For so much of this season, there were doubts about Kansas. Sure, there was a personnel question mark with Billy Preston, but that was only part of it. It got to where one had to wonder if they would continue their run of Big 12 regular season titles, and it looked in danger. They certainly didn’t look like a national title contender to many.
Now, here in March, the Jayhawks have another Big 12 title and are off to the Final Four. If this is what being vulnerable looks like, a couple hundred Division I programs would love to be vulnerable.
Losing at home three times by the second day of 2018 – the Jayhawks under Bill Self almost never lose at home – was one reason there were questions about this team. Sure, they out-slugged Kentucky and carved up Syracuse, but losing at home – albeit to two teams better than expected in Washington and Arizona State – still left questions. Losing at home to Texas Tech early on added to it. And as February rolled around, the Jayhawks were not on top in the conference.
Something seemed to kick in after Baylor beat them convincingly in Waco in February. The Jayhawks won their next five games, including an all-important game at Texas Tech that clinched at least a share of their 14th straight Big 12 regular season title, breaking a record. They have lost only once since the loss at Baylor.
It hasn’t been an easy season at all – the Jayhawks have at times been too dependent on the three-pointer, they have been thin up front (especially when Udoka Azubuike has had foul trouble or had to miss games due to injury) and have not had the margin for error that many Kansas teams have. Actually, they have been trending in this direction for a while – it feels like every year or two, they have less margin than ever.
Sunday’s 85-81 win over Duke in overtime in many respects typified this. The Jayhawks aren’t as talented as the Blue Devils, and this was a back-and-forth game that you would expect from these storied programs. The game was played within an 11-point window. You knew it would come down to the end, at least in regulation, and Duke almost won at the buzzer as Grayson Allen put up a shot that teased everyone before it rimmed out.
Kansas had another life. And as they did in Big 12 play this season, they took full advantage.
This Kansas team was driven mainly by Devonte’ Graham, the heart and soul of the team, as well as Azubuike and Svi Mykhailiuk, the latter of who had ten rebounds that went a long way towards out-rebounding Duke by an incredible 47-32 margin. But when it mattered most, they got a big game from Malik Newman (32 points, 26 coming after intermission), a forgotten man though he was once regarded as a big-time prospect and a great pickup for Mississippi State, and a nice lift off the bench from Silvio De Sousa, the freshman who joined them at midseason and has given them a nice presence in a limited role.
So now the team that had doubts and questions all season is one of the last four teams standing. They are one of two No. 1 seeds that ultimately made it to the Final Four. And in a wild year in college basketball, this end result is perhaps all the more noteworthy – or perhaps not as surprising as you might think. Because after all, surprises have been the order of the day, and this is not a Kansas team many would have picked to make a Final Four run.
Side Dishes
The Jayhawks will take on Villanova, who emerged from the East region after a 71-59 win over No. 3 Texas Tech. The Wildcats make the Final Four for the second time in three years, and it was a game where neither team put on an offensive clinic. Villanova won it on the backboards with a 51-33 rebounding edge.
An interesting story in the coaching world emerged, which is that Tubby Smith may be on the verge of coaching his alma mater. ESPN reported that Smith is on the verge of being hired at High Point, with the possibility of a deal being finalized soon. You can follow all of the coaching changes right here on Hoopville.
Tonight’s Menu
There is one game on tap tonight, and it’s the CBI championship getting underway with Game 1 of the best-of-three as North Texas travels to San Francisco (10 p.m., ESPNU)
