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THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 3
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MEN'S BASKETBALL
Top 10 moments from a decade of triumph
2008
1. ROCK CHALK CHAMPIONS
Down by nine with less than two minutes to go, Kansas didn't appear to have much hope. But timely Kansas jumpers and missed free throws by Memphis opened the door for one of the greatest shots in NCAA Tournament history. With three seconds left, Mario Chalmers hit a game-tying 3-pointer to send the game to overtime, which Kansas dominated en route to its first national championship in 20 years. Kansas proved to be the best team in a loaded Final Four field, which included all No.1 seeds for the first time in NCAA Tournament history.
Traditions abound and energy is always palpable in Allen Fieldhouse, especially from the student section. On Feb. 24 the raucous cheers of the famous student section filled the court as they watched their senior Jayhawks leave James Naismith court for the last time.
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
2. KANSAS CLINCHES A DECADE OF DOMINANCE - 2014
3. UNLIKELY RUN TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - 20
In what was widely considered the best conference in the country this season, the Jayhawks won the league title with little late-season drama. On Feb. 24, Kansas defeated the Oklahoma Sooners and clinched at least a share of the Big 12 regular season title and did so with three games to go in the regular season. After securing the title outright on March 1, Kansas would go on to celebrate at home on Senior Night on March 5 against Texas Tech, a celebration that included a presentation of each Big 12 trophy from the past 10 years. Only two other schools have won more than 10 consecutive regular season conference titles (UCLA with 13 and Gonzaga with 11).
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - 2012 In what was supposed to be a down year, Kansas quickly became a legitimate national title contender behind the leadership of Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson. Jeff Withey and Travis Releford emerged as
two of the best defensive players in the conference, while Elijah Johnson proved to be a capable compatriot to Taylor. The Jayhawks held off an impressive Missouri team during the regular season to capture its eighth straight regular season conference title. Earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Kansas survived early scares in the Round of 32 and Sweet 16 and defeated North Carolina in the Elite Eight to make the Final Four for the first time since 2008. Kansas defeated Ohio State in the national semifinals but would fall to a loaded Kentucky team in the National Championship. This was a team that exceeded everyone's expectations.
4. KANSAS COMPLETES
COMEBACK IN LAST GAME VS.
MIZZOU AS CONFERENCE FOES
- 2012
With the Missouri Tigers heading to the Southeastern Conference after the season, the stage was set for the Border War rivals to play their last Big 12 game against each other. To add to the drama, both teams were ranked in the top five and stood atop the Big 12 standings. Played in Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks overcame a 19-point second-half deficit behind four 3-pointers by Conner Teahan and late game heroics from Taylor and Robinson. The Jayhawks would go on to win by one in overtime, as the Tigers failed to get a shot off on their last possession.
5. BILL SELF VS. ROY WILLIAMS - 2008
Before facing Memphis in the championship game, Kansas had played perhaps its best game of the season against the North Carolina Tarheels, the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. North Carolina was 36-2 going into the game
and was picked by many to win the championship. That didn't seem to affect the Jayhawks as they dominated out of the gates and led 40-12 in the first half. North Carolina cut the lead to four, but Kansas made timely baskets and held on to win 84-66. The game featured a clash between coaches Bill Self and Roy Williams, who coached at Kansas from 1988-2003.
6. JAYHAWKS OVERCOME
DURANT, TEXAS IN BIG 12
TOURNAMENT FINAL - 2007
Facing who would become a dominating player in the NBA, Kansas played one of the most entertaining Big 12 Tournament games in recent memory against Kevin Durant and the Texas Longhorns. The Jayhawks faced a 22-point first-half deficit, but would cut the Longhorn lead to five by halftime. The game went into overtime, where Kansas made key free throws late to seal the four-point victory and earn its fifth Big 12 Tournament Championship. Four Jayhawks finished with at least 17 points,
led by freshman Sherron Collins' 20.
7. ALLEN FIELDHOUSE STREAKS
7. ALLEN FIELDHOUSE STREAKS One of the most impressive statistics that has come up regarding Kansas' title streak is that Bill Self has more conference titles (10) than home losses (9). Named the most intimidating and loudest arena in college basketball, Allen Fieldhouse has hosted some impressive streaks over the past decade. From 2007-11, Kansas won 69 consecutive games at Allen Fieldhouse. In addition, Kansas won 68 straight non-conference games at the fieldhouse from 2006-2014.
5. NO RETURNING STARTERS, NO PROBLEM
During Kansas' conference title streak, Kansas won three Big 12 titles (2005-06, 2008-09, 2013-14) without a returning starter. In the 2005-06 season, freshmen Brandon Rush, Julian Wright and Chalmers led the Jayhawks to a 25-8 record, which also included a Big 12
Tournament Championship. With everyone gone from the starting five of the National Championship team, Collins and Cole Aldrich transitioned from bench players to two of the best players in the Big 12 in the 2008-09 season. This season, Kansas boasted the second-best recruiting class in the country, including Andrew Wiggins, the unanimous number one recruit in the nation.
9. BLOCK PARTY
Some dominant players have manned the paint for Kansas in the last five years, notably Aldrich, Withey and Joel Embiid. All three of these players were skilled shot blockers who also contributed on the offensive end. Each player has earned the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award (Aldrich has two), and each player made a name for himself in the Kansas record books. Aldrich recorded the first official triple-double (13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks) in Kansas history in
the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. Withey recorded Kansas' second official triple-double three years later and also set the Kansas record for blocks in a game in the process (16 points, 12 rebounds and 12 blocks). Embid's eight blocks against Oklahoma State set a Kansas record for a freshman.
10. WAYNE SIMIEN'S SENIOR NIGHT - 2005
Simien averaged 15 points and 8.3 rebounds in his Kansas career and led Kansas to two Final Four Trips in 2002 and 2003. One of the best games of his career came on Senior Night, when he scored 25 points and grabbed a careerhigh 20 rebounds in his last game in Allen Fieldhouse against the Kansas State Wildcats. The win also clinched the Big 12 regular season title for Kansas and marked the first of the 10-consecutive regular season conference titles.
Edited by Julie Etzler