Despite lackluster performance, Kansas should obtain No. 1 seed

The Kansas Jayhawks looked like a team without a direction in their loss to Texas. But with their numerous achievements in the regular season, they should remain a No. 1 seed.

KU was unable to capture the Big 12 championship this season. Texas pummeled the Jayhawks 76-56 in Kansas City to win the season series 2-1. Even if they seemed vulnerable yesterday, this should not change the Selection Sunday committee’s decision on their seeding in the tournament.

As many people know, Kansas leads college hoops in Quadrant 1 wins. They have 17 wins and 7 losses in these games, whereas Texas ranks second in the nation with 13. They are 10-0 in Quadrant 2, 3, and 4 contests.

Although Kansas has had some letdowns this season, they also have picked up countless impressive wins. The same can be said for teams such as Purdue and Alabama, schools that have the potential to be chosen as No. 1 seeds tonight.

Purdue has the future Wooden Award winner and was the best team in a very strong Big Ten conference. This does not mean that they did not have their struggles. They’ve fallen to Rutgers on their home court and other teams like Maryland and Northwestern. The Boilermakers have a flawless team but are nowhere near invincible.

Alabama would strengthen its case as a one-seed if it could take down Texas A&M in the SEC Championship. Still, they have multiple blemishes on their resume — they lost by 24 points to the bottom-ranked team in the Big 12.

They have been performing better lately despite all the controversy around the program, so they make a strong case to be a top seed. The question is if they have done enough to withstand the advantage that KU has in the strength of schedule and quality of wins.

UCLA just lost a heartbreaker to Arizona last night. It might not take them out of the No. 1 seed conversation, but by no means will they be prioritized over Kansas.

Kansas’ prime concern is to play in the Midwest more than to be atop the bracket. A No. 2 seed in Des Moines is more convenient for the Jayhawks than a top seed elsewhere.

As the final pre-tournament games come to a finish this afternoon, the committee will be able to make easier decisions. Joe Lunardi recently said a few days ago that no matter what occurred in the Big 12 Tournament, KU has secured its spot as a No. 1 seed in the tourney. Hopefully, his words are taken into consideration.

Fans recently received the great news that Bill Self would be returning from his health issue for the NCAA Tournament. We are delighted to see coach back on the sidelines.

Waiting on the 5:00 PM start of Selection Sunday will be nerve-wracking for many. If the committee knows what is right, they should give a No. 1 seed in the Midwest region to the best team in the best conference in the country.