No. 1 Kansas Commences Postseason Play on Thursday

Notes Links Kansas Postseason Information
Notes Links Kansas Game Notes (.pdf)
Notes Links K-State Game Notes (.pdf)
Notes Links Oklahoma State Game Notes (.pdf)
Notes Links Big 12 Game Notes (.pdf)
Video Link Coach Self Press Conference

2016 PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
Big 12 Conference regular-season champion Kansas (27-4, 15-3) enters the 2016 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship as the No. 1 seed for the 13th time, eighth-straight, in the 20-year history of the league. KU won its 12th straight, 16th Big 12 and NCAA-leading 59th conference regular-season championship in 2016. Kansas will face the winner of the No. 8 Kansas State-No. 9 Oklahoma State game Thursday, March 10 at 1:30 p.m., on ESPN2 at Sprint Center in Kansas City. The Wildcats and Cowboys will play Wednesday, March 9 at 6 p.m. Kansas has won 14 conference tournament titles, including six of the last 11 and nine of the 18 total Big 12 Championships. Since the Big 12’s inception in 1996-97, Kansas is 18-1 in its first games, 17-2 in the quarterfinals, 11-6 in semifinals and 9-2 in championship games.

ABOUT KANSAS
Kansas averages 81.8 points per game and has a Big 12-leading +14.0 scoring margin and 39.7 field goal percentage defense. KU is second in the conference with a 49.2 field goal percentage and 42.9 3-point field goal percentage. KU pulls down an average of 37.9 rebounds per game and has a +4.9 rebound margin. The Jayhawks also average 15.7 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.2 blocked shots per contest.

Coming off back-to-back 20-point efforts which garnered him Big 12 Player of the Week honors, senior F Perry Ellis leads Kansas in scoring (16.5 ppg) and is second in rebounding (6.0 rpg). Ellis had 10 games of scoring 19 or more points in Big 12 play this season, including eight 20-point efforts and overall he ranks third in the league in scoring and ninth in rebounding. Ellis averaged 17.7 points and 5.8 rebounds during Big 12 play. Junior G Frank Mason III is shooting 61.9 percent from the field in his last five games, including 60 percent from 3-point range. He  is averaging 13.4 points for the season, which is eighth in the league. Mason has 28 assists and five turnovers in his last six contests. Mason leads KU with 4.6 assists per contest, fourth in the Big 12, and 42 steals. Junior G Wayne Selden Jr., is a starter who scores 13.4 points per game, 11th in the conference, and leads KU with 66 3-pointers this season. His 2.1 3-pointers made per game are third in the league and his 41.8 3-point field goal percentage is sixth. Sophomore G Devonte’ Graham is second on the team in assists (110), steals (41) and 3-point field goals made (59). He is scoring 11.2 points per game. Graham’s 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio is fifth in the conference, just behind Mason’s 2.4. Junior F Landen Lucas rounds out the KU starters. He leads Kansas in rebounding at 6.3 boards per game, which is seventh in the Big 12. Lucas has averaged 9.6 boards in his last eight games.

Junior G Brannen Greene is a regular who has made 30 3-pointers this season and scores 6.2 points per game off the bench. Sophomore G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk scored 17 points against Texas Tech (2/27) where he was 6-for-7 from the field, including 5-for-5 from 3-point range. Mykhailiuk averages 5.5 points and has made 31 3-pointers this season. Freshman F Carlton Bragg Jr. is averaging 3.7 ppg and 2.3 rpg, while senior F Jamari Traylor leads KU with 25 blocked shots. Traylor has scored eight points in each of his last two games and is averaging 3.3 points and 3.2 rebounds for the season. Freshman Cheick Diallo pulled down six rebounds against Texas Tech (2/27) and averages 2.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. His 22 blocked shots are second on the team. Senior F Hunter Mickelson, who has started 10 games this season, is averaging 2.4 points and 2.3 rebounds with 21 blocked shots. 

