Sunflower State a hoops hotbed
LAWRENCE, Kan. — There are more routes to the Final Four this season than simply Tobacco Road. In fact, the path might go through the Sunflower State. That’s where you’ll find No. 4 Kansas, seventh-ranked Wichita State and Kansas State, which returns three starters from an NCAA Tournament team a year ago. All three programs have big aspirations as they get their seasons under way with home games Friday night.
The Jayhawks face Tennessee State in its only real tuneup before facing No. 5 Kentucky in the Champions Classic — though they did have a high-level exhibition game against Missouri. The Shockers get Missouri-Kansas City and the Wildcats open their season with American.
“We have three returning starters, the most in the Big 12, and we have some transfers. We’re still young,” Wildcats forward Dean Wade said, “but I think we have some potential.” All of them do. The Jayhawks return player of the year candidate Devonte Graham to captain arguably the nation’s best backcourt. Long, sharp-shooting swingman Svi Mykhailiuk is also back, while former five-star recruit Malik Newman is eligible after a redshirt season following his transfer from Mississippi State.
They also return Udoka Azubuike, a mammoth 7-foot center, whose season-ending injury curtailed a freshman season that was big on promise. His loss before Big 12 play even began left a void in the middle of the paint, one that Oregon ultimately exploited in knocking Kansas out of the NCAA Tournament.
There are other returners, too. Lagerald Vick is coming off a breakout sixth-man season, and several role players are back on the bench. Throw in blue-chip prospect Billy Preston, who should form a potent one-two punch with Azubuike in the post, freshman guard Marcus Garrett and Sam Cunliffe — an Arizona State transfer who becomes eligible in December — and the Jayhawks are once again loaded.
Nevermind the fact that Bill Self is still patrolling the side-