Top-Ranked Jayhawks Begin NCAA Dance Thursday on TNT

Notes Links Kansas Postseason Information
Notes Links Kansas Game Notes (.pdf)
Notes Links Austin Peay Game Notes (.pdf)
Notes Links Big 12 Game Notes (.pdf)

Kansas (30-4, 15-3 Big 12) is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship South Regional. KU will take on 16th-seeded Austin Peay (18-17, 7-9 Ohio Valley) on Thursday, March 17, at approximately 3 p.m. Central time at the Wells Fargo Arena (16,869) in Des Moines, Iowa. The game will be televised on TNT. Kansas will have open practice in the venue on Wednesday, March 16, from 2:15-2:55 p.m.

Kansas is making its 45th NCAA Championship appearance and its 27th-consecutive trip to the tournament, the longest active streak in the nation and ties the longest in tournament history (North Carolina, 1975-2001).

This marks the seventh-straight season that the Jayhawks have earned a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. In head coach Bill Self’s 13 seasons in Lawrence, KU has never been seeded lower than fourth. Since seeding began in 1979, Kansas has been a No. 1 12 times, including six times under Self (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016).

KU, which is ranked No. 1 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, has won 12-straight, 16 Big 12 and an NCAA best 59 regular-season conference championships, including the 2016 title. KU also won the 2016 Big 12 Postseason Championship, its 14th all-time and 10th Big 12.

ABOUT KANSAS
Kansas averages 81.6 points per game and has a Big 12-leading +13.8 scoring margin, 39.8 field goal percentage defense and 42.6 3-point field goal percentage. KU is second in the conference with a 49.4 field goal percentage and 32.5 3-point field goal percentage defense. KU pulls down an average of 37.7 rebounds per game and has a +4.9 rebound margin. The Jayhawks also average 15.9 assists, 6.8 steals and 4.1 blocked shots per contest.

Senior F Perry Ellis has scored 20 or more points in four of his last five games. He leads Kansas in scoring (16.7 ppg) and is second in rebounding (5.9 rpg). Ellis had 12 games of scoring 19 or more points in Big 12 play this season, including 10 20-point efforts and overall he ranks third in the league in scoring and 10th in rebounding. Ellis averaged 17.7 points and 5.8 rebounds during Big 12 play. Junior G Frank Mason III is shooting 54.5 percent from 3-point range in his last eight games. He is averaging 13.1 points for the season, which is 11th in the league. Mason has 48 assists and 11 turnovers in his last 11 contests. Mason leads KU with 4.7 assists per contest, fourth in the Big 12, and is second with 45 steals. Junior G Wayne Selden Jr., is a starter who scores 13.1 points per game, tied for eighth in the conference, and leads KU with 69 3-pointers this season. His 2.0 3-pointers made per game are fifth in the league and his 40.8 3-point field goal percentage is sixth. Sophomore G Devonte’ Graham was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2016 Big 12 Championship where he averaged 17.3 point and 3.3 assists in leading KU to the title. Graham leads KU with 45 steals and is second on the team in assists (129) and 3-point field goals made (68). He is scoring 11.7 points per game which is 17th in the conference. Graham’s 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio is fifth in the conference, just behind Mason’s 2.5. 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, and scores 5.2 points per game. Lucas has averaged 8.6 boards in his last 11 outings.

Junior G Brannen Greene is a regular who has made 31 3-pointers this season and scores 5.8 points per game off the bench. Sophomore G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk averages 5.2 points and has made 33 3-pointers this season. Freshman F Carlton Bragg Jr., averaged 8.0 points in three Big 12 Championship games and is averaging 4.1 ppg and 2.4 rpg for the season. Senior F Jamari Traylor leads KU with 28 blocked shots and is averaging 3.2 points and 3.3 rebounds for the season. Freshman Cheick Diallo averages 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. His 22 blocked shots are tied for second on the team with senior F Hunter Mickelson, who has started 10 games this season, is averaging 2.4 points and 2.3 rebounds with 22 blocked shots.

ABOUT AUSTIN PEAY
Located in Clarksville, Tennessee, with an enrollment of 10,597, Austin Peay (18-17, 7-9 Ohio Valley) advanced to the NCAA Championship by winning four-straight games in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship, March 2-5. The Governors are taking a six-game winning streak to Des Moines, which ties for the 10th longest nationally. Kansas’ current 14-game streak is second behind Stephen F. Austin’s 20. Austin Peay finished fourth in the Ohio Valley West with a 7-9 league record.

