Nebraska Omaha @ Kansas preview

No. 12 Kansas recovered from two disappointing performances with an inspiring victory last time out and hopes to continue moving forward when it hosts road-weary Omaha on Monday night. The Jayhawks lost to Washington and Arizona State by a combined 19 points before coming off a six-day break to earn a 73-72 triumph at Nebraska with some late-game heroics.

Senior shooting guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, who had missed five of his previous six tries from behind the arc and was 5-for-15 overall from the field, drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with 21 seconds left as Kansas avoided its first three-game losing streak since 2013. “We always say, ‘Shooters shoot,’” Jayhawks senior guard Devonte’ Graham told reporters. “I’ve been around (Mykhailiuk) a long time. I’ve seen him hit a lot of shots. I could see that one going in.” Kansas, which is averaging 86.6 points and shooting 51.2 percent from the field overall in the first 10 games of the season, also got a big block from 7-foot sophomore center Udoka Azubuike in the final seconds that capped a career-high 26-point night. The Jayhawks should be able to take care of the Mavericks, who had lost 10 of their first 11 games before knocking off Arkansas State on Wednesday and Division III foe Cornell College 99-58 on Sunday afternoon.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT OMAHA (3-10): The Mavericks have been battle-tested through the first month of the season with losses to Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisville, Washington and TCU while dropping a pair of overtime games to mid-majors. Junior guard Zach Jackson leads the team in scoring (17.5) and backcourt mate JT Gibson posted 21 points in Sunday’s victory to push his average to 10.8. Mitchell Hahn, the team’s leading rebounder (7.3) and second-leading scorer (12.2), has missed the last three games with a shoulder injury and is questionable for Monday.

ABOUT KANSAS (8-2): Jayhawks coach Bill Self pushed Azubuike, who leads the nation in field goal percentage (78.0), to be more assertive and maximize his effort after attempting just 13 shots combined in the two losses. “I don’t think Doke is going to send me a Christmas card or a gift,” Self told the Kansas City Star. “He responded well. He hasn’t played to his size as of late, but he did (Saturday).” Junior guard Lagerald Vick (17.7), Graham (17.0) and Mykhailiuk (15.6) lead the team in scoring and all shoot better than 41 percent from 3-point range.

TIP-INS

1. Kansas G Malik Newman, who is averaging 10.4 points, must rebound from a 0-for-6 shooting effort against Nebraska.

2. Graham boasts 427 career assists, including a team-best 7.7 average this season, and is 10 behind Mark Turgeon for 13th in program history.

3. The Jayhawks meet Omaha for the first time in their second-to-last game before Big 12 play begins at Texas on Dec. 29.

PREDICTION: Kansas 96, Omaha 64