Kansas college basketball championships: Complete history

 

player	games	FG	FGA	FG%	FT%	points	rebounds	assists
Clyde Lovellette	28	11.3	23.6	.477	.737	28.4	12.8	1.9
Bob Kenney	27	4.8	13.0	.370	.803	13.7	3.7	1.3
Bill Hougland	27	2.7	6.7	.411	.729	7.1	3.3	1.2
Dean Kelley	28	2.2	5.7	.381	.600	6.0	3.3	1.8
Bill Lienhard	26	2.3	7.5	.308	.696	5.8	3.2	1.4
Charlie Hoag	18	1.8	6.4	.276	.541	4.7	2.8	1.6
John Keller	21	0.7	1.8	.378	.808	2.3	2.5	1.2
B.H. Born	26	0.5	1.5	.350	.600	1.8	1.1	1.0
Bill Heitholt	27	0.5	2.2	.237	.455	1.6	2.0	0.1
Larry Davenport	21	0.6	1.6	.353	.700	1.5	1.0	0.4
Dean Smith	18	0.5	1.1	.450	.500	1.4	0.6	0.3
Everett Dye	11	0.3	1.5	.188	.750	0.8	0.4	0.2
Jerry Alberts	9	0.2	0.7	.333	.500	0.7	0.6	0.0
LaVannes Squires	13	0.3	1.1	.287	.500	0.7	0.6	0.2
Wes Johnson	13	0.2	0.3	.500	.500	0.5	0.5	0.2
Al Kelley	12	0.1	0.6	.143	.000	0.2	0.3	0.0
Dean Wells	1	0.0	0.0	–––	–––	0.0	0.0	0.0

 

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Dec. 3, 1951 – Kansas 57, Baylor 46

"Kansas never was in trouble, but didn't — or couldn't — apply much pressure tonight as the Jayhawks opened their basketball campaign with a 57 to 46 victory over the Baylor Bears," wrote The Kansas City Times' Bob Busby. Kansas made 21-of-26 free throws in the win as the Jayhawks led by as many as 16, 36-20.

Dec. 8, 1951 – Kansas 84, Denver 53

The Jayhawks set a single-game scoring record with 84 points, breaking the previous record of 79, which the school had reached in 1949 and 1950. "Denver opened the scoring with six-foot-six center Dale Toft tipping one in," reported the UP. "But Kansas quickly went into a lead that never was in danger."

Dec. 10, 1951 – Kansas 65, Creighton 47

Kansas center Clyde Lovellette scored 14 points in the fourth quarter after scoring just 11 points in the first three quarters to lead the Jayhawks to a win in Omaha.

Dec. 14, 1951 – Kansas 74, SMU 51

Clyde Lovellette scored 42 points on 18-of-30 shooting, plus 6-of-7 from the free-throw line, as he finished with just nine fewer points than SMU. "The Methodists couldn't come close to handling him," the AP reported. "Lovellette controlled the ball off the backboards all evening."

Dec. 15, 1951 – Kansas 58, SMU 57

"Southern Methodist's Mustangs came close to pulling the basketball upset of the young season tonight before falling to the potent Kansas Jayhawks, 58 to 57, in the finale minute of play," reported the AP. Bob Keeney's free throw gave Kansas a one-point lead and the Jayhawks played keep-away for the entire last minute to hang on.

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Dec. 18, 1951 – Kansas 68, Rice 48

Kansas entered the game ranked No. 7 in the AP poll and the Jayhawks maintained a double-digit lead for most of the game. "But even so it was a rather dull, yawning exhibition," wrote The Kansas City Times' Bob Busby. Clyde Lovellette scored 24 points, including 15 after halftime, while Bob Kenney had 17.

Dec. 22, 1951 – Kansas 76, Southern California 55

"Center Clyde Lovellette scored 30 points on every type of shot to keep his season average at 28 points per game," reported the UP. "A new modern school free-throw record was set by the six-foot-nine Lovellette as he sank 12."

Dec. 26, 1951 – Kansas 76, Colorado 56

The Jayhawks shot 59 percent from the field as Clyde Lovellette scored 23 and Bob Kenney added 21 in the first round of the Big Seven tournament.

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Dec. 28, 1951 – Kansas 90, Kansas State 88 (OT)

Kansas found itself leading by 19 points but allowed Kansas State to fight back to tie the game at 80 before the Jayhawks won by two in overtime in the semifinals of the Big Seven tournament. "Clyde Lovellette of Kansas, possessor of the nation's best scoring average, was a hero again, getting twenty-seven points, but he shared the laurels liberally with a hustling set of teammates, who played their best game of the season," reported The Kansas City Times.

Dec. 29, 1951 – Kansas 75, Missouri 65

The Kansas City Times reported that Kansas was "never behind, but always on the brink of trouble," in the Big Seven tournament championship. Clyde Lovellette scored 26 points but he was ejected with 3:02 left in the game after reportedly stepping on Missouri's Winfred Wilfong. The closest Missouri got to Kansas was shortly after halftime when the Tigers cut it to 21-20.

Jan. 5, 1952 – Kansas 71, Oklahoma 48

Kansas scored a record 71 points against Oklahoma as Clyde Lovellette scored 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting in the Jayhawks' 11th win in a row of the season and 14th consecutive dating back to the previous season. "While the Jayhawkers never were in trouble, the Sooners managed to remain pesky," wrote The Kansas City Star's Bob Busby.

Jan. 12, 1952 – Kansas 60, Missouri 59

"Kansas' unbeaten record was almost blacked out Saturday night as the No. 1 ranked Jayhawk cagers came from behind in the final minutes to defeat Missouri, 60-59," reported the AP. "Dean Kelley dropped in a fielder from the corner of the court in the closing seconds to give the Jayhawks their margin."

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Jan. 14, 1952 – Kansas 69, Nebraska 66

The Jayhawks stalled for the last 66 seconds of the game to hold off Nebraska. "And for Nebraska's Cornhuskers it was a valiant display of utter disregard for the national standing of the visitors," wrote The Lincoln Star's Don Bryant. "There was never a doubt in anyone's mind throughout the evening that Lovellette was anything by an All-America basketball player. His hook shot was indefensible and he topped the scorers with 24 points." 

