” said head coach Wes Miller after the loss to Baylor. “I even felt tonight that when we locked in on all five, we felt there would be a breakthrough. Give them credit—they got a handful of baskets in transition and our defense had a lack of effort to get back.”
They’ll need to bring that same energy and more against KU, as the Jayhawks’ defense is so elite, they’ve been locking down opponents. Add in the fact that they’ve also got the 24th most efficient offense according to KenPom, and you’re looking at a seriously dominant team that can show out on both ends of the floor.
“We were great defensively,” head coach Bill Self told the media after defeating Arizona State. “Who would have thought we shot the ball worse the second half from 2? We shot it worse from 3 and basically held them to 11, then they get the layup there at the right at the very end. But that was exceptional.”
It’s going to be a showdown. To get you hyped for the game, we’ve got an exclusive college collection for Kansas and Cincinnati gear. Lock in.