THE K-STATE SERIES
Kansas leads the overall series with Kansas State, 190-93. Since Feb. 12, 1994, Kansas has won 51 of the last 56 meetings with K-State. KU is 14-7 against Kansas State in the conference postseason tournament, including 8-0 in the Big 12 Championship and 3-0 in Sprint Center. The last KU-KSU meeting in the Big 12 Championship was the 2013 title game, a KU 70-54 win. The two teams have met in three league tourney quarterfinals with the last in 2005, at KU 80-67 win at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference, KU is 43-5 against KSU (35-5 in regular-season battles and 8-0 in the Big 12 Championship). Kansas head coach Bill Self is 26-5 all-time against K-State, including 25-5 while at KU. Bruce Weber is 2-8 against Kansas, including 2-8 while at K-State.

Kansas swept the 2015-16 series with Kansas State defeating the Wildcats 77-59 in Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 3, and winning 72-63 at Bramlage Coliseum on Feb. 20.

THE OKLAHOMA STATE SERIES
The Kansas-Oklahoma State series dates back to 1926 with KU holding a 111-57 all-time advantage. KU has won nine of the last 13 meetings. Since the inception of the Big 12, Kansas is 22-10 versus OSU: 17-8 in regular-season play and 5-2 in the Big 12 Championship. The Jayhawks have defeated the Cowboys in each of their last three Big 12 Championship meetings in 2014, 2011 and 2006. Overall, Kansas is 10-4 versus Oklahoma State in league tournament play (7-3 in the Big Eight era and 3-1 in Big 12). KU head coach Bill Self is 15-11 all-time against his alma mater, including a 14-8 record at Kansas, while Travis Ford is 5-10 versus KU.

KU and OSU split their season series in 2015-16 with the Cowboys claiming a 76-67 win in Stillwater on Jan. 19, and the Jayhawks winning 94-67 in Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 15.

KANSAS IN THE PHILLIPS 66 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
Here are some Kansas notes heading into the conference postseason championship:
• Kansas has won more Big 12 Championships than any other school with nine. Oklahoma and Iowa State are next with three each. KU won the first three events in 1997-98-99, then the 2006-07-08-10-11-13 titles. KU is 9-2 in tourney title games having only lost the 2002 title to Oklahoma and the 2015 title to Iowa State.
• Kansas is the only team to have won at least 30 games in the Big 12 Championship. The Jayhawks are 38-10 (79.1 percent) in the event, while Oklahoma State (23-17) and Texas (23-19) are second with 23 wins each.
• With a 24-6 (80.0 percent) record, KU head coach Bill Self has the highest winning percentage in Big 12 Championship history with more than one tournament (Frank Haith went 3-0 at Missouri in 2012).
• Kansas has been the No. 1 seed 13 times (1997-98-2002-03-07-09-10-11-12-13-14-15-16), No. 2 seed four times (2001-05-06-08), No. 3 seed twice (1999-2004), and the No. 5 seed in 2000.
• Kansas has won 18 of its 19 first games in the Big 12 Championship with the 2009 loss to Baylor being its only blemish. The Jayhawks are 1-0 in opening-round games and 17-2 in quarterfinal contests. In 2000 KU was the No. 5 seed, won its first game and lost in the quarterfinals. All of KU’s other first games were in the quarterfinals.
• KU has reached the semifinals in 17 of the 19 Big 12 Championships. The Jayhawks did not reach the 2000 or 2009 semis.
• Kansas has won six of its nine Big 12 titles as the No. 1 seed – 1997, 1998, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2013. KU was the No. 3 seed in its 1999 title run and the No. 2 seed in 2006 and 2008. The lowest seed to win the event was a No. 3 seed: Kansas in 1999, Oklahoma in 2003 and Oklahoma State in 2005.
• Kansas has had 42 conference championship all-tournament selections, including 25 in the 18-year history of the Big 12 Championship. Current Jayhawk senior F Perry Ellis was an all-tournament selection in 2013 and junior G Wayne Selden Jr. was a 2015 all-tourney honoree.
• Of the 42 conference championship all-tournament selections, 11 were named the event’s most outstanding player, including eight in the Big 12 era.

