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Kansas Basketball: Best seasons of All-Time for the Jayhawks

By Chris Taylor

LAWRENCE, KS - FEBRUARY 02: A view of the Forrest Clare 'Phog' Allen statue outside Allen Fieldhouse prior to a game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Kansas Jayhawks on February 2, 2013 in Lawrence, Kansas. The Cowboys defeated the Jayhawks 85-80. (Photo by Denny Medley/Replay Photos via Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KS - FEBRUARY 02: A view of the Forrest Clare 'Phog' Allen statue outside Allen Fieldhouse prior to a game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Kansas Jayhawks on February 2, 2013 in Lawrence, Kansas. The Cowboys defeated the Jayhawks 85-80. (Photo by Denny Medley/Replay Photos via Getty Images) /
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Kansas’ Darrell Arthur (00) hugs Mario Chalmers (15) after the Jayhawks 75-68 win over the Tigers in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Monday, April 7, 2008. (Photo by Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer/MCT via Getty Images)
Kansas’ Darrell Arthur (00) hugs Mario Chalmers (15) after the Jayhawks 75-68 win over the Tigers in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Monday, April 7, 2008. (Photo by Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer/MCT via Getty Images) /

Best Kansas basketball seasons all-time:

  • ’07-’08 Kansas Jayhawks
  • Head coach: Bill Self
  • Results: 37-3, National Champions

Bill Self cemented his legacy not only at Kansas, but as a coach over all. Self had a squad of Self-made guys. He developed players into monsters as the season went along. Role players and bench warmers became the pieces of the puzzle he was looking for.

The Jayhawks were the poster child for playing as a team, as one. Nobody on the roster averaged more than 13 points a game. Brandon Rush ended up being the leading scorer, but the inside presence of Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson combined with the outside shooting of Mario Chalmers and one of the best point guards ever at Kansas, Sherron Collins, made this team special.

The Jayhawks only lost three games on the season, all on the road and each a conference game. After a one point loss in late November to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, they didn’t lose again.

For the first time ever, each of the four #1 seeds made the Final Four, which made this one even more sweet. Kansas faced the number one overall seed in the Final Four, North Carolina. Coached by Roy Williams, it was a game of mixed emotions for the Jayhawks fans. That is until Kansas laid an old-fashioned butt whipping on their old coaches team.

With Williams sporting a Kansas shirt in the crowd, Bill Self and Kansas faced John Calipari and his Memphis Tigers for the title. Derrick rose and the Tigers looked to have the game sealed  late, but missed free throws by Memphis and a strong run by Kansas at the end kept it close.

Next: All-time starting five for KU

With ten seconds left Sherron Collins drove down the quart and pitched it back to Mario Chalmers. With just over two seconds left, the comeback was complete as Mario’s miracle shot tied the game. Momentum was all on Kansas’ side the rest of the way. Kansas won 75-68 in one of the most exciting title games ever.

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