It's time to take the Josh Selby show on the road. That might be unfair to label the Kansas basketball team as such after just one showing, but the first takes of Selby's collegiate career were that impressive, and given the overwhelming media and fan attention to his arrival, the label isn't that far off. And now, Jayhawks fans will get to see what Selby & Co. are made of in their first road game of the season.
Tonight's opponent is the California Golden Bears and the early lines have KU as the heavily-favored contender -- by as much as 12 points. That's for good reason, considering the way the Golden Bears match up with Kansas. The Jayhawks rank 6th in the NCAA in points per game and with the addition of Selby, they only become more explosive and athletic. California's offensive struggles have plagued them all season, as they rank 260th overall in point scored at 65/game, a full 20 points behind KU's 85.6 average, and if the Jayhawks move quickly, Cal simply won't be able to keep up.
One plus for the Golden Bears is that PG Jorge Gutierrez is a good to great defender depending on the night, and his assignment on Selby will be key for the pace of the game. The Golden Bears are also solid at home, including 35-5 under Head Coach Mike Montgomery. Still, Kansas' depth around the perimeter will likely keep the game at a high octane and the development of Marcus Morris down low combined with a range of perimeter scorers during Selby's absence means even if the high-octane freshman is off, Kansas should still be just fine.
Montgomery is a fine college coach and Cal will present a fairly difficult place to play. It's a good place for Selby to settle in a bit more and deal with some manageable challenges, and in the end, KU should come away 11-0.
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