[Kansas Jayhawks schedule: Next game vs. Texas, Jan. 22, 3:00 p.m.]
The Kansas Jayhawks can go undefeated. There's no doubt about that. Sitting at 18-0, they're one of three teams that have yet to lose and I'm fairly certain we've yet to see the best KU basketball has to offer. The Jayhawks have been winning but it seems there's always a "Yeah they won, but..."
Say what you want about how they go about their business on the court, but they always find a way to win. Kansas is among the most talented teams in the country and their biggest problem is finding enough room on the court for all that talent but Bill Self somehow does an excellent job of that. That's a good problem to have. It's a problem teams that can go undefeated have.
So Kansas is currently 18-0 and has remaining games against the following teams:
Home: Texas, Kansas State, Missouri, Iowa State, Colorado, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M
Away: Colorado, Texas Tech, Nebraska, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Missouri
We know about the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. They're a different team winning their last 69 games at home. That said, that home schedule is no joke. Texas and Texas A&M could give Kansas trouble, especially Texas A&M who's on a nice hot streak right now. Kansas State and Missouri will be tough as a rivalry game regardless of where those two teams stand. Colorado, apparently, is a player in the Big 12, as well.
Looking at that schedule, Kansas can go undefeated the rest of the way heading into the Big 12 tournament. Will they? History says no. They've got a nice break with Texas and Texas A&M coming to Lawrence while their road trip to Waco is already done. That means they're past arguably the toughest part of the Big 12 South schedule.
They'll slip up somewhere and that's nearly impossible to predict where it'll happen. KU had trouble with Michigan and Iowa State a few weeks ago then turned around and whooped Baylor in Waco, Texas so you can't stay predicting these games is easy.
Owen Kemp of Rock Chalk Talk doesn't predict an undefeated season and suggests Kansas loses 2-4 games in the Big 12 the rest of the way. Kansas currently has three conference wins -- Kemp predicts all seven remaining home games are W's, along with road games in Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
That puts Kansas at 12 wins. Yes Kansas is perfectly capable of doing better, but realistically a few losses would seem to be in the cards somewhere along the way. Kansas could lose one at home unexpectedly and then maybe pick another up on the road that looks tricky. 12-4, perfectly reasonable. So, Does 12-4 win the Big 12? Or does it take 13-3, 14-2?
12-4 may do it but I think Kansas will be closer to 14-2 anyway. Maybe I'm overrating Kansas but I have a hard time envisioning this team losing more than a couple conference games. They've avoided those let down games so far this season.
So if you want my prediction, Kansas will win out at home the rest of the day, and then chalk me up for a surprise loss -- like a trip to Boulder -- along with a loss on the road to either Kansas State or Missouri.
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