KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The situation Kansas forward Carlton Bragg recently experienced following his arrest and subsequent suspension for one game was no doubt humiliating and humbling.
The 6-foot-10 sophomore was arrested on one count of misdemeanor battery. He missed the No. 3 Jayhawks' last game, sitting on the bench as they downed Nebraska. Then on Tuesday, Bragg was cleared by authorities of any charges stemming from his Dec. 9 arrest.
He will be available Saturday when Kansas (9-1) carries a nine-game winning streak into a matchup against Davidson (5-3) at Sprint Center.
"The manner in which this particular situation transpired, I think, was educational," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "I also think it was one in which you could look at Carlton and understand he took some hits in order to do the right thing by letting the process play out."
Self took the same approach, waiting on authorities to judge facts and evidence before commenting extensively on the situation. Bragg's role in practice was reduced, but now that he is back, expect him to return to the Kansas rotation.
Although Bragg started the Jayhawks' first five games, the performance of the highly touted Cleveland recruit has been uneven. He ranks sixth among the Kansas scorers with a 7.8-point average and second in rebounds (5.3).
"I think that he'll be much better moving forward," Self said. "He certainly had some (personal issues), and I'm not even talking about recent events. But I think those are things that players go through.
"I think that he'll be much better moving forward. ... A lot of times kids go through them beginning their sophomore year because usually their sophomore year their role is much different. It's easy from the cheap seats to say when I get out there I'll be better, and then you get a chance to play and it hasn't quite played out that way. It's kind of humbling."
Bragg's struggles contributed to the advancement of four-guard lineups Self has used. Especially after 6-5 sophomore wing Lagerald Vick replaced Bragg in the starting lineup.
Two small guards, senior Frank Mason and junior Devonte' Graham, have been instrumental throughout the season alongside freshman wing Josh Jackson. Collectively the trio averages 49 points. Mason, the team's leading scorer (20.5 points per game) and Graham (13.7) are the only Jayhawks averaging 30-plus minutes.
Davidson provides an intriguing matchup.
In 2008, Kansas nipped Davidson and Stephen Curry 59-57 in the finals of the NCAA Midwest Regional before capturing the national title. The only other meeting in the all-time series was in 2011, when Davidson upset Kansas in a regular-season game in Kansas City, but the Jayhawks went on to reach the 2012 national championship game.
The Wildcats feature two 20-point scorers. Senior guard Jack Gibbs leads the Atlantic-10 and also ranks fourth nationally with a 24.3-point average. He also leads Davidson with 29 assists. Junior forward Peyton Aldridge scores 20 per game and grabs a team-high 6.6 rebounds.
Davidson comes off a 10-day break since falling against No. 7 North Carolina 83-74 on Dec. 7.
"I think the fight that our guys had, the attack mode that they play in, the versatility of our players, kept it close," Bob McKillop, the 28th-year Davidson coach, said after the North Carolina defeat. "I thought Jack was particularly an orchestra leader. That was very pleasing to me."
The Kansas matchup will be the seventh Davidson has played away from home in its first nine games. The Wildcats then begin a three-game homestand to close out December.
