Jayhawks’ Record Streak of 231 Weeks in AP Poll ends
The Kansas Jayhawks’ streak of 231 consecutive weeks in the AP Top 25 was snapped on Monday.
The Jayhawks (12-7, 6-5 in Big 12) fell out of the AP Top 25 in the newest rankings, released Feb. 8, ending the Jayhawks’ NCAA record of consecutive weeks ranked in the AP Top 25.
Before Monday, the Jayhawks had a place in the AP Top 25 for 231 weeks. The Jayhawks broke the record, then 222 consecutive weeks, with their No. 7 ranking in the No. 30, 2020, poll. That week, the Jayhawks passed UCLA, which previously held the record from 1966-80 with 221 weeks in the AP Top 25. The AP Top 25 started with the 1948-49 season.
Kansas went 1-1 last week, defeating Kansas State at home before losing to ranked West Virginia on the road. The loss made the Jayhawks 4-5 against teams ranked in the AP poll this season. Last week the Jayhawks were No. 23 in the AP Top 25.
The last time the Jayhawks were not ranked in the AP Top 25 was the Jan. 26, 2009 poll, when the Jayhawks were 15-4 going into a week in which Kansas faced Nebraska and Colorado. The Jayhawks won both games and slid back into the AP Top 25 at No. 21 in the Feb. 2, 2009, poll. Before that the Jayhawks had slipped in and out of the poll twice, starting the 2008-09 season at No. 24.
The previous season the Jayhawks won the national championship, but lost five seniors from that team, in addition to three players who opted early for the NBA, which led to a preseason ranking of No. 24 for Kansas.
After returning to the Top 25 on Feb. 2, 2009, the Jayhawks climbed as high as No. 9 before losing to Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament. Kansas reached the Sweet 16 that season, falling to Michigan State.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard. Send him a tweet with your question to be included in this week’s Big 12 Basketball Mailbag, which appears each Friday during the conference season.
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