Kansas started the season No. 1, dropped to No. 2 despite not losing and moved back to the top spot after playing its worst game of the season.
Now, the Jayhawks get a massive test.
On Saturday, newly-No. 1 Kansas hosts No. 17 Villanova at Allen Fieldhouse in a rematch of the 2018 national semifinals.
The Wildcats stomped Kansas on the way to the national title, and the Jayhawks are coming off a shaky performance against New Mexico State.
“We’ve played a really hard schedule. It’s just going to get harder with Villanova coming in on Saturday,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “They’ve given us fits and cleaned our clock last year. It should be a great game for our fans and motivational game for our guys.”
Villanova turned a Final Four match-up of blue blood programs into a laugher last April in San Antonio, rolling over Kansas 95-79 before issuing a similar takedown of Michigan in the title game.
Kansas was the preseason No. 1 this year, but dropped a spot in the first regular-season poll after Duke decimated then-No. 2 Kentucky to open the season. The Jayhawks held that spot until this week, bumping to No. 1 after former top-ranked Gonzaga lost to No. 3 Tennessee over the weekend.
The Jayhawks are 8-0, but had a hard time putting New Mexico State away on Saturday with center Udoka Azubuike out with a sprained ankle.
Azubuike is likely out until the beginning of next year, so Kansas will certainly have to play better on Saturday without him.
I dont think weve played well yet. I dont think were any good yet, Self said. I think we can do some really good things and have played exceptionally well in stretches. I dont think weve played 40 minutes. Weve not been awful, just been painful to watch at times.
Villanova opened the season No. 9 in the preseason poll and rose to No. 8. The Wildcats then lost to Michigan in a rematch of the 2018 title game and had an unexpected overtime loss to Furman, a setback that sent the Wildcats out of the AP Top 25.
Villanova (8-3) appeared to get back on track after that. The Wildcats won three games in Orlando to take the AdvoCare Invitational title and followed that with three straight wins.
Then Villanova lost 78-75 to Penn, ending its 25-game Big 5 winning streak.
The Wildcats will certainly get another test on Saturday.
