March 15, 2018

RCW: 14-Straight Titles

Let’s take a look inside Kansas men’s basketball’s 14-striaght Big 12 Conference titles.
2005

2004-05 (1)

For the second-straight season, KU posted a 12-4 Big 12 record, but in 2005 that mark tied Oklahoma for the Jayhawks’ first Big 12 regular-season title in the Bill Self era. Kansas kicked off the year 14-0 and didn’t lose its first conference game until Valentine’s Day – a one-point, double-overtime loss at Texas Tech.
The loss started a three-game skid until victories against Oklahoma State and Kansas State righted the ship and maintained partial rights to the throne.
Fans said goodbye Kansas legendary seniors Keith Langford, Aaron Miles and Wayne Simien, who finished his career with First Team All-America status.

2006

2005-06 (2)

Kansas suffered losses to rivals Missouri and Kansas State in the first three games of conference play but recovered in grand fashion. The Jayhawks went 12-1 in their final 13 regular-season games to tie Texas for the conference crown at 13-3.
The Jayhawks avenged the early season losses with a 33-point blowout against Missouri at home and a double-digit win in Manhattan against Kansas State in the regular-season finale. Kansas didn’t stop there, chalking up wins against Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Texas to claim Big 12 postseason rights, as well.
Big 12 Freshman of the Year Brandon Rush joined fellow rookie, Mario Chalmers, as the only Jayhawks to average double-figures on the season.

2007

2006-07 (3)

Kansas’ victory versus Texas in the final game of the regular season gave the Jayhawks sole possession of the Big 12 title. Knocking off the Longhorns doubled as the school’s 1,900^th all-time win.
A rare Allen Fieldhouse loss, 69-66 to Texas A&M, lit a fire under the Jayhawks. Kansas won the next seven regular-season game to lock up the Big 12 trophy with a 14-2 record and dash Texas A&M’s hopes of sharing it. The Aggies finished 13-3.
The Jayhawks won their way to the Big 12 Tournament championship game, where they squared off against Texas. Kansas has faced the Longhorns in four different Big 12 Tournament championship games, including 2007, and has won all four.
Mario Chalmers earned Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors and went on to finish second on KU’s all-time career steals list.

2008

2007-08 (4)

En route to a school record 37 wins, Kansas rolled through Big 12 Conference play with a 13-3 record to clinch the regular-season title. The Jayhawks picked up a 30-point win against Oklahoma and a road win against Missouri in the first two weeks of league play. A one-point loss at Oklahoma State would be the last one of the year.
Kansas won the last 13 games of the season: four games of the regular season to collect the crown, three more wins on its way to the Big 12 Tournament Championship and the unforgettable six-straight victories to claim its fifth National Championship.
A well-balanced team that saw four different players average double-figures, but only Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur earned All-Big 12 First Team accolades.

2009

2008-09 (5)

