Complete Guide to Final Four

Kansas Final Four Update

Dates: March 28-April 3, 2012

Kansas Travel Plans

Kansas will practice in Lawrence Wednesday, March 28, depart at 3:30 p.m. and bus to Forbes Field in Topeka. The Jayhawks will fly charter directly to New Orleans. KU's arrival at the JW Marriott in New Orleans (74,400) will be at 7:30 p.m.

Kansas Interviews

On Thursday, March 29, Kansas interviews will be at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome from 2:20-2:55 p.m. On Friday, March 30, Kansas will be available for interviews from 2:30-3 p.m. and open practice runs from 3:10-4 p.m. On Saturday, March 31, Kansas' only media availability is in postgame situations. Following each game of the NCAA Championship, the KU locker room will be open for 30 minutes, and head coach Bill Self and a minimum of two players will attend the postgame press conference. Should Kansas win, press availability at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday, April 1 will be from 1:30-2:35 p.m.

Conference Tournament History

Kansas is making its 41st appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 14th Final Four appearance. The Jayhawks have an all-time record of 92-39 in the NCAA Tournament. Kansas has won three NCAA Tournament titles

- 1952, 1988 and 2008 and five national championships - 1922, 1923 Helms Foundation.

Television: Kansas' Final Four game against Ohio State will be on CBS at approximately 7:30 p.m. (Central).

There will be breakout sessions for five student-athletes and the head coach from each team on Thursday, March 29. THESE TIMES ARE LOCAL (CENTRAL)

Team Breakout Schedule

Kentucky 10:55-11:15 a.m. (Student-Athletes); 11:15-11:30 p.m. (Coach)

Louisville 12:50-1:10 p.m. (Student-Athletes); 1:10-1:25 p.m. (Coach)

Kansas 2:20-2:40 p.m. (Student-Athletes); 2:40-2:55 p.m. (Coach)

Ohio St. 4:10-4:30 p.m. (Student-Athletes); 4:30-4:45 p.m. (Coach)

Friday's schedule is

Practice Schedule Team News Conference Schedule

12-12:50 p.m. Louisville 1-1:15 p.m. (Coach); 1:15-1:30 p.m. (Student-Athletes)

1-1:50 p.m. Ohio St. 2-2:15 p.m. (Coach); 2:15-2:30 p.m. (Student-Athletes)

2:10-3 p.m. Kentucky 1:30-1:45 p.m. (Student-Athletes); 1:45-2 p.m. (Coach)

3:10-4 p.m. Kansas 2:30-2:45 p.m. (Student-Athletes); 2:45-3 p.m. (Coach)

2012 NCAA Final Four

No. 2 seed Kansas (31-6, 16-2) advanced to its 14th NCAA Final Four with an 80-67 win against No. 1 seed North Carolina on March 25. The Jayhawks will take on No. 2 seed Ohio State (31-7, 13-5) on Saturday, March 31, at approximately 7:30 p.m. (Central) at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The contest will be televised on CBS and KU will be the designated home team and wear white uniforms for the game. Kansas advances to the Final Four for the second time in the Bill Self era and first since its 2008 NCAA National Championship. The Jayhawks have won 13 of their last 14 games.

Kansas and Ohio State are meeting for the second time during the 2011-12 season. The Jayhawks defeated the then-No. 2 Buckeyes 78-67 on Dec. 10 in Allen Fieldhouse.

About Kansas

Ranked No. 6 nationally, Kansas is 16-0 at home, 8-2 in road games and 7-4 on neutral courts this season. The Jayhawks (31-6) have won 30 games for the third-straight season and fifth time in the last six years. KU averages 74.1 points per game and allows 61.6 for a +12.5 scoring margin. KU leads the Big 12 in rebounding (37.6), rebound margin (+5.6), field goal percentage defense (38.0) and blocked shots (5.7). KU also ranks among the top three in the conference in scoring offense (third at 74.2), scoring defense (second at 61.6), scoring margin (second at +12.6), field goal percentage (second at 47.6), assists (second at 15.2), assist-to-turnover ratio (second at 1.2) and steals (third at 7.4).