Austin Peay is coached by Dave Loos, who is in his 26th season at Austin Peay with a 407-391 record. Loos is 491-443 in his 30th season overall. Austin Peay averages 76.0 points per game and has scored one more point than its opponent on the season. The Governors average 36.9 rebounds per game and have a +2.7 rebound margin. They make 6.3 3-pointers per contest and shoot 34.8 percent from beyond the arc, 46.3 percent from field goal range. Austin Peay averages 13.5 assist, 6.9 steals and 2.9 blocked shots per outing.

Senior C/F Chris Horton averages a double-double with 18.9 points and 12.0 rebounds per game. He leads Austin Peay with a 60.4 field goal percentage, 63 blocked shots and 47 steals. Sophomore G Josh Robinson is next in scoring at 16.7 points per game and he leads the team with 69 3-point field goals made. Robinson is second on the team with 91 assists, just behind senior G Khalil Davis’ team-high 97. Davis, who is from Grandview High School in Kansas City, Missouri, scores 11.2 points per game and is second on the team with 41 steals. His 4.0 rebounds are third on the squad. Junior F Kenny Jones (7.9 ppg) is second on the team with a 5.3 rebound average and 17 blocked shots. Freshman G/F Jared Savage has started six games and scores 6.5 points per contest and his 52 3-pointers made are second more on the team. Other Austin Peay regulars include junior G/F John Murry (5.4 ppg) and redshirt freshman G/F Chris Porter-Bunton (4.2 ppg).

KANSAS-AUSTIN PEAY SERIES
Kansas and Austin Peay are meeting for the first time in men’s basketball. Kansas is 19-0 all-time against current membership of the Ohio Valley Conference: 9-0 vs. Murray State; 2-0 vs. Belmont, Morehead State and UT-Martin; and 1-0 vs. Eastern Kentucky, SIU-Edwardsville, Southeast Missouri State and Tennessee State. Kansas last faced an Ohio Valley team when it defeated Belmont, 89-60, on Dec. 15, 2012, in Allen Fieldhouse.

A KANSAS WIN WOULD…
Make Kansas 31-4 and give KU 31 victories for the 10th time in school history with seven of those in the Bill Self era… Extend KU’s winning streak to 15 games, its longest of the season… Give KU its 10th-straight NCAA Tournament first-game victory which started in 2007… Make KU 31-2 in its last 33 NCAA Tournament round-of-64 games, beginning in 1981… Make KU 15-4 away from Allen Fieldhouse this season… Make the KU-Austin Peay series 1-0 in favor of Kansas and make KU 20-0 all-time against the Ohio Valley Conference… Make Kansas 98-43 all-time in NCAA Tournament games… Make Bill Self 383-82 while at Kansas, 590-187 all-time and 38-16 in the NCAA Tournament (28-11 while at KU)… Make Kansas 2,184-835 all-time.

A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…
End Kansas’ season at 30-5… End a KU 14-game winning streak, its longest of the season… End a Kansas nine-straight first-game NCAA Tournament win streak… Make the KU-Austin Peay series 1-0 in favor of the Governors… Make Kansas 14-5 away from Allen Fieldhouse this season… Make Kansas 0-1 in NCAA Tournament games played in Des Moines… Make Bill Self 382-83 while at Kansas, 589-188 all-time and 37-17 in the NCAA Tournament (27-12 while at Kansas)… Make Kansas 2,183-836 all-time.

KANSAS VS. THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD
Kansas has faced 11 NCAA Championship teams in 2015-16 with a 16-3 record. Those include No. 2 seed Oklahoma (2-0), No. 2 seed Michigan State (0-1), No. 3 seed West Virginia (2-1), No. 4 seed Iowa State (1-1), No. 4 seed Kentucky (1-0), No. 5 seed Baylor (3-0), No. 6 seed Texas (2-0), No. 7 seed Oregon State (1-0), No. 8 seed Texas Tech (2-0), No. 11 seed Vanderbilt (1-0) and No. 16 seed Holy Cross (1-0).

SEED NOTES
Kansas is the No. 1 seed for the 12th time since the NCAA Championship started seeding in 1979: 1986-92-95-97-98-2002-07-08-10-11-13-16. This is the sixth time KU has been a No. 1 seed under Bill Self. Kansas is 29-10 as a No. 1 seed, has won all 12 of its No. 1 seed first-round games and has advanced to three Final Fours (1986, 2002 and 2008) as the No. 1 seed. KU’s 39 games played as a No. 1 seed are its most in the NCAA Championship. It’s No. 2 seed is next with 27 games.