Went 27-8, recording at least 27 victories for the third straight season and at least 23 wins for the 20th consecutive year.
Won the 2009 Big 12 regular-season championship; Kansas’ fifth straight, ninth Big 12 and 52nd overall league title.
Entered the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship the No. 1 seed.
Was ranked for 11 weeks during the regular season, including as high as No. 9 on March 2.
Ended the year ranked No. 9 by Associated Press, marking the third straight season Kansas has ended in the AP top 10. Note, the AP final poll is prior to the NCAA Tournament.
Ended No. 10 in the final ESPN/USA TODAY Coaches’ poll released after the Final Four. It marked the third straight season, KU finished in the coaches’ Top 10 – No. 10 in 2009, No. 1 in 2008 and No. 5 in 2007.
Advanced to its third straight and 26th overall NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
Kansas led the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense at 38.3 and rebound margin at +7.2. KU also ranked among the Big 12’s top four teams in field goal percentage (second at 47.8), scoring margin (third at +11.0), free throw percentage (fourth at 72.5), three-point field goal percentage (third at 37.1), rebounding (second at 39.2), assists (second at 15.9) and blocked shots (second at 4.4).
Kansas climbed back into the national polls on Feb. 2 and ended the season ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press poll released March 16 and No. 10 in the ESPN/USA TODAY Coaches’ polls released April 6. On March 2, KU’s No. 9 ranking was the first time the Jayhawks had been ranked in the Top 10 since the final polls of the 2007-08 season when KU was No. 4 by AP (final poll released before the NCAA Tournament) and No. 1 in the coaches’ poll. Kansas went seven weeks out of the polls before making the Feb. 2 rankings in 2008-09.
KU outshot 28 of 35 opponents this season and has shot 50 percent or better in 16 games, including 50 percent against North Dakota State in its NCAA Tournament opener. Kansas went 25-3 when outshooting its opponent this season and 2-5 when outshot.
KU outrebounded its last four, eight of its last 10 opponents and 26 of 35 opponents in 2008-09. KU ended with a +8.2 rebound margin in Big 12 play and is +7.2 in all games.
In 35 games, four different Jayhawks scored 20 or more points. Sherron Collins had 14 games of 20 or more points, including his last three and eight of his last 10. Cole Aldrich had seven games of 20-plus points, while Tyshawn Taylor had three and Brady Morningstar one.
Kansas has held 145 of its last 148 opponents to under 50 percent shooting, including all 35 foes in 2008-09. Twenty of those 2008-09 opponents shot below 40 percent. The last team to shoot 50 percent or better against KU was Louisiana-Monroe in the 2007-08 season opener (51 percent) as Kansas has held 73 straight foes to under 50 percent shooting.
Individually, eight different Jayhawks led or tied for the team lead in steals in 2008-09, six in assists and three in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
KU is 112-18 (86.2 percent) in its last 130 games dating back to Jan. 21, 2006.

2010

2009-10 (6)

Kansas posted its 30th victory of the season against Texas A&M (March 11). Kansas has won 30-plus games nine times, including three of the last four seasons.
Kansas won its 2,000th all-time game with the 80-68 win against Texas Tech (March 11). Only Kentucky and North Carolina have also won 2,000 games in NCAA Division I.
KU’s Sherron Collins and Brady Morningstar were part of the 1,900th and 2,000th Kansas all-time victories.
Kansas went 15-1 in Big 12 play and won the league by four games.
KU went 18-0 at home and held the nation’s longest home court winning streak throughout the season. Kansas’ current 59-straight wins in Allen Fieldhouse rank second best in school history.
Kansas won its 26th straight Senior Day and 27th consecutive home finale.
Kansas holds the longest active NCAA Tournament consecutive appearance streak at 21 years.
Kansas was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time since the seedings started in 1979.
Of Kansas’ 10 Big 12 regular season titles, KU has won seven outright (1997-98-2002-03-07-09-10).
Kansas’ 33 wins in 36 games is the second-best 36-game record in school history. KU was 34-2 in 1996-97.
Five of Kansas’ non-conference foes won or tied for their league’s regular season title in 2009-10. Those include Oakland (Summit League), California (Pac-10), Belmont (ties for Atlantic Sun), Temple (tied for Atlantic 10) and Cornell (Ivy).
KU dominated the conference, leading the league in 10 different statistical categories – W-L percentage (91.7), scoring (81.6), scoring margin (+17.4), field goal percentage (48.9), three-point field goal percentage (40.4), scoring defense (64.2), field goal percentage defense (37.9), rebound margin (+6.8), assists (16.9), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3).
Ten of KU’s wins this season were by 25-plus points with eight of those by 30 points or more.
KU shot 50 percent or better in 18 of 36 games this season.
Kansas held 21 of 36 opponents this season to under 40 percent from the field.
KU’s bench outscored its opponents’ bench in 26 of 36 games this season.