The Jayhawks are led by 2012 ESPN.com National Player of the Year and Big 12 Player of the Year Thomas Robinson, who is the only player in the conference to average a double-double this season with 17.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. A soon-to-be consensus All-America First Team selection, Robinson has eight double-doubles in his last 10 games. With his 18 points and 15 rebounds against NC State (3/23), he set the KU single-season double-doubles record with 26. His 26 DDs lead the nation. A four-time Big 12 Player of the Week and one time Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week this season, Robinson's league-leading 11.8 rpg rank second nationally.

An All-America candidate and Bob Cousy Award finalist, senior guard Tyshawn Taylor has scored 20 or more points in four of his last eight games and averages 16.7 ppg for the season. A two-time Big 12 Player of the Week and All-Big 12 First Team selection, Taylor leads KU with 174 assists and is second on the team with 57 three-pointers made in 2011-12.

Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and All-Big 12 Third Team selection Jeff Withey averages 9.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots for the season. Named the Big 12 and USBWA National Player of the Week on Feb. 13, Withey leads the conference with 3.5 blocked shots per game, which ranks in the top seven nationally. Withey broke the KU single-season record for blocked shots, currently at 129, and his 10 blocks against NC State (3/23) tied the school mark.

Junior guard Elijah Johnson has averaged 13.5 points and is shooting 51 percent from the field in three NCAA Tournament games. Johnson leads Kansas with 54 steals and 65 three-pointers made. He is second on the team with 134 assists. A lockdown defender, junior guard Travis Releford rounds out the Kansas starters. Releford, who was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Jan. 9, averages 8.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and has 43 steals on the season.

Senior guard Conner Teahan, an Academic All-Big 12 Second Team honoree, is third on the team with 50 three-pointers this season, including a 4-for-4 effort from beyond the arc against then-No. 3 Missouri (2/25). Teahan averages 5.7 points per game. Junior forward Kevin Young (3.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg), sophomore forward Justin Wesley (1.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg) and freshman guard Naadir Tharpe (0.9 ppg, 21 assists) are also KU regulars.

About Ohio State

Located in Columbus, Ohio, with an enrollment of 53,715, No. 2 seed Ohio State is 31-7 and has won eight of its last nine games. Like Kansas, OSU defeated a No. 1 seed, Syracuse, 77-70, to advance to the Final Four. Ohio State posted an 18-2 home record at Value City Arena and went 7-4 in road games and 6-1 on neutral courts in 2011-12. OSU has dominated its opponents, averaging 75.0 points per game and giving up 59.7 for a +15.3 scoring margin. OSU also holds a +7.7 rebound margin, forces 14.8 turnovers per game and averages 7.2 steals per contest.

Sophomore forward Jared Sullinger leads the team, averaging nearly a double-double with 17.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He also leads the team with 63 blocked shots in 2011-12. Sophomore forward Deshaun Thomas is next in scoring at 16.1 points per contest and in rebounding with a 5.4 rpg. He is also second on the team with 49 three-pointers made.

Senior guard William Buford scores 14.4 points per game. He has made a team-best 59 three-pointers, is second on the squad with 103 assists and has a 4.9 rebound per game average. Sophomore guard Aaron Craft leads OSU with 178 assists and 95 steals to complement his 8.8 ppg scoring average. Craft is solid at the line with his 82.6 free throw percentage.

Sophomore guard Lenzelle Smith Jr. rounds out the OSU starters. He is third on the team with 4.6 rebounds per game and scores 6.7 points per contest. Other OSU regulars include junior forward Evan Ravenel (3.5 ppg), freshman forward Sam Thompson (2.1 ppg, 10.6 minutes per game) and freshman guard Shannon Scott (1.2 ppg, 10.6 minutes per game).

