You remember Jason and Maggie Seaver, raising three kids on television. Only, the ending for Riley’s team wasn’t nearly as funny as the show, because a slow start is probably what kept them out of last spring’s NCAA tournament.

“There were a lot of growing pains last year,” Riley said, not talking about the hit ’80s show, but rather his Jayhawks.

Kansas finished 9-11, 5-3 in Big 12 last year. It could have and probably should have been enough for Kansas to qualify for the postseaosn tournament, which is created just like the basketball tournament, with a certain amount of guaranteed berths and the rest at-large.

The Jayhawks reached the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament, where they lost to eventual champion Baylor.

Riley was miffed that his team, which finished fourth in a conference where the top three teams ranked in the top 15 nationally, did not make the cut.

“I was surprised,” Riley said. “I thought with the way we played down the stretch, that would be enough to get us in. I thought we deserved it. But now the guys know they can win at this level.”

Youth almost strangled the Jayhawks early last spring. The team had only one senior, and its success hinged largely on a group of freshman and sophomores. This year, KU is young again, with only one senior (Ed Dus). But throw in an extra year’s experience for the returnees, plus three promising freshman, and Riley sees no reason that his team will be playing well into May.

“Last year, we relied on so many young guys,” Riley said. “This year, I think we can get off to a better start and finish even stronger.”

The base of the team is formidable.

Quentin Blakeney, a junior from Charlotte, N.C., finished the regular season winning six of his last seven matches.

Eleazar Magallan, a sophomore from Mexico, had the highest number of wins on the team. His 29 victories were the most for a Kansas player since All-American Enrique Abaroa finished with 30 in 1997.

Plus, No. 1 player Rodrigo Echagaray returns for his junior year.

Riley is excited about the newcomers, too. David Stauffer, from Topeka’s Washburn Rural, is on board as is one of Missouri’s state champions last year, Andrew Metzler. Add to the mix Brazilian Gustavo Telles, and Riley sees no glaring holes in the lineup.

“Every position, we’re pretty good,” Riley said. “The fall will let us figure out who is going to play where. Then, we can work on getting off to a better start next spring.”