Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
(2) 1951-52 Kansas Basketball vs. (15) 1989 KC Royals
Although Kansas had won two Helms titles already, the 1951-52 season would bring the first NCAA championship via a postseason tournament.
Phog Allen and the Jayhawks hadn’t won 20 games in eight years, but finished the season 28-3 and national champions.
After a narrow, four-point victory in the opening round of the tournament against TCU, KU won the next three games by double-digits, including 80-63 over St. John’s in the title game.
Clyde Lovellette averaged 28.6 points per game during his final season as a Jayhawk, and was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player
1989 was a season that saw the Royals win 92 games, but fail to make the playoffs. Despite finishing seven games behind Oakland, KC featured the Cy Young winner in Bret Saberhagen and All-Star game MVP in Bo Jackson.
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