The Sunflower Showdown is arguably one of the biggest rivalries in the country, and for the past two decades, Kansas has defined a number of its historic moments.
Since the turn of the century, head coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks have made rivalry games look more like statements.
Feb. 9, 2005: Keith Langford, Kansas defeat the Wildcats on the road 74-65
From 2001–2005, Keith Langford and Kansas were a force to be reckoned with, and this game was no exception.
Langford entered the game fresh off of a 27-point performance against Nebraska, going on to lead all scorers with 24 points, helping Kansas turn an early 16–5 run into a comfortable 17-point lead in the second half.
Kansas legend Wayne Simien Jr. chipped in 23 points of his own, shooting 50% from the floor, giving the Jayhawks a comfortable lead down the stretch. As a team, Kansas knocked down 62% of its three-point attempts, one of its best shooting percentages from distance in recent memory.
On the other side, Kansas State’s Jeremian Massey and Fred Peete each scored over 20 points, leading scoring runs that brought the Wildcats back within seven halfway through the second half. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, it wasn’t enough to slow down the Jayhawks as they collected their 29th straight victory
Mar. 1, 2008: Brandon Rush’s 21 points avenge road loss in 88-74 victory
Kansas entered the front end of the 2008 Sunflower Showdown riding a 20-game win streak, and many fans were confident the streak would continue. Instead, the Wildcats ran the tables in Manhattan, taking the opening matchup on the road 84–75 and snapping Kansas’ run.
Fortunately for Kansas, they got the last word that season before the NCAA tournament kicked off in March.
Then-senior guard Brandon Rush posted 21 points, leading an 11-0 second-half run that quickly put the game out of reach, bolstered by Sherron Collins, who scored 18 off the bench, giving Kansas its 23rd straight home victory over the Wildcats.
Michael Beasley fell just a point shy of his fourth 40-point game for the Wildcats, scoring 39 in his third straight game scoring 30 or more.
Needless to say the Jayhawks won the national Championship over Memphis a month later.
Jan. 17, 2023: Jalen Wilson scores 38, Kansas falls in OT
Kansas entered the first matchup of the 2022–23 Sunflower Showdown ranked No. 2 in the nation, riding a seven-game winning streak against Kansas State. That streak came to an end, however, as the No. 13 Wildcats outlasted a Kansas team that had captured the national title just a year earlier.
Jalen Wilson turned in a career performance, scoring 38 points, shooting 12 of 25 from the floor, and grabbing nine rebounds. Despite his efforts, Kansas fell short 83-82 in overtime.
The win marked the first career victory over the Jayhawks for Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang, who had taken over the program a season prior following Bruce Weber’s dismissal.
Keyontae Johnson went on to score 24 points for the Wildcats, including a poster-dunk over Wilson in the second half. Johnson led three scorers in double figures, including Desi Sills, who scored 24 off the bench.
The matchup still stands as one of the highest-ranked between the two programs in the last two decades.
Up Next
Kansas heads to Manhattan on Jan. 24 for the first of two matchups against Kansas State. The No. 19 Jayhawks come into the game riding a three-game winning streak, including back-to-back statement victories at home over Iowa State and Baylor.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m CT with streaming available on FOX
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