2006-07 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2006–07 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas
Jayhawks
for the NCAA Division I men's intercollegiate basketball
season of 2006–2007
. The team was led by Bill Self
in his fourth season as head coach. The team played its home games in Allen Fieldhouse
in Lawrence, Kansas
.
The Jayhawks' won the regular season championship with fourteen conference wins—the third straight season in which the team has claimed a share of the championship. In postseason play the team defeated its conference opponents to claim its second straight title. In the NCAA Division I tournament, the Jayhawks were defeated in the Elite Eight.
had the Jayhawks ranked third. The starting lineup included Russell Robinson
(guard), Mario Chalmers
(guard), Brandon Rush
(small forward), Julian Wright
(power/small forward), and Sasha Kaun
(Center). Darrell Arthur
and Sherron Collins
were the nucleus of Bill Self's recruiting class for the 06–07 season and provided valuable minutes coming off the bench. Some key returnees included Darnell Jackson
and Jeremy Case.
One early-season casualty was C.J. Giles. He was suspended in early November for failure to attend practices, for poor showing in the classroom, and because of unpaid child support. He was to have been reinstated for the Winston-Salem State
game, but another incident involving charges of assault
and battery
against his ex-girlfriend left Bill Self with no choice but to dismiss the troubled center from the team. Giles transferred to play for the Oregon State Beavers
. His problems, however, persisted to a degree that he was dismissed from OSU in January 2008.
Following the victory over #1 ranked and defending National Champion Florida in Las Vegas, athletic director Lew Perkins
announced that he had extended Coach Bill Self's contract through 2011.
Until February 3, no team from the Big 12 South division had ever beaten Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse since the conference's formation in the 1996 offseason. That streak came to an end when Texas A&M
came from 11 down to beat KU 69–66; this also marked the first time ever that the Aggies had beaten the Jayhawks.
There were two streaks that remained intact. Kansas has won 24 consecutive home games against Colorado
, most recently a 97–74 victory on January 27, 2007. KU also maintained the 24-game on-the-road win streak against Kansas State
in Manhattan, the most recent win being a 71–62 victory in Bramlage Coliseum
on February 19, 2007. KU won the final five games with KSU in Ahearn Fieldhouse and the first 19 meetings in Bramlage through 2007.
Kansas won the 2007 regular season Big 12 championship, finishing in first place with a 14–2 record in conference play. In doing so, they clinched their third straight regular season title and their first outright Big 12 title since 2003, having settled for ties with Oklahoma and Texas the previous two seasons. They came from down 16 against Texas to win 90–86, leading by as many as 10 at one point and holding on for the four-point win. The title is the Jayhawks' 50th all-time since joining the Missouri Valley Conference in 1907–08. It is also KU's fifth outright Big 12 championship and seventh overall.
The outright title gave Kansas the top seed for the Big 12 Tournament and a bye for the preliminary rounds of play. In the quarterfinal, KU faced ninth-seed Oklahoma and prevailed 64–47. In the semifinal, KU faced fourth-seed Kansas State and prevailed 67–61. Finally, in the title game, KU defeated Texas 88–84 in overtime to win the Big 12 Tournament. They pulled off an even bigger comeback than in the regular-season meeting, coming from down 22 to win. The 22-point comeback is the biggest in KU history, eclipsing the 19-point comeback in an 85–70 win over UCLA
in 1995.
Kansas earned the top seed for the West Region of the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
. In subregional action at the United Center
in Chicago, KU defeated Niagara
107–67 and Kentucky
88–76.
In the Sweet 16, KU escaped a tough defensive stance from Southern Illinois
, winning 61–58 at HP Pavilion in San Jose
, California
. The victory sent KU to the Elite Eight against the second-seeded UCLA Bruins
, but they lost 68–55, their largest margin of defeat all season. KU has never won a game against UCLA in NCAA Tournament play, losing all five meetings. The loss also left Bill Self at 0–4 all-time in Elite Eight games, having lost with Tulsa, Illinois, and Kansas (twice), a problem he eliminated the following season.
Kansas finished the season 33–5, winning the Big 12 regular-season and postseason championships, reaching the Elite Eight, and achieving the seventh 30-win season in school history.
