3 reasons Kansas basketball will still win the Big 12 Conference in 2023-24
By Joel Wagler
In the 27-year history of the Big 12 conference, the Kansas basketball squad has won at least a share of the regular season championship an amazing 21 times. It probably shouldn't be said that the Jayhawks own the Big 12, but the Jayhawks own the Big 12.
The conference is as good and competitive from top to bottom as ever this year, and just about every game is a dogfight. Only one school this season (Texas) has more than one road victory so far. Ten teams are still within a game and a half of first place, though it is still early.
The Kansas basketball team is one of two teams tied for third, sitting at 4-2, already with two road losses. As the season plays out and teams have to go into various arenas around the conference, road losses will mount. It seems likely the eventual champion will have five or six losses.
WHY THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS WILL WIN THE BIG 12
REASON #1: NOT ONE, BUT TWO, PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
The Jayhawks miraculously featured the top two scorers in the conference. Kevin McCullar Jr. tops the league with 20 points a game, and Hunter Dickinson averages 18.8 points per outing. This duo forms a mighty one-two punch that can be hard to defend.
Dickinson also leads the conference in rebounding, averaging 11.1 boards per contest. McCullar Jr. is 11th with 6.3 per game. McCullar, Jr. is also one of the top free throw shooters in the conference, hitting on 82.5% of his attempts. He has shot 126 free throws this season and no one else in the conference is over 100, so that high percentage is a huge reason he leads the league in scoring.
Throw in the fact that complimentary players are helping in key areas, and it only bolsters this point. K.J. Adams Jr. leads the conference in field goal percentage at 62.3%, and DIckinson is close behind, shooting 60%. Dajuan Harris is at the top in assists, with 6.8 a game.