Inside the College Game | Still the OneBy: Adi Joseph

As Brady Morningstar’s shot clanged off the rim, caroming right into a pack of Colorado defenders, the vague outline of a February Cinderella story began fermenting in Coors Events Center.

That the Buffaloes had gone this far – taking the No. 1 team in the nation into overtime with their second-best player missing the game – might have been story enough for the cynics. The Kansas Jayhawks were going to be called overrated no matter what they did in that extra period, so what were they playing for?

The Buffaloes, they were playing for the win of the season. Perhaps of several seasons. Perhaps the best win of Jeff Bzdelik’s career thus far. Perhaps the best win since Sox Walseth was at the helm in the 1970s.

The Jayhawks? This game was trivial. Well, until Marcus Morris went up for the rebound in the middle of a crowd of white jerseys. Until Morris, at 6-foot-8, pulled down the rebound, strode into the lane and went up for the layup. Then went back up, grabbed a miss and went up again. Then went back up, grabbed a miss and went up again.

Will Morris be able to pull three offensive rebounds down against Kentucky? Will Kansas be able to give away a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter against Villanova? Can the Jayhawks afford to make just 18-of-38 free throws against Syracuse?

No. Kansas is overrated. At least that’s what everyone seems to think at this point. The most important factor for the 21-1 Jayhawks in holding the No. 1 ranking is that it’s where they started the year. And even if they escape while putting up another stinker at home against Nebraska, nothing has changed.

Kansas isn’t playing like the best team in the country. That’s probably Villanova. Maybe Syracuse if Wes Johnson is back up to speed.

But Kansas will win the national championship. The best team in February be damned, the Jayhawks are the best team, period. Their depth and talent are unmatched. There are bumps in the road for any great team, and Kansas is a great team.

We knew it in the preseason, didn’t we? Didn’t every person with half an ounce of accountability pick Kansas to win it all? Didn’t we expect Cole Aldrich to put up double-doubles every single night and Sherron Collins to muscle his way past every more talented opponent?

Three weeks ago, we were talking about Aldrich as if he was dead weight. Today, we’re wondering why we ever thought Xavier Henry could be the knockdown shooter that was missing last year. By March, we may be questioning how Marcus Morris ever got off to such a hot start.

By April, we’ll remember that, over the course of a season, a lot of things change. The best teams, not so much.

I went back and counted. Seven of the last 10 years, I successfully picked the eventual national champion before the season started. By the time the brackets came out, I had changed my mind three of those times. That includes two of the last three seasons.

I don’t think I’m alone.

It’s easy to get lured in by the team with the efficient field goal percentages. Maybe you’re tantalized by the latest freshman sensation or fallen for the team that can’t seem to lose lately.

But it’s simple science: The best team usually wins.

In the last 10 years, there has been a clear consensus “best team” going into the season just four times. Three times, that team has won the national championship. Those were Connecticut in 2004 (69 out of 70 first place votes in the Associated Press poll), Florida in 2007 (63 out of 72) and North Carolina (all 72) in 2009. The other, a J.J. Redick-led Duke team choked, and everyone loved every second of it.

Kansas joins those four teams, having scooped up 55 out of the 65 possible votes entering the season. (Aside: Someone actually voted for North Carolina entering this year. Are you kidding me? That person deserves to be stripped of his vote and right to bare arms.)

Just look at their roster. They’ve got a five-star recruit, point guard Elijah Johnson, sitting at one end of the bench and a four-star super rebounder, Thomas Robinson, at the other. These kids will be stars, but they’re cast asides right now. Marcus Morris is a burgeoning star, and Cole Aldrich is who we thought he was, again. Oh, and that Collins kid? I’d say he’s pretty gutsy, too.

I’m not betting against those odds. In fact, if I’m a betting man, I’m hoping the Jayhawks take a few serious lumps in the regular season to better the payout when they win it all.

Game Notes:

Deniz Kilicli went 4-of-4 from the field in seven minutes of action Wednesday for West Virginia. If he pans out, the Mountaineers could wind up the best team in the Big East. … I think this Kalin Lucas injury could help Michigan, provided he’s back at 100 percent by the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans don’t have nearly as much bench support this season as last and developing a player or two to add to their current seven-man rotation could be an asset in the end. … I’m rooting for Royce White to return, but the kid seems a bit nuts. I’d like to see him in a Golden Gophers uniform next year. Now may not be the time, even though Minnesota could use him. … Quincy Pondexter is not getting tested at all in the Pacific-10, but I’m not sure if that’s helping or hurting his draft stock. Pondexter has the luxury of facing freshmen and sophomores on offense, and he can spin right around those kids, even the talented ones like Solomon Hill of Arizona, easily all day. … Harvard’s lost back-to-back games in Ivy League play. Now, maybe we can get over the fact that they have an Asian point guard. … Gonzaga’s utter domination of a not-bad Portland team Thursday was one of those anyone with half a brain saw coming. Mark Few doesn’t handle West Coast Conference losses very well. … Butler’s 11-game winning streak has been about as unimpressive as an 11-game winning streak can possibly be. The Bulldogs need to put a hurting on Siena in their BracketBusters game if they want any respect when it comes time to seed. … This very easily could be the best Duke NCAA Tournament team since 2001. The Blue Devils finally have enough size and balance for success. … Sorry this one is shorter than normal. As always, you can reach me at [email protected] with any comments, questions or suggestions. Thanks.