Kansas is the nation’s new #1 team but face perhaps their toughest non-conference test at Villanova. Here are the biggest storylines for this showdown.
The Kansas Jayhawks rose to No. 1 in the rankings for the first time this season on Monday, becoming the fifth different team to hold that honor already this season (for the record, seven teams is the most ever to be ranked No. 1 during a season).
They have won nine games in a row since losing their season opener to Duke and are looking to solidify their place atop the AP poll with a win over Villanova on Saturday.
The Wildcats should give the Jayhawks perhaps their toughest test to date. They have only lost three games at the Wells Fargo Center going back to the 2014-15 season, including only once since the start of the 2017-18 season.
Villanova is also looking to pick up its first signature victory of the year and come into the game ranked No. 18 in the country. They have a young team with mostly freshmen and sophomores in the rotation, and this new-look squad is looking to prove themselves as being one of the nation’s best.
This matchup also pits two of the sport’s best coaches against each other. It will be the eighth time Bill Self and Jay Wright have faced off against each other, with Wright leading the series 4-3. However, Kansas won their matchup last season at Allen Fieldhouse.
What are the biggest things to watch that could determine this battle of college basketball bluebloods? Here are three storylines worth following: