Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Just more than two years ago, the Jayhawks traveled to Stillwater, Okla., and were upset by the Oklahoma State Cowboys. It was a terrible game for Kansas from the start. The team’s offense never got going and the Cowboys hung on for a 61-60 victory.
It looked as if the Jayhawks’ hopes of winning the National Championship were fading fast. The loss dropped Kansas to 24-3 overall and 9-3 in Big 12 play after the team had won its first 20 games of the season. The Jayhawks were having another really good year, but it looked as if they could be heading for a disappointing finish in the NCAA Tournament.
But it turned out that the loss at Oklahoma State might just have been the most important regular season game for the 2008 team. The players met up for a meeting with no coaches the next day and the rest is history. After the meeting, Kansas won its next 13 games and the National Championship and finished 37-3 for the season.
Just four days ago, the Cowboys upset No. 1 Kansas again, this time by a score of 85-77. Although this year’s team is not in a mid-season funk like the 2008 squad, it does present an opportunity for the Jayhawks to regroup just like the team did two years ago.
As the Jayhawks prepare for the most important stretch of their season, Saturday’s loss provides the team with even more motivation to take care of business tonight and get on a roll as it heads into postseason play. Coach Self will have no shortage of topics to discuss in the film room and the players can learn from their mistakes to be ready for the Big Dance.
The NCAA Tournament is very unpredictable, but one thing is certain: The team that wins it all has to be playing well at the right time. During some games this season, Kansas has looked like the best team in the country. At other times, like Saturday’s game, the Jayhawks have looked very vulnerable. No matter how you look at it, Kansas will have to get on a roll to win the National Championship.
It’s probably not time for a players-only meeting or even a special speech from Coach Self. Hopefully Saturday’s game was just a bump in the road on the way to a 15-1 record in Big 12 play. With two tough regular season games remaining, at home against Kansas State tonight and on the road against Missouri, the team will no doubt be fired up and ready to play.
The 2008 team realized that it had to get better and make a change if it was going to reach its goals. The players knew they had a great team, but they were not satisfied with having a really good season.
I think this year’s team will learn the same lesson. With the senior leadership of Sherron Collins, the Jayhawks should be able to figure out what it will take to finish as the best team in the country.
It’s not so much about which team is ranked No. 1 for most of the season as which team gets hot at the right time. This year’s team is good enough to beat anyone, but the players must realize that they have to peak during the NCAA Tournament. The 2008 team did, and I think this year’s team will do the same.
It sounds strange, but maybe a loss at Oklahoma State could end up being one of the best things to happen to the Jayhawks this season.
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