Points of No Return
After an unreal shooting performance by West Virginia (alongside some poor defense), it's time to look at Kansas historical record under Bill Self by Points Allowed
51 points. Kansas has allowed 51 points or less against opponents 60 times in Bill Self’s time at Kansas. Yet, there it was at halftime against a West Virginia team that doesn’t normally shoot the ball well from 3. The defensive game plan appeared to be centered around that fact, but RaeQuan Battle and the Mountaineers immediately took advantage of that strategy sinking nine 3’s in the first half. Even without adding to that number in the second half, it would have represented their second highest total of the year. Even Akok Akok got in on the action by making his fourth 3 of the season. All-in-all, it was a combination of Kansas playing poor defensively and West Virginia having their best shooting game of the season that led to a 91-85 loss in Morgantown on Saturday. It’s rare enough that Self-led Kansas teams lose, but to give up 91 points in a loss? How often does that happen? Does Kansas win any games when they give up 90 points?
Those questions helped spark this newsletter. In Self’s time at Kansas, they have given up 70 or fewer points in 68.3 percent of the games. They’ve won 92.4 percent of those games. When they allow 80 or few points, they’ve won 85.6 percent of the time. Common sense tells you that when you allow opponents to score more points, you’re more likely to lose. That’s reflected by Kansas only winning 45.9 percent of games when opponents score 81 or more points. However, it’s arguably more impressive that Kansas wins 60 percent of games when opponents score between 86-90 points. Six of those games were overtime games where Kansas went 3-3.
Below you’ll see a breakdown of Kansas’ win-loss record under Self based on points allowed. Additionally, we’ll takes a look at some of the more memorable games in each of the sections. As a warning, there are some mentions of a few of the more painful losses which are hopefully offset by some of the fun wins. I apologize in advance for the bad memories.
Under 50 Points Allowed
Memorable Wins
Kentucky in 2006 (73-46) - The Kentucky game in 2006 was their first game in Allen Fieldhouse since 1989 when Kansas put up 150 points. An unranked Kansas team knocked off #19 Kentucky behind a highly-touted freshman: Brandon Rush. Rush scored 24 points in what was his coming out party. No Kentucky players scored in double-figures.
Miami (FL) in 2022 Elite Eight (76-50) - Looking back, it’s hard to conceive that Kansas was losing this game by six at halftime. An electric second half where they outscored Miami 47-15 put Kansas in the Final Four where they won their first championship since 2008. That is still one of the most fun halves of basketball we’ve seen from a Kansas team in Self’s tenure (in my opinion).
Memorable Losses
None
One Fun Game
West Virginia in 2020 (58-49) - Kansas and West Virginia have played close games in Morgantown (and a few in Lawrence) from the time they joined the Big 12. This was no exception and is probably more fun looking back on since it was one of the last times this Kansas team had the opportunity to play. #3 Kansas knocked of #14 West Virginia by closing the game on a 9-0 run. Those nine points were the only points scored in the last five minutes of the game, showing the defensive proficiency that led this team to be ranked first in the country when it was ended due to COVID-19. In just the final five minutes, Kansas had steals from Isaiah Moss, Ochai Agbaji, Udoka Azubuike, and Marcus Garrett. They had blocks by Devon Dotson and Azubuike. Everyone was bought in and the defense gave them a chance in every game. It was quite possibly Self’s favorite style of basketball, and this game epitomized how this team found success.
Between 51-60 Points Allowed
Memorable Wins
Davidson in 2008 (59-57) - Before everyone knew that Steph Curry was Steph Curry, Kansas was playing 10th seeded Davidson in the Elite Eight for a chance to reach Self’s first Final Four. Curry managed to score 25 points against a Kansas team that had the defenders to match up against him. Granted, he went 9/25 from the field to get that 25 points, but it was still an incredible performance. This Kansas team was balanced with Mario Chalmers scoring 13, Rush scoring 12, and Sasha Kaun scoring 12 off the bench. In what might be the most important non-championship win in Self’s time at Kansas, the defense carried the future champions.
