ESPN Men's Basketball

Kansas star Sherron Collins is one of four players selected so far to head to the Final Four to participate in the 3-point shooting contest, according to a release issued by New Mexico.

Also selected were New Mexico's Roman Martinez, Maryland's Eric Hayes and Cal's Jerome Randle.

The others yet to be named are still playing in the NCAA tournament.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- I took a left out of the triumphant Northern Iowa locker room and saw the saddest sight of the NCAA tournament to date.

Kansas Jayhawks Cole Aldrich and Tyrel Reed were walking down the hallway toward their locker room after doing the post-shocker news conference. Aldrich had his left arm draped over Reed’s shoulders. Reed had his right arm around Aldrich’s waist. Their eyes were on the floor and their mouths were silent.

This was more a case of misery needing company, than loving it. It looked for all the world as though the teammates might sit down and cry if they didn’t have each other to lean on.

“We had a good season,” Reed said. “Just didn’t end the way we wanted it to.”

That is the cruel reality of the Big Dance. The outcome here can completely alter perceptions of an entire season -- for better or worse. And for Kansas, it is immeasurably worse.

Thirty-three wins, all but wasted. All that time ranked No. 1, and the No. 1 overall NCAA seed? Virtually worthless.

And now all those tickets Kansas fans already had bought for the Midwest Regional in St. Louis next week? Almost worthless as well. Good luck getting those sold for decent value.

A shocking upset ending to a Kansas season is not unusual -- no team can match the school’s three second-round defeats as a No. 1 seed. The losses in 1994 to UTEP and ‘98 to Rhode Island -- those were on Roy Williams’ record. This one belongs to Bill Self.

And it marks the third ghastly NCAA upset for Self since he’s been in Lawrence. In 2005, the third-seeded Jayhawks lost in the first round to No. 14 Bucknell, and in ’06 as a No. 4 seed to No. 13 Bradley. This time, Kansas lost to a better team -- but this was a better Jayhawks team, too.

No wonder Self told his staff afterward that this was the toughest loss of his career.

“You operate under duress, you operate under pressures the whole year that a lot of teams don’t operate under because of where we were ranked and the expectations,” Self said. “And to put ourselves in a position that we were in, they don’t come around every year. You got to make the most of those opportunities when you’re granted them. That’s probably what stings the most.”

In the stinging end, KU fans are left to recriminate over a night of poor shooting (just 6-of-23 from 3-point range, with Sherron Collins and Tyshawn Taylor combining to go 0-for-11). And a night of sloppy ball handling (15 turnovers). And a night of questionable strategy.

Knowing that Northern Iowa’s best weapon would be its slow-down tempo, Kansas played directly into the Panthers’ hands for most of the night. Even though UNLV nearly eliminated Northern Iowa on Thursday with full-game pressure defense, the Jayhawks didn’t turn to that option until late in the game and were well behind.

When they did, it worked wonders. UNI handled the pressure atrociously, nearly giving away the game in the final minutes. But it turned out to be too little and way too late.

“We would love to get after them, love to pressure, love to press,” Self said. “But when they were in the bonus at the under-12 timeout (of the first half), it maybe took a little aggressiveness out of us.”

It’s also fair to wonder whether Kansas was lacking some aggressiveness from the opening tip due to overconfidence. Aldrich and Reed both said that wasn’t the case.

“I don’t think we overlooked them at all,” Reed said. “I think we knew what they were capable of. They’re just a great all-around team, play in a tough league, and they’ve got a lot of great players.”

So did this Kansas team. And now its great season has been sullied by a disastrous early exit.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Quick looks at the four games here:

Florida-BYU

Key To The Game: Who handles the big-stage nerves? The Gators have the recent NCAA hardware, winning it all in 2006 and '07, but they haven't been there since. BYU is the more seasoned NCAA team with three straight appearances, but has been bounced in the first round in each of them.

Player To Watch: Jimmer Fredette, perhaps the hottest player in the tournament after scoring 75 points in two games in the Mountain West Conference tournament.

Who Has The Edge: BYU is the higher seed, but tipoff comes at 10:20 Mountain Daylight Time. Are the Cougars awake when the ball goes up?

North Texas-Kansas State

Key to the Game: Can the Mean Green stay composed against the Wildcats' disruptive defense? K-State makes running an offense very difficult, from guard pressure to active and athletic big men inside. If North Texas can't settle in, this game could get ugly quickly.

Player to Watch: Jacob Pullen, Kansas State. Great shooter, and also wears a pretty cool Lincoln beard.

Who Has the Edge: Strong edge to the Wildcats -- if they handle the pressure of being a heavy favorite. If this game stays close, will that pressure wear on the Wildcats?

Northern Iowa-UNLV

Key to the Game: Who controls tempo? UNLV is hard to beat when it scores at least 70 points -- but getting to 70 will be extremely difficult against a team that allows the second-fewest points per game in the nation and likes to slow things to a crawl.

Player to Watch: UNLV leading scorer Tre'Von Willis, who hasn't missed a free throw in a month and finds ways to score.

Who Has the Edge: The Panthers are a deep, experienced team that probably got a bad break being seeded 9th. They will be a very tough out in this game.

Lehigh-Kansas

Key to the Game: Can Lehigh avoid being crushed from the opening tip?

Player to Watch: Sherron Collins. The Kansas point guard dictates the flow for his team and is usually the leading barometer for how the Jayhawks will perform. Does he look like a guy ready to play six games?

Who Has the Edge: Kansas. Just a little.

There have been plenty of gripes about this year's bracket, and with good reason. I'll get to those in a little bit. For now, here's a quick list of things to love about this NCAA tournament field -- besides, of course, the fact that it's an NCAA tournament field. Man, the tournament is awesome. Anyway, let's do this:

1. Midwest Madness. In so far as one can feel bad for a perennial power with the talent, size and depth of the Kansas Jayhawks, I feel bad for the Kansas Jayhawks. Bill Self's team was the best in the country from the beginning of the season to its end, and though the Jayhawks had the occasional stumble, they always had the feel of last year's North Carolina team -- a team smart enough, experienced enough, and deep enough to win the NCAA tournament with nary a realistic challenger.