Jan. 26, 1952 – Kansas State 81, Kansas 64

Kansas lost its first game of the season as Kansas State took over the lead in the Big Seven standings. "The game was not much of a contest after the first half," reported the AP.

Jan. 30, 1952 – Oklahoma State 49, Kansas 45

Kansas lost back-to-back games as the Jayhawks' 43-38 lead was lost as the Cowboys went on an 8-0 run, then they held the Jayhawks to two points in the final 10 minutes. Clyde Lovellette scored a team-high 18 points but an ankle injury forced him to leave the game in the final minute. "Kansas," reported The Kansas City Times, "never could pull away despite a leading position almost all the way."

Feb. 2, 1952 – Kansas 86, Iowa State 68

On a night in which Clyde Lovellette only scored 17 points before fouling out at the end of the third quarter, Bob Kenney led the way with 24 points and Kansas set a new Big Seven scoring record with 86 points.

Feb. 4, 1952 – Kansas 73, Colorado 68

"Phog Allen's Jayhawkers, getting a sizzling performance from scoring marvel Clyde Lovellette, outlasted an inspired Colorado team, 73-68, at Lawrence last night," reported the AP. "And the game was closer than the score indicates."

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Feb. 11, 1952 – Kansas 55, Iowa State 50

The game was tied through three quarters and despite Clyde Lovellette and B.H. Born fouling out in the second half, Kansas pulled ahead and win by five thanks to Bill Hougland and Bob Kenney. Lovellette scored 11 points in a row in the first quarter to help Kansas take a 21-9 lead but he finished with just 13 points.

Feb. 16, 1952 – Kansas 90, Nebraska 52

Kansas climbed to just a half-game behind Kansas State in the Big Seven standings thanks to a blowout win over Nebraska in which the Jayhawks tied the school scoring record. Clyde Lovellette had 36 points in the win. "Lovellette's individual feat paralleled the last-quarter team crescendo," reported The Kansas City Star. "He hit eight, six and seven points in the first three periods and then loosed a 15-point outburst in the slam-bang finale."

Feb. 19, 1952 – Kansas 66, Oklahoma State 46

Kansas coach Phog Allen earned his 700th career win "but he's too interested in the Big Seven conference stretch drive to do much gloating about it," reported the AP. Kansas' 66 points were the most in 31 games between the two schools, breaking the previous record of 49. Clyde Lovellette scored 27 points after never scoring more than 18 against Oklahoma State.

Feb. 25, 1952 – Kansas 65, Missouri 54

Thanks to an off night for Kansas State, Kansas reclaimed the Big Seven lead as it improved to 8-1 in the conference with a win over Missouri, while Kansas State was a half-game behind at 7-1. Clyde Lovellette broke the Kansas scoring record with 550 points after scoring 29 against Missouri. "While Lovellette maintained his national scoring pace, he had what was for him a fairly rough night," reported the AP. "He connected for only 12 of 34 shots or 35 per cent [sic]."

March 1, 1952 – Kansas 74, Oklahoma 55

The Jayhawks shot a blistering 57.7 percent on 30-of-52 shooting as Clyde Lovellette led the way with 30 points. Bob Kenney, the national leader in free throw shooting, missed the game with strep throat but Kansas still had "the most magnificent shooting exhibition ever seen here in the 24-year history of the Oklahoma fieldhouse," reported The Kansas City Star.

March 7, 1952 – Kansas 78, Kansas State 61

Kansas moved one step closer to clinching an outright Big Seven championship and a spot in the western NCAA playoffs by beating rival Kansas State. Clyde Lovellette scored 33 points. The Jayhawks earned at least a share of the conference title with the win. "In the event of a tie for the title, Kansas and Kansas State will meet in a playoff game for the western NCAA bid at Hutchinson, Kan., Junior College next week-end [sic]," reported the AP.

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March 10, 1952 – Kansas 72, Colorado 55 

On a big night in Lawrence, Kansas, the Jayhawks clinched the Big Seven championship outright and an NCAA berth as Clyde Lovellette set a record with 41 points. "The onslaught virtually assured Lovellette of the national scoring title since he needed only twenty-seven tallies to maintain his average which had led the national all but one week," reported The Kansas City Times.

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March 21, 1952 (NCAA tournament) – Kansas 68, TCU 64

"Both favorites, Kansas and St. Louis, advanced to tonight's title round of the N.C.A.A. sectional play-off in the Municipal Auditorium, but not without experiencing troubles as both the Jayhawks and the Billikens had their ragged moments," reported The Kansas City Times. Clyde Lovellette set a Western playoff scoring record with 31 points, including a personal 6-0 run that helped the Jayhawks lead 68-54, before TCU ended the game on a 10-0 run.

March 22, 1952 (NCAA tournament) – Kansas 74, Saint Louis 55

Saint Louis led Kansas in the first quarter but the game was tied at halftime before the Jayhawks pulled away in the second half to win by 19. "Clyde Lovellette, heralded as the greatest big man in basketball, did a convincing job of living up to his billing last night as he dumped in a record total of forty-four points," reported The Kansas City Star. Lovellette made 16-of-24 shots in the game as Kansas shot 52 percent for the game.

March 25, 1952 (NCAA tournament) – Kansas 74, Santa Clara 55

"[Clyde] Lovellette, with 18 points in the first half and in the last two periods, paced a Jayhawk attack that ran up a 24-point lead early in the first quarter at 65 to 41," reported the AP. "A belated rally by the Broncos against a reserve-studded Kansas team brought the Californians within 12 points at 66 to 54 with four minutes to play, but from there on the first stringers for Kansas held the lead safe."

March 26, 1952 (NCAA tournament) – Kansas 80, St. John's 63

"Kansas rules the world of collegiate basketball and big Clyde Lovellette wears the crown," reported the AP in the lead of its game story. Lovellette scored a game-high 33 points to earn tournament MVP honors. He scored the first point of the game on a free throw and the Jayhawks never trailed. "The 6-foot 9-inch Lovellette ran his four-game NCAA playoff scoring total to 141 points," reported the AP. "He had broken the old record of 83 points in the first three games. It had been set by Don Sunderlage of Illinois last year. He also set a new free throw record of 35 for the four games."

After Kansas won its first national championship in 1952, it took 36 years until the Jayhawks won their second after they finished as the national runners-up in 1953 and 1957. Kansas, led by All-American Danny Manning and coach Larry Brown, became the first school to win the national championship as a No. 6 seed.