Oklahoma State in 2007 (87-57) - In Self’s fourth year, it felt like the team was ready to turn a corner. #3 Kansas destroyed #9 Oklahoma State in the conference opener, winning by 30 points with Rush scoring 18 points and Sasha Kaun scoring 16 points. They held Oklahoma State’s star JamesOn Curry to just 12 points. This was one of the biggest wins this season, and it showed a glimpse of what this team would turn into for the 2007-08 season.
Memorable Losses
Kansas State in 2006 (59-55) - This was the end of the streak. For the first time in 31 games, Kansas State had finally beaten Kansas. Chalmers led the way with 20 points, but the starting forwards (Christian Moody and C.J. Giles) scored zero points. It was a tough way for the streak to end, especially so early in Self’s time at Kansas.
Stanford in 2014 Round of 32 (60-57) - The loss to Stanford was particularly brutal because this team felt like it could have made a run if Joel Embiid had been able to recover from his injury in time to play the second weekend. Instead, Andrew Wiggins struggled and the team was led by Tarik Black (18 points) and Conner Frankamp (12 points). While you never know what would have happened, the bracket shaped out in a way that would given Kansas a decent chance to reach the Final Four where an eight seed Connecticut team led by Shabazz Napier won the title.
One Fun Game
Baylor in 2022 (83-59) - One week after one of the most demoralizing losses in Self’s tenure (an 80-62 beatdown by Kentucky that somehow didn’t feel as close as the final score), #10 Kansas rebounded with a statement win against #8 Baylor. Agbaji and Christian Braun both had 18 points with Jalen Wilson chipping in 15. Kansas showed that they were still a force to be reckoned with and this laid the foundation for the championship run. It showed their ability to shut down a high-quality opponent, but also exemplified the mental fortitude they would need in their NCAA Tournament run.
Between 61-65 Points Allowed
Memorable Wins
Missouri in 2021 (102-65) - The return of the Border War! It didn’t feel like Braun, Agbaji, or Self was going to allow Kansas to lose this one. Kansas was up by 22 at halftime before coasting to a 37 point win over Missouri. Every win over Missouri feels a little extra special, but restarting the rivalry after a ten year break meant this one meant a little more. It came at a bad time for Missouri, who now looks like they are on the upswing under Dennis Gates, but it was enjoyable for all Kansas fans.
Baylor in 2020 (64-61) - In what has been looked back on at as a de facto championship game for the shortened season, #3 Kansas knocked off #1 Baylor on the road. Azubuike was unstoppable with 23 points and 19 rebounds while Garrett added seven assists. Kansas led by seven points with 30 seconds left before Baylor mounted a furious comeback. Baylor missed a decent look at the end of the game to give Kansas the win. In a program full of historical games, this one stands out among regular season games over the last fifteen years as one of the most important.
Memorable Losses
Bucknell in 2005 (64-63) - This one hurt. When Simien missed the shot at the buzzer, it truly signified the end of the Roy Williams era at Kansas. The 2005 Kansas team battled through injuries to it’s two main scorers and still found a way to be a three seed in the NCAA Tournament. Against Bucknell, they went 1/11 from 3 and everyone outside of Wayne Simien and Michael Lee had off shooting nights. Bucknell slowed the game down and still took 31 3’s, which is one way to knock off an opponent that’s more talented than you. Losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament was something that Kansas didn’t do, and the fact it happened in Self’s second season caused some fans to doubt if he was the right man for the job. Luckily he’s proven them wrong.
Villanova in 2016 Elite Eight (64-59) - Looking back at this game, it’s amazing how talented this Villanova team was. Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart all played big minutes for this team, and Kansas was still in a good position to win this game until there was under a minute left. A few empty possessions turned the game into a free throw exhibition for Villanova, and they pulled away at the end of the game with good free throw shooting and by forcing turnovers. Devonte Graham scored 17 points with Frank Mason and Wayne Selden scoring 16 apiece. While this wasn’t Self’s best team, they were well-balanced and would have had a third game against an Oklahoma team led by Buddy Hield in the Final Four. Villanova won the championship on Kris Jenkins last-second 3.
