Kansas Basketball: Knee-Jerk Reaction to Start of Big 12 Play

While the Big 12 season is just a week old, Kansas has already shown a lot about what to expect going forward.

The Jayhawks began conference play with a one-point win on the road against Baylor. Things were much easier in the second game against Texas Tech, as they secured a 32-point victory at home.

These two wins are enough to make Kansas one of just two undefeated teams remaining in Big 12 play along with Iowa State. However, with so much parity in the deepest conference in America, it's clear that every game will be a battle.

It wouldn't be surprising to see as many as seven teams from this league make the NCAA tournament, and many of them could be considered legitimate contenders for a conference title. If Kansas wants to once again finish on top of the standings, it will have to come through with some great play.

Has this team shown enough to believe it can win another championship? Here is a look at what we know from the early part of conference play.

Devonte Graham is a Difference-Maker

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After missing six games with a toe injury, Devonte Graham returned to action against Texas Tech and didn't take long to make his presence felt. The freshman point guard finished with just two points in the win but added six rebounds, six assists and zero turnovers.

Head coach Bill Self explained the player's impact after the game, via Rustin Dodd of The Kansas City Star:

Graham was big offensively, as he helped create a lot of opportunities for his teammates throughout the game. His penetration and passing led to open shots, and it led to a much more efficient half-court offense.

Putting him on the floor either instead of or with Frank Mason makes the entire team better on the offensive end.

Meanwhile, Graham's defensive efforts were also on display against Texas Tech, as opposing guards were generally kept out of the lane. This had been a major problem for the Jayhawks lately, most recently with Baylor's Kenny Chery scoring 25 points last game.

If he can stay healthy, the freshman is likely to have a major role off the bench for the remainder of the year and give the squad an extra edge needed in close games.

Bill Self Needs to Trust His Bench

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Until the recent game against Texas Tech, Kansas' rotation had gotten extremely light. The UNLV win saw only six different players on the court for at least 10 minutes, while the Baylor matchup featured just seven.

Cliff Alexander was the only person getting consistent playing time off the bench, and even he showed plenty of signs of youth, as ESPN's Jeff Goodman noted:

However, Self emptied his bench against Texas Tech in the latest home game. Obviously, a lot of this includes walk-ons seeing the floor in a blowout, but there were 10 players who totaled double-digit minutes against the Red Raiders.

Not only did Graham provide a big impact off the bench, but Alexander also had his best game in over a month, Brannen Greene helped spread the floor, and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk showed plenty of poise on the floor.

It's obviously easier to rest your starters in a blowout, but over the course of the season these players will be vital to the Jayhawks' success. The coaching staff has to find a way to get this group onto the floor more often in each game.

Otherwise, the starters will be overused and worn down by the end of the year.

Nonconference Schedule Will Be a Blessing

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When the 2014-15 schedule was first released, you can be certain the players had some initial hesitation. While most major-conference teams load up on cupcakes throughout November and December, the Jayhawks created what is currently the No. 1 strength of schedule in the nation, according to ESPN.

Instead of circling the difficult games on the schedule, this team might've been better off just marking the few easy wins.

Although these tough matchups led to some losses, the wins helped build up the confidence and toughness necessary to compete in the loaded Big 12.The Jayhawks had to come from behind to beat Florida and had to hold on in close battles against Georgetown, Utah, Michigan State and others.

Fast forward to conference season and Kansas was able to make the plays necessary to pull out a close road win against a very good Baylor team. Sophomores Wayne Selden, Frank Mason and Greene played like seniors while combining to score the last 18 points for the Jayhawks in the win.

This team likely would have beaten Texas Tech regardless of what happened earlier in the season, but the tough games are going to come down to one or two plays each time. As these players gain more confidence, those will turn into more wins.

With an upcoming run of Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas, the experience from earlier in the season will be invaluable.

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