Kohl Rosario leads strong bench output against Davidson
Kansas ranked 350th in the country in bench points per game leading up to its game against Davidson, averaging 14.17 points from non-starters. Kohl Rosario powered a stronger bench effort, accounting for 13 of the Jayhawks’ 23 bench points on Monday.
The 23 bench points were the most Kansas had scored since tallying 24 against Tennessee in Las Vegas. The production took a dip after that. In its next four games, Kansas averaged less than 10 bench points per game.
After scoring nine points against Towson, Bill Self said he thought the bench really struggled. Self highlighted Rosario and Jayden Dawson after beating Davidson on Monday. While Dawson only scored two points, he was impactful on the defensive end with a block and two steals.
“I actually thought [Kohl] was great. He needs to see the ball go in the basket,” Self said. “I also thought Jayden Dawson played well. That was good to see.”
Rosario had struggled from outside throughout non-conference play, shooting 25% from three. He made three of seven on Monday. Two of Rosario’s threes came on consecutive possessions, capping a 13-3 run that helped Kansas extend its lead in the second half.
“It felt good to see a couple go in,” Rosario said. “Everytime I shoot it I feel like it’s going in. So it actually happened this time, so I’m very grateful for that.”
Rosario is often seen in Allen Fieldhouse getting extra shots up either before or after games. Self said not everybody works like Rosario, to the point where Self said Rosario “needs to go be a kid.”
“He’s in the gym all the time, to the point where it’s, you know, probably too much,” Self said. “That’s what he loves to do, and you can’t keep him out of here. But he works hard. He’s got the best attitude, as everybody can see.”
Rosario’s bench production helped in broader strong offensive effort
Kansas’ bench contributions were part of what Self called the best the Jayhawks have looked offensively this year. He said the team shared the ball well, finishing with 27 assists and 37 baskets. The Jayhawks scored their most points since their season opener against Green Bay.
After Kansas’ win at NC State, Self said he wanted to see the offense play with better pace. The Jayhawks played their next two games against teams that play at slower tempos, Towson and Davidson. However, the offense was able to play with pace and execute in Kansas’ last two nonconference games.
“I would say a couple of our games, if you watch them, you can tell that we were a little misconstrued on offense,” Jamari McDowell said. “We played defense, but we still got to score the basketball, so it’s execution that’s been a big target for us in practice.”
Kansas has 12 days until its conference opener at UCF on January 3rd. Rosario hopes the team’s performance can help it build momentum with conference play around the corner.
“Obviously it’s good momentum for me, but I think it’s better for the team too, “ Rosario said. “I think it’s good momentum. We can all actually enjoy Christmas right now since we all played good and ended up with a win, so we’re excited to come back soon.”
