It’s pretty wild that 22-10 (10-8) is so relatively bad for them, but they haven’t had a season approaching this since 1999-00 under Roy when they finished 5th in the conference at 11-5 and lost in the second round in KC to finish the reg season 22-8 (helped of course by three wins against a hapless ksu team).
They were a 9 seed that season, and lost to No. 1 seed Duke in the second round.
It was the second in a pair of two “down” years under Roy, but they were young and talented, and the young core of that team would grow into a group that would lead them to back-to-back F4s before Roy left for UNC.
There is none of that with this Self squad. This is the end for them in terms of dominance, at least under Self.
I didn’t think Self was long for KU after the heart problems last year. Plus, like Saban and many others, this new era of open transfers and NIL (essentially pay for play) has created a landscape that if I’m Bill Sellf I don’t have the stomach for.
Will KU rebound and be respectable and a strong national contender at times going forward? Probably, they have as good a pedigree and track record of any program in the country. But this phenomenal 35ish (40 years of you include Larry B) year run under Roy and Self is over.
They’re still in the lead pack, but they’re in the pack now, especially with Houston and Arizona coming in.