Throughout his playing days with the Missouri Tigers, Kim English gained extensive experience facing Kansas. Now, he leads the George Mason Patriots back to Lawrence as head coach, aiming for a stunning victory on New Year’s Day.
The Patriots display exceptional defensive prowess, securing offensive rebounds on a mere 19% of opponents’ missed shots—a statistic placing them ninth nationally. In contrast, Kansas’s rebounding defense ranks 85th, surrendering 23.8% of missed shots for second chances.
Kansas additionally struggles to induce contested shots, occupying the 183rd national position in opponent field goal percentage (43.2%) and 191st in opponent two-point percentage (50.0%).
A significant factor in George Mason’s achievements is their proficiency from beyond the arc. Their reliance on three-pointers, contributing 40.2% of their total points, ranks them 29th nationally.
Given Kansas’s 116th-ranked three-point defense, allowing 31.6% from long range, the Patriots pose a formidable challenge for the Jayhawks in Saturday’s contest.
The matchup: George Mason, +21.
