Due to injury issues, the No. 10-ranked Texas Tech team had to rely on just six players during their 69-61 defeat to No. 4 Houston on Monday night in Lubbock, Texas. The Red Raiders (21-7, 12-5) are hoping that two key players—the team’s second and third-leading scorers—will be ready for Saturday’s 1 p.m. matchup against unranked Kansas (19-9, 10-7).
The game will take place at Allen Fieldhouse and be broadcast live on ESPN. “It’s really day-to-day to see if we can get them feeling confident and healthy enough to play fully and be competitive,” said Tech head coach Grant McCasland on Thursday, referring to Chance McMillian and Darrion Williams. “I think they’re both intent on playing Saturday.
From what I’ve gathered, they’re ready to stop watching.” McMillian, a 6-foot-3 senior guard from Vallejo, California, who averages 15.1 points per game (shooting 45.4% from three), has missed the last two games due to a lower body injury.
Williams, a 6-6 junior forward from Sacramento who averages 14.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, was also sidelined against Houston because of a similar injury. Additionally, reserve forward Eemeli Yalaho missed the Houston game due to an upper body injury. Tech played seven players in their 73-51 win over West Virginia on Saturday in Lubbock.
Kansas head coach Bill Self is uncertain about the injury status of the Red Raiders’ players. “We’re expecting everyone to play, but I have no idea about their injury report, and I don’t expect to know before Saturday,” Self said. The Jayhawks are familiar with Williams, who scored 30 points on a perfect 12-of-12 shooting (including 4-of-4 from three) in last season’s 79-50 loss to Tech in Lubbock. Williams played 38 minutes in that game.
McMillian, who came off the bench, scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting (1-of-6 from three) in 22 minutes. Yalaho played only one minute in the blowout. “They really dominated us last year,” Self recalled. “That was when Kevin (McCullar) first got hurt and couldn’t play. They made us look terrible. The coach of that game actually left early, around seven minutes left,” Self added with a smile, referencing his ejection after receiving two technical fouls.
As for KU, Self is focused on ensuring his players perform better this time. “I’m looking forward to coaching a full 40 minutes on Saturday against a very good team,” Self said. KU will rely on the three returning scholarship players from last year’s game—Hunter Dickinson, Dajuan Harris, and KJ Adams.
Dickinson had five points on 2-of-12 shooting with seven rebounds, Harris scored seven points on 2-of-8 shooting, and Adams contributed five points on 1-of-10 shooting. When asked if these three players would talk to their teammates about last year’s loss, Self replied, “They could. If not, it’ll definitely be brought up. We got whipped from start to finish. It’ll be a motivator, but it’s a different team now with a different roster.”
Meanwhile, KU has been operating with an eight-man rotation during their current two-game winning streak. Senior guard Shakeel Moore is still recovering from a foot injury, and his status for Saturday is uncertain. “I’d love for Shak to be healthy,” Self said.
“Right now, Rakease (Passmore) is the odd man out, but I’m fine with eight players as long as they’re all contributing and healthy.” Moore’s return, though not certain for Saturday, would be a boost for KU as they look ahead to the final stretch of the regular season and postseason.
KU aims to extend their success against Texas Tech, a team that is 6-2 on the road this season. KU has a 22-1 record against Tech in Allen Fieldhouse, with five straight wins over the Red Raiders there. McCasland acknowledged KU’s dominance at home but said, “We know how hard it is to win there. We need to be ready from the start. I don’t care about any records, I’m focused on preparing our team to be at their best.”
Regarding KU’s recent play, McCasland said, “They’ve been playing great basketball. February is always a tough month for teams due to injuries and fatigue. But the way they beat Oklahoma State (96-64) recently really shows their potential.”
