Kansas is headed to Las Vegas for a major non-conference test, and the bracket could put Bill Self in an awkward spot pretty quickly.
The Jayhawks are set for the Players Era 8 Tournament, where they’ll be grouped with Florida, Auburn, Notre Dame, Rutgers, UNLV, West Virginia, and Houston. Kansas opens against UNLV on Tuesday, November 17, at 8:30 p.m. CT, and from there the path could get complicated fast.
Because the event uses a tournament-style bracket with advancement and consolation games, Kansas could run into West Virginia as soon as its second game. A matchup with Houston is also on the table a couple of games in, either in the championship round or in a lower-placement game.
That possibility has Self feeling a little split on the whole thing.
"I'm not crazy about that [meeting fellow Big 12 teams]," Self said. "It's not the greatest thing, but I also don't think it's the worst thing either."
It’s an understandable reaction. Conference opponents crossing paths in November isn’t exactly standard, and Kansas would be giving away an early look at teams it still has to face again later. Self would have to be careful not to reveal too much if the Jayhawks end up seeing either West Virginia or Houston in Vegas.
At the same time, there’s value in getting that preview. Kansas will see both teams again down the road, and an early matchup could help Self and his staff get a better read on what they’re dealing with before Big 12 play ramps up.
That matters especially with West Virginia, since Kansas opens conference play at home against the Mountaineers. An early meeting in Las Vegas would give the Jayhawks a chance to see how West Virginia is playing before the Big 12 schedule really gets rolling.
Kansas could also avoid both conference opponents entirely if the bracket breaks that way, but either way, this tournament is shaping up to be the biggest challenge the Jayhawks have faced so far. The team will also be without Melvin Council Jr. for at least the rest of non-conference play because of a foot injury.
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