Here's everything you need to know about the 1987-88 Kansas Jayhawks.

Coach: Larry Brown
Conference: Big 8
Record: 27-11 (9-5)
Conference Finish: 3rd
Conference Tournament Finish: Lost in semifinals
NCAA Tournament Seed: No. 6 seed
NCAA Tournament Region: Midwest Region

Scroll to the right to view the complete stats.

player	GP	GS	minutes	FG	FGA	FG%	2p%	3p%	FT%	points	rebounds	assists	steals	blocks
Danny Manning	38	38	35.2	10.0	17.2	.583	.593	.346	.734	24.8	9.0	2.0	1.8	1.9
Milt Newton	35	27	23.0	4.7	8.5	.555	.583	.453	.564	11.6	5.0	1.7	0.6	0.4
Kevin Pritchard	37	36	29.7	3.9	8.0	.486	.525	.315	.739	10.6	2.6	3.1	1.4	0.2
Archie Marshall	12	11	20.6	3.8	7.5	.500	.494	.545	.563	8.8	4.0	1.4	0.4	0.2
Marvin Branch	14	14	21.8	2.7	5.6	.487	.487	–––	.695	8.4	6.1	0.9	0.5	0.8
Chris Piper	34	33	25.8	1.9	3.6	.537	.541	.000	.705	5.1	3.8	1.7	0.8	0.3
Lincoln Minor	34	12	15.0	2.1	5.1	.419	.465	.000	.667	4.8	1.4	1.9	1.1	0.2
Jeff Gueldner	34	16	16.5	1.4	3.2	.422	.476	.259	.681	3.9	2.0	1.8	0.5	0.0
Scooter Barry	35	3	13.7	0.9	1.9	.477	.509	.250	.815	3.3	1.3	2.0	0.6	0.0
Keith Harris	27	0	13.7	1.2	2.6	.451	.457	.000	.633	3.1	2.6	0.8	0.6	0.1
Otis Livingston	27	8	14.4	1.0	1.5	.650	.684	.000	.613	2.6	1.4	2.7	1.1	0.1
Mike Maddox	24	0	7.6	1.0	2.0	.532	.537	.500	.471	2.5	1.5	0.3	0.2	0.1
Mike Masucci	24	1	9.4	0.9	2.1	.431	.431	–––	.467	2.1	1.5	0.4	0.3	0.1
Clint Normore	25	1	9.0	0.6	1.4	.444	.550	.313	.667	1.9	0.9	1.0	0.3	0.2
Marvin Mattox	8	0	1.4	0.1	0.5	.250	.250	–––	.000	0.3	0.8	0.0	0.1	0.0

 

Nov. 28, 1987 – Iowa 100, Kansas 81

Iowa led Kansas 29-28 late in the first half in the Maui Classic when Kansas coach Larry Brown was called for a technical foul, then the Hawkeyes scoring nine points in 80 seconds as part of a 14-1 run as they took a 54-39 lead into halftime. The Jayhawks couldn't get any closer than 14 points in the second half. Kansas' leading scorer Danny Manning fouled out with four and a half minutes left in the game after scoring 23 points.

Nov. 29, 1987 – Illinois 81, Kansas 75

Despite Danny Manning scoring 28 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, Kansas lost its second game in a row in the Maui Classic. The Jayhawks fell behind by 19 points shortly after halftime before cutting the deficit to four points, 75-71, on Marvin Branch's bucket with less than three minutes remaining. Manning fouled out for the second game in a row.

Dec. 3, 1987 – Kansas 68, Western Carolina 63

Kansas escaped a potential three-game slide thanks to Danny Manning's 30-point effort on 13-of-16 shooting as the Jayhawks saw their 21-point lead dwindle in the game's closing minutes. "They did a lot of good things," Larry Brown said, according to The Charlotte Observer. "We missed five of six one-and-ones, but their effort got them back in the ball game. They hit their shots, forced some turnovers, got some rebounds, did the little things."

Dec. 5, 1987 – Kansas 63, St. John's 54

The Jayhawks won their 50th home game in a row after taking a 33-24 lead into halftime, then playing the Red Storm even in the second half. Danny Manning had 21 points and five rebounds, while Kevin Pritchard had 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting. "They had us out of our offense and a lot of it had to do with their great defense," St. John's coach Lou Carnesecca said, according to The Salina (Kan.) Journal. "They have an excellent defense. It's the best we've seen this year."

Dec. 10, 1987 – Kansas 73, Appalachian State 62

Danny Manning led Kansas with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in a win over Appalachian State.

Dec. 12, 1987 – Kansas 110, Rider 72

Kansas got near-perfect play from Danny Manning, who was 14-for-16 from the field for 30 points and 14 rebounds, as the Jayhawks won their 52nd home game in a row. They posted a plus-23 rebounding advantage and they never led by less than 25 points in the final 13 minutes.

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Dec. 19, 1987 – Kansas 74, NC State 67

NC State led by seven but Kansas won by seven as Danny Manning scored seven of the Jayhawks' final 11 points to give him a total of 32 for the game. "I actually thought the boos would be a little worse," Manning said, according to The News and Observer. "It wasn't that bad before the game when I went out for the shoot-around. Of course, it got loud in the pre-game. I think it makes me play harder. I use it as a motivational factor."

Dec. 28, 1987 – Kansas 64, Memphis State 62

In an ugly offensive game that saw Kansas shoot just 38 percent and Memphis State an even worse 29 percent, the Jayhawks advanced to the final of the ECAC Holiday Festival basketball tournament. Danny Manning scored 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting and pulled down 16 boards. But his coach wasn't satisfied. "I don't think Danny worked that hard on the offensive end to get the ball," Larry Brown said, according to the AP. "When our kids have a bad shooting night it puts the pressure on Danny."

Dec. 29, 1987 – St. John's 70, Kansas 56

Playing St. John's for the second time in six games during non-conference play, Kansas couldn't beat the Red Storm the second time around as they Jayhawks also lost Archie Marshall to an injury. They led 31-29 at halftime but the Johnnies started the second half on a 13-2 run as St. John's mounted a nine-point lead. "The Jayhawks never seriously threatened again," reported the AP. St. John's made one more free throw (32) than Kansas attempted (31). "It was an ugly game," Larry Brown said. "I think their bench played great. But I don't know how you can play games like that. How can the kids get a feel for the game?"

