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Take time to reflect on team's accomplishments
This season was so promising. The Jayhawks were the odds-on favorite to win the National Championship right from the start. Kansas took a year to rebuild after winning the 2008 title and was primed to make history again.
But then it happened. Kansas fell short and lost to Northern Iowa in the second round of the Big Dance. The dream was over, and for Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, their collegiate careers were too.
With a 33-3 record, Kansas made it five years in a row with at least 25 victories. The Jayhawks notched their sixth consecutive Big 12 regular season championship and earned a Big 12 Tournament title by defeating Kansas State in the final game. Senior guard Sherron Collins was named a finalist for the
The end of this season was another reminder of just how quickly a great team can be knocked out of the NCAA Tournament. It happened in 1997 when No. 1 Kansas was knocked off by Arizona in the Sweet 16. It happened in 1998 when the top-seeded Jayhawks fell to the Rhode Island Rams in round two. And it happened again this season.
But it is not worth it to dwell on this disappointing finish to a great season. Instead, this is the time to celebrate the Jayhawks' accomplishments this season.
Naismith Award and Kansas lost just one game in conference play.
This week, The Wave takes a look at the season as a whole, tracking the team from its first win against Hofstra to its stunning loss to Northern Iowa. The Wave also passes out its grades for the season, which are based on how the players' performances compared to their preseason expectations.
It was clearly a great season and although it is hard to move on, Jayhawk fans can take solace in the team's latest accomplishments.
Take time to relive the high points of this season. Remember the thrilling overtime victory against Kansas State in Manhattan, the 22 unanswered points on the road against Texas and the Big 12 Tournament Championship game. Remember the
Jayhawks' 59th win in a row in Allen Fieldhouse, Sherron Collins's senior speech, and more league dominance.
But more than anything, take time to think about just how much work the team put into this season and how much pressure they dealt with on a daily basis. All things considered, I think it was another good season.
I hope you enjoy The Wave's review of the men's basketball season. Don't forget about the season's highlights or the excitement that came with watching a game in Allen Fieldhouse. It really is an experience that cannot be matched anywhere in the country.
No matter how a season ends in Lawrence, it doesn't take long to get excited about the next year's team. Allen Fieldhouse will be packed for Late Night in October and the fans will be ready to see some more basketball. Get ready for another great season, but don't forget about the memories that the Jayhawks helped make this year.
Weston White/KANSAN
The Kansas team hoists the Big 12 Championship trophy as confetti streams down from above on March 13 at the Sprint Center. The Jayhawks finished with a 33-3 record this season and won their sixth-straight league title.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE WAVE APRIL 7,2010