One Fun Game
Ohio State in 2012 Final Four (64-62) - Thomas Robinson against Jared Sullinger. In the year of the forward, two First Team All-Americans were going to battle it out for a chance to take on Anthony Davis and Kentucky in the national championship game. Robinson won the battle, but he had a lot of help. Robinson had 19 points and eight assists, Elijah Johnson had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Jeff Withey had eight rebounds and seven blocks, Travis Releford had 15 points and six rebounds, and Tyshawn Taylor had 10 points and nine assists. In other words, the entire starting lineup played a vital role in this game. While Sullinger finished the game with 13 points and 11 rebounds, it never felt like he was outplaying Robinson. After being down by four points with five minutes left, Kansas turned up the pressure defensively to close out the game. The fact this led to what is probably the most unexpected championship appearance since the 1988 champions for Kansas helps elevate it’s spot in Kansas history.
Between 66-70 Points Allowed
Memorable Wins
Memphis in 2008 National Championship (75-68) - Chalmers for the tie! The most important shot in Kansas basketball history. A nine point comeback in the final 2:12 of the game. If you asked fans to rank all Kansas games from 1990 until now, this would probably end up as a clear number one. It had been 20 years since the last championship, and this team certainly deserved to add a trophy to the case. Derrick Rose almost demolished those dreams but forgot how to shoot free throws. Every time I watch highlights of the game, the overtime period feels like an extended celebration even though it was a three point game with under a minute left. Self getting his first championship in the way this game ended feels like the most Self and Kansas way to do it. The Final Four game against North Carolina this year also falls in this range. Revenge against Roy, Hansbrough getting outplayed by Cole Aldrich, and the legendary Brandon Rush 12, North Carolina 12 graphic will live forever.
North Carolina in 2022 National Championship (72-69) - Another championship! This one was special because Kansas was coming to the end of a five year battle with the NCAA regarding the FBI investigation. This team was built on the back of lower-rated recruits developing at Kansas including All-American Agbaji, future NBA Champion Braun, future All-American Jalen Wilson, and the oft-maligned David McCormack. Who would have thought that McCormack would be the one to hit two of the biggest shots in the game? You know who else hit two big shots in the game? Remy Martin. The preseason Big 12 Player of the Year struggled to find his footing under Self but was let loose in March. In the end, Kansas was staring at a fifteen point deficit at halftime, and they were still able to come back. McCormack over Manek will be enshrined on the walls of Allen Fieldhouse, and Self will always be able to claim the first championship for the “Kansas City Jayhawks.”
Memorable Losses
Northern Iowa in 2010 Round of 32 (69-67) - Remember, I apologized for the bad memories up above. One of the most shocking tournament losses Kansas has had, even more shocking than Bucknell and Bradley in my opinion, Northern Iowa slowed down Sherron Collins enough to pull off the upset. Kansas guards and wings shot a combined 10/34 while the post players shot 14/20. Northern Iowa slowed the game down, but their biggest bucket happened with under a minute left, up 63-62, and in transition. Ali Farokhmanesh hit one of the gutsiest shots you could imagine, ending a 9-4 Kansas run and cementing himself in NCAA highlight reels for the next 20 years.
Kentucky in 2012 National Championship (67-59) - Another national championship game. This one wasn’t quite as fun, but it also would have felt like a pretty significant upset if Kansas had won. Davis and Kentucky were a monster that season, only having two losses and seemingly taking the souls of everyone they played. Despite that, Kansas actually closed this to a five point game with a minute and half left with two possessions that could have made it a one possession game after that. When Self talks about this game, he says the team “would have come back, they just ran out of time.” While that might be true, the fact remains they were playing one of the best college basketball teams since the turn of the century, and they still had a shot. That’s impressive.
