Freshman Flory Bidunga shines as Kansas rallies from 14 down to defeat TCU, 74-61

Gary Bedore, The Kansas City Star on Jan 22, 2025

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FORT WORTH, Texas — So far, the loss of senior forward KJ Adams hasn’t adversely affected the Kansas basketball team where it counts the most ... the win-loss column.

Freshman Flory Bidunga — the injury replacement for Adams in the starting lineup the past two games — scored 10 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots as the No. 12-ranked Jayhawks battled back from an early 14-point deficit to defeat TCU, 74-61, on Wednesday at Schollmaier Arena.

That upped KU’s record to 2-0 in games played without Adams, a 6-7 Austin, Texas, native who suffered a dislocated shoulder in KU’s 17-point road loss to Iowa State on Jan. 15. KU (14-4, 5-2) defeated Kansas State, 84-74, on Saturday.

Without Adams, Bidunga has stepped into a starting role and didn’t disappoint on Wednesday.

Fellow big man and starter Hunter Dickinson contributed 16 points and nine rebounds for the Jayhawks, who also received a big effort from AJ Storr (12 points, five rebounds, three steals) and Shakeel Moore (three 3s, 11 points).

Storr, a transfer from Wisconsin, was sensational in hitting 6 of 10 shots in 22 minutes. Moore was 3 of 4 from 3 in 24 minutes.

KU coach Bill Self recently said Adams is “week-to-week” and would miss Saturday’s home game against Houston.

Here are some takeaways from Wednesday’s game. ...

Ernest Udeh a force ... against Kansas

Former KU big man Ernest Udeh, now a junior center at TCU, followed his 16-point, 15-rebound effort against Baylor on Sunday with seven points and eight boards against KU.

Udeh, 6-11, 260 pounds from Orlando, who entered the portal his freshman year after KU landed Dickinson, entered the game averaging 7.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.

His blocked shot on Baylor’s final possession preserved victory Sunday in Waco, Texas.

Udeh started strong, scoring five points (including an alley-oop dunk) that helped TCU to an early 18-6 lead. He also closely guarded Storr and Dajuan Harris on a pair of contested inside shots that KU missed. Udeh’s basket and free throw following a foul by Dickinson gave TCU an early 10-4 lead.

Jayhawks trailed by 14 points early

It was a crazy first half for the Jayhawks, who, down 18-6 and 26-12, looked as if they were going to get run out of the gym early, yet trailed by just two (35-33) at halftime.

Bidunga had 10 points and seven rebounds the first half, while Dickinson had nine points and two rebounds after a slow start. A problem was 3-point shooting. KU was 1 of 7 the first half to TCU’s 3 of 12. TCU had 11 points off turnovers the first half to KU’s two.

Extra effort results in double technical

Dickinson and TCU’s Trazarien White went for a rebound off a Rylan Griffen 3-point miss with KU up 47-46 in the second half. Both players refused to release the ball in an epic battle for possession, the players stumbling toward the TCU student section. A technical foul was called on both Dickinson and White.

Malick Diallo of TCU also got involved, grabbing the ball after White did so.

Dickinson finished with four fouls, including the technical.

Game dedicated to Jonathan Bemberger

The Kansas Jayhawks had heavy hearts on Wednesday night, a day after honorary team member Jonathan “JP” Bemberger died following a long bout with cancer at the age of 20.

The Jayhawks added Bemberger to their roster in the fall of 2020 as part of a partnership with Team IMPACT, a Massachusetts-based organization that matches individuals experiencing illness or disability with college sports programs, including seven of KU’s teams.

KU play-by-play announcer Brian Hanni dedicated the broadcast to “one of the most courageous cancer fighters we’ve ever known.”

Christian Braun of the Denver Nuggets for the last five games has had Bemberger’s name written on his shoes.

“The toughest friend I will ever have… No way we get it done without you. Rest Easy Champ,” Braun wrote Wednesday on Twitter.

Bemberger was with the team during the postseason of 2022 when KU won six games and stormed to the NCAA title. He rode in the victory parade in Lawrence in a convertible with his mom and KU staff member Fred Quartlebaum.

Marcus Morris in attendance

Former KU forward Marcus Morris shadowed ESPN color announcer Fran Fraschilla during Wednesday’s telecast. The 35-year-old Morris, who was not picked up by an NBA team this season, had a 13-year career with eight teams.

Former KU guard Mario Little also attended the game.

Up next

Kansas faces Houston at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.