St. Louis ? All love between Kansas University and Kentucky in the wide, wide world of men’s basketball is long lost.
Two of the game’s most distinguished and tradition-rich programs basically have avoided each other on a regular basis over the years. Kansas and Kentucky, for instance, have met only twice since 1990 — once in the Great Eight, a defunct manufactured-for-television preseason event, and once in the NCAA Tournament.
Not that KU and UK haven’t come close to a couple of other NCAA meetings. Last year, the Jayhawks were one game away from colliding with the Wildcats in a Final Four semifinal, while this year Kansas was one game away from battling the ‘Cats in the Round of 16.
Each time, however, Kentucky stubbed its toe and, in so doing, seemed to do Kansas a big, big favor.
In fact, Kansas has benefited mightily the last two seasons from the Post-Kentucky Syndrome. You saw the latest evidence Friday night from the Edward Jones Dome.
UAB rose up and smote heavily favored Kentucky, 76-75, in the tourney’s second round last weekend, then was drubbed, 100-74, Friday night by the Jayhawks.
“It was Kansas’ night,” Blazers’ coach Mike Anderson said, “but you didn’t see the true UAB team tonight.”
Marquette coach Tom Crean uttered similar words last March after Kansas flogged the Golden Eagles, 94-61, in one of the most lopsided semis in NCAA history. The Eagles, you may recall, went into that game on the heels of a shocking 83-69 victory over Kentucky in the Elite Eight.
So if the past is prologue and you’re the coach of an underdog team that surprises Kentucky in March, you sure as heck don’t want to have to play Kansas in your next game. Just ask Crean and now Anderson.
Granted, catching Marquette and UAB after victories over Kentucky were probably just coincidences, but no one will dispute that during tournament time it’s always good to catch a team coming off an emotional high.
Kansas has taken advantage of that factor twice now. The Jayhawks disposed on Pacific on Sunday in Kansas City, Mo., after the Tigers had spilled No. 5 seed Providence. And now they have dispatched the team that sent the region’s No. 1 seed packing.
Putting it another way, KU is one triumph away from its third straight Final Four appearance because it has knocked off a No. 13 seed (Illinois-Chicago), a No. 12 (Pacific) and now a No. 9 (UAB). That’s hardly Burma Road. It’s more like a nonstop charter flight.
Now it’s back down to earth and a bumpy road again with Georgia Tech, the region’s No. 3 seed, standing between the Jayhawks and their unprecedented third straight journey to the Final Four.
Finally, the fourth-seeded Jayhawks will have to meet a higher seed — not much higher, but certainly not a No. 10 like Nevada, the team the Yellow Jackets escaped, 72-69, in Friday’s other game at the Edward Jones Dome.
No doubt the KU players would have been delighted to try to avenge that 75-61 loss to the Wolf Pack last December in Reno, Nev., but Georgia Tech spoiled that storybook tale by prevailing without standout B.J. Elder, who had to leave with a sprained ankle after only three minutes on the floor.
Then again, the way Kansas has been playing on the NCAA floors, the opponent may be secondary.
“These guys like this time of year,” KU coach Bill Self said. “Our team is pretty grounded right now. They’re sharing, and they like each other.”
Now the question is whether the Jayhawks can help Self crawl over his personal hump. Twice before, while at Illinois, Self reached this stage, but failed to survive and advance.
“We haven’t punched the ticket yet,” Self said. “Hopefully, this is the year we can cash in on it.”