Kansas Basketball Finding Its Groove as NCAA Tournament Picture Comes Into Focus
The Kansas Jayhawks are heating up at just the right time.
After a rocky start to Big 12 play, No. 11 Kansas (17-5, 7-2 Big 12) has now rattled off six straight conference wins, and with each one, they're reshaping the narrative around their season.
Monday night’s gritty 64-61 road win over No. 13 Texas Tech wasn’t just another tally in the win column - it was a statement.
A reminder that even with some bumps along the way, Bill Self’s squad is still very much a contender.
Freshman phenom Darryn Peterson, who’s been managing injury issues, showed flashes of why he’s such a difference-maker, draining a pair of clutch threes late to help seal the win in Lubbock. For a team that’s been searching for consistency beyond its veteran core, Peterson’s emergence in the clutch is a promising sign as the calendar flips to February.
Looking ahead, Kansas gets a few days to rest and reset before hosting Utah on Saturday - a game where the Jayhawks will be heavily favored. If they hold serve at Allen Fieldhouse, that win streak could stretch to seven, giving KU even more momentum as we inch closer to Selection Sunday.
And speaking of March - the bracketologists are already weighing in.
Where Kansas Stands in NCAA Tournament Projections
USA TODAY currently slots Kansas as a No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region, opening against No. 13 seed UC Irvine. That path could lead to a second-round matchup with either **No.
5 Virginia or No. 12 Belmont**, and if the Jayhawks keep advancing, a potential showdown with top-seeded Michigan looms.
That’s the kind of marquee matchup that would light up the second weekend of the tournament.
CBS Sports is slightly more bullish, projecting Kansas as a No. 3 seed, also in the Midwest. Their first-round opponent?
No. 14 Wright State.
A win there could set up a rematch with No. 6 North Carolina, the team that handed Kansas a tough road loss earlier this season.
And if KU can push through to the Sweet 16, they might face No. 2 UConn - the only team to beat the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse this year.
That potential bracket would be loaded with storylines.
The Washington Post, meanwhile, has Kansas as a No. 4 seed in the East Region, paired against No. 13 High Point in the opening round.
Win that, and the Jayhawks could get another crack at No. 5 Tennessee - a team they already beat on a neutral court earlier this season - or **No.
12 Belmont**. Keep going, and a Sweet 16 rematch with **No.
1 Duke** could be waiting, offering Kansas a shot at redemption after falling to the Blue Devils earlier in the year.
Momentum Building in Lawrence
What’s clear is this: Kansas is trending in the right direction. The early-season inconsistencies and injury setbacks haven’t derailed them - if anything, they’ve sharpened the team’s resolve. The Jayhawks are defending, they’re getting timely scoring, and they’re showing the kind of late-game composure that wins games in March.
With Bill Self at the helm and a roster that’s starting to click, Kansas is positioning itself not just to make noise in the tournament - but to potentially make a deep run. The pieces are there. Now it's about continuing to build, one game at a time.
Next up: Utah in Allen Fieldhouse. A chance to make it seven straight and keep the momentum rolling.