KANSAS NOTABLES
• Kansas was the only team in the Big 12 with an undefeated league record at home (9-0) in 2015-16.
• Kansas leads the Big 12 in scoring margin at +14.0 and field goal percentage defense (39.7). KU also ranks in the top three in the Big 12 in scoring offense (second at 81.8), field goal percentage (second at 49.2), 3-point field goal percentage (second at 42.9), 3-point field goals made (second at 8.5), rebounding (third at 37.9), assists (third at 15.7), rebound margin (third at +4.9) and assist-to-turnover ratio (third at 1.3).
• Kansas is the only team to have three players rank in the top nine in the Big 12 in scoring: No. 3 Ellis, No. 8 Mason and No. 9 Selden.
• Kansas’ 81.8 scoring average is the best in the Bill Self era (81.6 in 2009-10) which is the highest since a 90.9 scoring average in 2001-02.
• Out of its 27 victories this season, Kansas has won by 10 or more points in 16 of those wins, including five of the last 10 games. Six KU wins have been by 30 points or more, including 86-56 at Texas (2/29).
• KU has out-shot 27 of 31 opponents, including each of their last 10 opponents. KU is shooting 51.0 percent from the field in its last 10 games.
• Kansas has shot 50 percent or better in seven of its last 10 games, nine Big 12 contests and 15 times overall this season.
• The Jayhawks have out-rebounded 22 of 31 foes, including eight of the last 12 contests. KU had a +18 rebound advantage against Oklahoma State (2/15), +21 at TCU (2/6) and +11 (42-31) versus Kentucky (1/30).
• Kansas has shot 40 percent or better from 3-point range in 22 of its 31 games, including seven of the last eight contests.
• The KU bench has outscored its opponents’ bench in 21 of 31 games this season and is 20-1 in those contests. With it being Senior Day, KU’s bench outscored Iowa State’s bench 46-10 on March 5.
• KU has made seven or more 3-pointers in 24 of 31 games this season, including 10 of the last 11 battles. KU has made 10 or more 3-pointers 11 times, including 15 threes vs. No. Colorado (11/13) and Chaminade (11/23), which were one off the school record.
• When guards Frank Mason III, Wayne Selden Jr. and Devonte’ Graham each score 10-plus points in the same game, KU is 13-0, including 7-0 in Big 12 play.
• Senior F Perry Ellis is one of two players in the Big 12 to rank in the top nine in scoring (third at 16.5 ppg) and rebounding (ninth at 6.0). The other is Georges Niang of Iowa State.
• Ellis has pulled down nine or more rebounds in eight games this season.
• Ellis led KU in scoring in nine of 18 Big 12 games, averaging 17.7 points per Big 12 contest (16.3 ppg overall).
• Sophomore G Devonte’ Graham is 38-for-74 (51.4 percent) from the field in his last nine games.
• Graham has made three or more 3-pointers in three of his last four games and nine times this season.
• Junior G Wayne Selden Jr., is third in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game at 2.1 and sixth in 3-point field goal percentage at .418 for all games. Selden has made five 3-pointers in his last two games and three or more 3-pointers in 14 games this season.

KANSAS IN KANSAS CITY
Kansas City has been a second home of sorts for Kansas over the years. KU’s first-ever game — a 16-5 loss to Kansas City YMCA on Feb. 3, 1899 — was played in Kansas City. The 2016 Big 12 Championship quarterfinal will mark KU’s 294th game played all-time in Kansas City, and its 35th in Sprint Center. KU is 28-6 in Sprint Center including winning the 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013 Big 12 Championships in the venue and the 2012 CBE Classic.

Kansas played 106 games in Kemper Arena with an 81-25 record. KU is 213-80 in games played in Kansas City. 

• Kansas went 26-4 in Kemper Arena from 1997 until 2006, when it played its last game in the venue. Included in that run were Big 12 Championship titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
• Kemper Arena was the host of the 1988 NCAA Final Four when the Jayhawks won the national championship.
• Kansas has played at least one regular-season game in Kansas City in 26 of the last 28 seasons, including every year Sprint Center has existed.
• Kansas has won a mind-boggling 26 conference tournaments (13 holiday conference tourneys and 13 postseason league titles) with 24 of those in Kansas City. The lone two titles not in KC were in 2006 in Dallas and 2007 in Oklahoma City.