Jan. 4, 1988 – Kansas 67, Washington 57

Washington led by as many as 19 points in the first half, 29-10, but Kansas rallied to cut the deficit to seven by halftime before taking the lead 46-44 on a jump hook by Danny Manning with roughly 10 minutes left in the game. Kansas' bench held an 11-0 advantage in bench scoring.

Jan. 6, 1988 – Kansas 90, American 69

Kansas' 24-point lead in the second half was cut to 12 with about eight minutes left in the game. "It was ugly and I'm glad it's over," Larry Brown said, according to The Salina Journal. "I have to respect American's effort. They didn't quit."

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Jan. 9, 1988 – Kansas 78, Missouri 74

Thanks to a combined 49 points on 20-of-31 shooting from Danny Manning and Milt Newton, Kansas was able to topple reigning Big 8 champion Missouri. "One of the obvious things is they've got a very good coach," Missouri coach Norm Stewart said, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "They always have a very good coach. They have very good players here."

Jan. 13, 1988 – Iowa State 88, Kansas 78

A road trip against No. 14 Iowa State proved to be too much for No. 16 Kansas as the Jayhawks dropped to 0-5 at Hilton Coliseum. "We've beat them four straight times," Iowa State coach Jonny Orr said, according to the AP. "That's sort of a miracle." Kansas posted a plus-18 rebounding advantage but committed 25 turnovers.

Jan. 23, 1988 – Notre Dame 80, Kansas 76

Kansas dropped its second game in a row on the road as Notre Dame's David Rivers scored a game-high 29 points, including 20 after halftime and 11 of his team's final 13 points. A 16-4 run by the Fighting Irish turned a 57-46 deficit into a 62-61 lead. "We just mentally wanted to win this game," Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. "We never let up."

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Jan. 27, 1988 – Nebraska 70, Kansas 68

Kansas' losing streak turned from two to three as Nebraska's Beau Reid made a 12-footer with one second left to give Nebraska the win. "We were lucky," Nebraska coach Danny Nee said, according to The Lincoln Star. "But sometimes you make your luck."

Jan. 30, 1988 – Kansas State 72, Kansas 61

Rival Kansas State ended Kansas' 55-game winning streak inside Allen Fieldhouse behind 35 points and 12 rebounds from Mitch Richmond. "Of course it's a special feeling," Kansas State coach Lon Kruger said, according to The Salina Journal. "It'd be a little silly to say that it isn't. It's an honor to be the team that beat them."

Feb. 3, 1988 – Oklahoma 73, Kansas 65

The Sooners opened the second half on a 21-20 run to turn a 31-29 Kansas lead at halftime into a 50-41 advantage as Ricky Grace scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half. Stacy King also scored 19. "Kansas has lost four in a row for the first time in Larry Brown's five years as head coach," reported the AP. "The loss also marks the first time since the 1982-83 season the Jayhawks have lost two in succession at home."

Feb. 6, 1988 – Kansas 73, Colorado 62

The Jayhawks got back in the win column behind 23 points from Danny Manning and 17 from Kevin Pritchard. They scored the first eight points after halftime to turned a 34-32 halftime lead into a 42-32 edge. With the win, Kansas dropped Colorado to 4-15 on the season and 0-6 in Big 8 play.

Feb. 10, 1988 – Kansas 78, Oklahoma State 68

Oklahoma State showed fight, cutting 12-point Kansas leads to four on multiple occasions but the Jayhawks made all six of their 3-point attempts, including three from Milt Newton and two from Kevin Pritchard. With the win, Kansas picked up its first conference road win of the season.

Feb. 13, 1988 – Kansas 82, Iowa State 72

Danny Manning exploded for a season-high 39 points with 19 in the first half and 20 in the second as Kansas got revenge against Iowa State. "Danny Manning is just tremendous," Iowa State coach Johnny Orr said, according to the AP. "I can't say enough about him. He's a great player. But I will say this, he does get 99 percent of the breaks."

Feb. 16, 1988 – Kansas 70, Nebraska 48

After its long losing streak, Kansas won its fourth game in a row behind 21 points and eight rebounds from Danny Manning. "He was the force in the game, the difference," Nebraska coach Danny Nee said, according to The Lincoln Star. "He's an exceptional player."

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Feb. 18, 1988 – Kansas 64, Kansas State 63

Kansas used an impressive defense stand from Jeff Gueldner against Kansas State's Frde McCoy as the Jayhawks nursed a one-point lead. "Gueldner won the battle," wrote The Salina Journal's Harold Bechard, "...slapped the ball from McCoy's hands with 0:01 left on the clock to preserve a heart-stopping 64-63 victory for the Jayhawks." Kansas improved to 6-4 in the Big 8, just one game behind Kansas State in the conference standings. Danny Manning had 18 points, including two 3-pointers, and eight rebounds in the win.

Feb. 20, 1988 – Duke 74, Kansas 70 (OT)

Kansas' Danny Manning and Milt Newton, who had 31 points and 12 rebounds and 15 points, five assists and five rebounds, respectively, both fouled out as Kansas fell to Duke in overtime after running out to a 15-point lead in the game's opening 12 minutes. The Blue Devils started just 2-for-20 from the field and later switched to a 2-3 zone that gave the Jayhawks fits. Duke tied the game at 27 late in the first half and the game was tied at 60 at the end of regulation.

Feb. 24, 1988 – Oklahoma 95, Kansas 87

Kansas dropped its second game in a row despite Danny Manning becoming the Big 8's career scoring leader after a 30-point performance. No. 4 Oklahoma won its 11th game in a row to improve to 25-2 on the season and 10-1 in the Big 8. "I would rather have a win," Manning said, according to the AP. "It does not mean that much now, it's no consolation to losing a game. It's more of an individual record, and I have played with very unselfish players for four years."

Feb. 27, 1988 – Kansas 82, Missouri 77

Kansas scored 20 points in a row as the Jayhawks held the Tigers scoreless for eight minutes as Kansas had won six of its last eight games, with the only two losses coming against top-five teams. "We've made a lot of progress the last few games," Kansas' Chris Piper said, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I think we're getting to where we need to be for the (Big Eight) tournament."

