KANSAS GAMEDAY (6-1)

AT A GLANCE

Kansas’ feast week comes to an end Saturday afternoon with a game against Jackson State. The Tigers are the fourth undermanned opponent the Jayhawks have taken on in the last eight days since losing to Syracuse in the CBE Classic Championship Game. Kansas beat the first three mid-major schools — Coppin State, Kent State and New Mexico State — by an average of 26.6 points. The Tigers are likely headed to a similar fate in Allen Fieldhouse, if not worse.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Sophomore guard Conner Teahan

Teahan played a season-high 11 minutes in the game against New Mexcio State because Self opted to go with a small lineup after Aldrich and the Morris twins got into foul trouble. Although Teahan scored only two points, Self praised Teahan’s effort after the game. Jackson State is another undersized foe, which means Teahan could check in as the de facto power forward again. Teahan has played only 36 minutes this season and has shot 2 for 11 from the field.

QUESTION MARK

Will the Jayhawks play more effective defense?

Self certainly hopes so. He said he couldn’t leave Allen Fieldhouse completely satisfied after the New Mexico State game because Kansas allowed 79 points. It was the fourth-most points scored on a Self-led Jayhawk team in Allen Fieldhouse. Although the Jayhawks ranked sixth in the nation in field goal percentage defense at the beginning of the week, Self isn’t satisfied. He always believes the Jayhawks’ defense can be improved.

HEAR YE, HEAR YE

“Their scores have been very respectable. I know Illinois beat them by 14 and a couple of other good teams kept it pretty close. We need to come out and we need to guard somebody. I feel pretty confident in that. We’ve shown we can, we’re just not very consistent with our effort.”

— Kansas coach Bill Self on Jackson State

ALLEN FIELDHOUSE WILL ROCK IF…

Kansas scores 100 points again. The 100-79 victory against New Mexico State was the 100th 100-point performance in Kansas history. But the Jayhawks have never scored 100 points in back-to-back games during the Bill Self era. Saturday sounds like the perfect opportunity. The last time Kansas reached the century mark in consecutive games was 2003, Roy Williams’ final season, when it beat North Carolina-Asheville 102-50 and UMKC 100-46 on Jan. 2 and Jan. 4.

PHOG ALLEN WILL ROLL OVER IN HIS GRAVE IF…

Markieff Morris completes the trifecta and gets called for a technical foul. Against Kent State, the officials ejected Markieff after a flagrant foul. He nearly tackled a New Mexico State player on a fast break two days later and received an intentional foul. All he needs against Jackson State is a technical to be called for each of the three most serious types of fouls in three games. That’s nothing to celebrate.

STARTERS

Tyshawn Taylor, 6-foot-2 freshman guard

Self wasn’t as pleased with Taylor’s 23-point game against New Mexico State as fans and teammates. Self said that although Taylor played well, he must record more than three assists if he’s going to be a true point guard.

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Sherron Collins, 5-foot-11 junior guard

Because of the emergence of Taylor, some of the attention has been off Collins temporarily. That won’t last long. Not this season. This season is still “Sherron’s Show.”

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Brady Morningstar, 6-foot-3 sophomore guard

Morningstar’s game against New Mexico State wasn’t pretty. He wasn’t as effective defensively and committed four fouls and two turnovers. The Jayhawks need him to play like he did in the two games before that where he averaged 15 points.

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Marcus Morris, 6-foot-8 freshman forward

Marcus played only nine minutes in the New Mexico State game because he kept fouling and missing close-range shots. His inconsistency can be maddening. Remember, he’s only a freshman.

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Cole Aldrich, 6-foot-11 sophomore center

Aldrich has recorded four straight double-doubles in points and rebounds. He should have no trouble getting to five Saturday.

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Sixth Man

Markieff Morris, 6-foot-9 freshman forward

Markieff looks to eager to show off his shooting ability. He missed two long jump shots that he didn’t need to take against New Mexico State.

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JACKSON STATE GAMEDAY (1-6)

AT A GLANCE

It’s been a frustrating season thus far for the 1-7 Jackson State Tigers. After winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament in 2007, the Tigers made it back to the finals of their conference tournament in 2008. But a rigorous early season schedule — including seven straight games on the road — has left Jackson State stumbling and looking for victories. The Tigers lone victory was a 69-49 blowout of North Carolina Central. Coach Tevester Anderson’s Tigers have the talent to compete in the SWAC, but the stumbles could continue as Jackson State faces an improving Kansas team in Allen Fieldhouse.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Grant Maxey, 6-foot-6 junior forward

Look out for junior forward Grant Maxey. Nicknamed “The General,” Maxey is a 6-foot-6 forward who was averaging 16.0 points per game — as of Thursday — after averaging 14.8 points per game last season.

“Grant has improved in his leadership tremendously,” Anderson said. “He has improved virtually every aspect of his game from his freshman year and he keeps getting better and better.”

But how will Maxey and his slight 195-pound frame hold up against Kansas’ athletic, albeit unrefined, freshman trio of Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris and Quintrell Thomas? If they contain Maxey, Jackson State’s offense will slow down and stagnate.

QUESTION MARK

When will Jackson State get to play a home game?

The Tigers have been running up hotel bills during the first month of the season. So far the Tigers have been all over the map. They’ve spent time in Baton Rouge, La., South Padre Island, Texas, and Champaign, Ill. And now, after losing to Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., on Thursday, Jackson State heads to Lawrence to play in arguably the toughest road environment in the country. It gets worse. The road-weary Tigers won’t play a nonconference home game this season and won’t play a game in Jackson until Jan. 10.

HEAR YE, HEAR YE

“We have a difficult schedule, but I think it will get us ready for our conference tournament as well as the NCAA tournament.”

— Jackson State coach Tevester Anderson

“Grant is one the best players in the SWAC. He was a first-team all-conference member. Over the summer he really refined his game and should shoulder a larger share of the leadership role.”

— Anderson on junior forward Grant Maxey

STARTERS

Darrion Griffin, 6-foot-4 senior guard

After starting 22 games as a junior, Griffin is playing 27.9 minutes per game and pouring in 13.7 points per game. A natural leader, Griffin was a member of the conflict mediation club while in high school in Toledo, Ohio.

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Rod Melvin, 6-foot-1 freshman guard

Sherron Collins and Tyshawn Taylor will give Melvin the toughest test of his young career. A native of Brandon, Miss., Melvin is averaging 7.0 points per game.

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Grant Maxey, 6-foot-6 junior forward

They don’t call him “The General” for nothing. A force on defense, Maxey is playing more than 30 minutes per game and shooting an impressive 95.7 percent from the free-throw line.

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Garrison Johnson, 6-foot-4 junior forward

Johnson started 22 games as a sophomore and is back in the starting lineup as a junior. A native of Smyrna, Ala., Johnson is a role player averaging just 4.6 points per game.

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Jeremy Caldwell, 6-foot-8 senior center

Jackson State’s veteran center is playing 23.3 minutes per game and averaging 10.4 points per game. But at 6-foot-8, Caldwell may have a tough time matching up with Cole Aldrich.

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Sixth Man

Cason Burk, 6-foot-4 junior guard

Burk, one of the Tigers’ key reserves, played 24 minutes and scored seven points during Jackson State’s 73-59 loss to Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday.

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PREDICTION:

KANSAS 97, JACKSON STATE 66