Kansas Jayhawks: How They Got Here

The climactic moment of March Madness occurs in early April. The 2022 Final Four is set in New Orleans, and the Kansas Jayhawks are part of the festivities. See how they got here.

Texas Southern

The Jayhawks rolled past Texas Southern in the first round, after Texas Southern won a First Four game in Dayton. Kansas pounced on its 16^th-seeded opponent and created a drama-free first round. The easy win is part of a strong run in the NCAA Tournament. Getting through that first game with minimal stress makes it so much easier to be physically and mentally ready for the second game. It smooths the path through the bracket, and it certainly did so for Kansas in this case.

Creighton

The Jayhawks had a seven-point lead with nearly 3:30 left in regulation but then watched Creighton score six quick points to reduce the lead to one. Kansas was on the verge of being knocked out and had to steady itself near the end of a game it had largely controlled. The Jayhawks got big buckets in the final minutes and were able to lock down Creighton’s 3-point shooters. In retrospect, this was Kansas’s toughest test on the road to the Final Four. The Jayhawks didn’t allow this game to slip away, and their backcourt was ready to respond when challenged by a dogged opponent.

Providence

The Jayhawks won by five points in the Midwest Regional semifinals. This game was somewhat like the Creighton game in that Kansas couldn’t fully pull away and had to play a 40-minute game, but the Jayhawks were not in trouble to the same extent they were against Creighton. They had more of a working margin on the scoreboard entering the final two minutes of regulation. What is notable about the 66-61 win is that Providence had been nearly perfect in games decided by five points or fewer this season. Villanova was one of the few teams which had been able to win close games against the Friars in 2022. Kansas joined the list, and so it’s only fitting that the Jayhawks will now play Villanova in the Final Four national semifinals on Saturday. Providence had been doing a great job this season of getting to the foul line a lot and making free throws in late-game situations, but Kansas was able to minimize the damage and prevent Providence from getting too many cheap points.

Miami

The Creighton game was the toughest test over the course of 40 minutes, but Miami played the best half anyone has played against Kansas at this NCAA Tournament, bolting to a 35-29 halftime lead. Kansas did not hit a 3-pointer in that first half. Miami got out in transition and collected some live-ball turnovers it was able to translate into points. That’s how the Hurricanes want to play. They had the style they wanted, and Kansas seemed to be in real trouble. Then came the second half. The Jayhawks outscored Miami 47-15 with a complete performance at both ends of the floor. Bill Self reached his fourth Final Four at Kansas, his first since 2018 when the Jayhawks played Villanova in the national semifinals.