KANSAS IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
• This year marks Kansas’ 45th NCAA Championship appearance.
• Kansas’ 27-straight NCAA Championship appearances, from 1990-2016, is the nation’s longest active streak and is tied for the best all time (North Carolina had 27-straight appearances from 1975-2001).
• Under head coach Bill Self, Kansas is 27-11 (71.1 percent) in the NCAA Championship with seven Sweet 16s, five Elite Eights, two Final Fours, one NCAA National Championship and one NCAA runner-up finish.
• In the last 14 NCAA Championships, Kansas has a 36-13 (80.0 percent) record with one NCAA National Championship (2008), four Final Four (2002-03-08-12) and seven Elite Eight (2002-03-04-07-08-11-12) appearances.
• Kansas’ 45 NCAA Championship appearances are tied for third nationally behind only Kentucky (54), North Carolina (47) and UCLA (45).
• Kansas sports an all-time NCAA Championship record of 97-43. The Jayhawks’ 97 wins trail only Kentucky (120), North Carolina (112) Duke (105) and UCLA (99).
• The Jayhawks will play their 141st NCAA Championship game on Friday. The Jayhawks’ 140 games in the event rank fourth all-time in NCAA history, behind Kentucky (168), North Carolina (156) and UCLA (147).
• KU’s NCAA Championship winning percentage of 69.3 percent ranks sixth all-time for a minimum of 20 games played.
• Kansas coach Bill Self is making his 18th-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship as a head coach, which is fifth-best consecutive string in tourney history by a head coach: 23 Dean Smith (1975-97), 20 Roy Williams (1990-2009), 21 Mike Krzyzewski, (1996-2016), 19 Tom Izzo (1998-2016), 18 Bill Self (1999-2016), 17 Rick Barnes (1996-2012). Self, Krzyzewski and Izzo are the only active streaks.
• KU is one of eight schools that have won at least three NCAA Championships. The Jayhawks won the NCAA crown in 1952, 1988 and 2008. The other schools are: UCLA (11), Kentucky (8), Indiana (5), North Carolina (5), Duke (4), Connecticut (4) and Louisville (3).
• Kansas has appeared in the Final Four 14 times, making KU one of just seven schools to reach the Final Four 10-plus times: North Carolina (18), UCLA (17), Kentucky (17), Duke (16), Kansas (14), Ohio State (11) and Louisville (10).
• Kansas has won 12 games in the Final Four, which is tied for fifth best all-time: UCLA (25), Kentucky (20), Duke (17), North Carolina (15) and Indiana (12).
• Five different Jayhawks have been named NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player, including B.H. Born in 1953 and Wilt Chamberlain in 1957, who both won the award even though KU lost in the title game. Clyde Lovellette (1952) and Danny Manning (1988) also won the honor. Mario Chalmers won the Most Outstanding Player Award for the 2008 NCAA Championship.
• Former Jayhawk player and coach Dick Harp is the only person to play in the Final Four and later coach his alma mater in the Final Four.
• In 2007-08, Kansas became the fourth school to win a BCS game, and then play in the Final Four the same academic year. The 2007 KU football team won the FedEx Orange Bowl and the men’s basketball team captured the NCAA National Championship. Other schools to accomplish the feat include Ohio State (1999), Wisconsin (2000) and Florida (2007).
• In 1993, Kansas became the first school in NCAA history to make a Final Four appearance, a College World Series appearance and win a bowl game in the same year.
• Larry Brown is one of two coaches to take two different teams to the NCAA championship game (UCLA, 1980 and Kansas, 1988). Frank McGuire took St. John’s in 1952 and North Carolina in 1957. McGuire’s 1957 North Carolina team defeated Kansas for the championship in triple overtime.
• Brown is the only man to coach teams to the NCAA Championship (Kansas in 1988) and the NBA Championship (Detroit in 2004).
• When Phog Allen’s 1952 team won the NCAA title, Allen was 66 years old. That was the oldest age for the head coach of a championship team until Jim Calhoun (68) of Connecticut won in 2011. Allen became the fourth coach to win the NCAA National Championship at his alma mater, a feat that has been accomplished 14 times.
• Kansas won the NCAA Tournament in 1988 as a No. 6 seed. Jim Valvano‘s 1983 N.C. State team also won the tournament as a No. 6 seed. Only two other teams has won the tournament with a lower seed – Villanova in 1985 as an eighth seed and Connecticut as a No. 7 seed in 2014. In the 1990s, the lowest seed to win the tournament was the 1997 Arizona team, which captured the title as a No. 4 seed. The Wildcats upset Kansas, the top seed, in the Sweet 16.

