No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks - A killer instinct
Two years removed from winning a title, the Kansas Jayhawks have their sights set on another. The season is off to a roaring start for the 10-1 No. 2 team has looked great at times and vulnerable at others even in games they've ultimately won. The road to a championship is going to have big roadblocks against big schools and for that reason, I am gifting the Jayhawks a killer instinct against other power-six schools.
As conference play begins this is especially important for Kansas because not only winning but doing so in a more dominant way than they've shown thus far against other power schools could also give them a leg up in the committee's mind when it comes to seeding. That ability to put teams away becomes extra important in March because as a favorite, the longer you let an underdog hang around all sorts of crazy things can happen.
The road to Phoenix will not just be paved with mid-majors and Cinderellas, you're going to have to beat some big boys along the way. While Kansas has played well, it's the games against other power-conference teams that have been the closest. Of their 11 games, five have come outside of the power-six conferences.
The Jayhawks have won those games by over 26 points per game and in their other six games they have a point differential of +14 which includes their loss to Marquette in Maui. The Jayhawks are going to need that killer instinct not only in Big 12 play but in the Big Dance as well.