Busting Brackets
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Kansas Basketball: Ranking the Jayhawks’ 12 Big 12-winning teams

By Matt Ostrowski

Feb 27, 2016; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks fans cheer from the stands after the Jayhawks defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 67-58 winning their twelfth consecutive Big 12 titles at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2016; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks fans cheer from the stands after the Jayhawks defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 67-58 winning their twelfth consecutive Big 12 titles at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 16, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (23) throws down a slam dunk during the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore (23) throws down a slam dunk during the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /

8. 2012-13 (31-6, 14-4 Big 12)

If I had the power to eliminate a three-game stretch, this team would be so much higher on this list. But, obviously, I can’t do that, so they don’t even crack the top half.

This Jayhawks squad was ready to absolutely sleep-walk through conference play, starting 7-0, and had already won in Manhattan against Kansas State, their competition for first place. But remember when I mentioned that the 2004-05 team was one of two Bill Self-led Kansas teams to drop three straight games? This is the other one!

They started the streak with a loss to Oklahoma State, in Lawrence, on February 2 (note: this was also when the infamous Marcus Smart flip happened, which would spawn a fun little rivalry for the next season). They then lost to TCU, which was just one of two conference wins for the Horned Frogs all season. After that game, Bill Self dropped this bomb of a quote:

"It was the worst team that Kansas ever put on the floor, since Dr. Naismith was there. I think he had some bad teams when he lost to Topeka YMCA and things like that in the first couple years. But for the first half, there hasn’t been a team play worse than that offensively. —via KSHB"

For context on just how bad that performance was, they finished the game shooting 29% from the floor, and they scored 13 points in the entire first half. Kansas has had some very confusing losses under Self, but this may not only be the most confusing of those losses, but the most confusing loss in NCAA history.

You would figure the Jayhawks would regroup and win their next game, but of course that wasn’t the case. They lost to Oklahoma, a bubble team that badly needed a win (Buddy Hield was 0-of-3 from the floor in that game, and let’s just say Kansas didn’t have quite as much luck guarding him later in his career).

Then something magical happened. They put together their Harlem Shake video…

That helped them rattle off their next seven victories, including Elijah Johnson’s memorable performance against Iowa State in Ames, dropping 39 points in a miraculous overtime victory. In case you forgot just how red hot Johnson was, watch this for context.

But alas, they only ended up in a tie for first with Kansas State after dropping their last game of the season to Baylor in blowout fashion.

When this team was clicking, they were extremely good. Ben McLemore was an All-American, and broke multiple Kansas freshman records, including the single-game scoring record (spoiler alert: he didn’t hold that record for long).

Jeff Withey was also an All-American, and he broke the Big 12 single-season block record with 146 (via sports-reference.com)

Next: 2013-14

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