Losing the bulk of its scoring from last year’s team that entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed, most expected this to be the year for Kansas to be ripe for the picking in the Big 12. That wasn’t the case as the Jayhawks rolled to a 26-5 record and their eighth straight regular season conference title.
NCAA Bracket 2012: How Kansas Basketball Got To March Madness
Much of the reason for that is the emergence of big man Thomas Robinson, who could be named national Player of the Year next week. Robinson has been dominant in his junior season, averaging a team-best 17.9 points and 11.8 rebounds. He’s been helped by senior guard Tyshawn Taylor, who has stepped up to average a career-high 17.3 ppg after averaging single figures for the first three years of his college career.
Most expected Kansas to square off with Missouri for a rubber match in the Big 12 championship game, but the Jayhawks were upset by fourth-seeded Baylor in the semifinals, ultimately costing them a chance at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. As the No. 2 seed in the Midwest, they’ll face No. 15 University of Detroit in their first game.
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