One Fun Game
West Virginia in 2018 (71-66) - Kansas had a two-year stretch where they just made every West Virginia fan’s life miserable. In 2018, #10 Kansas went to play #6 West Virginia in Morgantown. West Virginia blew the game open in the first half, jumping to a 16 point lead that was down to 13 at halftime. Then it began. Kansas slowly chipped away at the deficit in the second half, eventually tying the game with 4:52 left on a Devonte Graham 3 from the corner. Even then, it was a one point game with a minute left. If you have a chance, skip ahead to the 7:20 mark of the video below and watch that possession. It won’t go how you expect it to go, but that was what made this team so much fun. They shot so well from 3 that they were never out of any game. While they remain Self’s worst defensive team by almost every single advanced metric, the way they scored made it an entertaining season.
Between 71-75 Points Allowed
Memorable Wins
Duke in 2016 (77-75) - Frank Mason made a statement at the Champions Classic, hitting the game-winning shot with 1.8 seconds left to cap off a 21 point performance. Josh Jackson fouled out after chipping in 15 points, which helped to offset Luke Kennard’s 22 points for top ranked Duke. This was the spark for Mason’s Naismith Award-winning season and was also a roadmap to where this team found success throughout the season: trusting it’s guard and wing play. Mason and Graham were the catalysts for the offense for most of the year, with Jackson providing an additional scoring punch when the team needed it. Carlton Bragg actually started in this game, which was one of only five he started before being replaced by Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk for the majority of the season. Once Mykhailiuk jumped into the starting rotation, Kansas found it’s best form. In a way, that could be similar to how the current season continues.
Michigan State in 2003 (81-74) - In Self’s second game as Kansas’ coach, #6 Kansas knocked off #3 Michigan State. Kansas was led by 28 points from Wayne Simien, 17 points from Aaron Miles, and 13 from Keith Langford. Michigan State was led by 17 points from Maurice Ager and 16 from Alan Anderson. This game kicked off the Self era by encouraging Kansas fans that they would still see the same success they saw under Roy Williams. While there were some rough times, Kansas fans somehow came out ahead of where they were under Williams.
Memorable Losses
VCU in 2011 Elite Eight (71-61) - Another absolutely brutal loss to a mid-major school in the NCAA Tournament, but this one felt different. Kansas struggled for the majority of the game and needed a 12-0 run in the second half to even stay within striking distance down the stretch. An uncharacteristically bad game from Markieff Morris helped VCU build and maintain their lead. However the bigger issue was Kansas going 2/21 from 3 with Tyrell Reed the main culprit going 1/7. This is a game Kansas fans point at as being frustrated when opponents shoot lights out against them with VCU going 12/25. This (along with Bucknell, Bradley, and Northern Iowa losses) is also what led to the perception that Kansas couldn’t beat a mid-major in March despite being able to a majority of seasons.
Kentucky in 2014 (72-40) - This was Self’s worse loss at Kansas. Their lowest offensive output by nine points, their lowest scoring half since at least 1988-89 with 12 points in the second half. Nothing went well for Kansas that night, and it wasn’t because Kentucky was unstoppable. They were efficient, but Kansas just played poorly. Kansas has lost to worse teams in Self’s era, but they’ve never felt as hopeless as they did on this night.
Oregon in 2017 Elite Eight (74-60) - This game was closer than the final score indicated. Kansas cut the lead to six with just under three minutes left. Oregon missed a 3 on their next possession, only to have the ball bounce off two Jayhawks’ hands and back to Oregon. They hit a 3 off the offensive rebound, and for all intents and purposes ended the comeback from Kansas. Kansas was lead by guards and wings this year, had the Naismith Player of the Year, and were still unable to reach the Final Four. Self has said quite a few times that the Elite Eight is the toughest game to win in the tournament. This is another example that backs up that statement.