On Sunday night, that prediction got a little hazier. To get to the Final Four, the Jayhawks will have to beat some combination of the country's best player (No. 2 seed Ohio State), one of its hottest, most balanced teams (No. 3 seed Georgetown), the co-ACC champions, featuring one the country's toughest guards (No. 4 Maryland), Tom Izzo (No. 5 Michigan State), Bruce Pearl (No. 6 Tennessee), and the lone Big 12 team to beat them, a team with arguably the best shooting guard in the country in James Anderson (No. 7 Oklahoma State). This is an absolutely loaded field, rife with experienced players and tourney-proven coaches, and if I were a Kansas fan I would totally put this in the "hate" category, especially given the comfortable region afforded the third No. 1 seed, Duke. But as a fan of college basketball in general? I can't deny how excited I am to watch this region play out. I still like Kansas to make the Final Four and win it all, but with this region, anything is on the table. Anything. Who wouldn't love that?

2. Sometimes, underseeding works out. Continuing with the "things I could also hate" theme, I give to you No. 5 Temple vs. No. 12 Cornell. Both teams are badly underseeded here, especially Cornell, which nearly beat Kansas at the Phog, which dominated its season from start to finish. It's becoming common to say the Big Red aren't your typical Ivy League team, but it's true; few Ivy League teams have the luxury of a seven-foot center who wouldn't look out of place in any of the country's biggest, most talent-rich conferences. Meanwhile, Temple deserved more from the committee after winning the regular season and tourney titles in a very good Atlantic 10. Temple is a complete, balanced team, one of the best defensive squads in the country. Cornell is as scary a No. 12 seed as there is. It hurts to lose one of these teams in the first round ... but the process of losing either ought to be the best first-round game in the entire field. I'll take it, I guess. (Wait, is that not positive enough? OK, sorry -- I love it! Yay for good first-round games!)

3. Beware the Bears. Expect Baylor to be a trendy Final Four pick. This is with good reason: The Bears enter the tournament with the fifth-highest points per possession efficiency mark in the country. Quite simply, the Bears make their shots, rebound their misses, and don't give enough away on the defensive end to offset that potent attack. LaceDarius Dunn and Ekpe Udoh form one of the best inside-outside tandems in all of college basketball. Coach Scott Drew is a name on the rise. And so on. But the best thing about the Bears in this tournament is their draw: Making it to the Elite Eight theoretically means beating No. 2 seed Villanova, easily the weakest of the No. 2 seeds, a porous defensive team that faded down the stretch in conference play. Nothing about Baylor's half of the South region looks particularly frightening. Drawing Duke as their region's No. 1 is likewise friendly. Duke is a very good team, but it's also a team that's banished its young reserves to the bench and played its starters an incredibly high percentage of minutes the last two months. Before this draw, Baylor was merely a sexy Elite Eight pick. After this draw, the Bears should be thinking Final Four. I am.

4. James Anderson vs. Evan Turner? Yes, please. Q.V. note No. 1.: "Midwest Madness." I've already gone through why the Midwest region is so very awesome, but this might be the best matchup in the entire bracket. (When you have to hedge that statement with something about Greivis Vasquez and Sherron Collins meeting on the other side, you know you have a loaded region.) Turner is without question the country's best player, a versatile point guard who does the majority of scoring -- heck, he does the majority of everything -- for his likewise efficient teammates. Turner is capable of taking over a game anytime he pleases. Same goes for James Anderson, a far less-heralded but nearly as effective scorer of the basketball. Anderson's offensive game used to be a tailored version of Turner's -- lots of drives, lots of curl-screens, lots of kicks to shooters. In 2010, Anderson added the 3-point shot to his repertoire, making him nearly impossible to stop. If both teams win their first round games -- Oklahoma State might have problems with Georgia Tech, mind you -- Anderson and Turner would meet in the second round Saturday in Milwaukee. One will be guarding the other for long stretches of that game, I'd expect. Don't miss it.

5. Fast-paced basketball in Oklahoma City. And no, I'm not talking about the Oklahoma City Thunder. Rather, if seeds hold and No. 7 seed BYU takes down its rather fluffy No. 10 first-round matchup with Florida, the Cougars will not only have won their first NCAA tournament game in ages -- they will have set up a dream matchup with No. 2 seed Kansas State. At 72.9 possessions per game, BYU is the No. 12 team in the country in adjusted pace; Kansas State is No. 31 with 71.1. Both teams feature great guards in Jimmer Fredette and K-State's Denis Clemente/Jacob Pullen duo, and both teams thrive on beating their opponents down the floor and hitting shots in transition. There's no chance this matchup was intentional, but three cheers to the committee here. For sheer entertainment, this second-round game will be hard to top.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Thousands of players have come through college basketball in the last 18 years.

Only 15 have two national titles. Since 1992 only three head coaches have won two national championships -- North Carolina’s Roy Williams, Florida’s Billy Donovan and Connecticut’s Jim Calhoun.

The list of coaches could grow by one if Kansas’ Bill Self were to win a second title next month, while the collection of players could grow by three if the top-ranked Jayhawks, one of three likely favorites, were to win the championship April 6 in Indianapolis. Coaches have more opportunities. Players don’t.

We spend so much time talking about coaches winning a second national title and how rare that is still today. But what about the unique story of how difficult it is for the players to win twice in this era of early departures to the NBA draft?

It’s almost impossible, or rather implausible.

But it could happen for KU's Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich and Brady Morningstar, along with Tyrel Reed, Chase Buford and Conner Teahan.

Among that group, Collins played the most significant role on the 2008 national title team. Aldrich emerged as a threat in the Final Four off the bench inside. Reed averaged around six minutes a game. Morningstar redshirted that season, but was still a part of the roster.

“We can finally talk about a national championship run now,’’ said Collins after Kansas’ 72-64 Big 12 tournament title victory over Kansas State at the Sprint Center Saturday, completing the sweep of the Wildcats in three games, and more importantly a rare double-dip with a regular-season and conference tournament title.