CRADLE OF TOURNAMENT COACHING LEGENDS
With Jerod Haase advancing UAB to the 2015 NCAA Tournament, there are 11 head coaches who have advanced to the NCAA Tournament that graduated from the University of Kansas. In fact, the 124 combined NCAA Tournament wins by those men are easily the most by graduates of any one school: Phog Allen (KU 1906, 10-3), Tad Boyle (KU 1985, 1-3), Tim Carter (KU 1979, 0-2), Frosty Cox (KU 1930, 2-4), Jerod Haase (1-1), Dick Harp (KU 1940, 4-2), Danny Manning (KU 1991, 0-1), Ralph Miller (KU 1942, 5-11), Adolph Rupp (KU 1922, 30-18), Dean Smith (KU 1953, 65-27) and Mark Turgeon (KU 1987, 6-6).

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 +13.8, 3-point field goal percentage (42.6) and field goal percentage defense (39.9). KU also ranks in the top three in the Big 12 in scoring offense (second at 81.6), field goal percentage (second at 49.4), 3-point field goals made (second at 8.3), rebounding (third at 37.7), assists (third at 15.9), rebound margin (third at +4.9) and assist-to-turnover ratio (third at 1.3).
• Kansas is one of two teams to have three players rank in the top 11 in the Big 12 in scoring: No. 3 Perry Ellis, No. 8 (tie) Wayne Selden, and No. 11 Frank Mason.
• Kansas’ 81.6 scoring average is tied for 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 30 victories this season, Kansas has won by 10 or more points in 18 of those wins, including three of the last five games. Six KU wins have been by 30 points or more, including 86-56 at Texas (2/29).
• KU has out-shot 29 of 34 opponents, including each of their last 13 opponents. KU is shooting 51.2 percent from the field in its last 13 games.
• Kansas has shot 50 percent or better in six of its last nine games, nine Big 12 contests and 17 times overall this season.
• The Jayhawks have out-rebounded 24 of 34 foes, including 10 of the last 15 contests. KU had a +18 rebound advantage against Oklahoma State (2/15) and +21 at TCU (2/6).
• Kansas has shot 40 percent or better from 3-point range in 23 of its 34 games, including five of the last seven contests.
• The KU bench has outscored its opponents’ bench in 22 of 34 games this season and is 21-1 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 26 of 34 games this season, including three of the last five 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 led KU in scoring in nine of 18 Big 12 games, averaging 17.7 points per Big 12 contest (16.7 ppg overall).
• Sophomore G Devonte’ Graham is 53-for-101 (52.5 percent) from the field in his last 12 games.
• Graham has made 13 3-pointers in his last four games.
• Junior G Wayne Selden Jr., is fifth in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game at 2.0 and sixth in 3-point field goal percentage at .408 for all games. Selden has made three or more 3-pointers in 15 games this season.

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 17.3 minutes per game (Landen Lucas) and 5.8 points per game (Brannen Greene). The group of four combines for 37 35-plus minute games this season, while the rest of the team has none.

QUITE THE COMPARISON
In Kansas’ 30 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.

WINNING STREAKS
Kansas has posted two winning streaks of 13 or more in 2015-16. KU’s current 14-game winning streak, which started Jan. 30, is the 14th time in the Bill Self era that the Jayhawks have won 10 or more straight games. The 13-game streak earlier this season included three ranked teams and three Big 12 foes, while the current 14-game streak includes seven ranked opponents and 13 conference opponents.

IN THE POLLS
In the most recent national rankings released on March 14, 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 (141) 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 six weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP poll (Jan. 4, Jan. 11, Feb. 29, March 1, March 7, March 14) and five weeks at No. 1 in the Coaches’ poll (Jan. 11, Feb. 29, March 1, March 7, March 14). 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 224 weeks, which includes 162 weeks in the Top 10, 94 times in the Top 5 and 24 times at No. 1. In the coaches’ poll, under Self, Kansas has been ranked 237 times with 175 in the top 10 and 108 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 MILESTONES
• Senior F Perry Ellis is only the 13th Jayhawk to reach the 1,600 point plateau, reaching the milestone at Kansas State (2/20). Ellis has 1,725 career points, which is 11th on the KU career scoring list. Earlier this season, Ellis became the 13th player in KU history to reach 800 career rebounds, currently 13th at 814. Ellis is the sixth player in KU history to rank in the top 13 in both career points and career rebounds: Danny Manning (2,951 points/1,187 rebounds), Nick Collison (2,097 points/1,143 rebounds), Raef LaFrentz (2,066 points/1,186 rebounds), Clyde Lovellette (1,979 points/839 rebounds) and Dave Robisch (1,754 points/815 rebounds).
• Junior G Wayne Selden Jr., had 33 points against Kentucky (1/30) and in the process became the 57th Jayhawk to reach the 1,000-point plateau. He is 41st on the KU scoring list at 1,131 points and ranks 10th on the KU career 3-pointers made list at 157) and 12th on the 3-pointers attempted list at 423.
• Junior G Frank Mason III surpassed the 1,000 points mark at Kansas State (2/20) and is the 58th Jayhawk to accomplish the feat. He is 43rd at 1,088 career points. Mason ranks 16th on the KU career assists list, currently at 373. 