One Fun Game
Texas Tech in 2018 (74-72) - In a game that clinched the record 14th straight Big 12 title, #8 Kansas knocked off #6 Texas Tech thanks to Graham scoring eight of his 26 points in the final five minutes. Mykhailiuk added 21 points as Kansas beat the Red Raiders who were led by future first round picks Jarrett Culver and Zhaire Smith. Texas Tech was starting to become a thorn in Kansas’ side in the conference and knocking them off on the road was a significant achievement. The most memorable moment of the game came when Graham finished an acrobatic layup as the shot clock expired to put Kansas up 72-68 with 30 seconds left. It’s one of the highlights of Graham’s career as a Jayhawk and one of my favorite individual games he played (alongside a couple of West Virginia games and the time he went shot-for-shot with Buddy Hield in Norman).
Between 76-80 Points Allowed
Memorable Wins
Florida in 2006 (82-80) - A week after a loss to Oral Roberts, Kansas was rewarded with an early season matchup with the defending champions who had returned all of their key players from the previous season. Led by Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and Taurean Green, Florida would end up repeating as champions. This game showed that Kansas was on its way to the pinnacle of the sport. Julian Wright led the way with 21 points, Darrell Arthur added 19, and Rush and Chalmers each had 13 points in the overtime victory in Las Vegas. Corey Brewer missed a last second 3 as Kansas held on for the win. This was the start to a two season arc for Kansas that culminated in the 2008 national championship.
Oklahoma State in 2005 (81-79) - It can be easy to forget how dominant Simien was at Kansas. In a game between #8 Kansas and #4 Oklahoma State, Simien scored 32 points and 12 rebounds with some help from Aaron Miles, Keith Langford, and Christian Moody. Oklahoma State was led by John Lucas III and Joey Graham who tormented Kansas for a few years. Lucas III had 22 points and Graham had 19 points, but it wasn’t enough. After the game, Self said he had never been a part of a better game and it would go down as one of the best games played in Allen Fieldhouse. While he might not feel as strongly now, it was extremely important to him at the time and a highlight from his first two seasons at Kansas.
Memorable Losses
Wichita State in 2015 Round of 32 (78-65) - After years of Gregg Marshall saying Kansas was afraid to play Wichita State, the selection committee made his dreams come true with a bracket setting up the opportunity for a second round matchup if both teams took care of business. This game was never particularly close after around the 15:00 minute mark of the second half as Tekele Cotton, Fred VanVleet, Ron Baker, and Evan Wessell knocked off a Kansas team that felt a year away. The one moment that stood out in this game was Zach Brown going full speed for a loose ball and beating Kelly Oubre when Oubre had a few steps head start. It showed how badly Wichita State wanted to win this one.
Georgia Tech in 2004 Elite Eight (79-71) - Kansas seemingly caught a break a year after the Syracuse heartbreak in Self’s first season. After getting a break with their Sweet Sixteen matchup when one seed Kentucky losing to nine seed UAB, Kansas was getting three seed Georgia Tech’s whose leading scorer B.J. Elder was slowed by an ankle injury. Could Self lead Kansas to their third consecutive Final Four? The answer was no. Jarrett Jack scored 29 points and Will Bynum hit a big 3 to give Georgia Tech the lead in overtime. Kansas got 15 points from J.R. Giddens and Langford, but Simien went 4/14 from the field. While Kansas didn’t reach a Final Four, the end of the season gave fans a reason to hope that Self was close to having a championship-caliber team.
One Fun Game
West Virginia in 2017 (84-80) - This is personally one of my favorite Kansas games over the last ten years, and it’s one of the West Virginia games mentioned with Graham above. Down by 14 with under three minutes remaining, Kansas used a ferocious press, strung together stops, and got timely 3’s from Mason and Graham to force overtime. Graham hit two 3’s in overtime, Josh Jackson made some big plays, and Kansas used the momentum they carried over from the comeback in regulation to close out a win over #9 West Virginia. The play at the 6:40 mark of the video below has a nasty crossover and step-back from Graham that remains the lasting image from this game.
