One of the most underrated achievements in all of sports just might be the Kansas Jayhawks' 12 straight Big 12 titles. Veterans Perry Ellis, Frank Mason and Wayne Selden have been a big part of the past three titles, but that group has also failed to get to the regional stage in the past two NCAA tournaments. In their last year together, can this Kansas core finally make a deep run?
ESPN Insider has your answers, as Joe Lunardi has enlisted a team of Bracketologists to compile advanced metrics, key scouting intel and best- and worst-case tournament scenarios for all 68 teams to help you make smart picks in your bracket.
TOURNEY PROFILE
Best wins: Oklahoma, at Baylor, at Texas, at Oklahoma, Iowa State
Worst losses: at Oklahoma State, at Iowa State
Regular-season conference finish: 1st, Big 12
Polls and metrics: Kansas only fell out of the AP top 5 for one week in February and was a mainstay in the BPI top 10, as well.
All-time tourney record: 97-43, three national titles
Coach's tourney record: Bill Self (37-16, one national title, two Final Fours)
Bracketology chart | BPI information
PERSONNEL
(Note: Player statistics are through games of March 6.)
STARTING LINEUP
C Landen Lucas (5.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG)
F Perry Ellis (16.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG)
G Wayne Selden, Jr. (13.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG)
G Frank Mason III (13.4 PPG, 4.6 APG)
G Devonte' Graham (11.2 PPG, 3.5 APG)
Key Bench Players
F Jamari Traylor (3.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG)
C Brannen Greene (6.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG)
G Svi Mykhailiuk (5.5 PPG, 1.3 RPG)
Biggest strength: This isn't an all-time Kansas team, but it does have characteristics of some of the great Jayhawk editions. Most notably, Coach Self has plenty of places to turn for production. Four veterans -- Ellis, Mason, Selden and Graham -- are versatile and can score in double figures. Graham and Mason are interchangeable in the backcourt. Ellis is equally adept in the high or low post. Even the less statistically productive, like Mykhailiuk and Lucas, are playing their best basketball of the season at the most important time.
Biggest weakness: Kansas is one of the nation's best defensive teams, but it lacks a rim protector. Tall, athletic teams might give the Jayhawks some trouble. Cheick Diallo was supposed to be that player for Self, but the 6-foot-9 freshman has never gotten comfortable after his eligibility issues early in the season and has fallen out of the regular rotation.
Best player: Ellis. While the 6-8 senior is a throwback to when players stayed four years, improved each season and became leaders of a championship-caliber team, he isn't the prototypical post player. He excels with quickness, anticipation and smarts. He can outmaneuver taller defenders or take them out to the foul line and shoot, pass or drive with equal ability.
X factor: Lucas. When Self decided Lucas was the best fit as the starting center, Kansas went 12-1 to finish the regular season. Lucas was the Big 12's second-best rebounder over those 13 games. He still doesn't score much, but he fixed the Jayhawks' most glaring problem: lack of continuity at the five-spot.
SCOUTING REPORT
Offensive approach: Getting Ellis touches around the elbows or low block makes everything else work right. He is a natural scorer in the lane and a good passer and decision-maker. Mason is best when he's attacking off the dribble and not settling for jumpers. That helps create room for Greene and Selden to launch. Spacing and ball movement are essential for a team without a true star.
Defensive approach: Kansas takes a relentless approach to halfcourt defense by applying constant ball pressure, a task led by Mason, and playing passing lanes. Lucas' additional minutes have made them even tougher inside. Perhaps no team in the country is better at getting a stop when it's absolutely necessary and that's without an enforcer on the baseline.
How they beat you: Kansas went 10-0 in Big 12 games decided by 10 points or fewer. These Jayhawks are flawed except in the game's critical moments. Self has said that this team's margin for error is small, but that's exactly when KU seems to excel -- when the margin is small. Veteran smarts, energy and a relentless approach are all hard things to measure, but seem to best explain the success of this Kansas squad.
How you beat them: The teams that did beat Kansas this year went right at the Jayhawks. West Virginia and Oklahoma State each put Kansas on its heels early and didn't let up. The Cowboys did it with 3-pointers, which Kansas doesn't defend as well as it does 2s. West Virginia did it by turning Kansas over with pressure defense, which the Jayhawks can be vulnerable to.
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY
(Note: All statistics in this section are courtesy of kenpom.com and are accurate through games of March 6.)
NATIONAL RANKS
Offensive efficiency, 6th (119.5)
Defensive efficiency, 11th (93.1)
3-point percentage, 3rd (42.5)
3-point percentage D, 130th (33.7)
Free throw rate, 123rd (38.5)
Free throw rate D, 182nd (37.3)
TO percentage, 115th (17.3)
TO percentage D, 121st (19.0)
Good stat: 42.5 3-point percentage
Five Jayhawks shoot more than 41 percent from behind the arc. Selden and Ellis have improved dramatically as shooters during their careers, and Greene and Graham have learned the meaning of a good shot. Perhaps they all shoot such a high percentage because they've all learned discretion. Kansas ranks just 226th in 3-point attempt percentage. Most of their offense still comes inside the arc.
Bad stat: 38.5 free throw rate
For a good team, Kansas is oddly average at getting to the free throw line. Most teams that win the country's toughest conference by two games would shoot free throws much more often than their opponents. But not the Jayhawks. They took just 28 more during the regular season. And Kansas' accuracy at the line has become a concern of late for Self. The Jayhawks shot an average of 71 percent during Big 12 play, but made just 20 of 39 in wins over Texas and Iowa State to finish the regular season.
HOW FAR WILL THEY GO?
Best-case scenario: National champions
These Jayhawks enter the NCAA tournament after putting together the best season of anyone in the country. While it would be hard to call Kansas favorites in what has been deemed a wide-open season, the Jayhawks are among the most talented, most experienced and most relentless teams in the field. Seeing them end their recent string of tournament disappointments by cutting down the nets in Houston wouldn't be at all surprising.
Worst-case scenario: Sweet 16 exit
Although the past two Kansas teams didn't even make it to the second weekend, a loss in the Sweet 16 for this team would be just as disappointing, but it's possible. Any number of flaws -- free throw shooting, lack of a defensive interior presence, no true go-to shooter, average rebounding -- could undo the Jayhawks' title hopes.