No. 17 Kansas focuses on better bench play ahead of matchup vs. Davidson

Kansas will play its final nonconference game of the regular season Monday night when it faces Davidson of the Atlantic 10 in Lawrence, Kan.

The No. 17 Jayhawks (9-3) have won three straight games as they prepare for Big 12 play.

All of Kansas' losses have come against ranked foes -- then-No. 25 North Carolina on Nov. 7., then-No. 5 Duke on Nov. 18, and then-No. 5 UConn on Dec. 2.

Since the loss to UConn, the Jayhawks defeated Missouri by 20 points in Kansas City, edged host NC State by one point in overtime and routed visiting Towson 73-49 on Tuesday.

The 24-point margin of victory allowed an opportunity for reserves to see ample floor time, but the Kansas bench had just nine points on 4-of-19 shooting from the field.

"I didn't think our bench played great," Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. "I was really hoping they would have a chance to play and get some rhythm and all that stuff. I tried to play them, but I think that's an area we can certainly get better in still."

Flory Bidunga recorded 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. He has 10 or more boards on six occasions.

Tre White registered 16 points, six rebounds and five assists vs. Towson, and Melvin Council Jr. added 15 points. Prized freshman Darryn Peterson was out and has played in just four games due to injuries and illness.

Self said Peterson sustained cramping in his quadriceps against NC State on Dec. 13. That led to the possible No. 1 overall NBA draft pick sitting out against Towson.

"He is not able to compete at full strength," Self said. "He will continue to work tirelessly and prepare to compete with his teammates and represent Kansas in the very near future."

Self didn't offer a specific timetable for Peterson's return. Peterson has averaged 19.3 points and has made 11 3-pointers in his four appearances.

Davidson (8-3) has lost two of its previous three matchups with Kansas.

One of the setbacks was a classic in the Elite Eight of the 2008 NCAA Tournament after now-NBA great Stephen Curry carried the Wildcats to three tournament wins. Curry scored 25 points against Kansas, but the Jayhawks escaped 59-57 to reach the Final Four and went on to win the national title.

Davidson defeated Kansas 80-74 on Dec. 19, 2011, in Kansas City. The Jayhawks beat the Wildcats 89-71 in the third meeting, also in Kansas City, on Dec. 17, 2016.

This season, the Wildcats have dropped two of their past three games, including 68-63 to Temple on Thursday.

Roberts Blums (14 points) and Nick Coval (10) were the only Davidson players to score in double digits. The Wildcats shot just 22.7% (5 of 22) from 3-point range.

Josh Scovens scored a season-low four points. The Army transfer is the lone Davidson player averaging double-digit scoring (10.5), though five other Wildcats average at least 8.0 points per game.

"He's emerging daily," Wildcats coach Matt McKillop said of Scovens. "It's his attitude, it's his aggression, it's his energy. ... When he has that killer instinct going, everybody follows."

Scovens averaged 12.0 points a game as an Army freshman and 15.2 points last season.

--Field Level Media