Sunflower Showdown in the state of Kansas is a very unique college rivalry.
For starters, Kansas basketball holds an unmatched amount of history to their program. With three NCAA tournament championship titles, fifteen Final Four appearances, and the first head coach, James Naismith, being known as the inventor of basketball, it comes as no surprise that Jayhawk fans expect big things from the team year after year.
The current head coach, Bill Self, has won over 420 games in his fifteen seasons.
Jayhawk fans live and breathe KU basketball. While most colleges are thriving during the football months, Kansas fans are more excited about that first home game tipoff in Allen Fieldhouse.
Now it obviously doesn’t help that Kansas has had some bad luck with football since 2008, but at least the Jayhawks stay consistent in one sport Hopefully the new head football coach Les Miles can turn this stereotype around.
Now let’s take a look at Wildcat basketball. Kansas State has one NCAA tournament runner-up title from 1951 and four Final Four appearances in total.
Although they don’t look that great on paper, this team tends to put up a fight against KU. Kansas leads the all-time results for the Sunflower Showdown 196-93.
Currently, Kansas State is ranked third nationally in defensive rebounding and currently the top team in the Big 12 for league play, so there is no doubt that the Wildcats will put up a fight. But the biggest threat for the Jayhawks might not be the K-State team roster itself.
Jayhawks’ defense is tested most against teams that shoot threes, and shoot them well. This usually isn’t Kansas State. The real challenge for Kansas will be playing Kansas State on the road in Bramlage Coliseum.
Scoring in this game will be tricky for both teams, it usually is.My prediction is Kansas with the win, 59-57.
Kansas basketball has won 14 consecutive Big 12 Conference titles. There is no reason that 2019 should be the end to the streak.
