AP PhotoKansas City, Mo ? Seedings are on the minds of gardeners and college basketball coaches this time of year.
Come Sunday Selection Sunday Kansas men’s coach Roy Williams will learn whether his No. 9-ranked Jayhawks (23-5) have been seeded 2, 3 or 4 in the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
KU’s performance in the Big 12 tournament figures to have a direct impact on the Jayhawks’ seed.
“Our seeding …. what are we rated now? Ninth?” Williams asked, pondering the possibilities heading into today’s 6 p.m. conference tourney quarterfinal battle against Kansas State at Kemper Arena.
“I think if we have a decent showing in Kansas City we have a great chance to be a 3 (seed). If we are fortunate and run the table we have a chance to possibly be a 2. Whatever they give us, I’ll take and go to the bank.
“We’ve played a very good schedule. The teams we lost to are highly-ranked teams with the exception of Baylor, which kicked us every which way you can be kicked. We play the kind of schedule people (tournament members) appreciate. Our league is very strong.
“So if we win the whole thing we might be able to get a 2 and if we win the whole thing we’d definitely be a 3.”
Where the Jayhawks are sent, of course, will be another matter. Some popular theories have the Jayhawks being shipped to Dayton, Ohio, in the Midwest Regional; Boise, Idaho, in the West or Memphis in the South. Maybe even Greensboro, N.C., in the East.
One thing is for sure.
The Jayhawks will have an easier NCAA Tourney road than last year when KU logged a No. 8 seed and had to play No. 1 Duke in the second round after nudging a good DePaul team in overtime in Round One.
“I don’t think the difference between a 2 and 3 (seed) is that significant,” Williams said. “The 2 seed plays No. 15. The gap is a little wider than 3 playing 14.”
Never say never, but a No. 1 seed appears impossible to land. Big 12 member Iowa State could conceivably land a No. 1 seed in the Midwest and play at Kemper Arena if the Cyclones beat Baylor today and win Saturday and Sunday for the tourney title.
“To me, it’d be a strange thing for Iowa State to not get a 2 seed,” Williams said. “If they make the finals, it’d only solidify that. If they were to win the whole thing, you could make the scenario of they possibly being a No. 1 seed. Probably five to six teams think they have a shot at a No. 1 seed and Iowa State should be one of those.”
The others: Stanford (West), Michigan State, Illinois (Midwest), Duke, North Carolina (East) and Florida (South).
Victories today and in Saturday’s 3:20 p.m. semifinals would all but guarantee the Jayhawks a No. 3 seed in the NCAAs with a 2 still possible. Not that KU is taking anything for granted.
Tonight’s foe Kansas State, a 62-58 winner over Nebraska on Thursday gave KU a tough time just nine days ago. The Jayhawks won their 21st straight overall game against KSU and 18th straight in Manhattan, 77-65.
KU led by just three at halftime, but rallied in Drew Gooden’s return from a five-game absence (wrist injury).
“We won’t need much refreshment or scouting report. We just played them,” said Gooden, who scored 17 in Manhattan. KU also beat the Wildcats, 92-66, on Jan. 27 at Allen Fieldhouse behind Kenny Gregory’s 20 points. “We know them and they know us. We’ve got to be ready to play.”
Of KSU, which enters with an 11-17 record, guard Kirk Hinrich said: “They are so improved from last year under their new coach (Jim Wooldridge). Their coach has turned it around. Before it seemed like we’d play K-State and we knew we’d have to play well, but it’s a win. Now I think he’ll have the program turned around where they will (soon) be in the top half of the conference.”
Williams agrees.
“I see a look of confidence in them. They are feeling good about themselves and it shows in their play,” Williams said.
Travis Reynolds’ strong one-hander from nine feet out gave KSU a 60-58 lead against the Huskers with just 1.5 seconds to play Thursday.
“I can’t say enough about the job Jimmy has done. They are greatly improved and are only going to get better,” Williams said.