The Kansas-Ohio State Series

Kansas leads the all-time series with Ohio State 6-3, including a Kansas 78-67 win on Dec. 10, 2011, in Allen Fieldhouse. The previous meeting was during the 2000-01 season, a Kansas 69-68 win in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 23, 2000. The Jayhawks have won four straight in the series which dates back to 1965 when the Jayhawks won the first two meetings - 81-68 on Dec. 23, 1965, in Columbus and 94-70 on Dec. 5, 1966, in Lawrence.

The two teams played twice in 1983, to start a three-game OSU victory run against Kansas. The Buckeyes won 64-61 on Jan. 2, 1983, in Kansas City, Mo., and 79-74 on Dec. 22, 1983, in Columbus. In 1986, OSU edged KU 79-78 in overtime in the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu. The two schools' next meeting was 1997 in the Rainbow Classic, a Kansas 69-56 win. Before the Kansas win in 2000, the Jayhawks defeated the Buckeyes 80-67 on Dec. 16, 1999, in Lawrence.

Earlier this season, Kansas junior Thomas Robinson scored 21 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead Kansas to a 78-67 victory over Ohio State. Junior Kevin Young scored a season-high 14 points in the game, while Jayhawks Elijah Johnson (15 points) and Travis Releford (10 points) also reached double figures scoring. Ohio State was led by William Buford who scored 21 points, while Deshaun Thomas added 19. OSU played without All-American Jared Sullinger who was out due to an injury.

Team Notables

--Kansas leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense at 38.0, which is fourth nationally. KU has led the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense in five of the last six seasons, all under head coach Bill Self.

--KU leads the conference in rebound margin at +5.7, which are 23rd nationally. The Jayhawks have led the Big 12 in rebound margin in each of the last five seasons, all under Bill Self.

--Kansas also leads the Big 12 in rebounding (37.6) and blocked shots (5.7, ninth nationally).

--Kansas' 22-game home court winning streak leads the Big 12 and is tied for fourth nationally. The 22-game streak followed a school-record 69-game home court winning streak. KU is 91-1 in its last 92 games at Allen Fieldhouse. At 16-0 at home this season, Kansas recorded its 17th undefeated home season in Allen Fieldhouse, including three of the last four years.

--KU has tied or outrebounded 29 of 37 opponents this season, including 14 of the last 19 games. KU has 11 games with a +10 rebound margin, including a season-best 50-21 (+29) vs. Oklahoma State (2/11).

--Six different Jayhawks - Thomas Robinson, Tyshawn Taylor, Elijah Johnson, Conner Teahan, Travis Releford and Jeff Withey - have led Kansas in scoring through 37 games.

--KU has shot a higher percentage than 34 of 37 opponents this season. KU shot a season-high 61.4 percent against Texas A&M in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals and has shot 50 percent or better 14 times this season.

--Kansas has blocked five or more shots in 18 games this season, including a season-high 13 against Florida Atlantic (11/30). KU had 12 blocked shots against Long Beach State (12/6) and Texas A&M (1/23), 11 against NC State (3/23) and 10 versus Iowa State (1/14).

--With its win against UNC, Kansas is 6-4 against ranked teams in 2011-12, 32-12 versus ranked foes since 2006-07 and 41-22 against ranked foes under Bill Self (since 2003-04).

--Kansas' 19-point deficit overcome against Missouri was the largest since KU was down 22 points to Texas on March 11, 2007, in the Big 12 Championship title game.

--Kansas has 168 dunks to its opponents' 64 through 37 games. Thomas Robinson leads KU with 70 dunks, while Jeff Withey has 37.