2011

2010-11 (7)

Kansas men’s basketball season ended March 27 with a 71-61 loss to VCU in the NCAA Tournament Southwest Regional final (Elite Eight) at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
The Jayhawks went 35-3, matching their second-most victories in a single season (37-3 in 2008, 35-3 in 2011, 35-4 in 1998 and 35-4 in 1986).
Kansas has won 30 or more games in 10 seasons, including four of the last five years under head coach Bill Self.
In 2010-11, KU won its seventh-straight, 11th Big 12 and NCAA-leading 54th all-time conference regular-season title by going 14-2 in Big 12 play.
The Jayhawks were ranked no lower than seventh nationally, reached No. 1 for one week and were third or higher for 14 weeks.
The Jayhawks also won their eighth Big 12 and 12th overall conference tourney title defeating Oklahoma State, Colorado and Texas, at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kansas entered the NCAA Tournament a No. 1 seed for the 10th time since seeding began in 1979.
Early in the season, Kansas won the Las Vegas Invitational.
In 2010-11, Kansas led the nation in won-lost percentage (92.1) and field goal percentage (50.8). The Jayhawks also led the Big 12 in scoring (81.2), scoring margin (+16.5), three-point field goal percentage (38.2), rebound margin (+8.0), assists (17.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3).
Kansas held 14 opponents to 60 points or less this season, including three of four games in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
Kansas out-rebounded 31 of 38 opponents this season, including its last eight, 11 of the last 12 and 17 of the last 19.
KU outshot all but six teams this season.
The Jayhawks shot 50 percent or better in 24 games this season, including three of their last five contests and 12 of the last 19 games.
Kansas’ bench averaged 24.4 points compared to its opponents’ 17.3 ppg. KU’s bench outscored its opponents’ bench in 26 of 38 games this season.
Kansas was 33-1 when leading at the half (2-2 when trailing) this season and 35-0 when leading with five minutes remaining (0-3 when trailing).
KU used eight different starting lineups this season.
Kansas scored 50 or more points in the first half five times this season.
Under Bill Self, Kansas has 10 streaks of 10 or more victories, including the 18-0 start of 2010-11 and an 11-game winning streak prior to the VCU game.
KU went 5-1 against ranked foes with a win against No. 13/14 Memphis (Dec. 7) in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden, a loss against No. 10/11 Texas (Jan. 22), a win against No. 19/20 Missouri (Feb. 7), a win against No. 24/22 Texas A&M (March 2), a win at No. 22/24 Missouri (March 5) and a win against No. 10/10 Texas (March 12).
Kansas ended three home-court winning streaks of 10 or more this season with victories at Baylor (10-0) Jan. 17, at Nebraska (14-0) Feb. 5 and at Missouri (17-0) March 5.
Kansas’ 57-point win against Ohio (98-41) in the Las Vegas Invitational (Nov. 26) was the third-largest margin of victory in the Bill Self era and the largest in a game away from Allen Fieldhouse under Self.

2012

2011-12 (8)

Kansas advanced to its 14th Final Four and ninth NCAA title game.
Kansas men’s basketball season ended with a 67-59 loss to Kentucky in the NCAA National Championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
The Jayhawks went 32-7, posting 30 or more wins for the 11th time in school history, including five of the last six years.
In 2011-12, KU won its eighth-straight, 12th Big 12 and NCAA-leading 55th all-time conference regular-season title by going 16-2 in Big 12 play.
The Jayhawks climbed to as high as No. 2 in the polls and were ranked in the Top 10 from Jan. 9 until the end of the season, including six weeks No. 5 or higher.
Early in the season, Kansas finished runner-up at the EA Sports Maui Invitational.
Kansas’ 197 victories since 2006-07 are the most ever in NCAA Division I in a six-year span.
Since 2009-10, KU is 100-18 to mark only the fifth time in NCAA Division I history a team has won at least 100 games in a three-year span.
Thomas Robinson became the 28th Kansas player to be named Consensus All-America First Team. Robinson was KU’s seventh Big 12 Player of the Year and it marked the 14th time in school history a Jayhawk was named his conference player of the year.

