MORGANTOWN — As if Kansas’ homecourt advantage and 7-foot-2 center Hunter Dickinson weren’t sizable enough, the 7th-ranked Jayhawks have developed one more obstacle.
It comes in the form of senior guard Zeke Mayo, who spent the days leading into the Christmas break coming into his own.
“I’ll be honest with you guys, I think Zeke Mayo is playing really well,” said Kansas coach Bill Self following the Jayhawks win against Brown on Dec. 22. “He’s so confident. Those shots that he takes are so deep, but it doesn’t matter to him if it’s from 18 feet or 24. It doesn’t matter, it’s the same percentage-type shot.”
Enter WVU (9-2), with first-year head coach Darian DeVries, who will be making his first trip to Allen Fieldhouse at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Nothing like coaching your first-ever Big 12 game against the league’s marquee team in an arena the Mountaineers have never experienced success.
Kansas (9-2) is 11-0 against WVU inside Allen Fieldhouse.
“It will be a great test,” DeVries said.
No kidding.
Mayo, a transfer from South Dakota State who grew up right in Lawrence, Kan., has made the most of his return home.
He’s the Jayhawks’ top 3-point shooter (24 of 62) and he’s averaging 13.5 points and 3.3 assists per game so far.
His scoring touch had wavered after a quick start to the season, but that changed on Dec. 14, when Mayo poured in 26 points against North Carolina State. Just eight days later, he added 25 points in 26 minutes against Brown.
“I’m really happy with him,” Self said. “He’s showing people who can do just more than shoot the ball, too.”
In those two games before the break, Mayo combined to go 10 of 17 from behind the arc.
On the inside, Dickinson — the Big 12’s preseason player of the year — combined for 36 points and 27 rebounds.
Mayo was a mid-major star at South Dakota State, leading the Jackrabbits to the NCAA tournament last season. He averaged 2.6 made threes per game as a sophomore and junior before entering the transfer portal.
His shooting seems to have translated to power-conference hoops.
“It’s something I’ve always worked on, but I try my best to play within our offense,” Mayo said. “I’m capable of making those plays and I’m going to continue to do so.”
The Mountaineers will likely be without their top shooter in Tucker DeVries, who has missed the last three games due to injury.
As if the odds couldn’t go more against WVU.
“With the start of conference play, we are not a finished product by any means,” DeVries said. “Hopefully we’re not a finished product until that last buzzer sounds and we continue to grow and get better.
“This team has grown in confidence. They believe in one another. They believe in what we’re trying to do and they’re playing — especially defensively — to an identity we want to have.”