“This is the reason me and Cole came back to school,’’ said Collins, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player after scoring 12 points, dishing out seven assists to just two turnovers in 36 minutes. “To be mentioned with some of those greats, some of those great teams, that’s special if we can go down in history like that.’’

Kentucky won national titles in 1996 and ’98 under two different coaches. The first one came under Rick Pitino, the second led by Tubby Smith. There were five holdovers on both teams that won two championships – Cameron Mills, Jeff Sheppard, Wayne Turner, Nazr Mohammed and Allen Edwards.

Florida pulled off the first consecutive national championships since Duke in 1991 and ’92 when a collection of recruits calling themselves the ‘04s stayed together instead of opting for the NBA and won championships in 2006 and ’07. The seven scholarship players and three walk-ons who can claim two national championships were: Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Taurean Green, Lee Humphrey, Walter Hodge and Chris Richard. The three walk-ons that can boast for the rest of their lives that they have two rings as well are Jack Berry, Brett Swanson and Garrett Tyler.

It may seem like a high number of players in the past 18 years because of Florida’s consecutive titles. But it’s not. Just think of how many players compete in Division I every season. Now consider how rare it is for any of them to be in the Final Four, let alone win a national title. Then take it a step further and ponder how difficult it would be to do it twice.

That’s the kind of history this trio of Kansas players is on the verge of completing if the Jayhawks can win six games.

“In this era of one-and-done, it’s hard to do it,’’ Collins said. “It’s not going to be easy, but it would be special.’’

The Jayhawks had momentum in 2008 and were one of the four favorites with UCLA, North Carolina and Memphis in an all-chalk Final Four. But there was perhaps more experience on that squad, especially upfront.

“We were more mature,’’ Collins said. “We had a lot of guys who knew what to do. We’ll still have to talk to some of these guys and help them understand to get them all ready.’’

Xavier Henry is a freshman entering his first NCAA tournament. This is the first time that Tyshawn Taylor, Tyrel Reed and Marcus and Markieff Morris will be in the role of major contributors.

“I don’t think we’re as defensively sound, or as consistently defensively sound as that team in 2008,’’ Collins said. “We do it in spurts. If you’re going to win, it’s going to be because of our defense. You’ve got to be a defensive team in the tournament and make teams play better than you do.’’

Clearly Morningstar and Aldrich have a different approach versus 2008. It’s easy for Morningstar since he wasn’t even playing then, while Aldrich was simply a role player asked to hustle, board and run the floor.

“It’s pretty cool to know that you could be a part of something like this, not just one championship but a chance to win two,’’ Morningstar said. “There aren’t a lot of easy games, even in the first and second round. It’s about not having distractions. We had a big shot guy then (in Mario Chalmers), but we’ve got one right here in Sherron. We’ve got another one in Cole at the four and Marcus at the three. We’ve got the different pieces to do what we want to do.’’

As iconic as Tyler Hansbrough was at North Carolina during his career, he still only had one title after Kansas crushed the Tar Heels in the 2008 national semifinal before Hansbrough returned to attempt to win one in 2009. Hansbrough was fortunate when Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green opted to withdraw from the NBA draft. Carolina was experienced, talented and driven to win in 2009 -- and did.

The Jayhawks had similar luck when Henry got out of his national letter to join Kansas once then-Memphis coach John Calipari split for Kentucky. Avoiding any injuries has been a blessing. Now KU stands at 32-2 and the Jayhawks have gone through most of the season as the favorite, destined to be in Oklahoma City for the first two rounds and likely St. Louis for the next two en route to Indianapolis as possibly the No. 1 overall seed.

“The reason Sherron and I came back was because we knew we had a great group of guys and had a chance of cutting down the nets in April,’’ Aldrich said of a possible second title. “It sounds easier on paper then to go through it. But if we can, it would be really special -- really special -- to be a part of such a rich and historic tradition at Kansas.’’

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas took its most significant step toward winning a second NCAA title in three seasons with a Big 12 tournament championship after winning the top-rated conference by four full games during the regular season.

This was a coronation for the Big 12. Now it’s on to the NCAA tournament, where Kansas will likely be the top seed overall, protected in Oklahoma City for the opening rounds before heading to St. Louis for the regional finals.

Some quick thoughts here courtside at the Sprint Center where Kansas fans have once again gobbled up the tickets faster and in more numbers than probably any other team in the country save Kentucky.

• Kansas’ Sherron Collins is arguably the best closer heading into the tournament. If you want a big shot then you can take your pick of Kentucky’s John Wall, West Virginia’s Da’Sean Butler or Ohio State’s Evan Turner. But Collins is the one that tends to take over the game. He was sensational down the stretch in the 72-64 win over Kansas State. He played the role of Lucy from Peanuts, constantly pulling that football from Charlie Brown Saturday night. Every time Kansas State had this feeling that it could get close, Collins was there to yank KU back in front. Collins finished with 12 points, seven assists and two turnovers in 36 minutes.

• The Morris twins may be the most underrated role players in the country. Marcus and Markieff each have a significant role on this squad in winning the national title. Marcus Morris seems to finish plays, especially broken ones, with 18 points while Markieff was able to get to the free-throw line for five free throws and grab six boards.

• A sleeper contributor that doesn’t get much play is Tyrel Reed. Reed was 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. He could prove vital in a late-game situation in the NCAAs. While Xavier Henry came up with quality 3s in the semifinal win over Texas A&M on Friday, he struggled to make his mark Saturday going 1-of-7. Henry could be a difference maker for the Jayhawks, but it’s clear they can win without him being the most significant second option.

• Kansas State did show it’s more than just Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente, as Curtis Kelly made a few key plays, including a blocked shot, and Jamar Samuels proved he can be a big-time player when asked to do so. Samuels scored 27 points in the quarterfinal win over Oklahoma State off the bench and then made four 3s in a reserve role against Kansas.

• The Wildcats should be fine once they’re rid of Kansas and the rest of the Big 12 teams. K-State’s toughness should prove valuable once the Wildcats get into the NCAAs.