2013

2012-13 (9)

Kansas led the NCAA Division I in field goal percentage defense at 36.1 percent and finished second nationally in blocked shots at 6.7 per game. Both stats led the Big 12. KU also led the conference in scoring margin (+13.2), field goal percentage (48.1), rebounding (39.2) and rebound margin (+6.2). The Jayhawks ranked in the top four of the Big 12 in scoring (third, 75.2), free throw percentage (third, 73.7), rebound defense (third, 32.9), assists (fourth, 15.5), assist-to-turnover ratio (fourth, 1.1) and three-point field goals made (fourth, 5.8).
Kansas held a double-digit lead in all but seven contests. KU held the lead in all but one game in 2012-13.
Out of its 37 games, Kansas held 21 of its opponents to 60 points or less, including 57 against Western Kentucky and 58 versus North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.
KU outrebounded 28 of 37 opponents in 2012-13. KU had eight games with 10-plus rebounds over its opponent, including a 40-30 advantage against Iowa State (3/15). Kansas’ 50 rebounds against North Carolina (3/24) tied a season high. KU also had 50 boards at Oklahoma State (2/20) and its +22 against Texas Tech (3/4) was its widest margin of 2012-13.
KU out shot all but five opponents in 2012-13. Additionally, KU shot 50 percent or better in 15 games this season. Kansas shot 53.2 percent or better in five of its last nine games, including a season-best 66.0 percent vs. Texas Tech (3/14) in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship.

2014

2013-14 (10)

The Jayhawks went 25-10, posting 25 or more wins for the 10th-consecutive season beginning in 2005-06.
In 2013-14, KU won its 10th-straight, 14th Big 12 and NCAA-leading 57th all-time conference regular-season title with a 14-4 league record. The Jayhawks clinched the title with two conference games remaining. Kansas’ 14 Big 12 titles were more than its previous conferences as the Jayhawks won 13 in the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, 12 in the Big Six and 13 in the Big Eight eras.
The Jayhawks climbed to as high as No. 2 in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches’ polls during the 2013-14 season. KU entered the season No. 5 in AP and No. 6 in the coaches’ poll, and then spent the first five weeks in the polls’ Top 10. The Jayhawks rose to the Top 10 on the AP poll for the final nine weeks of the year, as well as eight of the last nine weeks on the coaches’ poll.
Kansas ranked seventh nationally in both field goal percentage (49.3) percent and rebound margin (+7.5).
Kansas scored 80 or more points in eight of its last 12 games. The Jayhawks had six games of 90 or more points this season. In 19 of KU’s 25 victories, the Jayhawks scored at least 80 points. KU was 19-3 when scoring 80 points or more in 2013-14.
Kansas was 18-1 when shooting 50 percent or better in the game and eclipsed the 50 percent field goal percentage in nine of the final 18 games of the season.
KU outrebounded 29 of 35 opponents this season. KU had 16 games with a +10 rebound advantage, including a season-best 43-19 (+24) advantage against Eastern Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament (3/21).
Kansas went 22-3 when leading at half, including 14-2 against Big 12 competition.
Kansas’ starting five – Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Perry Ellis, Wayne Selden Jr., and Naadir Tharpe – each received All-Big 12 honors following the season. Embiid was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, while Wiggins was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Wiggins was also a unanimous selection of the league mentors for All-Big 12 First Team, while Embiid was voted second team all-conference, Ellis third team and Selden and Tharpe honorable mention. Embiid was selected to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team, while he and Wiggins were
unanimous choices to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team.
Wiggins was named Consensus All-America Second Team. He would later be the second Jayhawk ever selected No. 1 in the NBA Draft joining Danny Manning in 1988. Embiid was the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.

2015

2014-15 (11)

Entering the 2014-15 season ranked No. 5, Kansas won nine of its first 10 games. The strong start included the Orlando Classic title over Thanksgiving weekend at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.
The Jayhawks were No. 1 nationally in strength of schedule during the season as was the Big 12 Conference. Nine of its 10 teams rated in the national polls during the 2014-15 campaign.
Kansas’ 15^th Big 12 regular-season conference championship, including an unprecedented 11-straight and NCAA-leading 58 overall, would not come easy as nine of Kansas’ 13 conference wins were by 10 points or less. KU vaulted to 3-0 Big 12 start and was once again being chased with an 8-1 record halfway through the league season. KU would wrap up the 2015 Big 12 title with one game remaining in the conference slate>
Kansas celebrated its 60^th year inside Allen Fieldhouse, posting its 18^th undefeated season with a 15-0 record in the venue in 2014-15.

