The Kansas Jayhawks hit a brand new low on Tuesday night time. It may very well be a troubling signal for his or her future.
No. 23 Kansas (17-9, 8-7 in Huge 12) fell at unranked BYU (18-8, 9-6 in Huge 12), 91-57.
The 34-point defeat was the worst loss by a ranked Kansas workforce in opposition to an unranked opponent in program historical past. The Jayhawks previously set the low mark last season in a 79-50 loss on Feb. 12, 2024 at Texas Tech, through Stathead.
A yr in the past, the Jayhawks, who spent the season’s first three weeks at No. 1 earlier than ending the yr No. 19, misplaced by 20 to Cincinnati of their Huge 12 Match opener.
Kansas then misplaced to Gonzaga, 89-68, on the primary weekend of the NCAA Match, failing to succeed in the Candy 16 for the second consecutive season after successful the nationwide title in 2022.
This yr’s squad may very well be headed towards an identical destiny. Kansas additionally started the season at No. 1 earlier than falling exterior the High 20 on Monday.
The Jayhawks have struggled to seek out constant offense, getting into Tuesday ranked No. 125 in scoring (76 factors per recreation).
They do not have a lot in the way in which of a three-point assault, rating 278th in three-point makes an attempt per recreation (20.5). Regardless of being one of many nation’s prime groups in two-point tries (41 per recreation), it hasn’t translated to a rise in journeys to the road, with Kansas No. 350 (out of 364 packages) in free-throw makes an attempt per recreation.
Per KenPom, Kansas ranks sixth in defensive effectivity. However as Tuesday night time confirmed, when a workforce will get scorching, the Jayhawks haven’t got a dynamic sufficient offense to maintain tempo.
BYU made 14 threes and shot 51.5 p.c from the court docket whereas holding Kansas to 36.5 p.c.
Kansas is 3-5 in its final eight video games and nonetheless has video games in opposition to No. 9 Texas Tech (20-6, 11-4 in Huge 12), No. 5 Houston (22-4, 14-1 in Huge 12) and No. 19 Arizona (18-8, 12-3 in Huge 12) remaining on its regular-season schedule.
Per ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, Kansas is a projected 5-seed however trending downward. The decrease it falls earlier than Choice Sunday, the harder Kansas’ potential second-round match might be, growing the chance of one other early March exit.
Tuesday’s blowout loss was just one recreation, but it surely may signify a lot extra.