Player Notables

--Junior THOMAS ROBINSON, who has eight double-doubles in his last 10 games, was named the ESPN.com 2012 National Player of the Year; Associated Press, Wooden, USBWA, Sporting News, ESPN.com and NABC All-America First Team, the consensus 2012 Big 12 Player of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team. His 26 double-doubles lead the nation and are first on KU's single-season list (25 by Drew Gooden in 2002). Robinson leads Kansas in NCAA Tournament games with 15.8 ppg and 12.5 rpg. A four-time Big 12 Player of the Week and one time Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week this season, Robinson had career highs with 30 points and 21 rebounds against North Dakota (12/31). Robinson is the only player in the Big 12 Conference this season that is averaging a double-double with 17.7 ppg and 11.8 rpg. His 11.8 rebounds are second in NCAA Division I in 2011-12. Robinson's 17.7 points are second in the league and he ranks third in field goal percentage (51.2) and 11th in blocked shots (0.9).

--Senior TYSHAWN TAYLOR, a Bob Cousy Award finalist, has scored 20 or more points in five of his last nine games, including 22 points against North Carolina in the Midwest Regional Finals (3/25). A 2012 All-Big 12 First Team honoree and All-America Third Team selection by the Associated Press and The Sporting News, he has 13 20-point games in 2011-12. Taylor scored a career-high 28 points in back-to-back games against Iowa State (1/14) and Baylor (1/16). A two-time Big 12 Player of the Week (1/16, 3/4), he is second on the team with 16.7 points per game and led KU in conference-game scoring at 18.6 ppg. In all games, Taylor leads KU with 174 assists and a 38.5 three-point field goal percentage. His 57 three-pointers are second on the team. Taylor's 16.7 ppg average is fifth in the Big 12. Also in the league, he is fifth in field goal percentage at 48.2, 10th in three-point field goal percentage at 38.5, 14th in three-pointers made per game at 1.5, sixth in assists at 4.7 per game and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.4. Taylor underwent knee surgery on Dec. 11 but returned to start the Davidson contest on Dec. 19, when he scored 15 points and had seven assists.

--Junior ELIJAH JOHNSON is second on the team in NCAA Tournament games with 13.5 ppg average, including a 51 percent field goal percentage. Johnson led Kansas in scoring in the Big 12 Championship with 20.5 ppg. Johnson has 36 assists and just 11 turnovers in his last 11 games. He has 18 games with 10 or more points this season, including 10 against North Carolina (3/25). Johnson leads KU with 65 three-pointers made and has made multiple threes in five of his last seven games and 18 times this season. He has started all but one game this season for KU (Senior Night), is the team leader with 54 steals and is second on the team in assists with 134. Johnson is ninth in the Big 12 in assists at 3.6, fifth in steals at 1.5, fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.1 and 12th in three-pointers made at 1.8.

--Junior JEFF WITHEY tied the KU single-game record with 10 blocked shots against NC State (3/23) and set the KU single-season blocked shots record, currently at 129. He averaged 11.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots in two Big 12 Championship games. He averaged 10.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocked shots in Big 12 play and 9.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 3.5 blocks in all games this season. The 2012 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Big 12 Third Team selection, Withey was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week and the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week after he scored a career-high 25 points at No. 6 Baylor (2/8) and had 18 points and a career-high 20 rebounds against Oklahoma State (2/11). Withey has scored in double figures in 13 of his last 21 games, including four double-doubles. Withey leads the Big 12 with 3.5 blocked shots per game, which ranks in the top seven nationally. His 65 blocked shots in league play set a new conference season record. Withey has multiple blocks in each of his last seven games. His 6.2 rebound average is ninth in the Big 12, while his 79.4 free throw percentage is 10th in the conference.

--Junior TRAVIS RELEFORD, the Big 12 Player of the Week on Jan. 9, pulled down six rebounds against Purdue (3/18) and seven boards against Baylor in the Big 12 Championship semifinals (3/9). He has scored in double figures 16 times this season, including 11 against North Carolina (3/25). He is fifth on the team in scoring with 8.5 ppg in all games and scored 8.9 ppg in Big 12 contests. Releford opened Big 12 play with his first career double-double, recording 16 points and 11 rebounds against Kansas State (1/4). Both were career highs at the time. He then scored 28 points at Oklahoma (1/7). A lockdown defender, Releford has 43 steals this season.

