When the Jayhawks take the court Friday in Oklahoma City, it will be a much different team than the one that defeated Northern Arizona by 34 to open the season. Instead of star players carrying the team, eight players have emerged who are worthy of playing time. In the month of February alone, six different Jayhawks have finished games as the team’s leading scorer. Here’s a look at who will be making plays in March, and how they’ve progressed since the start of the season.

Brandon Rush, sophomore guard

Then: Fans expected Rush to jump straight to the NBA after his freshman year, but a year of college basketball revealed the weaknesses in his game. Those included indecisiveness on the court and ball-handling struggles.

Now: Rush has come into his own as a scorer. He leads the team in points, and rarely hesitates when he has an open shot. He said his biggest improvements have come on defense. “I think I’ve learned to slide my feet instead of using my hands,” he said. Even with all these improvements, it may be hard for him to enter the draft this year because of two mini-slumps during the season as well as continued questions about his ball-handling skills. He acknowledges that his tendency to turn the ball over limits the number of touches he gets during crunch time, when he would be able to make high-profile shots.

Russell Robinson, junior guard

Then: With no seniors on this year’s team, Robinson became the most-tenured Jayhawk. There were questions as to whether he’d be able to assume a leadership role.

Now: Before the 2006 season was over, Robinson sought out the outgoing seniors for advice, and since then sought out opportunities to lead the team. After a sluggish game against Ball State in Las Vegas, he gathered the players for a team meeting so they could vent and address their concerns. He said that his teammates have helped play a big role in his success. “We help one another and we care about one another,” he said. “It’s like a brotherhood.”

Julian Wright, sophomore forward

Then: Expectations were high for Wright, who shared Big 12 preseason player of the year honors with Rush. He returned to Kansas after deciding not to enter the NBA draft.

Now: Opposing teams have to throw out conventional defenses when they take on Wright. His size and speed allow him to make plays that other forwards would only dream of, and he can still step back to hit a three-point shot. He’s improved his ability to take over the team, which comes in handy during big games. During the tournament, he’ll have to play well for the Jayhawks to have a chance at the Final Four. Oh, and that NBA thing isn’t going to go away, either.

Sherron Collins, freshman guard

Then: Collins joined the team significantly overweight, and had troubles adjusting to life in Lawrence, as most freshmen do. At the beginning of the year, he cited his three-point shot as the area of his game that needed improvement.

Now: After a strict diet-and-exercise program, Collins is back to his ideal playing weight, and provides a burst of energy off the bench. He’s been a key addition to the Kansas team, including big games against rivals Kansas State and Missouri. His three-pointer is connecting with impressive 42 percent accuracy. Coach Bill Self said his contributions have been vital down the stretch. “We wouldn’t have won the league without Sherron,” he said.

Darrell Arthur, freshman forward

Then: About to commit to Baylor, Arthur took one more night to think about his college decision. He had a dream where he was playing at Kansas, and became a Jayhawk the next day.

Now; The player Arthur is most compared to is Wright, mainly because of their size. Arthur made an immediate contribution and earned playing time during the first weeks of the season. He has slowed down since then, but still averages double-digit scoring and plays almost 20 minutes per game. His minutes have been limited by foul trouble, as he’s fouled out of two games and accumulated a team-high 85 fouls this season. He’ll eventually be in an NBA jersey – the only question is how soon.

Darnell Jackson, junior forward

Then: Jackson had an extremely difficult sophomore year. Personal tragedy struck his family when his grandmother died, and then he was suspended for several games because of his connections with a booster.

Now: It took Jackson a while to get rolling, but in the past few weeks he has begun to play some of the best basketball of his career. He’s been rewarded with more time in the lineup, especially in games where the other big men get into foul trouble. He’s also pulled down an average of five rebounds per game.

Mario Chalmers, sophomore guard

Then: Chalmers had a rough freshman campaign, but began to excel in the final weeks of the season. He came into this season with the goal of refining his shooting touch.

Now: He’s not the most consistent scorer, but Chalmers lights up the scoreboard when he starts connecting. His 12.1 points per game are the second highest on the team, no small feat in the Jayhawks’ lineup. The team is also feeding off his defense: He’s created a team-high 79 steals by using his quick hands against opposing guards.

Sasha Kaun, junior center

Then: The knock on Kaun was that he couldn’t shoot free throws. Aside from that, Jayhawk fans wanted to see more consistency on the post from the big man this year.

Now: The emergence of Arthur has helped take a lot of the pressure off of Kaun, who doesn’t have to worry as much about getting in foul trouble. He’s improved his play on the post, where coach Bill Self encourages his players to play a tough, physical game. As for the free throw shooting: You can’t win them all. Kaun is making just 53 percent of his foul-line shots this season.

Kansan senior sportswriter Michael Phillips can be contacted at mphillips@kansan.com.