Kansas Jayhawks basketball's five most likely first-round foes for March Madness
By Tyler Key
Team breakdowns of the most likely KU opponents in the round of 64
Oakland (Horizon Conference)
The Oakland Golden Grizzlies looked poised to make their first March Madness appearance since 2011. Do-it-all forward Trey Townsend will be the top option for them if they go dancing as he currently leads their team in PPG (16.5), RPG (7.1), APG (3.0), and SPG (1.3). He would likely get a big dose of KJ Adams and Kevin McCullar Jr. if KU ends up matching up with them. Oakland has been in a great rhythm lately as well, winning seven of their last eight games. They carry a 19-10 overall record and a 14-4 conference record, edging out Green Bay for the current lead in the Horizon Conference.
Colgate (Patriot League Conference)
The Colgate Raiders are currently dismantling a weak Patriot League as they sit at an overall record of 20-8 and a conference record of 14-1. They have made March Madness four seasons in a row and have been a No. 14 seed or 15 seed all four years. They play an incredibly deep 10-man rotation with only three players (Braeden Smith, Ryan Moffatt, and Keegan Records) averaging more than 23 minutes per game. The “strength in numbers” approach would definitely be interesting against Kansas, who definitely lacks consistent bench production.
Eastern Washington (Big Sky Conference)
The Eastern Washington Eagles matching up with the Jayhawks this year would definitely bring back some unhappy memories for KU fans. While Kansas did end up victorious over the No. 14-seeded Eagles back in 2021 by a score of 93-84, The Grove Brothers, Tanner and Jacob, definitely gave them a scare. This year, the Eagles boast a 17-10 record led by forward Cedric Coward who averages 14.1 PPG and 7.0 RPG. Eastern Washington will have to compete with Northern Colorado and Weber State down the stretch of the season for the automatic bid in the Big Sky Conference. Luckily for them, they currently hold the top seed in the conference with an 11-3 record.
Charleston (Colonial Athletic Conference)
The Colonial Athletic Conference is currently one of the most interesting and competitive conferences, with five teams within two games of the conference lead. With that being said, the current conference leaders are the Charleston Cougars. While they aren’t the same buzzsaw that they were last season when they went 31-4 and were awarded a No. 12 seed on Selection Sunday, they still have one of the better lesser-known coaches in the country in Pat Kelsey. Unfortunately for Charleston, if they are forced to see the Jayhawks in the first round, they’ll still be at a coaching disadvantage thanks to Bill Self.
High Point (Big South Conference)
The High Point Panthers have never made the NCAA Tournament, but are certainly on pace to get their first taste of it this season. They currently have an impressive 22-6 overall record and are truly only competing with UNC Asheville for the automatic bid in the Big South. Their play-style is extremely fast-paced and they average a healthy 82.7 PPG as a team (19th most in the country). Duke Miles is having himself a year for the Panthers, averaging 17.8 PPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.5 SPG, all of which lead his team. In the Big South he has been dominant, but who knows how he would handle an elite Big 12 defense like the Jayhawks.
With Selection Sunday just weeks away, it will be interesting to see who ends up being the first-round foes of Kansas. Regardless, in an ideal world, KU should be dismantling any team that they face in the round of 64.
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