Kansas 2025-2026 Season
Overall Record: 21 – 9
Big 12 Record: 11-6
Previous 3 Games
3/3: L – 60 – 70 vs Arizona State @ Away
2/28: L – 61 – 84 vs Arizona @ Away
2/23: W – 69 – 59 vs Houston @ Home
Personnel
Starters
Bench
Key Analytics
(Per KenPom.com – National Rank / Big 12 Rank in ())
KenPom Ranking – 20
Offense
Adjusted Efficiency: 119 (55) – Big 12 Only: 109.2 (7)
Adjusted Tempo: 67.4 (184) – Big 12 Only: 68.5 (9)
Average Possession Length: 17.3 (154) – Big 12 Only: 17.2 (7)
Effective Field Goal%: 52 (156) – Big 12 Only: 50.8 (10)
Offensive Rebound%: 29.2 (229) – Big 12 Only: 29.2 (12)
Three Point%: 35.1 (112) – Big 12 Only: 34.8 (4)
Two Point %: 51.5 (193) – Big 12 Only: 50.1 (11)
Defense
Adjusted Efficiency: 93.5 (9) – Big 12 Only: 105.7 (5)
Adjusted Tempo: 67.4 (184) – Big 12 Only: 68.5 (9)
Average Possession Length: 17.3 (154) – Big 12 Only: 17.8 (12)
Effective Field Goal%: 52 (156) – Big 12 Only: 47 (2)
Offensive Rebound%: 29.2 (229) – Big 12 Only: 32.6 (12)
Three Point%: 35.1 (112) – Big 12 Only: 33.3(4)
Two Point %: 51.5 (193) – Big 12 Only: 53.4 (2)
Thoughts
Kansas is coming off back-to-back losses, including an absolute ass-whooping at the hands of Arizona and an upset loss to Arizona State. There are two ways you can look at it:
- Kansas is a broken team and will continue to be broken against Kansas State.
- Kansas is extremely angry and will come out with the intention of breaking Kansas State.
If 1 is correct, this could be a game.
If 2 is correct, this could be a massacre.
I’m anticipating 2 and hoping against hope for 1.
The Wildcats have been playing their best basketball over the last five games. They only have two wins to show for it, but except for the Texas Tech game, the losses haven’t been soul-crushing (the bar is super low, folks). This team hasn’t quit on Coach Driscoll, and that’s to their credit. These guys don’t have anything to play for, but they’re showing up and playing hard.
That brings me to PJ Haggerty. Kansas State won a defensive battle against West Virginia without him, but Kansas is not West Virginia. At the same time, it’s hard to say the ‘Cats can’t win without PJ, because they haven’t won much with him. I’m going to go out on a limb and say his presence would benefit the cause in this one, considering the talent level of Kansas.
Can Coach Driscoll figure out a way to use him without bogging down the offense?
That happened against Baylor, with Nate Johnson taking on a more playmaking role and PJ playing the late-clock scorer. Any slight chance of victory probably involves Kansas State’s best two players going off while Kansas is still in a daze from one of the most unsuccessful trips to Arizona since the Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers met their fate in an empty lot in Tombstone. It will be interesting to see if PJ is ready to roll tomorrow.
Folks, the chances of this being anything other than a slaughter are slim, but the odds of a competitive game have gone up precipitously since the first encounter.
Hopefully, there are better days in the near future.
Prediction
KenPom
Kansas: 84
Kansas State: 67
Drew
Kansas: 77
Kansas State: 67
Looking Into My Crystal Ball
I’ve chosen to believe that Kansas is still reeling from two straight losses and doesn’t have much focus for the Wildcats. They have sufficient talent to get the job done, but I’m calling for a 10-point Wildcat loss instead of a 30-point loss.
I’m probably wrong, but I want to be right!
