Kansas Basketball: Ranking the last 29 NCAA Tournament teams

4. 2001-02 (33-4) (16-0)

The Jayhawks opened the season with a 93-91 loss to the Ball State Cardinals, but after that, they never looked back. They reeled off winning streaks of 13 consecutive and 16 consecutive games heading into the NCAA Tournament.

This was by and far one of head coach Roy Williams’ best teams, as they went undefeated in conference regular season play at 16-0 winning the regular season title. It’s the only time in their run of consecutive tournament appearances that they’ve gone undefeated in conference play.

Jayhawks big man Drew Gooden took home conference player of the year honors after putting up 19.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest in the frontcourt.

Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich was contributing right alongside him, with Collison producing 15.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. Hinrich put up 14.8 points, 5.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.

The Jayhawks made it to the Big 12 Conference Tournament championship, but they lost to the Oklahoma Sooners 64-55 in the final. Despite losing, they still earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament and with it, they ran through the competition.

Kansas beat the Holy Cross Crusaders 70-59 in the first round then the Stanford Cardinal 86-63 in the second round. In the Sweet 16, the Illinois Fighting Illini put up a fight, but lost 73-69 to the Jayhawks.

The Oregon Ducks were overwhelmed by Kansas in the Elite Eight as they lost, 104-86. Things got rocky though in the Final Four against Juan Dixon and the Maryland Terrapins. Dixon put up 33 points on 5-of-11 shooting from 3-point land to lead the Terrapins to their first ever title in school history.

The loss was Williams first loss in the Final Four. The following season, he would lead the Jayhawks right back to the national title game.