March 2, 1988 – Kansas 85, Colorado 64

Kansas' Kevin Pritchard hit a 3-pointer to give the Jayhawks a 45-44 advantage early in the second half and they went on a 14-4 run to help Kansas distance itself from Colorado. There was a skirmish late in the second half but Kansas held on for a 21-point advantage.

March 5, 1988 – Kansas 75, Oklahoma State 57

In Danny Manning's last home game at Allen Fieldhouse, he scored 31 points for the Jayhawks. They led by as many as 19 points as Chris Piper scored all 10 of his points after halftime. Oklahoma State led 5-2 in the opening minutes before Kansas scored 10 points in a row to take control of the game.

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March 11, 1988 (Big 8 tournament) – Kansas 74, Oklahoma State 58

Kansas wasn't at full strength in its opening game in the Big 8 tournament as Kevin Pritchard had suffered a knee injury and Danny Manning scored just 12 points, but Milt Newton scored a career-high 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting with nine rebounds. The Jayhawks took just a two-point lead into halftime, three points five minutes into the second half and by eight with eight minutes left. But Kansas' lead ballooned to as many as 18 points. "They were just packing the zone in on Danny and it left my with some open shots," Newton said, according to The Salina Journal.

March 12, 1988 (Big 8 tournament) – Kansas State 69, Kansas 54

After Kansas and Kansas State split their regular-season series, the Wildcats downed the Jayhawks in the semifinals of the Big 8 tournament after taking early leads of 12-2 and 23-8. "I've really been looking forward to playing Kansas," Kansas State's Mitch Richmond said, according to The Lincoln Star. "The last time we played them I didn't have that good a game. I wanted to get that bad taste out of my mouth." Richmond scored a game-high 21 points, including eight of Kansas State's first 15.

March 18, 1988 (NCAA tournament) – No. 6 seed Kansas 85, No. 11 seed Xavier 72

Led by double-doubles from Danny Manning (24 points, 12 rebounds) and Milt Newton (21 points, 12 rebounds), Kansas "never trailed and led 48-29 at the half," wrote The Salina Journal's Dan Hess. The Jayhawks led by as many as 25 points but they saw their lead shrink to eight in the closing minutes. Kansas made 7-of-10 free throws down the stretch to win by 13.

March 20, 1988 (NCAA tournament) – No. 6 seed Kansas 61, No. 14 seed Murray State 58

Danny Manning sank two free throws with one second left to put Kansas up by three, but it may have been Kevin Pritchard who made the plays of the game when he made three 3-pointers in the second half when Murray State had Kansas on the ropes. "Look at the last minute of the game and it typifies our season," Larry Brown said, according to the AP.

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March 25, 1988 (NCAA tournament) – No. 6 seed Kansas 77, No. 7 seed Vanderbilt 64

Danny Manning had 38 points on 16-of-29 shooting as Kansas advanced to the regional final against rival Kansas State. "Great players rise to the top in great games, and that's a bad thing to happen to us," Vanderbilt coach C.M. Newton said, according to The Salina Journal. "We needed Manning to have a so-so game." Manning hit a 3-pointer early in the game and scored 11 points in the opening nine-plus minutes.

March 27, 1988 (NCAA tournament) – No. 6 seed Kansas 71, No. 4 seed Kansas State 58

"Kansas isn't a one-man team. Because of that, it may become the nation's No. 1 team," reported the AP after Kansas beat Kansas State in the fourth meeting between the schools during the 1987-88 season. "The Jayhawks do have center Danny Manning, perhaps the country's best college player. His brilliance overshadowed the work of his teammates throughout the basketball season. But on Sunday, they stepped into the spotlight and found it to their liking. In the process, they sent Kansas into the Final Four and pushed Kansas State out of the NCAA Tournament." Manning had 31 points and 12 rebounds in the win, while Milt Newton had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

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April 2, 1988 (NCAA tournament) – No. 6 seed Kansas 66, No. 2 seed Duke 59

Playing Duke for the second time of the 1988 season, Kansas finished the job. The first time the Jayhawks played the Blue Devils, they saw a 15-point lead turn into a four-point loss in overtime. In the Final Four, Kansas jumped out to a 14-0 lead while Danny Manning had another outstanding performance with 25 points, 10 rebounds, six blocks and four steals. "I had a feeling fro the last week that our kids thought they could win," Larry Brown said, according to The Salina Journal.

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April 4, 1988 (NCAA tournament) – No. 6 seed Kansas 83, No. 1 seed Oklahoma 79

Kansas won its second national championship in school history, becoming the first-ever No. 6 seed to cut down the nets in the NCAA tournament, as the Jayhawks beat Big 8 foe Oklahoma, which had beaten Kansas by eight points in both regular-season meetings. "The Jayhawks took control of the game from Oklahoma with about 10 minutes left, slowing the tempo and sending coach Billy Tubbs' run-and-gun Sooners home with only their fourth loss of the season against 35 victories," reported the AP. Danny Manning had 31 points and 18 rebounds, while Oklahoma's Stacey King and Harvey Grant were held well below their season scoring averages. "I just wanted to tell all the people who said it couldn't be done," Manning said, according to the AP. "The national champions are No. 1 , and how do you like us now?"

Twenty years after Kansas' second national championship, the Jayhawks won their third. While they never reached No. 1 in the AP poll during the 2007-08 season, they only spent one week ranked outside of the top five, when they were ranked No. 6 in the final poll of February. In the first-ever Final Four that featured all four No. 1 seeds, Kansas proved to be the best of the bunch, beating fellow No. 1 seed Memphis in overtime in the national championship game.

Here's everything you need to know about Kansas' 2008 national championship team.