Between 81-85 Points Allowed
Memorable Wins
Duke in 2018 Elite Eight (85-81) - One of the most satisfying games from the past ten years, Malik Newman went nuclear in the second half and in overtime to lead Kansas to the Final Four. A back-and-forth game almost ended in regulation when Grayson Allen’s shot looked like it was going to fall. Mykhailiuk hit a three to tie the game just before, and Graham and Lagerald Vick provided some additional scoring. The night belonged to Newman, who led the way with 32 points including all 13 Kansas points in overtime. It felt like a big step for Kansas, reaching their first Final Four since 2012, and it was even more rewarding coming against Duke.
Kentucky in 2023 (89-84) - It might seem like this is recency bias, but this was a fun game that announced the arrival of Hunter Dickinson. Dickinson had 27 points and 21 rebounds with Dajuan Harris adding 23 points. It felt like just a fun win at the time, but the win over #17 Kentucky has looked even better as the season has gone along. While Kansas has seemingly been downgraded this season by national analysts (calling this the least-talented Kansas team in ten years during halftime during the Cincinnati game on Monday was a terrible take), Kentucky has been championed as a huge success for John Calipari despite having a porous defense. It’s possible this win means nothing in a few years, but for now it feels like it could play a role when determining seeding in March.
Memorable Losses
Oklahoma State in 2013 (85-80) - Oklahoma State came into Lawrence and knocked off #2 Kansas. To cap it off, Marcus Smart did a flip on the court. There have been a few incidents of disrespect in Allen Fieldhouse (Curtis Stinson doing the Reggie Miller choking sign, the Monmouth player stealing the ball down 55 to dunk with under 15 seconds left, K-State doing the same thing down 22 with under five seconds left), but Smart doing a backflip after the game ranks pretty high on the list. Markel Brown scored 28 points and Smart added 25 points to give Kansas its second loss of the season.
USC in 2021 Round of 32 (85-51) - In handing Kansas its biggest loss since 1974, USC lit a fire that the returning players used as motivation in their championship run last year. The Jayhawks looked unathletic and awful in the loss with only Marcus Garrett reaching double figures. Not only did they not have an answer for the Mobley brothers, but they couldn’t stop anyone on USC, who shot 57.1 percent from the field and 61.1 percent (11/18) from 3. Meanwhile, Kansas shot 29.0 percent (18/62) in one of the worst offensive performances of the Self era. By the end of the game, most fans were just grateful the beatdown was done.
One Fun Game
Dayton in 2019 (90-84) - Dayton is often pointed at as the team that lost the most due to the 2020 NCAA Tournament being cancelled. While they’ve had good teams over the years, the team led by Obi Toppin was in line to receive a one seed. They had even gone toe-to-toe with Kansas at the Maui Invitational at the beginning of the season in what proved to be one of the most fun games in the entire country. Toppin felt unstoppable at times, but somehow ended up with only 18 points due to foul trouble. It eventually went into overtime, and Kansas leaned on Devon Dotson (31 points) and Udoka Azubuike (29 points) to pull away.
Between 86-90 Points Allowed
Memorable Wins
Missouri in 2012 (87-86) - The final Border War with both teams in the Big 12. There honestly isn’t much that can be said about this one that isn’t talked about on a consistent basis. The block by Thomas Robinson was one of the most iconic plays in Kansas history, behind only a few NCAA Tournament moments. For those of us that grew up rooting against Missouri, it was the perfect good-bye. Self even used his rarely seen double fist pump at the end of the game. It meant a lot to the fans, the players, and the coaching staff, and even though the rivalry has restarted, the games won’t mean as much as this one did until one day they meet in the NCAA Tournament.
