CHICAGO — So where to begin with this Champions Classic — Hunter Dickinson’s trash-talking, or Tom Izzo texting with Mike Krzyzewski? The freshman Duke guard who went from 0 to 18 in four days, or the outside fusillade from the offense formerly known as the 2-points-at-a-time Kentucky Wildcats?
The most pertinent numbers from Tuesday night at the United Center were obvious.
Kansas 89, Kentucky 84, so the Jayhawks get to stay No. 1.
Duke 74, Michigan State 65, which leaves the Spartans 1-2 and Izzo detecting alarm in the air, at least in the post-game media interview room.
But there were a good many numbers that carried messages, given the wattage of the competition. “That,” Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr., declared, “was big boy basketball.” Here are some statistics that speak to where these four teams are after their annual blueblood convention, and where they might be going.
For Kansas . . .
27-21. As in 27 points and 21 rebounds for Dickinson. No Jayhawk this century had put together a 20-20 game against a ranked opponent. About those voices calling maybe him the biggest winning lottery ticket of all from the transfer portal . . . . well, here was exhibit A. “We need him to be a monster,” Harris said. “That’s why we got him.”
When Kentucky sagged in half the Commonwealth trying to stop Dickinson, leaving Harris plenty of free air space to shoot, he torched the Wildcats for 23 points, including back-to-back 3’s that tilted the night toward Kansas.
“I think they wanted me to beat them. They left me open and then I just had to step up and make the shot,” Harris said.
Such is the dilemma opponents will have with Kansas, with Dickinson a handful in the middle and the usual high-level Jayhawks talent scattered around him. If Tuesday is any indication, Harris can’t be left open. Kansas offensive precision was on display again — 22 more assists, meaning 81 of the Jayhawks’ 105 baskets so far this season have come with the aid of a pass. So was their championship breeding, wiping out a 14-point deficit in the second half and squeezing the hope out of Kentucky in the last minutes.
Such a promising scenario is a big reason former Michigan Wolverine Dickinson chose Lawrence as his new zip code. “He said when I came here I was going to get the ball a lot. I think I did today. So he was right about that,” Dickinson said of coach Bill Self. He also said,…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at NCAA.com > basketball-men d1 articles and video…