Coach: Bill Self
Conference: Big 12
Record: 37-3 (13-3)
Conference Finish: 2nd
Conference Tournament Finish: Conference champion
NCAA Tournament Seed: No. 1 seed
NCAA Tournament Region: Midwest Region

Scroll to the right to view the complete stats.

player	GP	GS	minutes	Fg	fga	fg%	2p%	3p%	ft%	points	rebounds	assists	steals	blocks
Brandon Rush	38	30	29.7	4.7	10.9	.435	.448	.419	.779	13.3	5.1	2.1	0.8	0.8
Darrell Arthur	40	39	24.7	5.4	9.9	.543	.555	.167	.702	12.8	6.3	0.8	0.5	1.3
Mario Chalmers	39	38	30.0	4.2	8.2	.516	.562	.468	.746	12.8	3.1	4.3	2.5	0.6
Darnell Jackson	40	35	24.3	4.3	6.8	.626	.633	.333	.691	11.2	6.7	1.1	0.8	0.5
Sherron Collins	34	3	23.8	3.4	7.4	.462	.534	.362	.776	9.3	2.2	3.1	1.1	0.1
Russell Robinson	40	40	27.5	2.1	5.0	.424	.557	.318	.779	7.3	2.8	4.1	2.0	0.4
Sasha Kaun	40	6	17.7	2.7	4.4	.619	.619	–––	.541	7.1	3.9	0.3	0.4	1.2
Cole Aldrich	40	0	8.3	1.1	2.1	.518	.518	–––	.684	2.8	3.0	0.1	0.3	0.9
Rodrick Stewart	33	8	11.6	1.1	2.2	.493	.545	.313	.607	2.8	2.2	1.4	0.4	0.1
Conner Teahan	21	0	3.0	0.8	1.3	.593	.571	.600	1.000	2.2	0.4	0.3	0.1	0.0
Tyrel Reed	23	0	6.3	0.8	1.5	.514	.636	.458	.000	2.0	0.4	0.9	0.3	0.0
Jeremy Case	30	1	4.9	0.6	1.5	.378	.375	.379	1.000	1.6	0.3	0.9	0.2	0.0
Brennan Bechard	12	0	1.8	0.4	0.8	.556	.750	.400	.500	1.2	0.3	0.2	0.0	0.0
Matt Kleinmann	20	0	2.2	0.2	0.4	.429	.429	–––	.333	0.4	0.7	0.1	0.0	0.1
Chase Buford	13	0	1.6	0.1	0.7	.111	.333	.000	–––	0.2	0.4	0.1	0.1	0.1
Brad Witherspoon	12	0	2.0	0.0	0.3	.000	.000	.000	1.000	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.0

 

Nov. 9, 2007 – Kansas 107, UL Monroe 78

Kansas scored 50 points in the first half then 57 after halftime but UL Monroe shot 51 percent from the field, becoming just the third Jayhawks opponent in their last 75 games to make at least half of their shots. "We challenge the ball in the backcourt and they get numbers behind us," Kansas coach Bill Self said, according to the AP. "That's bad defense." It was Kansas' 35th season-opening win.

Nov. 11, 2007 – Kansas 85, UMKC 62

Kansas missed 15 free throws, missed four dunks and guard Sherron Collins left the game with an ankle injury as the Jayhawks were far from a finely-tuned machine. "I thought, truthfully, that we outhustled them tonight," UMKC coach Matt Brown said, according to the AP. "I think they are a terrific basketball team and I think they have a chance to go to the Final Four, but I think in terms of effort, we were right there with them."

Nov. 15, 2007 – Kansas 92, Washburn 60

After a fairly low-scoring first half that saw Kansas take a 34-18 lead into halftime, the flood gates opened for both teams as the Jayhawks scored 58 points in the second half to the Ichabods' 42. Brandon Rush returned from ACL surgery and scored all seven of his points in the first half in limited minutes. "It felt pretty good," Rush said, according to the AP. "When I started getting up and down the floor I started feeling like my old self."

Nov. 21, 2007 – Kansas 87, Northern Arizona 46

Kansas won its 600th game inside Allen Fieldhouse as the Jayhawks easily dispatched the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona. NAU managed just 10 points in the first half. "There's a lot of history in the fieldhouse and when we step on that court and put that jersey on, we have to go out there with that same mind-set the guys before us had, go out there and try to win every game in the fieldhouse," Kansas' Darnell Jackson said, according to the AP.

Nov. 25, 2007 – Kansas 76, Arizona 72 (OT)

In the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, visiting Arizona matched Kansas point-for-point through 40 minutes as the game was tied at 40 at halftime and at 62 at the end of regulation. Brandon Rush scored 17 points, including five in overtime, to help the Jayhawks outscore the Wildcats 14-10 in overtime. "It felt pretty good to get out there and just play," Rush said, according to the AP. "I've been looking forward to playing an entire game. I feel fine."

Nov. 28, 2007 – Kansas 87, Florida Atlantic 49

Kansas doubled up Florida Atlantic in the first half, 38-19, thanks to a 12-0 run as the Jayhawks started 6-0 for their best start to a season in three years. Darnell Jackson moved into the starting lineup and scored 13 points with four rebounds, while Brandon Rush led the team with 17 points. Dating back to the 2006-07 season, Kansas had now won 19 of its last 20 games.

Dec. 2, 2007 – Kansas 59, Southern California 55

Playing against No. 22 USC and talented freshman O.J. Mayo, Kansas rallied in the second half behind Mario Chalmers, who scored 14 of his 17 points after halftime, including a deep three in the final 20 seconds to down the Trojans. "I've always felt like I should get the ball at the end of the game because I feel like I can make a play," Chalmers said, according to the AP.

Dec. 5, 2007 – Kansas 85, Eastern Washington 47

Kansas allowed just three Eastern Washington players to score in the first 35 minutes or so as the Eagles didn't score more than 24 points in either half. An 18-2 run allowed Kansas to blitz Eastern Washington in the second half. "They had a bigger guy at every position and a better athlete at every position," Eastern Washington's first-year head coach Kirk Earlywine said, according to the AP.

Dec. 8, 2007 – Kansas 84, DePaul 66

Kansas mounted an overwhelming 24-1 run in the first half against DePaul thanks to six points in a row from Sasha Kaun, whom coach Bill Self left in the game after Kaun picked up his second foul. "I think Coach knew I needed to get myself going," Kaun said, according to the AP.

Dec. 15, 2007 – Kansas 88, Ohio 51

Brandon Rush made his first start of the season as the Jayhawks beat the Bobcats in Kansas City, just down the road from where Rush grew up. "I was motivated," said Rush, according to the AP. He scored 13 points as four Jayhawks starters scored in double figures, led by Mario Chalmers' 17 points.

Dec. 18, 2007 – Kansas 71, Georgia Tech 66

Georgia Tech nearly upset No. 3 Kansas in Atlanta as the Jayhawks saw their 13-point lead get cut to one point in the final 10 seconds, when Sherron Collins sank a pair of free throws, then had a steal and layup to seal the victory. "I expected it to be a close game, but I didn't expect it to go down to the wire when we were up 13," Bill Self said, according to the AP.

