Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga and center Hunter Dickinson. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

No. 23 Kansas looks like itself in blowout win over Oklahoma State

By Eric Smithling | Last updated Feb 22, 2025 6:31 PM ET

This was the Kansas that was promised.

On Saturday, Associated Press No. 23 Kansas (18-9, 9-7 in Big 12) made up for its historic loss at BYU on Tuesday with one of its most dominant performances of the season.

The Kansas squad that defeated Oklahoma State, 96-64, looked a lot like the team that began the season as the No. 1 team in the country.

The Jayhawks overwhelmed from the opening tip, shooting 20-of-35 (57.1 percent), including 8-of-17 from deep, in the first half. They outrebounded the Cowboys 24-11 and had three blocks and 10 steals, including six by senior guard Dajuan Harris Jr.

During one sequence, senior forward KJ Adams had dunks on consecutive possessions, and senior center Hunter Dickinson added back-to-back scores late in the half to give Kansas a 52-23 halftime advantage.

KJ ADAMS MONSTER DUNK @KUHoops pic.twitter.com/bjJvgEqV77
— CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) February 22, 2025

"Putting em on a poster!"

KJ Adams goes up top AGAIN! @KUHoops pic.twitter.com/dhLPvC5h7s
— CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) February 22, 2025

"It is an offensive clinic for Kansas!"@KUHoops and Hunter Dickinson breaking the game open at Allen Fieldhouse! pic.twitter.com/KYeumZDXfT
— CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) February 22, 2025

Earlier this year, Kansas defeated UCF by 51, 99-48, making the 2024-25 season the first since 2011-12 that Kansas won two regular-season conference games by at least 32 points, per Stathead.

When Kansas plays like it did against Oklahoma State, it can beat any team in the country. The Jayhawks were the No. 1 team in college basketball for the season's first five AP polls. They started the season 7-0, including wins over No. 14 Michigan State (22-5, 13-3 in Big Ten) and No. 3 Duke (23-3, 15-1 in ACC).

Kansas head coach Bill Self's task is to get this version of the Jayhawks for six consecutive games in March and early April.

That will be challenging, but Saturday's win showed what Kansas looks like at its best.

Much tougher tests await in the NCAA Tournament. Entering Saturday, Oklahoma State was No. 101 in KenPom and No. 98 in NET rankings.

The Jayhawks had lost two in a row and five of their last eight before Saturday's blowout win. On Tuesday, they lost to BYU, 91-57, their largest loss against an unranked opponent when ranked in program history.

Kansas is projected to be anywhere from a 5-seed through a 7-seed in the men's NCAA Tournament, according to the most recent bracket predictions from CBS Sports, ESPN, Fox Sports and HoopsHQ.

As ESPN's Joe Lunardi wrote in his Friday, Feb. 21 update, "Kansas under Bill Self has never ... been worse than a 4-seed in the NCAA tournament."

Kansas is likely to enter March Madness with its lowest seed since 2000 when it entered as an 8, the worst in program history. Based on Saturday's showing, that might not be enough to stop the Jayhawks.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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