Kansas Basketball: Worst March Madness losses

Worst March Madness losses

’91-’92 2nd round against Utep

Roy Williams Jayhawks were set to make a huge run in the 1992 tournament. With the Midwest regional set in Kansas City, many felt that Kansas would take advantage of their home field all the way to the Final Four.

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The problem was getting there. The National runner-up from the season before was a favorite to get back to the title game after another nice regular season. Kansas finished 27-5, 11-3 in the Big 8 conference.

Led by Greg Ostertag, Ben Davis, Rex Walters and Adonis Jordan, the Jayhawks came into the season ranked 2nd in the nation.

In the first round the Jayhawks enjoyed a cake walk against Howard University, beating them 100-67. 48 hours later they would face the UTEP Miners in Dayton, Ohio.

UTEP was the #9 seed in the Midwest bracket. They made it to round two by beating Evansville 55-50. They would end up having a slightly easier time beating the favorite Jayhawks.

UTEP was the complete opposite of Kansas. No NBA talent, no offensive firepower, no real threat. They were coached by Don Haskins however, and had a respectable record on the season.

Haskins’ squad played cruel defense and flustered the Jayhawks throughout. They controlled the 2nd half, and the huge favorite Kansas Jayhawks went down losing by eight. UTEP would lose their next game in the sweet sixteen against Cincinnati by two points.