KANSAS IN SPRINT CENTER
Kansas is 28-6 in Sprint Center. Below is a breakdown of how Kansas has fared in the venue. Not included are two exhibition victories when KU, who represented the USA at the 2015 World University Games, defeated Canada in prepping for the Games.

DURABLES
The Ellis-Mason-Selden-Graham combination is carrying the load for Kansas. All average 29-plus minutes per game and 10-plus points per game. KU’s next closest player is 16.8 minutes per game (Landen Lucas) and 6.2 points per game (Brannen Greene). The group of four combines for 34 35-plus minute games this season, while the rest of the team has none.

QUITE THE COMPARISON
In Kansas’ 27 victories this season, the Jayhawks have won by an average of 17.9 points per game. In its four losses, KU lost by 12.2 points per game. Here is a breakdown of statistics when the Jayhawks win compared to when they lose.

BIG 12 CHAMPS WELL-REPRESENTED ON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
Kansas men’s basketball’s starting five were included in the Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Awards announced March 6 and chosen by the league coaches. Senior F Perry Ellis was a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection, marking the conference-leading 27th time a Jayhawk has been named to the league’s first team. KU junior guards Frank Mason III and Wayne Selden Jr. earned second-team recognition, while sophomore guard Devonte’ Graham and junior forward Landen Lucas were honorable mention honorees. Graham and Mason were also named to the 2016 Big 12 All-Defensive Team by the conference coaches who were not allowed to vote for student-athletes from their own team.

Ellis and Selden are on the All-Big 12 squad for the third-straight season. Ellis was a third-team honoree as a sophomore in 2013-14 and has been a first-team selection each of the last two seasons. Selden was honorable mention his freshman and sophomore campaigns and garnered second-team honors this season. Mason is on the second team for the second-straight season, while Graham and Lucas are making their first appearance on the All-Big 12 squad. Mason and Graham are on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team for the first time.

In the 20-year history of the conference, Kansas lays claim to a league-best 106 All-Big 12 selections which includes first-, second-, third-, honorable mention, all-defensive and all-newcomer team honorees. Texas is second with 80. Ellis gives Kansas a first-team selection for the 16th-consecutive season and the 18th time in the 20-year history of the league. Ellis is the 18th KU All-Big 12 First Team choice in the 13 seasons under head coach Bill Self. The Big 12 All-Defensive Team began in 2005-06 and Kansas’ 15 honorees are a conference best. This year is the fifth time KU has had multiple players named to the all-defense squad.

IN THE POLLS
In the most recent national rankings released on March 7, Kansas is No. 1 both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches’ Poll. Kansas holds the longest active streak for consecutive weeks in the AP Top 25 (142) after Duke fell out of the poll for the first time in eight seasons, ending a 167-week streak, on Feb. 1.

KU has spent five weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP poll (Jan. 4, Jan. 11, Feb. 29, March 1, March 7) and four weeks at No. 1 in the Coaches’ poll (Jan. 11, Feb. 29, March 1, March 7). On Jan. 11, Kansas was ranked No. 1 in both national polls for the first time since Feb. 14, 2011.

The last time Kansas was not ranked by the AP was during the 2008-09 season. Under coach Bill Self, Kansas has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 223 weeks, which includes 161 weeks in the Top 10, 93 times in the Top 5 and 23 times at No. 1. In the coaches’ poll, under Self, Kansas has been ranked 236 times with 174 in the top 10 and 107 in the top five.

Kansas entered the 2015-16 season ranked No. 4 by AP and No. 5 in the coaches’ polls. This season’s AP poll is the highest ranking for the Jayhawks since 2009-10 when they entered the season No. 1 in the country. The preseason ranking is the 10th time in the Self era that the Jayhawks enter the season slotted seventh or higher, including each of the last four seasons – No. 5 in 2015-16 and 2014-15, No. 6 in 2013-14, and No. 7 in 2012-13.

KANSAS VS. RANKED TEAMS
With its 85-78 win against No. 21/20 Iowa State (3/5), Kansas improved to 9-3 against nationally-ranked opponents in 2015-16, including 3-0 versus top-10 foes. Nine of those 12 contests have been versus Big 12 members with KU having a 7-2 record. In the Bill Self era, Kansas is 73-37 against ranked opponents and has had a winning record against ranked foes each of the last 11 seasons. In 2014-15 KU played an all-time high 16 games vs. ranked foes and its 10 wins last year were also a season best.

