The Kansas Jayhawks bounced back from last Saturday’s loss to Iowa State by comfortably defeating Oklahoma State on Wednesday night in Stillwater. With the victory, No. 8 KU improved to 20–6 on the season and 10–3 in Big 12 play.
With the Big 12 race heating up, the conference landscape shifted Wednesday when news broke that Texas Tech forward and reigning Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin suffered a season-ending torn ACL during the Red Raiders’ loss at Arizona State on Tuesday night. Not only did Texas Tech lose its star player, but it now sits alone in fifth place in the conference, effectively ending its bid for a regular-season Big 12 championship.
With four teams remaining in the mix for the conference crown, just one game separates the quartet. Arizona and Houston are currently tied for first place at 11–2 in league play. Kansas and Iowa State aren’t far behind, each sitting at 10–3 with five games remaining.
To make it even more compelling, each of the four teams has a tough schedule remaining. Arizona still has games left against the other three teams vying for the Big 12 title in Houston, Kansas, and Iowa State. Houston still has matchups against Arizona at home and Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. Iowa State’s remaining schedule includes road games at Arizona and BYU, along with a home game against Texas Tech.
That brings us to Kansas, which also has a riveting schedule to close out the regular season. The Jayhawks’ final five games are as follows:
vs Cincinnati (February 21)
In its only matchup with the Bearcats this season, Kansas faces a middle-of-the-pack Big 12 team that likely won’t make the NCAA Tournament, largely due to its poor non-conference showing. Still, Wes Miller (currently on the hot seat) and his team will be hungry to capture the program’s first victory inside Allen Fieldhouse since 1962.
vs Houston (February 23)
The defending Big 12 champions visit the Phog in an attempt to become the first team ever to win back-to-back games inside Allen Fieldhouse. After Houston’s unprecedented comeback victory in Lawrence last season, will the Jayhawks find a way to avenge that loss?
@ Arizona (February 28)
The Jayhawks are 2–0 all-time in Tucson and will be making the trip to the McKale Center for the first time since 2001. After KU knocked off the undefeated Wildcats in the first meeting in Lawrence, Arizona will be looking to win to keep pace not only in the Big 12 title race, but also in the hunt for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
@ Arizona State (March 3)
Kansas travels to Tempe for the first time since 2018, where it will look for its first-ever road win against the Sun Devils (0–4 all-time on the road vs. ASU). Arizona State is not in position to make the Big Dance, and after teetering on the hot seat for the past few seasons, Bobby Hurley could be fighting to save his job in this one.
vs Kansas State (March 7)
Volume two of the Sunflower Showdown takes place on senior night inside Allen Fieldhouse. After firing Jerome Tang in the midst of another disappointing season, the Wildcats can end their regular season on a high note if they’re able to leave the Phog with a victory.
With a difficult three-game stretch against Houston followed by a road trip to face the Arizona schools, the goal over these final two weeks should be to go 4–1. If that happens, the Jayhawks would close out the regular season at 24–7 overall and 14–4 in the Big 12. This would mark the program’s best finish since 2022–23, a season that ended earlier than anticipated after Bill Self was hospitalized the day before the Big 12 Tournament.
After much of the national media was not very high on KU entering the season, finishing with a record like this would be a remarkable accomplishment for Bill Self’s group.
The only way to guarantee at least a share of the Big 12 title is to go 5–0, as the Jayhawks control their own destiny. However, going 4–1 in this final stretch would still give KU a solid chance.
If the Jayhawks take care of business, they will likely finish in the top four and earn a double-bye in the Big 12 Tournament. That would mean they wouldn’t play until the quarterfinals on the third day, giving them additional rest before the Big Dance.
Now in the homestretch of the regular season, can KU find a way to power itself to the top of the Big 12?
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