Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks are back in the NCAA Tournament for a record 35th straight year. The Jayhawks hold the longest active streak for tournament appearances and are ready to win their first National Championship since 2022.
Even with so much experience in the Big Dance, the Jayhawks are in for one of their toughest tasks yet, trying to make it to the Final Four and National Championship in a region that is full of heavy hitters. Kansas is surrounded by top talent from around college basketball and will need to work very hard in order to get to the big game.
With the tournament beginning Thursday, here is everything you need to know about Kansas and the East Region and who Self's team will take on next.
Kansas' 2026 NCAA Tournament Hub
- Seed: 4
- Region: East
- Next opponent: 13-seed Cal Baptist on Friday, March 20 9:45 p.m. ET
The Kansas Jayhawks will take on the Cal Baptist Lancers, a team making its NCAA Tournament debut this season. The Jayhawks will have the late tipoff in the East Region as a 14.5-point favorite over the Lancers.
East Region bracket:
1. Duke
16. Sienna
8. Ohio State
9. TCU
5. St. John's
12. Northern Iowa
4. Kansas
13. Cal Baptist
6. Louisville
11. USF
7. UCLA
10. UCF
2. UConn
15. Furman
If Kansas wins its battle against newcomers Cal Baptist, there is the potential for a huge matchup against St. John's, something everyone will want to see. March was made for two powerhouses going head-to-head, and it is exactly what fans are hoping for between Kansas and St. John's.
If Kansas wins that matchup, they could have a date with the Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet Sixteen, and fans can finally see the matchup between Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer that was missed back in November. The Blue Devils are the top team in the country right now, and it would be a tough game for the Jayhawks.
If Kansas manages to get through Duke, UConn could be the only team standing in the way of a Final Four appearance for the Jayhawks. The Huskies are another team that beat Kansas earlier in the season, but it is never easy to take down a team twice. With Kansas fully healthy, they could certainly make a huge run to the National Championship.