For the fifth time at Kansas, Bill Self's team was pre-season # 1 this year. And for the fifth time as a pre-season # 1 Kansas failed to make the sweet sixteen.
2003-2004 # 3 Tournament seed, lost to # 14 Bucknell in first round
2009-2010 # 1 Tournament seed, lost to # 9 Northern Iowa in second round
2018-2019 # 4 Tournament seed lost to # 5 Auburn in second round
2023=2024 # 4 Tournament seed lost to # 5 Gonzaga in second round
2024-2025 # 7 Tournament seed lost to # 10 Arkansas in first round
Nobody doubts Self's ability to recruit and coach (two Natties and four Final 4 appearances). I think this shows no matter how good the polls think you are, you better be playing your best ball in March or you will get upset by a worse ranked team at the dance.
2003-2004 # 3 Tournament seed, lost to # 14 Bucknell in first round
2009-2010 # 1 Tournament seed, lost to # 9 Northern Iowa in second round
2018-2019 # 4 Tournament seed lost to # 5 Auburn in second round
2023=2024 # 4 Tournament seed lost to # 5 Gonzaga in second round
2024-2025 # 7 Tournament seed lost to # 10 Arkansas in first round
Nobody doubts Self's ability to recruit and coach (two Natties and four Final 4 appearances). I think this shows no matter how good the polls think you are, you better be playing your best ball in March or you will get upset by a worse ranked team at the dance.