A different Kohl Rosario took the floor for Kansas on Tuesday night against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Different in the sense that he shone with 16 points, an array of high-flying dunks, a pair of 3s and a charge drawn after his slow start to the season, but also different physically: He had shaved the mustache he had previously been wearing during his first fall as a Jayhawk.
He got positive reviews from teammate Bryson Tiller for his play: “He’s a big piece of what we do. He brings a lot of energy on and off the court. If he’s playing well, we’re all going to play well.”
And for his shaven face: “I think Kohl is way better without his mustache and I think it was actually weighing him down, so congrats to him on that.” Head coach Bill Self said he agreed, “not that I care one way or another.”
Rosario, for his part, characterized the aesthetic change postgame as a decision “to try something different, turn a new leaf.” Whatever the case, it was just as immediately noticeable as the uptick in his play, as his eminently apparent hustle and athleticism finally translated into tangible results — most notably, three first-half dunks and an agile spin move that led to a layup.
“It’s always good to see the ball go in first before you try those deep shots,” he said.
Self promised from shortly after Rosario’s arrival in Lawrence that he would be hungry to shoot the ball, and it seemed like his early success as a lob threat on Tuesday amplified that hunger further. He attempted four 3s in a span of just over four minutes late in the first half, and although he made just one (and finished 2-for-6 behind the arc), his confidence was clear even after the uneven start to the season.
“I’ve always had the same confidence,” Rosario said. “I’m always going to keep shooting. I put in the work. I just got to trust the numbers. I know I’ve missed a couple shots starting the season, but that just means I’m going to make a whole bunch more, and I’m going to keep letting it fly. My confidence hasn’t wavered. I know that (if) I put the work in, the shot’s going to start falling.”
It wasn’t the case that KU desperately needed Rosario specifically to break out on Tuesday night — the Jayhawks won by 31, and even that margin might have been flattering to the visiting Islanders, who in the first half had more fouls than made field goals and shot 23.3% — but his rise as a viable offensive option was a welcome sight as the Jayhawks again found themselves without Darryn Peterson due to a new hamstring issue.
As Self pointed out postgame, there will undoubtedly be situations throughout the season in which KU needs to grind out a stretch without its best player. Tuesday night’s game gave the Jayhawks a second opportunity to do so for a full 40 minutes, following the preseason exhibition against Fort Hays State (which it also won handily).
For portions of the contest against TAMUCC, especially as Flory Bidunga dealt with foul trouble, Rosario looked like he might be KU’s best player in Peterson’s absence. Self said he placed an emphasis on giving Rosario and Jayden Dawson as many minutes as possible (Rosario finished with a team-high 25 and Dawson played 20 off the bench) because “they need to see the ball go in as much as anybody on our team, probably.”
“I think he was better,” Self said of Rosario. “I think the ball went in the hole. I think he drove pressure a couple times, which was good, and he’s so bouncy, God almighty he’s bouncy, and we were able to get him in a couple situations where we threw it up, so I thought he did well.”
The next chance for Rosario to continue his momentum will be Saturday’s game at Allen Fieldhouse against Princeton. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.