Dec. 22, 2007 – Kansas 78, Miami (OH) 54

Kansas lit up the nets with 58-percent shooting as it became the first team to score at least 70 points against Miami (OH) in over a year, ending a 45-game streak by the RedHawks. "That's a remarkable deal, nobody's hung 70 on you, and they play games away from home," Bill Self said, according to the AP. "I could understand maybe 45 straight games at home. But not very often on the road. But we're playing pretty good. If we'd shot lower, we probably wouldn't have (hit 70), and that's what opponents usually do against them."

Dec. 29, 2007 – Kansas 86, Yale 53

Led by Russell Robinson's eight steals, Kansas held Yale to just 53 points, including 19 in the first half. In total, the Jayhawks had 18 steals. "I've seen them play about 15 games on tape and they've done the same thing to just about everybody," James Jones said, according to the AP. "That was pretty much par for the course for them."

Jan. 5, 2008 – Kansas 85, Boston College 60

Kansas broke open a tie game with a 33-8 run, thanks to Darnell Jackson scoring 12 of his 25 points amid the run. For the sixth time in program history, the Jayhawks started the season 14-0. "If our big guys play like that, our guards are good enough to put them in position to get easy baskets," Bill Self said, according to the AP.

Jan. 8, 2008 – Kansas 90, Loyola (MD) 60

Kansas ended the first half on a 15-2 run to take a 17-point advantage into halftime as the Jayhawks struggled initially without the injured Mario Chalmers. That run was part of a larger 29-5 run that sealed the final outcome. "I don't really remember exactly what I said to them," Bill Self said, according to the AP. "It's not the score, it's playing the game and we just didn't play the game for that stretch."

Jan. 12, 2008 – Kansas 79, Nebraska 58

Brandon Rush scored 16 points in the first half and finished with a season-high 19 thanks to a few early 3-pointers. "That's going to be the last time [Bill Self's] going to say anything to me about being aggressive," Rush said, according to the AP. "I put myself in a position to score, and I got hot in the first half."

Jan. 14, 2008 – Kansas 85, Oklahoma 55

Oklahoma's Blake Griffin left the game in the opening five minutes after injuring his knee as No. 3 Kansas cruised to a 30-point win, leaving the Jayhawks, No. 1 North Carolina and No. 2 Memphis as the country's only undefeated teams. With Kansas' 17th consecutive win to open the season, the Jayhawks secured their best start to a season since they were 22-0 to start the 1996-97 campaign.

Jan. 19, 2008 – Kansas 76, Missouri 70

The Jayhawks didn't make a field goal in the final 7:25 but they held off the Tigers on the road behind a season-best 28 free throws (out of 45 attempts), including eight in the final 64 seconds. "I'm certainly not going to complain about the number we shot on the road," Bill Self said, according to the AP. "We made just enough to win the game, but we made it hard no ourselves down the stretch by not converting, and we've got to do better."

Jan. 23, 2008 – Kansas 83, Iowa State 59

Kansas shot 50 percent from the field and picked up a 24-point win over Iowa State as the Jayhawks tied their third-best start to a season ever: 19-0.

Jan. 26, 2008 – Kansas 84, Nebraska 49

For the second time of the 2007-08 season, Brandon Rush went 5-for-7 from three against Nebraska as he scored 17 points. "I don't know why they leave me open like that," he said, according to the AP. "They did it [at Nebraska]. They always leave me open."

Jan. 30, 2008 – Kansas State 84, Kansas 75

Rival Kansas State ended Kansas' undefeated start to the season after 20 games as the Wildcats won against the Jayhawks in Manhattan for the first time after 24 consecutive losses. "I know it means a lot around the city, people at the school," said Kansas State's Michael Beasley, according to the AP. "But it's just a game to me."

Feb. 2, 2008 – Kansas 72, Colorado 59

After suffering their first loss of the season, the Jayhawks found themselves in a dogfight, tied 30-all on the road against the Buffaloes. Colorado didn't score for the first five minutes of the second half as Kansas went on an 8-0 run to pull ahead. "When we played against K-State, a lot of guys knew that we could have given it a little bit more but it just didn't work out that way," Darnell Jackson said, according to the AP. "We just carried it over to the first half of the game."

Feb. 4, 2008 – Kansas 90, Missouri 71

Kansas scored 45 points in each half to win its 20th home game in a row. The Jayhawks held the Tigers to 0-for-10 shooting from deep, marking the first time in nearly 12 years that one of their opponents didn't make a single 3-pointer in a game.

Feb. 9, 2008 – Kansas 100, Baylor 90

Baylor's Curtis Jerrells scored 30 points, the most any Kansas opponent had scored against the Jayhawks so far during the 2007-08 season, but Kansas held off Baylor in Lawrence behind a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double from Darrell Arthur and Russell Robinson's 22 points.

Feb. 11, 2008 – Texas 72, Kansas 69

Kansas lost for the second time of the season as the Jayhawks saw a four-point halftime lead turn into a three-point loss. Texas' Damion James had 12 points and 13 rebounds after halftime after playing just three minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. "Seeing my team fight without me, it was hard because if it's a fight, I want to be out there," James said, according to the AP.

Feb. 16, 2008 – Kansas 69, Colorado 45

Kansas held Colorado's Richard Roby to 1-for-11 shooting after he had scored 30 points in Allen Fieldhouse the previous season. "We muddied up their stuff pretty good today," Bill Self said, according to the AP. "We did a great job of taking away backdoors and played to the scouting report about as well as we have all year."

Feb. 23, 2008 – Oklahoma State 61, Kansas 60

Kansas fell on the road against Bill Self's alma mater, Oklahoma State, as Byron Eaton gave his team the win with a free throw with 12.6 seconds left. "It just comes down to heart," Eaton said, according to the AP. "We out-toughed them, and I think we wanted it more than they did."

