How will KU Jayhawks handle Longhorns’ 3-point shooting? Prediction & betting odds

The No. 9 Kansas men’s basketball team will face off against Texas on Saturday at 5 p.m.

KU is a 7.5-point favorite, but don’t expect the Longhorns to be pushovers. Texas is ranked No. 33 in KenPom, and what makes the Longhorns most dangerous is their potent offense.

Texas ranks No. 27 in adjusted offensive efficiency (117.1), which refers to points scored per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponent.

Much of Texas’ success on offense stems from its 3-point shooting. The Longhorns are No. 30 in the nation in 3-point percentage, 36.9%.

One of the Longhorns’ biggest advantages? A 5-man in Dylan Disu, who cans 3-pointers at a 55% clip on 3.5 attempts a game. That percentage leads the nation, and it has certainly caught the eye of Kansas coach Bill Self.

“Well, they have one guy that shoots quite a few, and he makes a lot of the ones he shoots,” Self said. “We’ve got to come up with some way to stay connected and still yet do a good job of ball-screen defense. It’s not the first time we’ve had to do that, but Disu shoots it probably this year … as well as any big that I can remember shooting over the course of a season, so you know he’s a handful.”

Kansas hasn’t been the best at defending 3-pointers this season, nor does it take a lot of 3-pointers. The Jayhawks have only made more 3-pointers than their opponent in a Big 12 game once — KU’s 74-69 win over Cincinnati on Jan. 22.

Let’s take a look at what makes Disu so difficult to guard.

Even as he tries to regain control of a loose ball, Disu is dangerous. After getting the ball, he immediately went up for the 3-pointer and canned it with a hand in his face.

Kansas will have to work to run Disu off the 3-point line, and the Jayhawks also may want to keep Hunter Dickinson off Disu — allowing him to remain an anchor in the paint. KJ Adams may end up drawing the defensive assignment on Disu.

Texas also has a trio of players who are offensive threats.

“I’m a big fan of Tyrese (Hunter); we tried hard to get him here when he left Ames,” Self said. “Max Abmas, to me, is one of the best scoring points or best scoring guards that we’ll face all year long.

“So they’re good, but the one guy I think that makes their team (go) as much as anybody is (Chendall Weaver). He is a high-energy dude that can make a lot of plays in a lot of different ways and impact games.”

Kansas vs. Texas game prediction

After a week off between games, Kansas should return rejuvenated.

The key for Kansas will be to limit the Longhorns from deep and manage their turnovers on the other end.

KU will also need to win the rebounding battle, as that will allow the Jayhawks to mitigate the likely 3-point disparity.

If KU does those things, the Jayhawks should win even if Kevin McCullar misses the game.

Kansas 72, Texas 65

Shreyas’ pick to cover the spread: Texas (+7.5)

Shreyas’ season record: 18-6

Shreyas’ record against the spread: 13-11