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Kansas Basketball Climbs in Latest Joe Lunardi Bracketology Rankings

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Kansas Basketball Climbs in Latest Joe Lunardi Bracketology Rankings


Kansas basketball hasn’t looked world beating lately but it has certainly looked better since the disastrous, 91-57 loss at BYU back on February 19. Its record is just 3-2 since that loss but with close defeats coming against Houston and Texas Tech, both of which are in the top 10, the look has been improved.

Is it improved enough to move the seed Kansas will get in the NCAA Tournament come Selection Sunday though?

According to the most recent update by Joe Lunardi of ESPN to his Bracketology projection, it has.

Joe Lunardi’s Latest Bracketology and Where Kansas Checks In

Bill Self coaches the Kansas Jayhakws during a game against the Houston Cougar

Mar 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self gives a thumbs up during the first half against the Houston Cougars at Fertitta Center. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Lunardi released his latest Bracketology after Monday night’s games wrapped up and it brought good news for Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks. Kansas, who Lunardi has had pointing up for much of the past week, checked in as the six-seed in the Midwest Region.

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That’s up from the No. 7 seed Kansas has been for more than a week, and then the No. 8 seed Lunardi had before that.

The latest projection calls for Kansas to play the winner of Indiana vs. Oklahoma in a First Four contest to determine the 11-seed in the Midwest. No. 3 St. John’s would likely then be awaiting the winner in the Second Round, per Lunardi’s projection.

Kansas Must Take Care of Business in Big 12 Tournament

Zeke Mayo celebrates a Kansas basket against Arizona on senior da

Mar 8, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Zeke Mayo (5) reacts after a play against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. / William Purnell-Imagn Images

The news is great for Kansas in that things are trending in the right direction to end up on the six-line as opposed to the seven. We’ve already discussed the difference in the seeds historically and how valuable it is to the Jayhawks’ chances of making deep run to get into the six-seed, but the most important thing is that Kansas doesn’t flop in the Big 12 Tournament.

There is next to no wiggle room right now for Kansas. An early loss – certainly to the Utah/UCF winner would bump it back down to the seven. Heck, potentially losing to Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals and it could very well be the same fate.

Like I said over the weekend, if Kansas can get to the semi-finals of the Big 12 Tournament I’ll feel very good its chances to get a six, but if it falls short of that in any capacity then it’ll require help from multiple others.

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Child killed after being struck by Amazon delivery vehicle in Kansas City

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Child killed after being struck by Amazon delivery vehicle in Kansas City


KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A child is dead after being struck by an Amazon delivery vehicle Monday night in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Police Department responded to the incident just before 6:30 p.m. in the area of East Missouri Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Kansas City’s Historic Northeast neighborhood.

Preliminary investigation indicates that a marked Amazon delivery vehicle had just completed a package delivery in the area. Police said after the delivery, the driver of the vehicle began traveling westbound on East 3rd Terrace toward Woodland Avenue.

Police said at the same time, a child, under the age of 5, was playing in a grassy area of a nearby public park. The child entered the roadway and was struck by the Amazon delivery vehicle.

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The Amazon driver initially stopped at the scene but left before officers arrived, according to police.

Police said a family member attempted to follow the Amazon vehicle and inform the driver of what had happened. The driver denied involvement and left the area.

The child was pronounced dead as a result of the injuries, according to police.

Kansas City police said the investigation remains active and ongoing.

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Defiance also draw in Kansas City

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Defiance also draw in Kansas City


The Tacoma Defiance continued a weekend of Seattle vs Kansas soccer with a draw against Sporting Kansas City II. The Sporting second team has not been immune to the struggles in Kansas City, as they have started the season with six points through 9 games and a -15 goal difference. With a Defiance starting lineup featuring six players on first-team contracts, taking home three points should have been the expectation.

The first half was eerily similar to Saturday with Defiance dominating the run of play but entering the locker room with a 1-1 draw. They conceded the opening goal in the 40th minute where Charlie Gaffney and Cody Baker did not organize themselves well to cover the cross from the left side. That cross found an unmarked Shane Donovan who was able to score off a header to the near post, past academy goalkeeper Noah Newman in his first start of 2026.

Five minutes later, Baker equalized with a golazo from 25 yards out that was ripped into the upper right corner. This shot came off a clearance but the sequence right before was representative of how dangerous the left side of the team was. Peter Kingston found a cross-field ball to Sebastian Gomez, his combination play with Codey Phoenix and ability to create space on the dribble led to the cross. 

The second half was more evenly played throughout but ended the same as the first with a goal apiece. The Defiance first-teamers came through in the 57th minute when Gomez received the ball on the left touchline, dribbled and centered for Osaze De Rosario. He made a nice move around the defender and slotted the ball in the corner from the top of the box.