Texas in 2007 (90-86) - In one of the most impressive performances by an opponent in Allen Fieldhouse in the Self era, Kevin Durant scored 32 points and tried to will #15 Texas to an upset over #3 Kansas. Durant had 17 points in the first 12 minutes of the game before he was slowed down after he suffered a sprained ankle in the second half. Texas led by as many as 16 points before Kansas stormed back to take a 10 point lead with five minutes left. A shaky three minutes in between Kansas buckets let Texas stick around, and they even had a chance to tie the game with under 20 seconds left. Fortunately, as is often the case in Lawrence, Kansas saw an opponent’s star showcase their talents only for their team to come up short.
Memorable Losses
Auburn in 2019 Round of 32 (89-75) - Auburn jumped on Kansas early by making nine 3’s in the first half which was the catalyst behind their 26 point halftime lead. Bryce Brown led the way, going 7/11 from 3 and leading Auburn with 25 points. It was reminiscent of the Villanova game from the previous year. Kansas got 25 points from Dedric Lawson and 15 from Quentin Grimes, but it wasn’t enough to lead Kansas to a win against a more athletic and better shooting Auburn team.
Michigan in 2013 Sweet Sixteen (87-85) - One of the most heart-breaking shots that went against Kansas, Trey Burke’s 3 to tie the game from 30 feet didn’t end the game, but it gave Michigan momentum heading into overtime. Burke was involved in the game’s two biggest plays: the shot and Elijah Johnson inexplicably hitting Burke below the belt early in the game. Burke ended up with 23 points with Mitch McGary leading the way with 25 points. For Kansas, Ben McLemore scored 20 points and Travis Releford added 16 points for a well-built Kansas team. With those two, Elijah Johnson, Jeff Withey, and Kevin Young, it felt like this team was balanced enough to challenge for a championship. Unfortunately they didn’t. On the bright side, according to the NCAA, no one won the championship that year.
One Fun Game
K-State in 2017 (90-88) - One of the funniest endings to a Kansas game because of the outrage from opposing fans, Mykhailiuk ended the game with a last second layup after taking approximately ten steps. The discourse took away from celebrating great games from Josh Jackson and Landen Lucas, but it remains the dominant talking point. After a tough battle where the game was tied 88-88 with only seconds left, losing in that way had to be infuriating for K-State players and fans. “Everyone knows what happened,” was Bruce Weber’s response in his press conference. We do. It’s hilarious.
Between 91-100 Points Allowed
Memorable Wins
Iowa State in 2013 (108-96) - The Elijah Johnson game. Johnson had a career high 39 points, including 12 of #6 Kansas’ 18 in overtime. The Jayhawks somehow won a game where the opposing team made 17 3’s and went 29/34 from the free throw line. Travis Releford added 19 points, but the game belonged to Johnson. He went 13/22 from the field including 6/10 from 3 and absolutely destroyed the hopes and dreams of all Iowa State fans. Hopefully someone on this year’s team can do the same tomorrow.
Texas Tech in 2022 (94-91) - A double overtime game! Bryson Williams was unstoppable for #13 Texas Tech, scoring 33 points while going 14/19 from the field, but #5 Kansas had it’s own response: Ochai Agbaji. Agbaji scored 37 points and hit an almost impossible 3 from the wing to send the game to double overtime (5:38 of the video below). He went 7/12 from behind the arc and made huge buckets throughout the game. Both players had some help from their teammates, but those two stole the show that night.
Memorable Losses
Villanova in 2018 Final Four (95-79) - Somehow the final score doesn’t even highlight how quickly this game felt like it was over. After seven minutes, Villanova was up 22-4, and the closest Kansas got in this game was 12. Despite having an offense that could put up points, they were no match for a Villanova team that went 18/40 from behind the arc on their way to putting up 95 points. This was the worst defensive team that Self had, and the fact they made a Final Four at all instead of some of his more stout teams did probably irks him a little. Not because he doesn’t think this team deserved it but because he knew some of his other teams did. Either way, Villanova was an extremely talented team this year and deserved to be the champs.
