Looking Ahead

A R T I C L E B Y KUAthletics.com

NATIONALLY RANKED non-conference schedules are common for Kansas men’s basketball, and the 2022–23 slate will be no different.

The Jayhawks have led the country in strength of schedule in two of the last four seasons and five times overall during coach Bill Self ’s 19 campaigns at Kansas. Additionally, KU has placed in the top 10 in strength of schedule 12 times under Self, including third following KU’s 2022 NCAA National Championship season.

The non-conference schedule is highlighted by games in Allen Fieldhouse against Indiana, Seton Hall, and Harvard as well as Southern Utah and Texas Southern. Kansas leads the NCAA Division I all-time wins list at 2,357, while Indiana is 10th at 1,890. The Seton Hall contest is part of the Big 12/BIG EAST Battle, and KU defeated Texas Southern in the opening round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament en route to the national title.

“Once again we have a non-conference schedule that should prepare us for what will be another strong Big 12 schedule,” KU head coach Bill Self says. “This is a very attractive home schedule with games against Indiana and Seton Hall. Also mixed in is Duke in the Champions Classic in Indianapolis and road games at Missouri and at Kentucky. The Battle 4 Atlantis is a stacked field that includes USC, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Those, along with the Big 12, makes this a very competitive schedule and, if we do well, it will enhance our chances for another high NCAA Tournament seed.”

Kansas will host three games prior to the Champions Classic, including an exhibition contest against Pittsburg State on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Pitt State’s first-year head coach is former KU great Jeff Boschee. KU will then host Omaha on Monday, Nov. 7, and North Dakota State on Thursday, Nov. 10, before playing Duke in the Champions Classic, Tuesday, Nov. 15, in Indianapolis. KU is 6–5 in the Champions Classic.

Kansas will return home to host Southern Utah on Friday, Nov. 18, before heading to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis, Nov. 23–25. The event’s field includes future Big 12-member BYU, Butler, Dayton, N.C. State, USC, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

KU will then host Texas Southern on Nov. 28 and Seton Hall on Dec. 1 in the Big 12/BIG EAST Battle. Next, Kansas will travel to HyVee Border Showdown foe Missouri on Dec. 10. Last year, Kansas defeated Missouri, 102–65, in Allen Fieldhouse in the first meeting between the two schools since 2012.

Kansas will then host Harvard on Dec. 22 and the 2022–23 Big 12 league schedule will begin Dec. 31. On Saturday, Jan. 28, Kansas will play at Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Last year, KU passed UK in becoming the winningest program in NCAA Division I history, currently at 2,357 all-time wins. Kentucky is at 2,353.

Kansas is coming off a 34–6 season in which it won its sixth national title, fourth in the NCAA history. KU tied Baylor for first in the Big 12 regular season with a 14–4 record. It was KU’s NCAArecord 63rd conference regular-season title and 20th in the 26-year history of the Big 12. KU then won the Big 12 Tournament, advanced to its NCAA-record 32ndconsecutive NCAA Tournament, a streak that started in 1990, and its 16th Final Four. The Jayhawks won their last 11 games of the season en route to the NCAA title.

Wednesday, Nov. 2 PITTSBURG STATE (exhibition)

Monday, Nov. 7 OMAHA

Thursday, Nov. 10 NORTH DAKOTA STATE

Tuesday, Nov. 15 vs. Duke (Champions Classic, Indianapolis, Ind.)

Friday, Nov. 18 SOUTHERN UTAH

Wednesday, Nov. 23 vs. TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis, Paradise Island, The Bahamas)

Thursday, Nov. 24 vs. TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis, Paradise Island, The Bahamas)

Friday, Nov. 25 vs. TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis, Paradise Island, The Bahamas)

Monday, Nov. 28 TEXAS SOUTHERN

Thursday, Dec. 1 SETON HALL (Big 12/BIG EAST Battle)

Saturday, Dec. 10 at Missouri

Saturday, Dec. 17 INDIANA

Thursday, Dec. 22 HARVARD

Saturday, Dec. 31 Big 12 play begins

Saturday, Jan. 28 at Kentucky (SEC/Big 12 Challenge)

March 8-11 Big 12 Championship (T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Mo.)

Home games in ALL CAPS Battle 4 Atlantis field – Kansas, BYU, Butler, Dayton, N.C. State, USC, Tennessee, and Wisconsin