--Senior CONNER TEAHAN scored 12 points against No. 3 Missouri (2/25) on 4-for-4 shooting with all shots from three-point range. The four threes tied his career high, which he has done three times this season, and his 12 points were a conference career high. He has made 50 three-pointers in 2011-12, which is third on the team and 74.6 percent of his field goals made are from beyond the arc. In his first career start, Teahan scored a career-high 14 points versus LBSU (12/6) and has chipped in 13 points twice (at USC, 12/22 and vs. Howard, 12/29). Teahan was named to the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team on Feb. 16.

--Junior KEVIN YOUNG had five points and three rebounds against NC State (3/23). He pulled down seven rebounds in the next victory versus Purdue (3/18). He scored nine points in KU's NCAA Tournament opener against Detroit (3/16). Young had five points and five rebounds against Baylor in the Big 12 Championship semifinals (3/9). He had five points and pulled down a personal KU best eight rebounds against Missouri (2/25). Young averages 11.4 minutes, 3.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. His best scoring performance of the season came against then-No. 2 Ohio State (12/10) with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. He has pulled down four or more rebounds 10 times this season.

Kansas in New Orleans for the NCAA Tournament

Against Ohio State, Kansas will play its seventh NCAA Tournament game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, including its third Final Four. KU is 2-4 in the venue having lost its first two times in the Superdome in the 1981 Midwest Regional semifinals to Wichita State 66-65 on March 20, and in 1993 to eventual national champion North Carolina, 78-68, in the national semifinals on April 3. In the 1999 Midwest Sub-Regional, Kansas opened the NCAA Tournament in the Superdome defeating Evansville, 95-74, on March 12, before falling to Kentucky 92-88 in overtime two days later. In the 2003 Final Four, KU defeated Marquette 94-61 in the venue on April 5 before losing to Syracuse 81-78 in the title game on April 7.

Kansas vs. the Field

Entering the 2012 NCAA Tournament, Kansas played 17 games against 11 teams in this year's NCAA tourney field, including Final Four participants Ohio State and Kentucky. The others include: Baylor, Davidson, Duke, Georgetown, Iowa State, Kansas State, Missouri, South Florida, and Texas. KU went a combined 11-6 against those squads during the regular season.

Seed Notes

Kansas is the No. 2 seed for the fifth time since the NCAA Tournament started seeding in 1979: 1990, 1993, 1996, 2003, and 2012. This is the first time KU has been a No. 2 seed under Bill Self. Kansas is 17-4 as a No. 2 seed and 4-3 against the No. 2 seed. The last time KU faced a No. 2 seed was in 2009 when Michigan State defeated Kansas 67-62 in the Midwest Regional Sweet 16. Kansas' 20 games as the No. 2 seed is second most in the NCAA Tournament behind its 36 games as the No. 1 seed.

Kansas in the NCAA Tournament

--2012 marks Kansas' 41st NCAA Tournament appearance.

--Kansas' 23-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, from 1990-2012, is the nation's longest active streak and ranks second-best all time. North Carolina had 27 straight from 1975-2001.

--KU is a number two seed for the fifth time since seeding began in 1979. The Jayhawks have been a two seed in 1990-93-96-2003-12.

--Under head coach Bill Self, Kansas is 22-7 (75.8 percent) in the NCAA Tournament, with six Sweet 16s (2004-07-08-09-11-12), five Elite Eights (2004-07-08-11-12), two Final Fours (2008-12) and one NCAA National Championship (2008).

--In the last 10 NCAA Tournaments prior to 2012, Kansas has a 27-9 (75.0 percent) record with one NCAA National Championship (2008), three Final Four (2002-03-08) and six Elite Eight (2002-03-04-07-08-11) appearances.

--The Jayhawks' 41 NCAA Tournament appearances are fourth nationally behind only Kentucky (51), North Carolina (42) and UCLA (42).

