Kansas Basketball Chasing Another 3-0 Run In Big 12 Tournament

The Kansas basketball team played most of nonconference play without star freshman Darryn Peterson, as he battled a lingering leg cramping issue. Although the Jayhawks suffered three losses before league action, they played one of the most difficult schedules in the country and came away with a few marquee wins.

Perhaps no stretch was better for KU than its three-game winning streak in the Players Era Festival. Bill Self's group picked up victories over Notre Dame, Syracuse, and eventually Tennessee to earn third place in the Las Vegas-based tournament.

That version of Kansas looked a lot different from what it does now, especially with Peterson back in the lineup. However, that three-day run in November could prove to be advantageous for the Jayhawks with their first Big 12 Tournament matchup looming tonight versus TCU.

This Kansas Team Has Enjoyed Success in Tournaments Before

Part of the reason Coach Self schedules such a difficult nonconference slate year in and year out is that it provides valuable experience that could go a long way. Entering the Players Era Festival gave his group a similar environment to what it could face in the next three days.

Behind heroics from Elmarko Jackson in the third and final game, the Jayhawks went undefeated in their last tournament. It's very possible that they can string together a few more wins to win the Big 12 entirely on Saturday.

Since KU earned a No. 3 seed in the Big 12 standings, it received a double bye and did not need to play until the quarterfinals. Still, if the Jayhawks were to advance to the championship round, they would need to win two straight games in as many days.

Fortunately, this has been a sneaky strength for KU so far. In games where Kansas is playing on one or fewer days of rest, the Jayhawks are 6-0 this season. This includes Big Monday victories over top schools like Arizona and Houston.

Nov 26, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Elmarko Jackson (13) drives the ball in the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2025 Players Era Festival third place game at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With the conference tourney approaching, KU could certainly use a few more wins to boost its resume. The Jayhawks are on the four-seed line in most bracketology projections but have an opportunity to improve to a No. 3 seed with a deep run.

Fatigue will likely play a role for some other schools in the tournament that continue to advance deeper, but that should not be the case for the Jayhawks. They are battle-tested in these kinds of environments and have shown they know what it takes to win while preserving their energy in bigger moments.