After a statement week on the court, Kansas basketball is officially back in the AP Top 25. The Jayhawks, who were unranked just a week ago, re-entered the national conversation with authority, landing at No.
XX in Monday’s poll. And they didn’t just sneak in - they earned it.
The resurgence comes on the heels of two eye-opening wins that reminded everyone why Kansas is still a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12. First, they stunned then-No.
2 Iowa State in a game that wasn’t just an upset - it was a dismantling. KU came out swinging, built a 26-point first-half lead, and never let Iowa State get comfortable.
Even when the Cyclones clawed back with a 24-9 run to cut the deficit to 11, Kansas had an answer: a 10-2 spurt that slammed the door shut. Final score: 84-63, and a clear message sent.
The Jayhawks shot a blistering 51% from the field and went 12-for-24 from deep - a level of efficiency that’s hard to beat. Tre White led the way with 19 points, including a career-high five triples.
His confidence from beyond the arc was contagious. Darryn Peterson added 16 points, grabbed five boards, and handed out an assist, showing off his versatility in a high-tempo game.
Then came Friday night - another heavyweight bout, another dominant win. This time, it was Baylor on the receiving end of KU’s momentum.
The Jayhawks opened the game with a 19-4 run, setting the tone early. Baylor responded with a couple of 8-0 runs of their own and even briefly took the lead, but Kansas never panicked.
They weathered the storm, took control again, and imposed their will in the second half.
Once again, KU shot 51% from the floor. The three-point shooting cooled off a bit (5-for-17), but it didn’t matter.
They controlled the paint, the tempo, and the energy. Baylor’s top scorers struggled to find rhythm, and Kansas capitalized.
Peterson was the star of the night, dropping 26 points in just 23 minutes - a masterclass in scoring efficiency. Flory Bidunga was right behind him with a double-double: 23 points and 11 rebounds. The duo was relentless, attacking the rim, cleaning up the glass, and making life difficult for Baylor on both ends of the floor.
With those two wins, Kansas now sits sixth in the Big 12 standings - still behind Arizona (No. 1), Houston (No.
6), Iowa State (No. 9), Texas Tech (No. 12), and BYU (No. 13) - but clearly trending upward.
And while Colorado and Kansas State, KU’s next two opponents, didn’t receive votes in the latest poll, both road games present unique challenges. The Jayhawks will need to keep their foot on the gas.
But make no mistake - this past week wasn’t just about wins. It was about Kansas reminding the college basketball world that they’re not going anywhere.
The shooting is sharp, the defense is dialed in, and the stars are rising. If this version of KU sticks around, the Big 12 race just got a whole lot more interesting.