Arizona State in 2017 (95-85) - #16 Arizona State came in to Allen Fieldhouse and knocked off #2 Kansas in a high-scoring game that didn’t feature much defense. However, this game may have directly led to Kansas winning the 2022 national championship. That’s because coming off the bench for Arizona State was a freshman guard who scored a season high 21 points that night, and his name was Remy Martin. Self got a first-hand look at what Martin could bring to a team before he developed into an even better scorer during his time at Arizona State. Kansas saw Martin again in 2018, but this game brought up nightmares for Kansas fans until he joined the team. It was this version that Kansas fans were expecting in the 2021-22 season, and they got it in March.
One Fun Game
Iowa State in 2017 (92-89 Loss) - This isn’t generally what I would consider a fun game since Kansas lost, but it was objectively fun. Iowa State knocked off #3 Kansas in a game that ended a 51 game winning streak at Allen Fieldhouse with an overtime game that was sealed when Mykhailiuk missed a 3 with under five seconds left. Iowa State went 18/34 from 3 with Deonte Burton and Monte Morris scoring 29 and 25 points, respectively. Frank Mason continued his remarkable season by dropping 32 points, all of which came in regulation. While it is never truly “fun” to talk about Kansas losing, the home winning streak ending was a big moment at the time. At least it came in a competitive game.
Over 100 Points Allowed
Wins
Oklahoma in 2016 (109-106) - The only game where Kansas has allowed over 100 points and won in the Self era also happens to be one most of the legendary games by an opposing player against Kansas. In a game that went into triple overtime, Buddy Hield scored 46 points and Jordan Woodward added 27 points, but that wasn’t enough to beat Kansas. Perry Ellis had 27 points, Devonte Graham had 22, and Wayne Selden added 21 in a balanced attack that offset Hield’s historic night. Kansas is lucky this game even went into overtime, with Oklahoma missing the front end of a one-and-one with under two seconds left. Not only is this the most points given up by a Kansas team under Self, it’s tied for the sixth highest point total scored by a team under Self. Obviously the overtimes helped, but both teams played at an extremely high level on this night.
Losses
Gonzaga in 2020 (102-90) - Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Drew Timme scored 25, Jalen Suggs had 24, and Corey Kispert had 23 points in this matchup between #1 Gonzaga and #6 Kansas. Kansas got 22 points from Marcus Garrett and 17 from Ochai Agbaji, but they ran out of gas over the final ten minutes of the game. After a Garrett layup put Kansas within one at 72-71, Kansas was outscored 16-4 over the next four minutes as Gonzaga put Kansas away. This was the first indication that this team might not have quite enough to hang with the top tier of teams this season as it felt like they played well, but it wasn’t enough to slow down Gonzaga.
Indiana in 2016 (103-99) - If we’re being completely honest, I don’t remember this game that well because I focused more on the Duke game from this season. However, it sounds like it was a great one. Frank Mason scored 30 points, while Indiana got 26 from James Blackmon and 19 from Thomas Bryant in an overtime matchup. One of the more interesting statistics from this game would be that 22 of the 24 points scored in overtime came in the final three minutes. Indiana made two free throws in the first two minutes and then both teams went on heaters. There were only two empty possessions after the three minute mark and one was a Tyler Self 3 point attempt that got blocked by O.G. Anunoby with one second left, so it doesn’t really count. Don’t worry, there is video evidence that proves that this is something that actually happened.
Kansas has been involved in quite a few memorable games over the last 20 seasons, but the main takeaway is that Kansas is at its best when it’s elite defensively. While there have been offensive struggles over the years, they’ve seemingly been able to shut down other teams on a consistent basis. Sure, there have been games where the opponents make everything they throw up (West Virginia is a perfect example of this), but usually that’s the exception to the rule.
This years team is currently 13-1 in games where they give up 70 points or fewer and 3-2 when they give up over 70 points, which are both comparable to their historic win rates under Self. As long as we see them hold opponents under that mark, they should be good enough offensively to beat most teams. This is an experienced team that should understand when to really lock it down defensively. Hopefully they get into the habit before it’s too late.