What we learned about Kansas following their Round of 64 victory

Kansas put on a terrific offensive display in their 96-68 win over Howard.

Even if it was one of its weaker opponents, the Kansas basketball team got the job done in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Their offense looked as good as ever as they dominated in transition, threw down alley-oops, and scored second-chance points.

Not having Bill Self at the helm did not affect the Jayhawks’ cohesion. They played their game and did not become overzealous.

Following the win, we learned that Kansas is capable as any other school of winning a national championship. The squad looked as poised as ever, especially Gradey Dick, who was playing in his first-ever March Madness game. Their players might not possess the same natural gifts that others do, but they are a well-oiled machine that plays with a togetherness that most schools do not have.

Kansas ran a high-octane offense against Howard, something we could see more often. They moved the ball down the court swiftly in transition, losing trailing defenders to get into two-on-one situations. There were countless times that Dajuan Harris found the cutter for an open lob.

Ernest Udeh Jr. has found his niche in the Kansas offense in catching lobs from Harris. While he continues to expand his post-game, his most immense quality for Kansas is how he pushes the floor. He will provide the spark of energy that the team needs against a lively Arkansas group.

We also learned that the Jayhawks play just as united with Norm Roberts as Bill Self. Whether this compliments the team’s ability or Roberts’ coaching is a mystery, but Kansas basketball still looks like themselves regardless of who is on their sideline.

The NCAA Tournament brings out the true identity of teams. Some schools have already been unveiled to unexpected losses and having their season end prematurely. With this Kansas team, though, nothing signals they can not repeat as back-to-back champions.