--Kansas sports an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 92-39 and the Jayhawks' 92 wins rank fifth behind North Carolina (109), Kentucky (109), Duke (97) and UCLA (96).

--The Jayhawks will play their 132nd NCAA Tournament game on Saturday. The Jayhawks' 131 games in the event rank tied for third all-time in NCAA history - Kentucky (155), North Carolina (149), UCLA (131) -- Duke (129).

--Entering the 2012 event, KU's NCAA Tournament winning percentage of 69.3 percent ranks seventh all-time for a minimum of 20 games played.

--Kansas coach Bill Self is making his 14th appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a head coach.

--KU is one of six schools that has won at least three NCAA Championships. The Jayhawks won the NCAA crown in 1952, 1988 and 2008. The other schools are UCLA (11), Kentucky (7), Indiana (5), North Carolina (5), Duke (4) and Connecticut (3).

--Kansas has appeared in the Final Four 14 times, making KU one of just six schools to reach the Final Four 10-plus times - North Carolina (18), UCLA (17), Duke (15), Kentucky (15) and Ohio State (11).

--Kansas has won 11 games in the Final Four, which is sixth-best all time.

--Five different Jayhawks have been named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, including B.H. Born in 1953 and Wilt Chamberlain in 1957, who both won the award even though KU lost in the finals. Clyde Lovellette (1952) and Danny Manning (1988) also won the honor. Mario Chalmers won the Most Outstanding Player Award for the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

--Former Jayhawk player and coach Dick Harp is the only person to play in the Final Four and later coach his alma mater in the Final Four.

NCAA Tournament Notables

--In 2007-08, Kansas became only the fourth school to win a BCS game and then play in the Final Four the same academic year. The 2007 KU football team won the FedEx Orange Bowl and the men's basketball team captured the NCAA National Championship. Other schools to accomplish the feat include Ohio State (1999), Wisconsin (2000) and Florida (2007).

--In 1993, Kansas became the first school in NCAA history to make a Final Four appearance, a College World Series appearance and win a bowl game in the same year.

--Larry Brown is one of two coaches to take two different teams to the NCAA championship game (UCLA, 1980 and Kansas, 1988). Frank McGuire took St. John's in 1952 and North Carolina in 1957. Brown attended North Carolina. McGuire's 1957 North Carolina team defeated Kansas for the championship in triple overtime.

--Brown is the only man to coach teams to the NCAA Championship - Kansas in 1988 - and the NBA Championship - Detroit in 2004.

--When Phog Allen's 1952 team won the NCAA title, Allen was 66 years old. That was the oldest age for the head coach of a championship team until Jim Calhoun (68) of Connecticut won last year. Allen became the fourth coach to win the NCAA National Championship at his alma mater, a feat that has been accomplished 14 times.

--Adonis Jordan's 5-of-7 three-point shooting performance in the 1993 national semifinal game against North Carolina is tied for the second highest percentage ever in an NCAA Final Four game. Donald Williams of UNC accomplished the feat twice, both times in 1993. In 2011, Butler's Shelvin Mack went 5-for-6 (83.3 percent) to break the record.

--Kansas won the NCAA Tournament in 1988 as a No. 6 seed. Only one team has won the tournament with a lower seed - Villanova in 1985 as an eighth seed. Jim Valvano's 1983 N.C. State team also won the tournament as a No. 6 seed. In the 1990s, the lowest seed to win the tournament was the 1997 Arizona team, which captured the title as a No. 4 seed. The Wildcats upset Kansas, the top seed, in the Sweet 16.

KU is the Cradle of Tournament Coaching Legends

Eight head coaches who have advanced to the NCAA Tournament have graduated from the University of Kansas. In fact, the 122 combined NCAA Tournament wins by those men are easily the most by graduates of any one school: Phog Allen (KU 1906, 10-3), Tim Carter (KU, 1979, 0-2), Frosty Cox (KU 1930, 2-4), Dick Harp (KU 1940, 4-2), Ralph Miller (KU 1942, 5-11), Adolph Rupp (KU 1922, 30-18), Dean Smith (KU 1953, 65-27), Mark Turgeon (KU 1987, 5-5) and Tad Boyle (KU 1985, 1-1).

