Notes & Numbers: KU-Syracuse

Notes and numbers from Tuesday's 71-60 Kansas win over Syracuse at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The win moved Kansas to 5-2 on the season and gave the Jayhawks their second consecutive win over a power-conference program, putting them in position to play in either the title game or for third place at the event that is decided in part by overall record and in part by point differential.

The Jayhawks' Wednesday opponent, along with which game they're playing in, will be determined at the completion of Tuesday's games.

Kansas Starters (at Kansas/career): 3-Tre White (7/93) 11- Jamari McDowell (1/1) 14-Melvin Council Jr. (7/68) 15-Bryson Tiller (4/4) 40-Flory Bidunga (13/13)

Series Info: Kansas leads 4-3

THE WIN...

• Makes Kansas 5-2 or better for the 20th consecutive season and the 22nd time in Bill Self’s 23 seasons at KU.

• Makes the Kansas-Syracuse 4-3 in favor of KU.

• Makes Kansas 2-1 in neutral site games this season.

• Makes Bill Self 614-158 while at Kansas, 821-263 all-time and 2-1 versus Syracuse, all while at Kansas.

• Makes Kansas 2,419-911 all time.

TEAM NOTES

• Kansas posted double-digit offensive rebounds in back-to-back games for the first time this season, and recorded a season high 49 rebounds.

• Kansas shot a season-high 90.0 percent (18-of-20) from the free throw line. The last time Kansas shot 90.0 percent from the free throw line with a minimum of 20 attempts was Nov. 8, 2024 vs. North Carolina when Kansas shot 90.3 percent (28-of-31).

• Kansas has won back-to-back games scoring 71 points. The last time Kansas won consecutive games scoring 71 points or less in each game was when they won three straight from Nov. 22-Dec. 1, 2023 (vs. #7 Tennessee, vs. Eastern Illinois, vs. #4 UConn).

• Kansas had two players record a double-double with Bidunga (13 points and 14 rebounds) and White (15 points and 10 rebounds) for the first time since 1-13-24 against Oklahoma, with Hunter Dickinson (24 points and 14 rebounds) and KJ Adams (15 points and 10 rebounds).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Sophomore Flory Bidunga scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting in Tuesday’s contest, giving him his fifth straight game scoring in double figures. Bidunga grabbed a season high 14 rebounds and recorded his second double-double of the season, and fourth of his career. Bidunga has now grabbed 10 or more rebounds twice this season, and six times in his career. Bidunga recorded two blocks for the fifth time this season and 18th time in his career.

• Senior Tre White finished with 15 points on 4-9 shooting, and eclipsed 10 or more points in his fifth consecutive game, and 54th time in his career. White grabbed a season high 10 rebounds against Syracuse, and notched his first double-double of the season, and seventh of his career. White recorded three assists for the fourth time this season, and the 17th time in his career.

• Senior Melvin Council Jr. scored 14 points for his third consecutive game with 10 or more points. Council’s five assists marks the fifth time this season he has recorded five or more assists in a game. Council recorded a season high seven rebounds, and has now grabbed five or more rebounds for the third time this season, and 46th time in his career.

• Freshman Bryson Tiller finished with 11 points on 5-9 shooting, and marked the second consecutive game scoring in double figures. Tiller grabbed eight rebounds marking his fifth consecutive game with five or more rebounds, and sixth time this season.

• Redshirt Sophomore Jamari McDowell made his first career start against Syracuse and scored a career high nine points on 3-of-7 shooting. McDowell grabbed a season high four rebounds and tied a season high with two assists. McDowell tied a career high in three pointers made with two, a mark he has only hit one other time in his career against Tennessee on 11-22-23. His 34 minutes also marked a career high, surpassing his previous total of 27.

• Freshman Kohl Rosario scored seven points on 3-4 shooting from the field, and 1-2 shooting from behind the arc, and recorded one steal in his first game off the bench.