DES MOINES
Even 26-point wins can be scrutinized, and Kansas’ first look at its 105-79 victory over Austin Peay on Thursday revealed one glaring weakness – defense.
It could partly be an eye-of-the-beholder examination, since the Jayhawks had nine blocks, eight steals and held Austin Peay to 28 points in the first half on the way to an easy NCAA Tournament first-round victory.
But there is evidence to support KU’s criticism. Austin Peay scored 51 points in the second half, had four double-figure scorers and often found open shots. The Governors scored 33 points in the final 12 minutes, mostly against KU reserves.