Kansas Wins March Awards

Prior to the 2012 NCAA Tournament Kansas already earned a couple of national titles in March. On March 14, the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) and the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced KU the winner of the inaugural Naismith Student Section of the Year Award. The title comes with a $5,000 cash award, which Kansas Athletics will direct to the university's general scholarship fund. A formal presentation of the award will take place at a home men's basketball game at the beginning of the 2012-13 season.

The Naismith Awards Board of Selectors chose the Kansas basketball student section for the award from a field of eight finalists. An original field of some 80 entries was narrowed to eight by two rounds of public Facebook votes. Selection criteria included the student section's name and attendance, as well as photos, video, a write-up submitted by the nominating school, as well as a weighted score based on the public vote. The contest was launched nationally Nov. 15. KU led the way into the final round of scoring with the highest vote tally throughout the first and second rounds of the public vote.

On March 13, Inside Higher Ed declared KU the champion of the 2012 "Academic NCAA Tournament," which is based on the Academic Progress Rates of the 68 teams in the 2012 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. KU also won that competition in 2010 and reached the "Final Four" last year.

In the Polls

Kansas is ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls released March 12. This is Kansas' 10th appearance in the Top 10 of either poll in 2011-12. KU has been ranked in each of the last 66 Associated Press polls dating back to the 2008-09 season. Included are 49 times when the Jayhawks have appeared in the AP Top 10. KU has been ranked in each of the last 67 coaches' polls with 52 appearances in the Top 10. Kansas has faced six currently-ranked teams and is 5-4 against ranked foes (at tip) in 2011-12.

30-Win Seasons

Including 2011-12, Kansas has won 30 games each of the last three years and 11 times overall. Those include: 1985-86 (35-4), 1989-90 (30-5), 1996-97 (34-2), 1997-98 (35-4), 2001-02 (33-4), 2002-03 (30-8), 2006-07 (33-5), 2007-08 (37-3), 2009-10 (33-3), 2010-11 (35-3) and 2011-12 (31-6).

Conference Titles

With its eighth-straight Big 12 regular-season championship and Gonzaga not winning the 2012 Big West title, Kansas is now the nation's active consecutive conference regular-season champion leader. Kansas' 55 conference regular-season titles are first among NCAA Division I schools.

Taylor To Join Elite Company

Senior Tyshawn Taylor continues to etch his name into the all-time Kansas career lists. A four-year starter, Kansas is 126-20 (86.3 percent) during Taylor's time in Lawrence with four Big 12 regular-season titles, two Big 12 Championship crowns, three trips to the NCAA Sweet 16, two Elite Eights and one Final Four. His 125 all-time KU starts are tied for seventh all-time. Statistically, against Duke, Taylor became the 54th player in school history to record 1,000 points. He currently sits 16th with 1,551 points. He is seventh on the KU all-time assists list with 563. Taylor also ranks 12th with 170 career steals and his 37.2 percent career three-point percentage is 20th best at Kansas. Taylor is only the third player in KU history with the combination of at least 1,400 points, 500 assists and 150 steals in his career. He is in the company of KU greats Darnell Valentine (1,821 points, 609 assists, 336 steals) and Kirk Hinrich (1,753 points, 668 assists, 206 steals).

Noting Kansas Basketball

--Kansas has gone 241 games without consecutive losses, which is the longest active streak in NCAA Division I. KU's last two straight losses were Jan. 14 vs. Kansas State (59-57 in Allen Fieldhouse) and Jan. 16 at Missouri (89-86 overtime in Mizzou Arena), during the 2005-06 season.

--Kansas has 2,069 all-time victories, second most in NCAA Division I.