DOWNTOWN
Kansas is making 42.9 percent from 3-point range which is third nationally and second in the Big 12. At their current percentage pace, the 2015-16 Jayhawks would finish second on the school’s single-season 3-point field goal percentage list. Additionally, Kansas’ 263 3-pointers made this season are currently second most in school history for a season ranking behind the 271 in 2010-11.

DOMINATING DEFENSE
In Bill Self’s previous 12 seasons at Kansas, the Jayhawks have led the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense eight times and finished no lower than fourth. Nationally, Self-coached Jayhawks have ranked eighth or higher in all but two seasons in field goal percentage defense and have ranked in the top five on eight occasions, including first in 2005-06 and 2011-12.

CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Including the 2015-16 title, Kansas has won 16 of the 20 Big 12 regular-season championship (includes ties), including the last 12, which ranks second on the NCAA all-time consecutive list. Kansas’ 59 conference titles are the most in NCAA Division I. Kentucky is second with 52 and Penn third at 37. KU’s 12-straight league titles are the longest active streak in NCAA Division I and the longest streak in school history.

BIG 12 RUN NO CAKEWALK
Kansas currently ranks No. 1 in the NCAA Rating Percentage Index (RPI), through games of March 6 and its strength of schedule is sixth nationally. KU ended 2014-15 ranked No. 5 in the RPI and No. 1 in strength of schedule. Following the 2013-14 season, for the second time in the Bill Self era, Kansas ranked first in strength of schedule, according to data from RPIratings.com. KU was also tops in Self’s second season, 2004-05. Prior to 2015-16, in Self’s 12 seasons, KU has ranked fifth or higher in the final RPI eight times, including each of the last six years. Kansas was fourth in the final RPI in 2013-14, its highest since 2010-11 when it ranked first.

UP NEXT
Should Kansas advance March 10, it would be making its 18th Big 12 semifinal appearance and 36th overall league tournament semifinal. KU would face the winner of the No. 4 seed Texas vs. No. 5 seed Baylor contest on March 11 at 6 p.m., on ESPN2.

2015-16 AWARDS SUMMARY

TEAM
Big 12 Regular Season Champions
Maui Jim Maui Invitational Champions
Current No. 1-ranked team

BILL SELF
National Coach of the Year (USA Today, Bleacher Report)
USBWA District VI Coach of the Year
Big 12 Coach of the Year (AP)

CHEICK DIALLO
Wayman Tisdale Award Watch List (1 of 14)
Kareem Abdul Jabbar Award Watch List
Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year

PERRY ELLIS
All-America Second Team (USA Today, Bleacher Report)
Wooden Award Finalist
Senior CLASS Award Finalist (Top 10)
All-Big 12 First Team
USBWA All-District VI
Academic All-Big 12 First Team
Naismith Trophy Midseason 35
Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Finalist (1 of 10)
Lute Olson Award Mid-Season Watch (1 of 35)
Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List (1 of 33)
Maui Jim Maui Invitational All-Tournament Team
Preseason All-Big 12 First Team

DEVONTE’ GRAHAM
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Big 12 Player of the Week (2/15)

LANDEN LUCAS
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention

FRANK MASON III
USBWA All-District VI
All-Big 12 Second Team
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Maui Jim Maui Invitational co-MVP
Eddie Sutton Tustenugee Award Semifinalist (1 of 11)
Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List (1 of 33)
Naismith Trophy Watch List (1 of 50)
Bob Cousy Award Watch List
Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention

EVAN MANNING
Academic All-Big 12 First Team

SVIATOSLAV MYKHAILIUK
Academic All-Big 12 First Team
Julius Erving Award Watch List

WAYNE SELDEN JR.
All-Big 12 Second Team
Big 12 Player of the Week (11/30)
Maui Jim Maui Invitational co-MVP
Maui Jim Maui Invitational All-Tournament Team
Naismith Trophy Midseason 35
Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Finalist (1 of 10)
Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List (1 of 20)
Wooden Award Midseason Top 25

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