• This week did wonders for the K-State nation. The Wildcats can feel like they’ve closed the gap with the rest of the Big 12 to a second or third position (with Baylor and Texas A&M right there with them, and of course Texas can never be dismissed). But until the Wildcats knock off Kansas they will still be treated as if they are a step below.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Quick hitters here at Sunflower State central:

• Kansas probably has a 65-35 split in fans. That was evident during introductions when the two team videos were unveiled. The KU one probably pushed the noise meter a bit higher.

• Kansas State may win this game -- may -- but it’s obvious that Kansas is the better team and more capable of winning the national title. The Jayhawks simply don’t rely on a pair of players like Kansas State. Kansas early went to Cole Aldrich, then saw the Morris twins, Marcus and Markieff get active around the basket or facing it. And then there is Sherron Collins. He’s simply just better at making plays than anyone on Kansas State. Collins gets to the hole to create for himself and others. He had eight points, four assists and zero turnovers in the first half as Kansas built a 31-27 lead at the break.

• My one knock on Aldrich is he can start quickly but then tends to fade. Aldrich picked up a ridiculous second foul during a scrum for a loose ball. We’ll see if that becomes a factor in the second half.

• Kansas’ Thomas Robinson, Aldrich’s replacement, needs to learn a pump fake. He came into the game, took two post shots and got them both blocked.

• If you’re looking for one stat to show the aggression of one versus the other, look to the free-throw line where Kansas is 8-of-10 and Kansas State didn’t attempt a free throw.

• Here’s a stat you can’t ignore. Kansas State isn’t going to win unless Jacob Pullen makes shots. He was 1-of-7 in the first half and missed all three 3-pointers. That has to change if Kansas State is going to win the game. The one blessing for the Wildcats is they are getting some production from various role players like Curtis Kelly, Rodney McGruder, Wally Judge and Jamar Samuels.

• What is Luis Colon doing? He missed two shots, picked up two fouls and played eight minutes. To deserve more time on the court he needs to be more productive.

• I’ve covered every power six conference tournament and I would reiterate that Kansas City, when Kansas is in the final, is one of the best for atmospheric presentation. The Big 12 and the downtown do a solid job in creating a pre-game frenzy outside with the bars and restaurants. There is a street fair type of atmosphere. Tickets were going for $200 to $400, apparently, according to the licensed scalpers outside.

• Everyone seems to be in quite a good mood here despite some dreary weather. I’ve been here for three days and haven’t seen the sun.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Big 12 has the perfect storm.

So, too does the NCAA tournament selection committee if it wanted to get a primer to hype up their main event next week.

Top-ranked Kansas and ninth-ranked Kansas State, the two best teams in the Big 12, arguably the two teams with the most passionate hoop fans in the Big 12, will meet for the Big 12 tournament title Saturday night at the Sprint Center.

There will not be a better atmosphere for a tournament title game in 2010. Kentucky-Tennessee in an SEC semifinal in Nashville could be epic but that’s a semifinal. This is a final with one team locked into the No. 1 seed, and another that still holds out hope to grab the fourth No. 1.

One team has dominated the series, the sport in the state, and has cast a major shadow over the other program for the past two decades. And now, for once, the overshadowed one has a chance to stand on its own.

“I’m telling you if there’s a better atmosphere then what you see here, I’ll quit my job,’’ said Kansas State coach Frank Martin in the bowels of the Sprint Center late Friday night after the Wildcats beat Baylor 82-75 in one semifinal. In the other, Kansas ran away from Texas A&M 79-66 in the second half after trailing the Aggies by three at the break.

Kansas State was a national player for decades, but when Kansas won the national title in 1988 the two programs went separately.

“They continued to move forward, we took a step back,’’ Martin said. “We’re trying to make it back so that all those great coaches and players who came through here can be proud. Our fans love basketball. Kansas fans love basketball. It’s going to be great for the state of Kansas. It’s going to be tremendous for us to be able to play for the trophy and to continue to build credibility as we make the steps with this program.’’

Judging from the sea of blue outside the Sprint Center prior to tipoff and the domination of the hypnotic “Rock-Chalk Jayhawk’’ chant late Friday night, you can only imagine how the Jayhawk nation will turn out for Saturday’s finale. Not to be outdone, the purple passion of the Kansas State fans, who arguably got just as loud and somehow seemed to be in as many seats as Kansas fans late Friday night.

“If you had to play Kansas in a best out of 10 with us or any other team in the country you’re probably not winning the series,’’ Martin said. “You get one crack at the big dawg so you’ve got to take advantage of that. That’s why we played a top-five schedule. We’re the second-best team in this league and we’re playing for a conference championship.’’

The Wildcats had two cracks at Kansas, losing in overtime in Manhattan and hanging tight at Phog Allen with 10 minutes left before the Jayhawks pushed forward for the win.

Kansas won the Big 12 by four games.

“This can make everybody in Manhattan happy,’’ said Kansas State’s Denis Clemente, a transfer from Miami who has quickly grasped how much the Wildcat fans want to beat Kansas. “This is what everybody there wants.’’

Earlier Friday, Kansas coach Bill Self talked about how focused the Jayhawks were in winning the Big 12 tournament title. He said technically the tournament champ is called the Big 12 champ. So if that’s the case ‘let’s go win.’ And that’s another motivating factor for Kansas State, as if playing Kansas wasn’t the obvious one. Kansas State can lay claim to a Big 12 title, something unfathomable probably to most. The last time Kansas State played Kansas for the conference championship was in 1981, when the two schools were in the Big Eight.

“This would be like beating up your big brother who is always beating up on you,’’ said Kansas State guard Jacob Pullen. “You’re finally all grown up and now you have a chance to beat them up. Kansas has been No. 1 or No. 2 since Naismith was there.’’

There is more at stake, as well. Kansas State firmly believes it can still be in the running for a No. 1 seed, or more importantly to be in Oklahoma City for the first round as a No. 2 seed. Kansas is a lock for Oklahoma City. New Mexico’s MWC tournament semifinal loss to San Diego State may have pushed Kansas State into Oklahoma City anyway. But K-State can certainly make that moot with a win over KU.