--Kansas won its 1,000th all-time conference game with the 83-50 win against Texas Tech on Feb. 18, 2012.

--Kansas has held 176 of its last 182 opponents to under 50 percent shooting.

--KU has held opponents to fewer than 100 points in 371 consecutive games. The last team to score 100 on Kansas was Texas on Feb. 11, 2002, a KU 110-103 overtime victory.

--Kansas has sold out its last 180 games in Allen Fieldhouse, dating back to the second game of the 2001-02 season.

--Over the last six seasons, including 2011-12, Kansas has averaged 32.7 victories per year with five 30-win seasons.

--Each KU senior class since 1986-87 has won at least 100 games. Tyshawn Taylor's four-year record is 126-20. A fourth-year senior last season, Tyrel Reed's record of 132-17 tied for the second-most wins in a four-year span in NCAA Division I history.

--Every four-year player Bill Self has had at KU has been part of at least one Final Four team. Redshirt senior Conner Teahan has been a part of two as he was on the 2008 NCAA National Championship team.

--Including 2012, Kansas has won 12 of the 16 Big 12 regular-season titles (includes ties), including the last eight. Kansas' 55 conference titles are the most in NCAA Division I. Kansas' eight-straight league titles is a school record, surpassing the six straight set from 1922-27.

--Including 2011-12, Kansas has won 23 or more games in each of the last 23 seasons dating back to 1988-89 and has 22 victories 27 times in the last 28 years starting in 1984-85.

--Including 2011-12, Bill Self has won 23 or more games each of his last 14 seasons as a head coach.

--Kansas is the only team in the Big 12 to have a winning series record against every conference foe.

--Including 2011-12, KU has led its league in home attendance each of the last 26 seasons dating back to 1986-87 and 31 times in the last 35 years.

--Kansas' 2002 team is the only squad in Big 12 history to go undefeated in conference play at 16-0.

--Kansas is first in the conference in wins with a 217-41 record in Big 12 regular-season games. Texas is next at 176-82. Including the league postseason championship, Kansas is tops at 248-49, while Texas is second at 197-98.

--Kansas is the only Big 12 school to have won a regular-season championship with two different coaches (Roy Williams and Bill Self).

--Under Bill Self, Kansas is 69-4 (94.5 percent) in Big 12 home games: 8-0 in 2004, 7-1 in 2005, 7-1 in 2006, 7-1 in 2007, 8-0 in 2008, 8-0 in 2009, 8-0 in 2010, 7-1 in 2011 and 9-0 in 2012.

--Kansas has won 10 or more league games for the last 18 seasons and 50 times overall, including 2011-12.

--Kansas leads the Big 12 with 48 all-time Academic All-Big 12 selections since the inception of the conference in 1996-97.

--Including 2011-12, KU has 37 Academic All-Big 12 First Team selections and 11 second team selections. KU's 37 first team selections are 16 more than Texas and Kansas State's 21 each.

--In the Bill Self era, Kansas has had 25 Academic All-Big 12 selections, which is best in the Big 12, for an average of almost three per year (2.8 average). This includes 2011-12.

--In December 2010, KU alum David Booth bought the original rules of basketball by the inventor of the game and KU's first coach James Naismith. Booth plans to bring the rules to Lawrence and Allen Fieldhouse.

--Kansas' school-record 69-game home court winning streak, from 2007-11, which led the nation for more than two seasons and ranks 11th all-time in the NCAA records book. With the current 22-game win streak, Kansas is 91-1 in Allen Fieldhouse in its last 92 games.

--Under Bill Self, Kansas has won 10 or more consecutive games 10 times, including once during the 2011-12 season.

--Kansas has won 55-straight home games against non-conference competition.

--Under Bill Self, Kansas is 43-6 following a loss. Kansas has won 25-straight games following a loss.

Up Next

Should Kansas advance to play Monday, April 2, in the National Championship game, the Jayhawks would play in their eighth championship game in New Orleans, La.