Kansas put together a dominant performance against Middle Tennessee, cruising to an 89-45 victory behind an impressive defensive effort and an efficient night from Trey Kaufman-Renn. The Jayhawks now turn their attention to a massive matchup against No. 23 Kentucky in the Champions Classic.

The Kansas Jayhawks delivered a convincing performance on Friday, defeating Middle Tennessee 89-45 behind a strong defensive showing and an efficient offensive night from Trey Kaufman-Renn.

Kansas entered the matchup looking to build momentum before its upcoming showdown against No. 23 Kentucky, and the Jayhawks did exactly that. From the opening minutes, Kansas established control and never allowed the Blue Raiders to find any offensive rhythm.

The Jayhawks' defense was especially impressive in the first half. Kansas held Middle Tennessee scoreless for a four-minute stretch and limited the Blue Raiders to just four points over the final eight minutes of the half. That defensive effort allowed Kansas to take a commanding 36-14 lead into the locker room.

Kaufman-Renn led all scorers at halftime with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Kansas shot 48% from the field during the opening 20 minutes, although the Jayhawks struggled from beyond the arc, making just 18% of their three-point attempts. Free-throw shooting was another area that needed improvement, as Kansas converted only 46% of its attempts.

Defensively, however, Kansas was outstanding, holding Middle Tennessee to just 18% shooting from the field. The Jayhawks also controlled the rebounding battle, holding a 23-20 advantage at halftime.

The second half was more of the same as Kansas continued to extend its lead and eventually secured an 89-45 victory.

Kaufman-Renn finished as Kansas' leading scorer with 17 points on an incredibly efficient 7-of-8 shooting in just 18 minutes of action. Christian Reeves was the only other Jayhawk to finish in double figures, while Keanu Dawes led the team with eight rebounds.

One of the highlights of the second half came from Luke Barnett, who entered the game and knocked down three consecutive three-pointers. His shooting provided another spark for a Kansas team that finished the afternoon shooting 62% from the field and 36% from three-point range.

Kansas also made its presence felt defensively, holding Middle Tennessee to just 25% shooting for the entire game. The Jayhawks capitalized on the Blue Raiders' mistakes, scoring 28 points off turnovers.

Although Kansas struggled at the free-throw line throughout the afternoon, finishing at 54%, its overall offensive efficiency and defensive dominance made the difference.

The victory gives Kansas some confidence heading into one of its biggest early-season tests. The Jayhawks will now turn their attention to Tuesday's Champions Classic matchup against No. 23 Kentucky.

With Kaufman-Renn continuing to establish himself as an important offensive presence and the defense showing what it can accomplish, Kansas will look to carry Friday's momentum into a much tougher challenge against the Wildcats. JayhawksRoundtable.

Source: Yahoo Sports