Tyran Stokes scored 14 points in 17 minutes as Kansas beat Division II Pittsburg State 80-62 in a Friday exhibition. SportsCenter NEXT highlighted his first Kansas appearance. The official box score gives a fuller answer to the early question around him: how much of the Jayhawks' offense must their freshman supply?
Stokes made four of nine shots and six of nine free throws. Christian Reeves matched his 14 points and collected 10 rebounds in only 11 minutes. Tre White led Kansas with 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench. The scoring came from different places, even though Stokes drew the attention before tipoff.
More chances than clean shooting
Kansas shot 30 of 77 from the field and seven of 30 from three. It gathered 21 offensive rebounds and won the overall rebounding count 58-40. Those extra chances helped the Jayhawks reach 80 despite missing most of their first shots. Reeves grabbed four offensive rebounds in his short stint. White added four three-pointers, which kept the perimeter from going entirely quiet.
The ball-handling numbers deserve the same attention. Stokes had two assists and four turnovers. Kansas committed 16 turnovers as a team. CBR's earlier look at the Kansas guard rotation raised a question about how Melvin Council Jr. would fit after returning to practice. He played 22 minutes on Friday, scored four points and had three turnovers. Those totals establish participation and a first result. They do not identify which player will initiate the offense when games count.
Pittsburg State is a Division II opponent and this was an exhibition, so the rebounding margin and scoring distribution have limits as forecasts. Kansas has a stronger test scheduled against Louisville on October 21. Stokes can score without being the only answer. The next question is whether the Jayhawks create those chances with fewer giveaways against Division I competition.
