By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
Just when it appeared Andrew Wiggins was beginning to justify the hype that made him one of the most sought-after high school recruits in recent memory, he had one of his worst games of the season on Saturday afternoon at Texas.
The 6-foot-8 Canadian-born small forward began 0-for-7 from field as part of a 2-for-12, 7-point, 5-rebound showing in No. 6 Kansas’ 81-69 loss at No. 25 Texas on Saturday afternoon.
Wiggins had averaged 24.3 points per game over his last three, while showing a great willingness and ability to be aggressive and get to the rim. In those three games, Wiggins went 24-for-28 from the free throw line.
“I think that he settled a lot today,” Kansas head coach Bill Self told reporters on Saturday afternoon. “And I think that they played him smart and kept him out of the paint.”
With the Jayhawks having split a pair of games last week against ranked foes Iowa St. and the Longhorns, the schedule gets no easier with a trip to Waco, TX to take on Baylor. Self expects Wiggins to recover from the rough outing and there is prior evidence that he may do just that.
After six points points on 2-for-9 shooting against UTEP on Nov. 30, Wiggins followed it with 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting at Colorado on Dec. 7. A 9-point outing on 2-for-9 shooting at Oklahoma on Jan. 8, Wiggins came back three days later to drop 22 points on 7-for-13 shooting in an 86-60 drubbing of then-No. 25 Kansas St.
“He usually does (recover from poor games)” Self said. “He’s had other rough games.”
**JOEL EMBIID 7-0 C, Kansas
Stats: 11.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.7 blocks, 63.6 FG%
Next 3 games: Tuesday at Baylor, Saturday vs. West Virginia, Feb. 10 vs. Kansas St.
Mock Drafts: Draft Express No. 1
What to read: Joel Embiid now firmly entrenched at No. 1
**ANDREW WIGGINS, 6-8 SF, Kansas
Stats: 16.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.0 apg
Next 3 games: Tuesday at Baylor, Saturday vs. West Virginia, Feb. 10 vs. Kansas St.
Mock Drafts: Draft Express No. 2
What to read: NBA still high on Wiggins despite lackluster play.
A tale of two Canadians: Ennis succeeding at Syracuse, Wiggins adjusting at Kansas
**JULIUS RANDLE, 6-9 PF, Kentucky
Stats: 16.1 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.8 apg
Next 3 games: Tuesday at Ole Miss, Saturday at Miss. St., Feb. 12 at Auburn
Mock Drafts: Draft Express No. 4
What to read: Magic, Jalen Say Randle Should be No. 1 Pick.
**JABARI PARKER, 6-8 SF, Duke
Stats: 18.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.3 apg
Next 3 games: Tuesday at Wake Forest, Saturday at Boston College, Feb. 12 at North Carolina
Mock Drafts: Draft Express No. 3
What to read: NBA Assistant: Jabari Parker Would Help Multiple Playoff Teams This Year.
Duke’s Parker Can Envision Playing with Okafor Next Year
**AARON GORDON, 6-9 PF, Arizona
Stats: 11.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.7 apg
Next 3 games: Thursday vs. Oregon, Sunday vs. Oregon St., Feb. 14 at Arizona St.
Mock Drafts: Draft Express No. 8
What to read: Guard Play has Arizona Poised for Big March.
Coach K: ESPN is Overhyping the Diaper Dandies
**TYLER ENNIS, 6-2 PG, Syracuse
Stats: 12.4 ppg, 5.6 apg, 3.3 rpg
Next 3 games: Tonight vs. Notre Dame, Sunday vs. Clemson, Feb. 12 at Pittsburgh
Mock Drafts: Draft Express No. 9
What to read: Melo Wants Tyler Ennis to Stay at Syracuse
**For more stories on Andrew Wiggins, click here.