The No. 1 seed discussion could be interesting if Ohio State and Duke were to lose in the Big Ten and ACC semifinals, respectively, Saturday.

So much can change for Kansas State if it beats Kansas.

Kansas’ Sherron Collins said no one would be able to get a ticket for Kansas-Kansas State. A licensed ticket scalper said he thought tickets would go for $400 Saturday, hefty prices for here.

“They know us, we know them, and they’re not only the best team in our league, but the best team in the country,’’ Martin said. “We aspire to be that one day. We’re not on equal footing. I would say we’ve shrunk the gap and that the gap is a lot smaller than it used to be. But to be in the conversation with them we actually have to beat them on our home court. But we have a chance to play them for a conference championship. And that’s big time.’’

Yes, it is. And no other tournament title game can touch it this season. If the game can live up to the anticipation then it will be quite a sendoff for both teams heading into an NCAA tournament, where they could meet again in Indianapolis at the Final Four.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Forget what's happening to the other top seeds for a minute, and whether or not they’re being pushed, losing or coming back.

Just focus on Kansas for a moment. The Jayhawks don’t need to be compared to any other team yet.

And through two days here at the Big 12 tournament we continue to learn just how tough this squad can be when prodded and how they have one player most don’t – someone like Sherron Collins.

Kentucky’s John Wall proved earlier Friday that he has that special something, the type of ability to take a team and carry it to a win by wanting to make winning plays. He did that in the win over Alabama. But this is his first and perhaps only time in the postseason.

Collins has done this before. He won a national title as a sophomore and is primed to claim a second as senior.

Texas A&M was arguably tired of dealing with a Kansas team that has dominated the Big 12 throughout the course of the season. The Aggies were a man down as Dash Harris couldn’t play due to a bruised hand. But that didn’t mean they weren’t ready to be the aggressor at the outset. They took the game to Kansas, built a lead and were matching the Jayhawks in enthusiasm and effort. But then the switch flipped, especially with Collins, and the run was on.

This is exactly what the Jayhawks needed going into the Big 12 title game and the NCAA tournament. You want an edge? We’ll give you an edge? You need someone to amp up the atmosphere? They’ve that covered, too.

“We’ve had that No. 1 team bulls-eye on our back wherever we go,’’ Collins said. “We know it’s going to be tough. This was good for us. Games like this boost our confidence even more.’’

Kansas won 79-66 in a game it trailed by three at the half. Collins scored 14 of his 26 in the second half. The Jayhawks also sprinkled in some zone to keep the Aggies unsettled.

The Jayhawks proved to be more versatile than we probably thought, too. They find a way to win. This isn’t easy. And Kansas won the league by four games.

It’s not like Kansas hasn’t been pushed. The Jayhawks had to outlast Cornell in the final minute at home. Winning at Kansas State, Missouri, Texas and Texas A&M was hardly a walk. All of those road wins were grinders before the Jayhawks made winning plays. But the true test of an elite team is to win the regular season and then beat the same collection of teams in a three-day period, regardless of whether the court is neutral (it’s not here).

Kansas coach Bill Self had no problem with the game Friday being a bit chippy.

“I think we’re a little more mentally tough than what I give credit to them with you guys,’’ Self said. “They’ve responded to a number of challenges.’’

Self doesn’t buy the theory, mine at least, that it is difficult to win a tournament after knowing you’ve won the regular season and are assured of a high seed, if not No. 1.

“I don’t think it should be,’’ Self said. Kansas won the Big 12 last season, yet Missouri was deemed Big 12 champions because the Tigers won the conference tournament. But Self was quick to point out that it was the tournament, not the regular-season championship. So if that’s the definition of who is deemed to be the Big 12 champ then why shouldn’t Kansas go and grab the trophy?

“If you’re going to play in this you might as well go and win it,’’ Self said. “Maybe we didn’t have the edge that some of the other teams have playing in this tournament. But you’ve got to have a little bit of it since everyone is going to take their best shot.’’

Self said the Jayhawks have been dealing with the pressure of being No. 1 for nearly the entire season. So this is nothing new. Everyone is going to come after Kansas.

“We had tough games we had to grind out when we won in 2008,’’ Aldrich said. “We knew that winning the Big 12 tournament is just another stepping stone.’’

And so far the Jayhawks continue to make the right moves prepping for the run to a second title in three seasons.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A few quick hitters before the quarterfinals Thursday:

Texas Tech vs. Kansas, 12:30 p.m. (ET): The Red Raiders had lost seven in a row before beating Colorado in the first round. Colorado had just put 101 points on the Red Raiders last Saturday in a win at Boulder. So clearly Pat Knight’s defensive message got through as the Red Raiders held the Buffaloes to 67 points. But can the Red Raiders pull off the upset of the week by beating top-ranked Kansas? Well, the last time they met, KU stomped on Tech by 26 points. This will be an interesting test for the Jayhawks. This is a game they should win by double figures. If the focus is there, KU should walk to the semifinals. I’d like to see how Sherron Collins steps up his leadership role with the postseason now at hand. I don’t see how the Red Raiders can keep the KU bigs, notably Cole Aldrich off the backboard.

Nebraska vs. Texas A&M, 3 p.m.: The Huskers pulled the stunner of the first day with a crushing win over Missouri. The Huskers ran with Missouri and sprinted past the Tigers. But will Nebraska be able to get out against Texas A&M? Would they want to do such a thing? The Aggies probably were prepping to face Mizzou in a high-octane affair. That won’t be the case now in what could be a grinder of a game. I’m not sure the Aggies would allow Nebraska to shoot over 50 percent the way it did against Missouri. I’m looking forward to seeing how Brandon Richardson and Ryan Anderson, who went off for the Huskers against Missouri get free against the Aggies. Donald Sloan and B.J. Holmes for the Aggies are two of the better guards in the conference and Bryan Davis’ ability to board will prove vital.

Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State, 7 p.m.: The Cowboys were able to easily beat Oklahoma with a mortal 11 points from James Anderson. OSU got quality production out of Keiton Page, who went for 24 points and Obi Muonelo’s 15. The Cowboys also made 11 3s. Oklahoma State was one of three teams to win at Kansas State during the season. So the Cowboys go into this game with a lot of confidence. The more intriguing storyline will be how K-State handles its role as a favored player in the field. Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente are coming off a disappointing home loss to Iowa State. There has to be some pride in play to get going on a high note heading into next week.

Texas vs. Baylor, 9:30 p.m.: This may be the best game of the quarterfinals. It pits two teams that when they play to their potential could be playing in the championship game Saturday night, or, at the very least, the second weekend in the NCAA tournament. Damion James went back to being an all-American in the win over Iowa State in the first round with a 28-point, 16-rebound performance. The Longhorns got key play from Gary Johnson, Avery Bradley and Jai Lucas. J’Covan Brown only played three minutes as Justin Mason got the start at the point. The best news for Texas was the high percentage of shooting from Dexter Pittman, finishing 7-of-9 with five boards. Baylor crushed Texas last Saturday 92-77. The key will be whether LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter can get free against the Longhorns, and who wins the tussles inside between Baylor's Ekpe Udoh and Quincy Acy and Texas' Pittman and Johnson. This should be an up-and-down affair at the Sprint Center.

When the people who run the Cousy Award named their 11 finalists last month, a press release was issued saying that they would eventually narrow the field to five.

Today, they announced six candidates since, um, Ohio State's Evan Turner, wasn't on the list of 11.

The nation's top point guard will now be selected a group that includes Turner, Sherron Collins, Scottie Reynolds, Jon Scheyer, Greivis Vasquez and John Wall.

• We generalized non-Kansas fans still get about three more weeks -- barring upset, of course -- of enjoying Sherron Collins' tough Jayhawk leadership, but last night was Collins' last game at Allen Fieldhouse, so Kansas fans must begin to come to terms with losing the four-year stalwart. As balm for this grief, KUSports.com built a Collins retrospective with photos from throughout the guard's career. If I was a Kansas fan, this would have roughly the same effect on me as the first 10 minutes of "Up," which you should totally not watch unless you want to ball like a baby.
• Oh, and while we're on the heartfelt portion of today's links, don't miss Andy Katz's fantastic feature on the relationship between Coach K, a father who lost his 7-year-old son to a brain tumor, and the symbols each carry with them every day. (For more Katz, see today's Daily Word on Utah State's familiar position.)
• Mike Miller breaks down the final No. 1 seed. It will be interesting to see if, and how, conference tournaments affect what looks like a pretty large group of applicable teams.
• John Gasaway nominates his player of the year. Yes, it's Evan Turner. But Gasaway raises an excellent point, one that probably doesn't get enough attention: If you're looking for the best second-place candidate, John Wall might not be it. The answer instead lies on Wall's team in the form of rebounding freakshow DeMarcus Cousins. Read, learn, etc.
• FanHouse columnist Greg Couch caught up with Indiana and Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., and found plenty of suffering on both sides of the blowout.
• Rocky Top Talk is doing the whole senior-retrospective thing too; today's player is Wayne Chism.
• ChicagoNow.com -- which totally needs an exclamation point at the end of its name, like Yahoo!; ChicagoNow! -- serves up a little coach carousel rumor-mill grist with some speculation on ESPN analyst Steve Lavin's chances of taking the vacant DePaul job. Lavin would be a nice pull for the Demons, but it's hard to imagine the analyst leaving a job he routinely praises for the likes of DePaul's flagging program. And really, what better job is there than TV college hoops analyst?
• Speaking of coach carousel rumor-mill grist, the Va. Tech fans at Gobbler Country are fretting over the possibility, however slight, that head coach Seth Greenberg could one day try to take on a rebuilding project at St. John's.
• Tonight is Louisville's last home game at historic Freedom Hall. Pat Forde covered the retirement of the Hall in this week's Minutes. Likewise, Cardinals fans -- most of whom have lived their whole lives with Freedom Hall as their sporting center -- are taking stock.
• The Mid-Majority is predictably amped about conference tournament season, when most of the teams below the Red Line play their most important and consistently surprising basketball.
• For a typically comprehensive recap of those conference tournaments, SB Nation's Chris Dobbertean has you covered.
• Sports Illustrated's George Schroeder is the latest writer to proclaim Ernie Kent's Oregon career over: "Matthew Knight Arena -- a $200 million palace named for Nike boss Phil Knight's deceased son -- rises a couple of blocks from Oregon's venerable McArthur Court. It's scheduled for completion in time for conference play next season. If it's the house Knight paid for, Kent's teams built it. But he's not going to coach in it. No one's saying so yet, but the signs are undeniable. Kent barely survived a year ago, after winning just eight games. The expectations were clear coming into this season: Win. Yet even after victories at USC and UCLA last week, Oregon is 14-14 overall and in last place in the Pac-10 at 6-10 (and keep in mind, the league is as down as it's been in many years)."
• CBS has a multimedia breakdown of "bracket science" -- in other words, the mathematical chances assigned to each seed's success based on the history of the tournament. It doesn't factor in teams, obviously, but it's an interesting look at the way a completely mathematical bracket plays out.
• Not just anyone can put on a plaid jacket and a pair of big-rim glasses and look like Jim Boeheim ... but this Syracuse fan, the winner of a photo contest at Syracuse.com, came awfully close.

As always, follow me on Twitter to send me links and tips.

Saddle Up is our daily preview of the hoops your TV wants you to watch. The big nights are coming faster and more furious than at any point during the season -- I've barely recovered from Saturday -- and Wednesday night is no exception. Here's the rundown.

No. 5 Kansas State at No. 2 Kansas, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN360: This one doesn't need much by way of explanation. The in-state rivalry. The Big 12 title implications. The seeding possibilities. The two-point Kansas win at Bramlage on Jan. 30. A freaky Frank Martin. Sherron Collins' senior night. The packed Allen Fieldhouse crowd.

Yeah, It's safe to say this is going to be a big game. A very, very big game.

