KU basketball forward KJ Adams ‘shocked’ Jayhawks landed in West, not Midwest, Region
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Your guide to Selection Sunday
Follow The Star’s analysis and predictions as the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed and KU, K-State and Mizzou are seeded for March Madness.
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Kansas men’s basketball players apparently were caught off-guard Sunday when CBS’ Bryant Gumbel reported that the Jayhawks, projected by some analysts to be eventual No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, actually were ranked third of four No. 1 selections by the NCAA Tournament committee.
The Jayhawks were granted the No. 1 seed in the West Regional, which feeds into Las Vegas for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds, instead of the Midwest, which sends surviving squads into T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
So it’s Houston, the second of four No. 1 seeds, that has the chance to advance to KC — if the Cougars are able to win their first- and second-round Midwest Regional contests.
“I’m just shocked that we didn’t get the second overall seed,” KU sophomore forward KJ Adams said at a news conference held at Allen Fieldhouse after the Selection Sunday Show.
“That happens sometimes,” Adams added, ostensibly referring to teams receiving surprising news when brackets are announced. “I’m just excited we get to play again. We had a tough loss last night (to Texas in the Big 12 Tournament title game). We’re getting ready to bounce back and have a good game whoever we play.”
KU will play Howard of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference at 1 p.m., Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The winner will advance to a Round of 32 game Sunday against either Arkansas or Illinois in Des Moines.
Asked if he felt the Jayhawks were “disrespected” by the committee, Adams said: “No, not really. They mark it how they feel. We just are going to do what we have to do to get wherever we need to be.”
He responded “a little bit” when asked if his KU teammates had the same reaction to being the overall third of the No. 1 seeds. Alabama is overall No. 1 (South); Houston 2 (Midwest), KU 3 (West) and Purdue 4 (East).
“I think everybody was just hoping for the best. We got third overall seed and that’s still something to be happy about, happy just to play again,” Adams said.
Will KU have a “chip on its shoulder” now during the tourney trying to prove something to the committee?
“Not really. We’re just grateful for whatever seed we get,” Adams said., “We’re going to play our hearts out when we get there.”
Point guard Dajuan Harris revealed he’s “just happy we still get to be able to play. I know we didn’t get the Midwest Region but we still have a great fanbase so hopefully they get to travel where we still (play). We’ve just got to get ready for Howard.”
Division I committee chair Chris Reynolds addressed Houston being rated one slot ahead of KU, denying the Jayhawks possible games in KC. Remember, KU had a nation’s best 17 Quad 1 wins, Houston just seven. KU also ranks first nationally in strength of schedule.
“When we look at Houston,” Reynolds said, “a combined 15-2 in the Quad 1 and 2 compared to Kansas 21-7 in the Quad 1 and 2 — and Houston they were competitive in all their games that they lost except for today. We understand today (in Sunday’s AAC title game loss to Memphis) they were without their best player (Marcus Sasser). For that reason we kept Houston at No. 2.”
Yet Reynolds did not mention KU losing Saturday’s game without the injured Kevin McCullar.
Asked how much injuries affect seeding, Reynolds said: “A great deal. When you think about it as you mentioned you have Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, UCLA, all have player availability issues and also coach (Bill) Self also being out certainly is something that the committee talked about throughout the course of the year (and) certainly played a factor in seeding and selection. In addition to Rutgers.”
Yet KU announced Sunday that Self, who was released from the hospital on Sunday, will return to coaching the team this week and is expected to work Thursday’s game against Howard.
Asked about KU perhaps “falling” in the eyes of the committee, KU assistant coach and acting head coach Norm Roberts said: “I don’t know if you say ‘fell.’ You are still a 1 seed.
“Obviously we would have liked to play in Kansas City if that was the opportunity. We are a long way from that.. We’re going to Des Moines, which we knew we probably would go to Des Moines.”
Roberts continued.
“It’s a two-game tournament (this week),” Roberts said. “If you don’t win a two-game tournament even if we were in the Midwest we wouldn’t be going to Kansas City, we’d be coming home. We’ve got to focus on games at hand. Our first game is Howard. If we are fortunate enough to win then we play the winner of Arkansas-Illinois.”
Roberts said he didn’t see Reynolds’ interview on the Selection Sunday show.
“I was talking with the team a bit. I didn’t hear their comments. Somebody told me it was because Houston even in their losses were closer (in margin of defeat),” Roberts said. “Something like that.”
Asked if the committee may have dropped KU below Houston because of Self’s condition being unknown, Roberts said: “I don’t know the reasoning behind it. You are going to play a tough haul no matter what region you are in. You have to deal with it and fight through.”
Roberts did say “yes” when it seemed the committee might be considering the injury of Sasser affecting Sunday’s 75-65 loss to Memphis and not factoring in McCullar’s absence in KU’s 20-point loss to Texas.
“But there has to be a reason,” Roberts noted. ”That’s a tough deal for the committee. It’s never easy. No one is every going to be happy. I will tell you this, at Kansas we are not ever going to be upset about being a 1 seed for whatever reason We are very happy where we are at. Now we’ve got to focus and play.”
Roberts said Self spoke to the team Sunday before the show and congratulated the Jayhawks on likely being a 1 seed.
“Coach talked to our guys earlier today. He said if that happens for us, ‘You are one of the teams with a chance to cut down nets.’ That’s such a great accomplishment for what they did,” Roberts said.
“He said how proud he was of them, but this is a new season. We’ve got three seasons: nonconference season, conference season and postseason. It’s one and done time.”
