Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #1 Arizona on February 9, 2026 , Win , 82, to, 78
Final
Men's Basketball
82
vs #1 Arizona
78
Kansas to Face Houston in Big 12 Semifinals Friday
3/13/2026 9:45:00 AM | Men's Basketball
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - No. 3 seed Kansas (23-9, 12-6 Big 12) will face No. 2 seed Houston (27-5, 14-4) in the 2026 Big 12 Tournament semifinals on Friday, March 13, at 8:30 p.m. CT. The contest from T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, will be televised on ESPN.
KU has won 15 postseason league tourney titles, including 11 in the Big 12 era. KU (11), Iowa State (6), Oklahoma State (2), and Houston (1) are active league members with Big 12 tournament titles. Houston is defending tourney champ.
Since the Big 12's inception in 1996-97, Kansas is 51-15 in the league tournament. KU is 23-4 in the quarterfinals, 15-6 in semifinals and 11-4 in finals. NOTE: KU's 2018 title and three wins were later vacated.
Kansas is coming off a 78-73 win against TCU on March 12 in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals. Houston advanced to the semifinals with a 73-66 win against BYU in its quarterfinal contest on March 12.
Through games of March 12, Kansas' strength of schedule is second in NCAA D1 only trailing Alabama. In the Bill Self era, Kansas has ranked in the top five of strength of schedule 10 times and No. 1 six times (2005, 2025, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2023).
Kansas is No. 18 in the NET, which is fourth in the Big 12. KU's nine Quad 1 wins are tied for second most in the league with Houston and are tied for fourth most nationally. Arizona is first in the league with 14.
Kansas leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense at 38.7%, which is fifth nationally, three-point field goal percentage defense at 30.2%, which is 19th nationally, and blocked shots at 5.8, which is sixth nationally.
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Flory Bidunga leads the Big 12 and is third nationally, with 87 blocked shots, and his 2.72 blocked shots per game also rank first in the Big 12 and third nationally. Bidunga also leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 65.1%, which is seventh nationally.
At 13.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg, and 2.72 bpg, Bidunga is the only player in NCAA Division I to average more than 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game.
One of 15 on the 2026 Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List, Kansas head coach Bill Self is 632-165 in his 23rd season at KU. Last season, Self became Kansas' all-time winningest coach, surpassing Phog Allen, who was 590-129 in 36 seasons on the KU sidelines. Self is in his 33rd season overall with an 839-270 record. He is one of only four active coaches in NCAA D1 with 800 or career wins joining Rick Barnes, John Calipari, and Kelvin Sampson.
UP NEXT
A Kansas win in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals would advance KU to the championship game, Saturday, March 14, at 5 p.m. CT against the winner of the Iowa State-Arizona contest. Should it happen, KU would reach its conference tournament championship game for the 16th time in Big 12 history and the 24th time in conference postseason tournament history. The Jayhawks are 15-8 all-time in conference tourney finals, including 11-4 in the Big 12 era (since 1997).
KU has won 15 postseason league tourney titles, including 11 in the Big 12 era. KU (11), Iowa State (6), Oklahoma State (2), and Houston (1) are active league members with Big 12 tournament titles. Houston is defending tourney champ.
Since the Big 12's inception in 1996-97, Kansas is 51-15 in the league tournament. KU is 23-4 in the quarterfinals, 15-6 in semifinals and 11-4 in finals. NOTE: KU's 2018 title and three wins were later vacated.
Kansas is coming off a 78-73 win against TCU on March 12 in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals. Houston advanced to the semifinals with a 73-66 win against BYU in its quarterfinal contest on March 12.
Through games of March 12, Kansas' strength of schedule is second in NCAA D1 only trailing Alabama. In the Bill Self era, Kansas has ranked in the top five of strength of schedule 10 times and No. 1 six times (2005, 2025, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2023).
Kansas is No. 18 in the NET, which is fourth in the Big 12. KU's nine Quad 1 wins are tied for second most in the league with Houston and are tied for fourth most nationally. Arizona is first in the league with 14.
Kansas leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense at 38.7%, which is fifth nationally, three-point field goal percentage defense at 30.2%, which is 19th nationally, and blocked shots at 5.8, which is sixth nationally.
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Flory Bidunga leads the Big 12 and is third nationally, with 87 blocked shots, and his 2.72 blocked shots per game also rank first in the Big 12 and third nationally. Bidunga also leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 65.1%, which is seventh nationally.
At 13.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg, and 2.72 bpg, Bidunga is the only player in NCAA Division I to average more than 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game.
One of 15 on the 2026 Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List, Kansas head coach Bill Self is 632-165 in his 23rd season at KU. Last season, Self became Kansas' all-time winningest coach, surpassing Phog Allen, who was 590-129 in 36 seasons on the KU sidelines. Self is in his 33rd season overall with an 839-270 record. He is one of only four active coaches in NCAA D1 with 800 or career wins joining Rick Barnes, John Calipari, and Kelvin Sampson.
UP NEXT
A Kansas win in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals would advance KU to the championship game, Saturday, March 14, at 5 p.m. CT against the winner of the Iowa State-Arizona contest. Should it happen, KU would reach its conference tournament championship game for the 16th time in Big 12 history and the 24th time in conference postseason tournament history. The Jayhawks are 15-8 all-time in conference tourney finals, including 11-4 in the Big 12 era (since 1997).
Players Mentioned
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