On April 9, 2007, sophomore forward Julian Wright
announced that he would forgo his junior and senior seasons, hire an agent (therefore forfeiting his amateur status and college eligibility), and enter his name into the NBA Draft
. Teammate and fellow sophomore Brandon Rush
had originally chosen to follow suit, announcing on April 26, 2007 his plan of entering his name into the NBA Draft, but decided to not hire an agent (therefore allowing him to return to KU if he decided to withdraw his name from the draft). However, after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament
in a pickup game of basketball, Rush changed his mind and decided to return for his junior season at KU. Rush's surgery was successful; and, as it turned out the following season, the injury was a blessing in disguise for Rush and the Jayhawks.
!colspan=8| Exhibition
|-
!colspan=8| Regular season
|-
!colspan=8| Big 12 Tournament
|-
!colspan=8| NCAA Tournament
Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week
All-Big 12 First Team
Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks
The sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...
for the NCAA Division I men's intercollegiate basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
season of 2006–2007
2006-07 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2006–07 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 7, 2006, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2007 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia...
. The team was led by Bill Self
Bill Self
Bill Self is an American college men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, where he led the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA national championship....
in his fourth season as head coach. The team played its home games in Allen Fieldhouse
Allen Fieldhouse
Allen Fieldhouse is an indoor arena at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. The arena, named in honor of Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen, who coached the university's men's basketball team for 39 years, is one of college basketball's most historically significant and prestigious buildings...
in Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
.
The Jayhawks' won the regular season championship with fourteen conference wins—the third straight season in which the team has claimed a share of the championship. In postseason play the team defeated its conference opponents to claim its second straight title. In the NCAA Division I tournament, the Jayhawks were defeated in the Elite Eight.
Recruiting
Season
After returning every key player from the 2006 team that shared the Big 12 regular season title with the Texas Longhorns and defeated Texas for the conference tournament title, the Jayhawks expected to repeat as Big 12 champs and contend for the national title in 2006–07. ESPN's Andy Katz had ranked the Jayhawks as the second best team in the nation for the preseason, while Dick VitaleDick Vitale
Richard J. "Dick" Vitale , also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well-known as a college basketball broadcaster and for the enthusiastic and colorful remarks he makes during games. He is known for his...
had the Jayhawks ranked third. The starting lineup included Russell Robinson
Russell Robinson
Russell Robinson, Jr. is an American basketball player with JSF Nanterre in French Pro A. Prior to his move to Europe, Robinson played with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League, where he wore number 11. Robinson played for the University of Kansas in college for four seasons,...
(guard), Mario Chalmers
Mario Chalmers
Almario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the NBA. He was selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves...
(guard), Brandon Rush
Brandon Rush
Brandon Leray Rush is an American basketball player. On July 15, 2008, Rush signed a contract to play basketball for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted in 2008 by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Rush played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007–2008...
(small forward), Julian Wright
Julian Wright
Julian Emil-Jamaal Wright is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Toronto Raptors. He played collegiately for the University of Kansas.-High school career:...
(power/small forward), and Sasha Kaun
Sasha Kaun
Alexander Olegovich Kaun is a Russian professional basketball player. He played college basketball in the United States with the University of Kansas for four seasons, including the 2007–2008 national championship team...
(Center). Darrell Arthur
Darrell Arthur
Darrell Antwonne Arthur is 6'9", American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He plays the power forward and small forward positions. Arthur played for the University of Kansas in college for two seasons, including the 2007–2008 national championship team...
and Sherron Collins
Sherron Collins
Sherron Marlon Collins is an American professional basketball player who plays for Hacettepe Üniversitesi, in the Turkish Basketball League. He formerly played for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association. He has also played for Lietuvos Rytas, Maine Red Claws and Quebradillas...
were the nucleus of Bill Self's recruiting class for the 06–07 season and provided valuable minutes coming off the bench. Some key returnees included Darnell Jackson
Darnell Jackson
Darnell Edred Jackson is an American professional basketball player for BC Donetsk in Ukraine. He is 6'9" and is 253 lbs. Jackson played for the University of Kansas in college for four seasons, including the 2008 national championship team...
and Jeremy Case.
One early-season casualty was C.J. Giles. He was suspended in early November for failure to attend practices, for poor showing in the classroom, and because of unpaid child support. He was to have been reinstated for the Winston-Salem State
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University , a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina, is a historically black public research university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.Winston-Salem State has been...
game, but another incident involving charges of assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
and battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
against his ex-girlfriend left Bill Self with no choice but to dismiss the troubled center from the team. Giles transferred to play for the Oregon State Beavers
Oregon State Beavers
The Oregon State Beavers is a name shared by all sports teams at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers are part of the Pacific-12 Conference . Oregon State's mascot is Benny the Beaver...
