How Wisconsin transfer A.J. Storr performed in Kansas' 2OT loss to Houston

USA Today

26-01-2025

Wisconsin transfer guard A.J. Storr was a big story from No. 12 Kansas' double-overtime loss to No. 7 Houston on Saturday, and not in a good way.
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Storr was scoreless during 18 minutes of action, going 0-of-six from the field, 0-of-three from three-point range and 0-of-four from the free-throw line. His only additions to the stat sheet were a rebound and an assist.
Related: Updated game-by-game predictions for Wisconsin basketball after UCLA loss
The performance halted Storr's recent stretch of strong play dating back to a Jan. 18 win over Kansas State. It also played an integral role in the outcome of the tightly-contested game.
The Wisconsin transfer was on the court during the closing moments of double overtime. He went to the free-throw line with Kansas trailing 88-84 with 45 seconds remaining. Two makes were critical to the Jayhawks' chance at a signature victory.
Storr, a career 77% free-throw shooter, missed both. Houston then added several makes at the line to ice the game.
Kansas as a team went just 17-of-30 from the free-throw line on the evening, including Storr's four misses. That mark is accentuated by a six-of-14 conversion rate during the two overtime periods. Jayhawks head coach Bill Self was asked postgame whether fatigue played a role in the team's heightened late-game struggles in the area.
'I don't know, I don't know,' Self said. 'But certainly, you have go to the line and make two, or at least make one. We were six-of-14 in overtime from the line. So that obviously played a role. We still had our chances to put it away if we just executed better, if I had done a better job.'
As indicated, Storr wasn't alone in his struggles in that area. Forward Flory Bidunga missed a pair of key free throws early in the first overtime period, while guard Dajuan Harris Jr.'s two late misses led to a game-deciding sequence: Kansas led 79-73 with 18 seconds remaining in the first overtime. Harris Jr. missed two free throws, Houston hit a three-pointer with eight seconds left (79-76), Kansas turned the ball over on the inbounds pass, and Houston made another late three to tie the game at 79.
I haven't seen anyone clip the entire sequence, from missed FTs all the way to 79-79. Maybe the most unexpected 14 seconds of the season. https://t.co/NCC1NFYq6B pic.twitter.com/L58dIFO3sz
— Will Warren (@statsbywill) January 26, 2025
According to KenPom, Houston had just a 0.4% win probability when Kansas had the ball, a six-point lead and free throw attempts with 18 seconds remaining in the first overtime. It turned that circumstance into one of the most improbable wins of recent memory.
The result dropped Kansas to 15-4 on the season and 5-3 in Big 12 play. Houston, on the other hand, is now 16-3 overall and 8-0 in-conference.
The AJ Storr addition hasn't exactly been what anyone in Lawrence had hoped for.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 26, 2025
Storr's scoreless performance dropped his per-game averages to 17.9 minutes, 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and one assist on 40% shooting and 26.7% from three. Those totals are all far below what was expected when the former Badger made his high-profile transfer move to the Jayhawks.
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