Martin's team can secure a shot -- an outside shot, but a shot -- at a share of the Big 12 title if it wins tonight, but that's probably less of a concern for K-State than A) Beating its hated, abusive basketball big brother on the brother's own floor in Collins' last home game and B) Making a case for a No. 1 NCAA tournament seed. A win would without question put Martin's team on the selection committee's top line. First, though, the Wildcats have to figure out a way to do what they do best -- get to the free throw line -- while preventing the Jayhawks from doing the same. Kansas State is one of the best teams in the country at getting to the line. This is the sort of offensive attribute (alongside great outside shooting from Jacob Pullen) that gives the Wildcats hope against anyone, including a Kansas defense designed to keep opponents out of the lane. In the first meeting, Kansas won the battle of the freebies. The Wildcats can't let that happen again.

Oh, and as you've probably noticed, no, tonight's game isn't being televised. It stinks, I know. But look at the bright side: You get to test out ESPN360. It's actually pretty awesome, so don't knock it until you try it. And no, I'm not just saying that because I work here. Promise. Though I would totally say that anyway. I'm completely shameless. Which brings me to my next point: If you can't watch the game, come here for our live chat from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. I'll be here, as will a bunch of your favorite college hoops heads, answering questions and live-blogging throughout the evening. Don't miss it.

No. 4 Duke at No. 23 Maryland, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN: Speaking of big games, well, ahem. This qualifies. It would mean as much in College Park even if the Terrapins didn't have so much riding on the game, for there is little hatred in the country -- in college basketball or elsewhere -- quite like the purely distilled brand Maryland fans brew for all things Duke. And anytime Greivis Vasquez gets this sort of spotlight, you can expect sparks to fly. It's going to be rowdy.

There are more than taunts on the line here, though. With a win, Gary Williams' team could pull even with Duke at 12-3 in the ACC with one game each left to play. It won't be easy. After occasional stumbles, most of them on the road, Duke has quietly morphed into the most efficient offense in the country, and the Devils are finally starting to play the sort of defense that anchored them in last year's campaign. After a 1-4 start on the road, Duke has won its last four away from Cameron. Maryland's is no easy task. But the Terps have been underrated all year, though, and tonight is the perfect opportunity to showcase -- to the tournament committee, especially -- just how far perception lags behind reality.

Everywhere else: While you're futzing around with your laptop -- and totally chatting with us, remember! -- Connecticut and Notre Dame will be slugging it out on ESPN for a spot in the NCAA tournament. Neither team is guaranteed a berth, but both teams can nary afford a loss, and both teams would surely benefit from the win. ... Kentucky will face a test at Georgia, where the pesky Bulldogs have taken down Vanderbilt, Florida, Georgia Tech and Illinois this season. ... Indiana travels to No. 6 Purdue, which should be a nice break from the post-Robbie Hummel meat-grinder Purdue is facing these days. ... Memphis and UAB will duel for bubble considerations. ... Oklahoma State at Texas A&M is an interesting battle between two tourney-worthy Big 12 squads. ... A-10 leader Temple will visit a St. Louis team that has streaked into the tourney-sphere in the last half of the season. ... The fading Demon Deacons have another battle on their hands at Florida State tonight. ... and lowly Fordham, the last team in Division I without a conference win to its name, will try to get that first win over Xavier tonight.

March is an awesome month. The weather in my adopted town has a lot to do with this; in many ways, March 1 is a huge mental marker for the imminent return of days when you don't have to encase your body in 30 pounds of Gore-Tex just to step outside the house. But forget the weather: March is really awesome for the basketball it promises -- the final week of conference play, the 31 conference tourneys, and the rapturous glory that is the NCAA tournament. Welcome, one and all. The next 30 days are going to rule.

To celebrate, how about some links? OK then:

• Hoyas fans are none too pleased with the effort Georgetown gave in Saturday's not-really-all-that-competitive loss to Notre Dame, a loss that will likely hurt Georgetown's seed and has put Notre Dame right back in the bubble conversation.
• Georgetown's shame had a lot to do with the suddenly off-the-charts play of Ben Hansbrough, who, yes, is Tyler Hansbrough's brother and who, yes, heard plenty about being Tyler Hansbrough's brother throughout his first season for the Irish. Hansbrough doesn't have the sheer talent or raw strength of his older sibling, but on Saturday he displayed several of those vaunted Hansbrough-y qualities: basketball intelligence, will, and boundless energy. Oh, and it helps that he can stroke the outside shot; that's at least one thing Tyler never quite mastered.
• If you were a Kansas fan, would you be upset about Saturday's loss at Oklahoma State? The Jayhawks are 27-2, after all, and the loss doesn't demonstrably effect Kansas' accomplishments this season -- they'll still be the Big 12 regular season champs and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Still, though, something more was lost on Saturday, as the Kansas City Star's Martin Manley wrote this weekend: "If you stop and think about it, this is one of the most disappointing regular season losses in KU’s 500 years of basketball. How can I make such a radical statement? Well, first of all I don’t care about a loss. For crying out loud, they are 27-2. But, here is what got flushed down the toilet Saturday. 1) They probably will not beat North Carolina to 2,000 wins. 2) They will not make 2,000 wins on March 6th, the last regular season game and on the road against their primary rival – Missouri. 3) They will not hit 30 wins on March 6th. 4) They will not be 16-0 in the conference. 5) They are no longer chasing the best beginning in KU history of 34-1. 6) They no longer have a chance at 39 wins – which would be an NCAA record. 7) They likely will not be #1 in the polls. 8) It was only the second game in the last 103 that a KU opponent has hit over 50% from the field and they were at 60.4%!..." OK, so none of these are reasons to freak out -- but for fans interested in historical markers and statistical quirks, the loss will still be disappointing.
• For now, though, Rock Chalk Jayhawk is more concerned with honoring Sherron Collins, who will play his final game at Allen Fieldhouse when Kansas State comes to town on Wednesday.
• Ballin' Is A Habit praises Tennessee's win over Kentucky Saturday, and asks the question: Just how good are the Volunteers? Here's my short answer: Good, not great, but with Bruce Pearl at the helm, the Vols will always be a dangerous tourney team. Fair?
• Meanwhile, John Calipari claims that two of his players "sleepwalked" against Tennessee, though he wouldn't name names. The Lexington Herald-Leader's Jerry Tipton does a quick elimination process and comes up with Darnell Dodson and DeAndre Liggins -- and perhaps forward Patrick Patterson -- as the prime suspects of Cal's postgame scorn.
• The Only Colors takes a long look at Durrell Summers' inconsistency, finding that Summers is actually pretty peerless on offense so long as he stays inside the three-point line. Defensively? That's a slightly less complimentary story.
• As is the case every March, there's been plenty of discussion lately about the methods the selection committee uses to pick its field of 65; I could link all of these posts separately, but since Mike Miller went ahead and rounded them all up, head over and peruse accordingly.
• Adam Zagoria asked former Pitt players whether they were surprised at the success of the star-less 2009-10 team. The answer is unlikely to surprise.
• The New York Times' Pete Thamel remains on top of the Binghamton beat, where there is concern the school hasn't entirely shifted its focus from the win-at-all-costs attitude that got Kevin Broadus suspended and upended the team in the offseason. The key graph: "Even though the university president, Lois B. DeFleur, has announced she will retire in July; the athletic director, Joel Thirer, has resigned; and the men’s basketball coach, Kevin Broadus, has been placed on paid administrative leave, faculty members and administrators are concerned that those who carried out the orders in building a big-time basketball program remain. They worry that when the SUNY chancellor, Nancy L. Zimpher, makes recommendations to the board March 23, she will focus on Binghamton’s athletic problems, not its academic troubles."
• Are officials overworked? They would tell you no. The reality seems otherwise.
• The Big 5 title -- the yearly championship awarding the Philadelphia area's best team -- will go to Temple for the 26th time in 2009-10.
• Finally, everyone's probably familiar with the basketball odyssey taken by Wes Johnson before he ended up at Syracuse, but this story from the Post-Standard lays out the recruiting pitch given to Johnson and his brother by assistant coach Rob Murphy: “I said ‘OK, if you guys want to waste time, go ahead, but I’m telling you in the next couple days, you’ll call me back and say I’m going to Syracuse,’” Murphy said, recalling the final conversation of the trip. “‘You’re not going to find any place like this. We’ve got everything you want. You want to be a professional. You’ll work hard and play against Paul Harris and all these guys next year in practice and then next year, you’ll probably start for us, we’ll have a good year and you’ll go pro. It’s just that simple.’" Not bad, right?

