March Madness 2024: Kansas and Kentucky – Two NCAA Contenders’ Journeys End in Disappointing Elimination

They were posited as top-tier competitors before they fell to their nerves. Not only they let the big games slip away from their hands, but also hopes riding on them. A recap of their stories will let fans see the potential the Kansas Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats held, but they couldn’t carry over their on paper talent to the court and fell short during shapeshifting times.

The March Madness 2024 is on the way and has filled the fans with a lot of zest and excitement. Every day the tournament takes a surprising turn and stands true to its name with the madness ensued. Jayhawks’ and Wildcats’ exit from the post-season tournament only followed the script. 

Kansas Jayhawks: The Transferred Talent

Jayhawks were the number one ranked preseason poll team. But they were expected to make major mischief during the March Madness. They had one of the most valuable transfers in the form of their center Hunter Dickinson. Dickinson had left the Michigan Wolverines to get a play chance at clinching the title. 

But destiny had other plans for Jayhawks. Cracks began to appear in their lineup during the Maui Invitational. They clashed against Marquette in the semifinals and were defeated by a 59-73 margin. They then played the next game for a consolation against Tennessee that they won.

Going into March Madness, Jayhawks were the fourth seeded team. Though they were not close to what was expected of them, such an early exit hadn’t been envisioned by their fans. Playing their round one against Samford, Kansas emerged victorious by a narrow margin of 93-89.

Dickinson who was touted as one of the players to watch out for and sometimes also considered a threat to Zach Edey’s NPOY awards had to face a disappointing battle in the next game. Jayhawks locked horns with Gonzaga who were a fifth seeded team and lost the game by a humiliating margin of 89-68. Dickinson potted his team’s highest 15 points but they weren’t enough to rescue Jayhawks from a difficult situation.

While both teams concentrated on the offense during the first half, Bulldogs put a stop to Jayhawks’ conquest in second half. And from there, the latter team found it difficult to make a comeback. They were thus upended by a blowout margin.

The regular season might have been a bumpy ride in terms of stats but there is no denying the fact that Jayhawks decimated some of the top ranked teams like the University of Connecticut Huskies, Kentucky Wildcats, Tennessee Volunteers and the Houston Cougars. 

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This had led all to believe in the brilliance of Jayhawks. The Bill Self-team however faltered and could not progress ahead in the March Madness. But this season will forever be remembered for Dickinson’s unfulfilled dream and the high-ceiling potential this team had when they gave a tough time to the biggies. And fans will forever recollect the nostalgia that a lack of consistency at the final hour cost them a fortune.

Kentucky Wildcats: Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall

Wildcats are facing heat in the first round for quite sometime now. They had lost to Saint Peter’s in the first round in 2022 and did not learn much from their embarrassment. It looks as if for the past few years their March Madness journey has been jinxed. Two of the most major exploits for Wildcats were decimating the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Tennessee Volunteers.

Wildcats were considered a top team and were ranked in the AP men’s basketball polls. Though they weren’t the favorites to win the March Madness, they deserved a spot at the Sweet Sixteen or the Elite Eight. Had they advanced to the third round, they might have competed against a top team like Marquette Golden Eagles.

They were ranked at the second spot in the SEC before commencement of the tourney and had a line of exceptional players including Antonio Reeves, Rob Dillingham, Tre Mitchell, DJ Wagner and Reed Sheppard. Hence, it was obviously a blow to the fans when they witness their exceptional team having a colossal fall in the March Madness.

Wildcats had a 23-10 tally in the regular season and were considered no less than any top-tier team. Reeves averaged a whopping 20.2 points per game with 4.2 rebounds per match. Mitchell on the other took care of their defense with 7.2 rebounds per game. The team did not look to go down so early. There were no signs of the fall to follow.

In the Round One, Wildcats played against Oakland which was a 14 seeded team whereas Wildcats were the third seeded squad. Oakland edged past their competitors by an 80-76 margin. This was the uninvited nail in Wildcats’ coffin.

The game was high scoring as both teams concentrated on offense but the lack of substantial defense from Wildcats took away their claim at this year’s title sending shockwaves throughout the basketball circuit. Fans reminisce Kentucky as the team which could change the game but lacked the balance it needed during crucial moments.

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