KANSAS

What Seed Does Kansas Deserve in The NCAA Tournament?

According to the NCAA committee's key metrics, the Jayhawks should be a few seed lines higher than they're currently projected
Jackson Langendorf|
Mar 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard David Coit (8) reacts after making a basket during the first half against the Houston Cougars at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Mar 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard David Coit (8) reacts after making a basket during the first half against the Houston Cougars at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas NCAA Tournament Seed Projection

Entering this season as the top-ranked squad in all of college basketball, Kansas (19-11, 10-9 Big 12) has had a long, demoralizing fall through the ranks.

After ripping off seven straight wins, including two against current top-10 teams (No. 2 Duke and No. 8 Michigan State) to open the season, the Jayhawks fell 76-63 on the road against Creighton. Then, it all began unraveling, as Kansas fell in its next contest at Missouri by a score of 76-67. 

Since then, the Jayhawks have hardly recovered, stringing together no more than three wins in a row.

During Big 12 play, with still a game left on their slate (No. 24 Arizona at home), the Jayhawks have already suffered their most losses in conference play in over 40 years - worth noting, Big 12 expansion has added two extra conference games this year. 

And with Selection Sunday less than ten days away, Kansas’ resume has been rewarded with an eighth seed in ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s latest edition of Bracketology and a 7 seed in Jerry Palm’s (CBS) tournament projections.

But with the NCAA committee known for relying heavily on the metrics,  especially the NET and KenPom – both of which the Jayhawks rank fairly highly in – a question naturally arises:

How is Kansas a seven seed, let alone an eight?

Landing at 21st in the NET, ahead of teams like Clemson (a 6 seed according to Palm), Marquette (5 seed), and notably above Michigan – who is 28th in the NET – yet somehow is listed as a 4 seed, the NET rankings certainly make an argument in favor of the Jayhawks climbing up a seedline or two. 

As for KenPom, it’s more of the same, as Kansas sits at 22nd, which is three spots ahead of Ole Miss (Palm has the Rebels as a five seed), and a whopping nine spots above Oregon – which Palm has pegged as a four seed. 

To be fair, while the metrics put together quite the compelling story for the Jayhawks to have an argument as a five or six seed, having dropped four of their last six certainly doesn’t send a “peaking at the right time” signal to the NCAA committee.

Nonetheless, with No. 24 Arizona on tap Saturday afternoon, and the Big 12 Tournament quickly following, Kansas’ fate, and NCAA Tournament seed, indisputably remains in its own hands, which is all any squad can ask for in March.

So with all of that ...

Really, What Seed Will Kansas Be?

Best guess before the date with Arizona? Let's assume a win over the Wildcats, at least one win in the Big 12 Tournament, and maybe two, so let's go with this: 6 seed

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Jackson Langendorf
JACKSON LANGENDORF

Primarily covers Illinois football and basketball, and Kansas basketball, with an emphasis on analysis, features and recruiting. Langendorf, a third-generation University of Illinois alum, has been watching Illini basketball and football for as long as he can remember. An advertising student and journalism devotee, he has been writing for On SI since October 2024. He can be followed and reached on X @jglangendorf.

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