14. Kansas (21-8)
A month-long winning streak earlier during Big 12 play proved to the world that Kansas was for real this year. The Jayhawks knocked off Iowa State, BYU, Texas Tech, and Arizona in order during that stretch. The Jayhawks have had some drama with Darryn Peterson and haven’t always been at their best, evident in recent weekend stinkers, but when on their game this squad can handle anything thrown at them.
That was evident once again on Monday night, as the Jayhawks won another huge Big 12 clash by knocking off Houston 69-56. Kansas prevailed over another Top 5 foe, this time getting 23 points from Tre White and a double-double out of Bryson Tiller. Unfortunately, the pendulum swung the other way this weekend, with Kansas falling 84-61 at Arizona. The Wildcats got their revenge despite a 24-point performance from Peterson, with the Jayhawks losing a third-straight Saturday contest.
The recent ups and downs of Kansas basketball truly are something to behold. The performance against Houston was undeniable, especially with their defensive intensity, and we can’t let a poor showing in Tucson diminish what this team can accomplish. Hoping to avoid further struggle, the Jayhawks are hoping to finish the regular season on a high note against Arizona State and Kansas State.