PREVIEW CAPSULES

No. 7 Kansas (4-1) vs. Pepperdine (5-1)

2 p.m., Channel 9, KLTX (1390)

* Kansas: That No. 7 ranking looks high in light of the Jayhawks’ 63-45 loss to No. 8 Kentucky on Tuesday, and Kansas will be falling in the next poll. The Jayhawks shot only 29% against Kentucky and were outrebounded by 11. “Ryan Robertson said it, it was embarrassing to us,” Kansas Coach Roy Williams said. “We did not play with the enthusiasm and intensity we normally do.” It will be quite an upset if the Jayhawks don’t bounce back; Kansas hasn’t lost two games in a row since 1994. Center Eric Chenowith from Villa Park High is the hometown attraction.

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Pepperdine: The Waves could have been the only unbeaten team in the Wooden field but slipped up against Cal State Fullerton, 78-68, in their last game. Defense was the problem against the Titans. Pepperdine gave up the most points it has this season, and Fullerton shot 52% from the field. The Waves’ Jelani Gardner averages 12 points and almost seven assists, and Coach Lorenzo Romar has been pleased with his progress running the team instead of freelancing. “The problem with Kansas is there’s no margin for error,” Romar said. “You can’t do anything wrong. You’ve got to sleep right the night before, eat right, get on the bus right.”

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Keys to the game: The matchups actually aren’t all that bad for Pepperdine. Kansas has a 7-foot center in Chenowith; Pepperdine has 6-11 Nick Sheppard. Kansas plays with undersized 6-6 and 6-5 forwards; Pepperdine is right there at 6-6 and 6-7. At guard, with 6-5 Tommie Prince and 6-6 Gardner at the point, the Waves might even have an advantage over 6-5 shooter Ryan Robertson and 6-1 freshman point guard Jeff Boschee. The real key is which team will refuse to lose after the Jayhawks’ poor outing against Kentucky and the Waves’ slip-up against Fullerton.