2016

2015-16 (12)

Kansas won its second three-day tournament in the Bill Self era with a 3-0 record in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational over Thanksgiving. Jayhawks Frank Mason III and Wayne Selden Jr were named co-Most Valuable Players of the event and senior Perry Ellis was also named to the All-Tournament Team.
On Jan. 4, No. 1 Kansas defeated No. 2 Oklahoma in an epic triple-overtime battle, 109-106 in Allen Fieldhouse on ESPN Big Monday. The game featured 13 ties, 13 lead changes, and both teams rallying from deficits of 10 points or more.
By posting a 15-3 league record, Kansas won its 12th straight, 16th Big 12 and NCAA-leading 59th conference regular-season championship in 2016.
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).

2017

2016-17 (13)

Kansas won the 2016-17 Big 12 regular-season title going 16-2 in conference play. The Jayhawks won the league by four games and their 16 league wins marked only the third time in KU history they have posted 16 league wins.
Kansas won its NCAA-record-tying 13th-consecutive Big 12 regular-season title in 2016-17. The Jayhawks tied UCLA’s 13 straight from 1967-79. UCLA accomplished the feat under three coaches, while Kansas’ current run has been under Bill Self.
Kansas has been ranked in the top five in all but one week by Associated Press and two weeks in the USA Today Coaches’ polls. The Jayhawks have been No. 3 or higher in every poll since Dec. 5 and No. 1 four weeks in the USA TODAY Coaches’ Poll and two weeks by Associated Press.
Kansas is 5-0 against teams ranked in the top-10 this season and 4-0 against top-five opponents.
From Nov. 15-Jan. 21, Kansas won 18-consecutive games, which was the second-longest winning streak in Bill Self’s 14 seasons and marked the 15th time in the Self era the Jayhawks have won 10-consecutive games.
Kansas won the CBE Hall of Fame Classic (Nov. 21-22), which was the sixth in-season tournament title in Self’s 14 seasons at KU, including each of the last three years.
At 28-4, Kansas has won at least 27 games 10 times in Self’s 14 seasons at KU. A Naismith Hall of Fame induction finalist, Self was the 2017 Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Kansas senior Frank Mason III left KU as one of the most decorated Jayhawks ever. The unanimous 2017 Big 12 Player of the Year was named the national player of the year by The Sporting News, Bleacher Report, USA TODAY and NBC Sports. Mason was a Naismith Player of the Year finalist, on the Wooden Award National Ballot and a Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year finalist.
Joining Mason on the All-Big 12 First Team was freshman Josh Jackson, who was named to many All-America teams and was also on the Wooden Award National Ballot. Jackson is the 2017 Big 12 Freshman of the Year and on the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. Other Jayhawks on All-Big 12 teams included junior Devonte’ Graham (second team) and senior Landen Lucas (honorable mention).

2018

2017-18 (14)

Sitting in second place with a 9-4 record, Kansas finished the season strong, winning six of its last seven Big 12 games to claim the record-breaking conference title for the 14^th-consecutive year. The Jayhawks ended 2018 league play with a 13-5 record, two games ahead of runners-up Texas Tech and West Virginia, who both recorded 11-7 records.
All five of Kansas’ normal starters received All-Big 12 honors, highlighted by senior guard Devonte’ Graham, who was unanimously voted the Big 12 Player of the Year by the league’s head coaches. Graham was also a member of the All-Big 12 First Team, while fellow senior guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk was on the second team. Sophomore center Udoka Azubuike was named to the third team while junior guard Lagerald Vick was an honorable mention selection. Redshirt-sophomore guard Malik Newman was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, while Bill Self was the Big 12 co-Coach of the Year along with Texas Tech’s Chris Beard.