Kansas basketball has played well when it matters most, leading to three wins over ranked teams for the Jayhawks.
Some of Kansas basketball’s wins this season have been ugly, to say the least. Last night’s 58-57 victory over Texas Tech to open Big 12 play is just one example. There have been three games already this season where the Jayhawks have won by three points have less, and Kansas has yet to lose this season to anyone other than Gonzaga in a 102-90 contest.
Kansas beat No. 20 Kentucky 65-62 in a game where the Jayhawks struggled to make anything. The Jayhawks shot less than 30 percent from the floor, but still found a way to win the game. Sure, the Wildcats have not been great this season, but it’s still a ranked win over a hall of fame coach and blueblood program.
The Jayhawks also picked up a 73-72 win over the No. 8 Creighton Bluejays, once again securing the win in the final moments. This was a huge resume boost for Kansas, considering the fact that Creighton might go on to win the Big East. Jalen Wilson proved that he was elite in this game, and it’ll be exciting to watch him continue to lead the Jayhawks to wins.
Last night, Kansas won a hard-fought game on the road against No. 14 Texas Tech. Ochai Agbaji had a big-time game, including the game winner with only 13 seconds on the clock. Things won’t get easier for the Jayhawks though, as they’ll take on No. 8 West Virginia on December 22.
Kansas seems to have a knack for winning these close and ugly games. The Jayhawks are ranked No. 6 and No. 24 in defensive and offensive efficiency respectively according to KenPom, so expect Kansas to continue having games that are low-scoring slugfests.