Oread Observations: Put the panic button away for now
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It's that time of year again, one of the least pleasant parts of the KU calendar.
We, as fans, media members and general college basketball consumers, are left scratching our heads after a challenging stretch by the Kansas Jayhawks, with a specific and often overzealous segment of that larger group ready to slam the proverbial "panic button" as if they're racing to get their answer in first on an episode of Family Feud.
"Name something those that follow Kansas basketball should do after three consecutive losses in January."
"CHILL OUT."
Survey says: No. 1 answer.
It isn't fun to watch a team continuously lose, and after dropping three in a row in frustrating fashion, it's completely understandable that many followers and fans would be shaken by what they've seen from KU after such a tremendous start to the season, both in general and in Big 12 play.
But, consider where this team still stands: After three consecutive losses in the best conference in America, the Jayhawks have slid all the way to 10th place in the latest KenPom numbers as of this morning. Oh, the horror.
It's slightly more dire if you look at Stats Perform's TRACR metric, which currently has KU all the way down at No. 14 in the nation. Slightly worse and still nowhere near panic territory, at least in the mind of one blogger.
Even on a level that's far simpler to understand, just peeking at the Big 12 standings, three losses have pushed Kansas all the way to depths of ... one game out of first place in the league not quite halfway through the conference season. Through the most recent midweek games, six teams are all within one game of the Big 12 lead, with Kansas right in the thick of it.
Sure, a historically bad home loss to the TCU Horned Frogs was painful, but there's no shame in a one-point loss against Kansas State on the road, just like a two-possession loss on the road at Baylor is entirely reasonable. The Big 12 is the best conference in college basketball by lightyears. Whoever wins the league could realistically have five, maybe even six, losses this season.
Frankly, a 5-3 record through eight Big 12 games would probably feel far better if those losses had been split up instead of unfolding in succession. One game off the pace with 10 games left? The rest of the conference is right where the Jayhawks want them.
In fairness, there are clearly issues with this team right now that need to be addressed in short order. Jalen Wilson is playing at an All-American level, but he can't do it alone. Gradey Dick is sensational when he's on, but KU has to be able to ride out the waves of streakiness that come with relying on a freshman in Big 12 play. Kevin McCullar is starting to trend upward over the last two games, but now Dajuan Harris and K.J. Adams are in a slump.
And we all know the disgraceful state of the Jayhawks' bench production right now.
There's plenty to be concerned about, but there's also enough history to indicate that Kansas still has a great shot to win at least a share of the conference title. It feels strange to say that this Saturday's Big 12-SEC Challenge matchup with the Kentucky Wildcats is almost a respite for KU, especially with Kentucky in the midst of a four-game winning streak.
But, that's effectively what this matchup in Lexington is. A win would be great, and certainly Bill Self is going to be on his guys hard to make sure they take care of business, but a slight breather after an endless parade of brutal matchups in league play will give this group a chance to reset (to a degree) and to refocus for the back half of the schedule.
Self is a Hall of Famer for a reason. He's had teams mired in January slumps numerous times before. It wasn't that long ago that a National Championship-winning team was left with more questions than answers after a beatdown loss at home at the end of January. If you're concerned about where the program is right now, that's entirely fine and entirely understandable.
Don't let anyone else tell you how to be a fan and how to support your favorite team. At the same time, try to keep some perspective on how similar this stretch has been to some other successful KU squads of recent vintage. There's legitimate reason for worry, just like there's legitimate reason to believe these Jayhawks are still some of the favorites to come away with the 2023 Big 12 crown.
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