• When I went to Indianapolis to do the mock selection committee jig a couple of weeks ago, at least one of you asked to see the NCAA's "team sheets" -- the lists of information about each team given to the selection committee upon request in the committee room. Trust me when I say they're not all that cool. It's just a list of RPI wins, strength of schedule, opponents' strength of schedule, and the like, organized in a format that takes at least an hour to get used to. In any case, if you want to see what one such sheet looks like, Crashing The Dance has an awfully close reproduction. Even the colors are similar.
• That link comes via Yet Another Basketball Blog, which runs through a bit of quasi-bubble talk before launching into a solid defense of the committee's selection process.
• Kansas' Sherron Collins is nine wins away from tying Shane Battier's all-time NCAA record for wins in a career. But will Kansas get those nine wins? It has three more regular-season games -- which, if it runs the table, would complete a perfect conference season -- as well as the Big 12 tournament and the NCAA. Provided Kansas handles business in the conference and doesn't get upset early in the tournament, Battier's record is entirely within reach.
• Buster Sports' Chip Patterson unveils a model he used to rank the watchability of conference tournaments based on pace and potential for drama. The Big East is the most likely place to catch tight, overtime-ready basketball, while the SEC and the Big 12 will feature the most teams willing to get out and run. But what about those of us who are going to try to watch every conference tournament game at the same time, like Ozymandias in his TV lair? Your results may vary.
• Josh Pastner isn't maintaining any illusions about Memphis' chances of snatching an at-large bid: "We control our own destiny, and that means you have to win games. If we do our job by winning games we'll be in the tournament," Pastner said. "I don't play mind games. I'm not a psychologist, I'm a coach. I'm very honest with our players, and that's the truth. Our backs are against the wall, and our margin of error is slim-to-none. They know it, they understand it."
• CBS' Gary Parrish jumps on the Jim Calhoun bandwagon, in so far as that bandwagon exists, saying the school should give Calhoun a "lifetime contract" as soon as Calhoun can give them a doctor's note clearing the man of the health issues that have plagued his last two seasons with the team. Hey, why mess with success?
• Ole Miss is going to search for a new mascot to replace the ever-controversial Colonel Reb. Might I suggest Nightmare Ant?
• When is an injury to your starting point guard good thing? When you're Texas coach Rick Barnes, and you can't seem to figure out your rotation. The injury to Dogus Balbay could, according to Rush The Court, end up being a positive, because whoever Barnes chooses to replace Balbay will "have the luxury of knowing that his minutes will likely increase and he’s not going to be yanked for one poor decision." Of course, Barnes actually has to choose one of his replacements first. Meanwhile, BIAH isn't convinced by the sunny side.
• Georgia Tech uber-frosh Derrick Favors is doing his best to stay grounded in Atlanta. How does he do this? By ignoring ESPN, opting for cartoons instead: "He always tells me, ‘Man, cartoons are the only thing that keeps it real nowadays,'" said Tech freshman and fellow suitemate Brian Oliver. "If they say something he doesn't like [on ESPN], he'll say ‘See, I told you. You watch Tom and Jerry, it'll be all right.'" Favors might also spend a little more time studying the game; he's been good this year, especially on the glass, but he hasn't been spectacular, as was promised. Meanwhile, his team has lost four of its last five, has dropped out of the Top 25, and is limping its way toward the NCAA tournament. Hype should be the furthest thing from Derrick's mind, no?
• Yeah, Steve Alford is feeling the love in New Mexico. The next question: When does Alford start getting other offers? And will he listen?
• Some requisite ESPN link love: New Forde minutes! Katz on refs and coaches! O'Neil on redemption! Collect all three!

As always, follow me on Twitter to send me links and tips.