Three Keys: Jayhawks must outmuscle the Cougars

What does Kansas need to do against the Cougars to avoid their first home loss of the season?

The Kansas Jayhawks are looking to build on a huge victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Tuesday, but this weekend provides another big test on the season, perhaps the biggest one yet.

The Houston Cougars are by far the best team in the country according to multiple advanced analytics websites, but they have multiple losses on the road to teams that are at best equal to the Jayhawks. Can Kansas overcome their recent struggles and show again why they have been considered a national title contender? Or will Houston be able to get yet another big victory to bolster their resume? 

Here are three keys to that will go a long way to ensuring that  Kansas is victorious today.

Physicality

Houston struggles to defend without being physical, which leads to a lot of fouls on their end. Hunter Dickinson needs to make sure that he isn't being too aggressive that he draws fouls himself, but he should be able to use his length to his advantage. But it isn't just in the post that they can be physical and draw fouls. Houston fouls a bunch off of ball screens and defensive switches on the perimeter, so cuts to the basket can be just as effective at forcing tough decisions.

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Hit the Boards

Rebounding is one of the few "weaknesses" on defense, but Kansas has struggled this season to take advantage of offensive boards. It's been better recently, especially with the emergence of Johnny Furphy, but there is still a long way to go. And every extra opportunity in the game will be crucial.

On the other end, Houston is the best in the conference at getting their own rebounds, and they give themselves plenty of opportunities with all the missed shots in the interior. Kansas will likely be able to make them miss a few more than usual, but they will need to limit the extra chances if they hope to stop Houston. The Cougars won't be phased by a few misses like most teams, but if they can limit the second chances, that could change the whole tone of the game.

Bench Production

I expect Kevin McCullar to be back. But if the Oklahoma State game showed us anything, it's how important it is for multiple bench players to score and provide other production as well. Elmarko Jackson seems poised to build on his performance against the Cowboys, but Parker Braun, Jamari McDowell and Parker Braun all have important roles to play as well.