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SKC II scored in the 63rd minute on a corner after the initial ball wasn’t cleared. It bounced around before landing to previous goal scorer Donovan whose shot was on target but got a slight touch from Tega Ikoba.

With regulation ending in a draw, the teams went to a PK shootout where Defiance won 4–2 after Newman made two saves. Edson Carli converted the winning spot kick.

Overview

Lineup

Stats

xG

via Sounder at Heart

Shots

via Sounder at Heart

Key performers

Sebastian Gomez

Gomez is making the left winger position his own, consistently being a dangerous outlet and getting an assist in his second straight game. His dribbling and passing ability make him a creative machine out wide and he is finding dangerous passes forward illustrated by his four key passes on the evening. He also finds the pass before the pass, like in the 46th minute when he finds a little through ball from top of the box to Tsukanome on the right side of the box. This led to a dangerous cross to De Rosario but was really kickstarted by Gomez. He has grown throughout the year thus far and looks to be hitting a strong run of form.

Peter Kingston

Kingston returned to the double-pivot in this one and showed why this is probably his best position moving forward. He set the tempo for the team, keeping possession with 86% passing on 58 attempts. However, he also knew when to take the chance and had two key passes of his own. His best pass of the evening was in the 11th minute when he broke two lines on a through ball to Mark O’Neill. His versatility is a key factor in getting as many minutes as he has with the first team but performances like tonight make the case on where he should be long term.

Osaze De Rosario

De Rosario got a run out a day earlier with the first team and followed that up with a start for Defiance. He wasn’t quite as involved as is ideal with only 3 total shots but he was also in the right positions and close to finishing in the 2nd and 46th minute. He did ultimately find the back of the net in the 57th minute after receiving the ball at the top of the box, beating his defender to open up space and placing his shot in the corner. The longer run out and seeing the ball hit the back of the net will hopefully get him some rhythm for his next appearance at the first team.

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Three Potential Bench Pieces Bill Self Can Bolster Kansas’ Roster With

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Three Potential Bench Pieces Bill Self Can Bolster Kansas’ Roster With


The Kansas basketball program has made several notable additions since the transfer portal opened, landing three newcomers to round out the starting five. More importantly, the Jayhawks were able to secure top-ranked 2026 prospect Tyran Stokes, one of the most talented high school recruits Bill Self has ever acquired.

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It has been an eventful offseason for the coaching staff, but its work in the portal is not done yet. KU still has four scholarships to fill out and will need to use one or two to add impact players off the bench.

Even if KU doesn’t land another starting-caliber transfer, it will need significantly more help on the second unit, especially in the backcourt. These are three players the Jayhawks have been in contact with and are considered strong options for the team next year.

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Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts in the first half against the St. John’s Red Storm during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

3. James White (New Orleans)

A former Ole Miss, UAB, and New Orleans guard, James White has endured a tumultuous collegiate career, but averaged 19.2 points and 7.0 rebounds at his last stop. He is a 6-foot-5 wing who can get downhill with ease and would provide instant offense on the second unit.

White has become somewhat of a forgotten name since being involved in a sports gambling investigation two seasons ago, but he is reportedly drawing interest from top programs like Kansas and has likely been cleared by the NCAA. If KU is willing to take a chance on his controversial background, White would be an excellent rim-running guard for the staff to pursue.

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2. Vyctorius Miller (Oklahoma State)

Miller took a visit to Kansas last month and hasn’t been closely linked to the program since. However, he remains one of the Jayhawks’ top targets as they look to add another bench piece.

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Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Vyctorius Miller (5) dribbles beside Kansas Jayhawks guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) during a men’s college basketball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Kansas Jayhawks at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The former Oklahoma State guard averaged 10.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 32 games (26 starts) for the Cowboys this past season. If he is willing to take on a smaller role at KU, he could help replace the departures of Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell in the backcourt.

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1. Abdi Bashir Jr. (Kansas State)

Bashir Jr. completed a Zoom call with the KU coaching staff last week and has been on the radar of Jayhawk fans since. His skill set would fit perfectly as a sixth man off KU’s bench.

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After playing two years at Monmouth, where he earned All-CAA honors as a sophomore, Bashir transferred to Kansas State for his junior campaign. He averaged 13.2 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 44.4% from 3-point range on 8.4 attempts per game.

It has been a while since the Jayhawks have had a 3-point shooter as prolific as Bashir. The rest of his game, including his defense, may be a question mark, but Kansas could desperately use a flamethrower who can swing a game instantly with his outside shooting.

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