1,000-POINT SCORERS
When junior G Frank Mason III surpassed the 1,000-points plateau, currently at 1,088, he joined teammates Perry Ellis (1,725) and Wayne Selden Jr. (1,131) who have also reached the milestone. Historically, this is only the sixth time in KU history there have been three or more 1,000-point scorers on the same floor and the first since 2004-05. Kansas and Oklahoma are the only two Big 12 schools that have three active players with 1,000 points or more. OU has senior Buddy Hield, senior Isaiah Cousins and junior Jordan Woodard.

KANSAS vs. RANKED TEAMS
With its 81-71 win against No. 9/8 West Virginia in the Big 12 title game (3/12),  Kansas improved to 11-3 against nationally-ranked opponents in 2015-16, including 4-0 versus top-10 foes. The 11 wins is a new high in a season for Kansas, surpassing the 10 set last year. In the Bill Self era, Kansas is 75-37 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.

DOWNTOWN
Kansas is making 42.6 percent from 3-point range which is second nationally and first 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.

ELLIS NAMED SENIOR CLASS AWARD FINALIST
Perry Ellis is one of 10 finalists for the 2015-16 Senior CLASS Award®. To be eligible for the award, one must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.

Nationwide fan voting has started to help select the winner, and fans can daily submit votes online through March 21 at SeniorCLASSaward.com. Fan votes will be combined with those of the media and Division I head coaches to determine the winners. KU’s Wayne Simien won the Senior CLASS Award in 2005.

BOB DAVIS RETIRING
Bob Davis, for over three decades the play-by-play voice of Kansas Jayhawk football and men’s basketball, announced Nov. 24 that he will retire following the 2015-16 basketball season. Davis began with the Jayhawk Radio Network in fall 1984 and has broadcast eight of the Jayhawks’ 14 NCAA Final Four appearances, including KU’s 1988 and 2008 national championships, and half of KU’s 12 football bowl games, including the Jayhawks’ victory in the 2008 Orange Bowl. He has also served for many years as host of the weekly radio show “Hawk Talk,” featuring the Jayhawk football and basketball coaches.

A member of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters (KAB), Fort Hays State Athletics and Topeka West High School Graduate Halls of Fame, Davis has been named Kansas Sportscaster of the Year 14 times, including being named the 2015 recipient in Jan. 2016. In 1991 KAB presented him with its Hod Humiston Award for Contributions to Sports Broadcasting. The Kansas State High School Activities Association recognized him with the Oscar Stauffer Sports Broadcasting Award in 1975 and 1978 for his high school broadcasts. Davis has chaired KAB’s Sports Seminar has judged the Kansas Scholastic Press Association Sports Writing Competition. He has lectured numerous times at university broadcasting and journalism classes.

In his stint with Kansas, Davis has called more than 1,160 men’s basketball games between regular-season and exhibition contests. Prior to KU, Davis would occasionally fill in for Max Falkenstien and Tom Hedrick on the Jayhawk Radio Network. In the 1970s, Davis called many KU contests when working for KFEQ and KAYS radio stations calling every game of the Big Eight Holiday Tournament. With his 372 Kansas football games broadcasted, Davis has called more than 1,540 KU contests as the Voice of the Jayhawks.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW
Kansas basketball is packing arenas throughout the country this season. In addition to playing in front of 100-percent capacity crowds for all games at Allen Fieldhouse thus far this season, Kansas has filled visiting arenas to an average capacity of 96.8 percent.

THIS DAY IN KANSAS BASKETBALL HISTORY
Kansas is 5-2 all-time on March 17.
March 17, 1953: Kansas defeated Washington, 79-53, in the NCAA Championship semifinal at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. Washington brought a 29-2 record into the game and was predicted to win the national title. B.H. Born poured in 25 points, while Dean Kelley and Harold Patterson added 16 each as KU used a fast-break attack to catch Washington off balance. Kansas would go on to lose to Indiana in the title game, 69-68. Under Phog Allen, KU would finish the year 19-6 and won the Big Seven Conference regular-season title with a 10-2 league record.

UP NEXT
A KU victory March 17 would have the Jayhawks face the winner of the Colorado-Connecticut contest on March 19, also in Des Moines.

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