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2008 Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Predictions & Season Preview

Written October 8, 2008 by Jack Jones

Nobody is expecting the Kansas basketball team to return to the Final Four and defend their national title, and it’s easy to see why. The players that left either due to graduation or to the NBA were nearly the entire list of contributors to the team’s success. However, Bill Self brought in an excellent class of guys to help this team compete for the conference title, and he’s confident that with some hard work this team can improve throughout the year to be listed as a serious contender come March. While we think that might be going a little far out there, the BetUS oddsmakers have listed Kansas as 30 to 1 favorites to defend their title. You also probably won’t see the college basketball odds quite so high on this team, at least early in the season as they were last year when a blowout seemed to be expected more than half of the time.

Down low the Jayhawks are going to have to rely a lot on Cole Aldrich. He didn’t get much playing time a year ago behind Darnell Jackson, Darrell Arthur, and Sasha Kaun (who were all drafted), but the Kansas coaching staff thinks this former McDonald’s All-American has the potential to be a star. He also will have the benefit of having Danny Manning work with him, who seemed to do great things with the aforementioned trio a year ago. There isn’t much experience outside of Aldrich, so two freshman from Philadelphia in Marcus and Markieff Morris will need to contribute right away. Markieff is a 6′10″ power forward while Marcus is a 6′8″ small forward who can also post up smaller players in the paint.

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Kansas has a very talented point guard in Sherron Collins, who was the best sixth man in the Big 12 last year. He has a big frame but is very quick for his size. Freshman Tyshawn Taylor will be counted on right away, and there is a lot of upside for this kid. Junior college transfer Tyrone Appleton and redshirt sophomore Brady Morningstar will provide depth for the backcourt. At the small forward spot Brandon Rush will be missed, but Self thinks that he has a great defender in Travis Releford and a solid offensive contributor in Mario Little to help fill the void. Little is a junior college transfer who big things will be expected out of right away.

Final Analysis – 4th in our Big 12 Basketball Predictions

If Kansas fans are expected a repeat of the 37-3 season Self put together a year ago then they will be sadly mistaken. The schedule is brutal as not only will every team in the Big 12 once again be after them but they also have games against teams like Michigan State, Tennessee, and Arizona to worry about. This team will struggle early but if they stick with the plan will be ready to win a couple of games come NCAA tournament time.

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