Fans welcome back Jayhawks in Allen Fieldhouse after Kansas clinches Final Four spot
The Kansas men’s basketball team returned to Allen Fieldhouse on Sunday night following their flight back from Chicago, site of the Jayhawks’ 76-50 victory over Miami in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
Fans wanting to greet the team, which has advanced to the Final Four on Saturday in New Orleans, started filling into the fieldhouse as soon as the doors opened at 8 p.m.
Alumna Regina Peters was in attendance and full of excitement, eager to see them go to the Final Four for the first time in four years.
“I thought the game today was probably one of the best second halves I’ve seen them play in a very long time,” Peters said.
Led by Christian Braun, carrying the Midwest Regional championship trophy, the Jayhawks and coach Bill Self walked onto the fieldhouse floor.
The Jayhawks were informed during Sunday’s postgame news conference at the United Center that fans were celebrating on Massachusetts Street in Lawrence.
“Stay there, we’ll be back,” Braun said, smiling.
“That’s crazy,” senior guard Ochai Agbaji said of pictures on Twitter of fans partying on Mass Street. “We see pictures all the time of Mass Street being full now. It’s actually crazy seeing that an us being the reason.”
KU sophomore Andrew Gillam Crorkin, who was at Allen Fieldhouse as part of the celebration, said that he was happy to be a student at the University while the team was in the middle of a deep tournament run.
“Just being able to be here with all my friends for this experience… this is incredible,” he said.
The University Daily Kansan’s Matthew Petillo contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 27, 2022 at 6:50 PM.
