Kansas Jayhawks basketball couldn’t be in a worse spot right now. They’re unranked for the first time since 2021. Yeah like they went over four years straight of being ranked in the AP top 25 poll and that streak ended.
Of all years for that to happen, this is probably the most ironic year for it to occur. The Big 12 isn’t really strong enough to knock the Jayhawks off the top of the totem pole. While the likes of Iowa State, Houston and Texas Tech have been the strongest team, outside of the top of the conference, the Jayhawks shouldn’t struggle.
When you look at some of their losses, you can see why the voters had no choice but to bump the undeserving Jayhawks out of the poll. So where do they go from here? They probably have done enough to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament, but how they perform in their final week will go a long way to determining that.
Right now, they’re still predicted to have a favorable seed according to Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology. That could also change if they can’t string together some wins to end the regular season.
Kansas Bracketology: The Jayhawks have their work cut out to avoid further skid in predicted NCAA Tournament seeding
The Jayhawks are predicted to be a No. 6 seed as of now, which would land them a game against Ohio State, which is slated as one of the last four in. That’s as big a trap game for the Jayhawks as they could ask for.
This is the perfect example of a game they should win, yet the way this season is going for them, this is a game they’d lose. That said, they still have time to jump up the rankings. Along with the Big 12 tournament, they also have three games against ranked opponents.
With an away game against No. 4 Houston, sandwiched by home games against No. 10 Texas Tech and No. 22 Arizona, the Jayhawks have the potential to turn their season around within days, ahead of the conference tournament.
If they get even two wins, they can go into the Big 12 tournament with momentum. Being the hottest team this time of the year is always dangerous. Going into the tournament with two and possibly three ranked wins after the season they had could boost them from a No. 6 seed to possibly moving up to a No. 4 seed.
It could also give them a more favorable region. Right now, they’re in a region with Auburn, the consensus No. 1 team; Creighton, a team they lost to early in the year; Kentucky; Michigan State and Gonzaga, who always puts teams on upset alert.
Closing the season strong should be a no-brainer for a team that would benefit from a conference tournament run. This isn’t the vintage Kansas season we’ve gotten accustomed to. That said, not all is lost with their final week being the most important of their season.