Feb. 27, 2008 – Kansas 75, Iowa State 64

After losing three of its previous seven games, Kansas wouldn't lose the rest of the season, ending the 2007-08 campaign on a 13-game winning streak that started with a road win at Iowa State. The Jayhawks led by 15 early and by as many as 22 before the Cyclones used a 20-7 run to cut the deficit to nine. "When you're 24-3, you shouldn't be able to say the ship needs righting," Bill Self said, according to the AP. "But our players all know that it did. We were a better team tonight than we were the last two to three weeks. Our guys had more energy and they seemed to be more focused and played with more of a purpose."

March 1, 2008 – Kansas 88, Kansas State 74

Despite Kansas State's Michael Beasley scoring 39 points with 11 rebounds — the fourth-most points scored by an opponent inside Allen Fieldhouse — Kansas beat its rival by double digits thanks to a 12-point advantage in the first 20 minutes. "It was a quiet 39 if you ask me," Kansas guard Russell Robinson said, according to the AP.

March 3, 2008 – Kansas 109, Texas Tech 51

Texas Tech suffered its worst loss in program history as the Red Raiders fell by 58 points — the same number of points the Jayhawks scored in the second half. "I feel like someone put a meat necklace around my neck and threw me into a lion's den," said Texas Tech coach Pat Knight, according to the AP, who took over from his father Bob Knight just nine games earlier.

March 8, 2008 – Kansas 72, Texas A&M 55

Kansas clinched a share of the Big 12 regular season title — its fourth in a row — as the Jayhawks built a 10-point lead heading into halftime and added to it in the second half. "This was just a solid group of guys and they play to their talent level and they maximize their abilities," Bill Self said, according to the AP. "To win four in a row in such a competitive league is remarkable."

March 14, 2008 (Big 12 tournament) – Kansas 64, Nebraska 54

Kansas actually trailed at halftime of its opening Big 12 tournament game as Nebraska held a 27-22 advantage. At one point the Jayhawks trailed by nine, after having won 19 of their last 20 games against the Huskers. "I told our guys that we needed this," Bill Self said, according to the AP. "We needed to be behind in the first half. You don't ever like it when your team doesn't perform. But how many teams have done well in the NCAA Tournament that haven't been behind?"

March 15, 2008 (Big 12 tournament) – Kansas 77, Texas A&M 71

Brandon Rush scored a career-high 28 points on 9-of-13 shooting as Kansas pulled away after a 34-all tie at halftime. "Sherron [Collins] made some good plays," Rush said, according to the AP. "Everybody down the stretch made some good plays for us. Russell [Robinson] made a good play at the end and put us up four. That won the game for us. Everything was just falling for me."

March 16, 2008 (Big 12 tournament) – Kansas 84, Texas 74

Kansas won the Big 12 tournament thanks to 15-of-25 3-point shooting, including eight threes from Mario Chalmers, who scored a career-high 30 points. "That was one of the best games I've ever been a part of," Bill Self said, according to the AP.

March 20, 2008 (NCAA tournament) – No. 1 seed Kansas 85, No. 16 seed Portland State 61

"From rim-rattling dunks to 3s that barely rippled the net, Kansas looked every bit like a No. 1 seed that's determined to end its frustration in the NCAA tournament," reported the AP. "One down, five to go." Four starters scored in double figures and 10 Kansas players scored in total, led by Brandon Rush's 18 points.

March 22, 2008 (NCAA tournament) – No. 1 seed Kansas 75, No. 8 seed UNLV 56

After leading by just five at halftime, the Jayhawks pulled away after halftime as they shot 58 percent from the field, while holding the Rebels to 26-percent shooting. "We have the talent to be as good a team as we've had," Bill Self said, according to the AP, "or better."

March 28, 2008 (NCAA tournament) – No. 1 seed Kansas 72, No. 12 seed Villanova 57

"Kansas coach Bill Self is in the regional finals for the fifth time — at three schools — since 2000 and is a win away from no longer being regarded as the best coach without a Final Four on his resume," reported the AP after Kansas' 15-point win over Villanova. The Jayhawks had four alley-oops in the opening 10 minutes and seven 3-pointers before halftime as they took a 41-22 lead into the break. Brandon Rush scored a team-high 16 points, while Russell Robinson had 15 and Mario Chalmers added 14.

March 30, 2008 (NCAA tournament) – No. 1 seed Kansas 59, No. 10 seed Davidson 57

Playing No. 10 seeded and Cinderella-minded Davidson, led by Steph Curry, Kansas won by two — the advantage it held at halftime. The Jayhawks held Curry to 25 points on 9-of-25 shooting. Curry was double-teamed on the last possession, which forced him to pass to teammate Jason Richards, whose game-winning shot attempt was off the mark. "There was definitely some hoping and praying going on there late," Bill Self said, according to the AP.

April 5, 2008 (NCAA tournament) – No. 1 seed Kansas 84, No. 1 seed North Carolina 66

Kansas faced its former coach, North Carolina's Roy Williams, in an all-No. 1 seed Final Four. The Jayhawks raced ahead to a 17-point halftime lead, then held on in the second half. Kansas led 40-12 at one point late in the first half. "We sort of came out a little more casual than we would've liked and they hit us right between the eyes," Williams said, according to the AP. Kansas shot 53 percent from the field, led by Brandon Rush's 25 points on 11-for-17 shooting.

April 7, 2008 (NCAA tournament) – No. 1 seed Kansas 75, No. 1 seed Memphis 68 (OT)

Twenty years after Kansas' second national championship, the Jayhawks won their third, downing fellow No. 1 seed Memphis in overtime thanks to Mario Chalmers' heroic 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation that forced overtime. The Tigers missed four free throws late in the game as the Jayhawks rallied from a nine-point deficit. "It'll probably be the biggest shot ever made in Kansas history," Bill Self said of Chalmers' shot, according to the AP. Memphis guard Derrick Rose scored 14 of the Tigers' 16 points in one stretch late in the second half to give his team a 60-51 advantage before it slipped away to the Jayhawks. Darrell Arthur scored a team-high 20 points, while Chalmers had 18 and Brandon rush scored 12.

2008 NBA Draft

• No. 13 – Brandon Rush, Portland Trail Blazers
• No. 27 – Darrell Arthur, New Orleans Hornets
• No. 34 – Mario Chalmers, Minnesota Timberwolves
• No. 52 – Darnell Jackson, Miami Heat
• No. 56 – Sasha Kaun, Seattle SuperSonics

2010 NBA Draft

• No. 11 – Cole Aldrich, New Orleans Hornets