. His problems, however, persisted to a degree that he was dismissed from OSU in January 2008.
Following the victory over #1 ranked and defending National Champion Florida in Las Vegas, athletic director Lew Perkins
Lew Perkins
Lew Perkins is a former Director of Athletics, most recently at the University of Kansas. Perkins joined KU in June 2003, taking over for Al Bohl...
announced that he had extended Coach Bill Self's contract through 2011.
Until February 3, no team from the Big 12 South division had ever beaten Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse since the conference's formation in the 1996 offseason. That streak came to an end when Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball
The Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team represents Texas A&M University in NCAA Division I college basketball. The Aggies play home games at Reed Arena, a 12,500-capacity arena in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M University....
came from 11 down to beat KU 69–66; this also marked the first time ever that the Aggies had beaten the Jayhawks.
There were two streaks that remained intact. Kansas has won 24 consecutive home games against Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes
The University of Colorado Boulder sponsors 16 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's team are called the Buffaloes or Golden Buffaloes . "Lady Buffs" referred to the women's teams beginning in the 1970s, but was officially dropped in 1993...
, most recently a 97–74 victory on January 27, 2007. KU also maintained the 24-game on-the-road win streak against Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State University's athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple, making Kansas State one of very few schools that have only one official color; white and silver are generally used as complementary colors.Kansas State participates in...
in Manhattan, the most recent win being a 71–62 victory in Bramlage Coliseum
Bramlage Coliseum
Fred Bramlage Coliseum is a 12,528-seat multi-purpose arena in Manhattan, Kansas. The arena's primary function is as home to the men's and women's basketball teams for Kansas State University. The building also holds offices for Kansas State Wildcats baseball, Intercollegiate Athletics, and Sports...
on February 19, 2007. KU won the final five games with KSU in Ahearn Fieldhouse and the first 19 meetings in Bramlage through 2007.
Kansas won the 2007 regular season Big 12 championship, finishing in first place with a 14–2 record in conference play. In doing so, they clinched their third straight regular season title and their first outright Big 12 title since 2003, having settled for ties with Oklahoma and Texas the previous two seasons. They came from down 16 against Texas to win 90–86, leading by as many as 10 at one point and holding on for the four-point win. The title is the Jayhawks' 50th all-time since joining the Missouri Valley Conference in 1907–08. It is also KU's fifth outright Big 12 championship and seventh overall.
The outright title gave Kansas the top seed for the Big 12 Tournament and a bye for the preliminary rounds of play. In the quarterfinal, KU faced ninth-seed Oklahoma and prevailed 64–47. In the semifinal, KU faced fourth-seed Kansas State and prevailed 67–61. Finally, in the title game, KU defeated Texas 88–84 in overtime to win the Big 12 Tournament. They pulled off an even bigger comeback than in the regular-season meeting, coming from down 22 to win. The 22-point comeback is the biggest in KU history, eclipsing the 19-point comeback in an 85–70 win over UCLA
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
in 1995.
Kansas earned the top seed for the West Region of the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
. In subregional action at the United Center
United Center
The United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
in Chicago, KU defeated Niagara
Niagara University
Niagara University is a Catholic university in the Vincentian tradition, located in the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York. Originally founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1856 as Our Lady of Angels Seminary, it became Niagara University in 1883. The University is still run by...
107–67 and Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
88–76.
In the Sweet 16, KU escaped a tough defensive stance from Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
, winning 61–58 at HP Pavilion in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The victory sent KU to the Elite Eight against the second-seeded UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
, but they lost 68–55, their largest margin of defeat all season. KU has never won a game against UCLA in NCAA Tournament play, losing all five meetings. The loss also left Bill Self at 0–4 all-time in Elite Eight games, having lost with Tulsa, Illinois, and Kansas (twice), a problem he eliminated the following season.
Kansas finished the season 33–5, winning the Big 12 regular-season and postseason championships, reaching the Elite Eight, and achieving the seventh 30-win season in school history.
On April 9, 2007, sophomore forward Julian Wright
Julian Wright
Julian Emil-Jamaal Wright is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Toronto Raptors. He played collegiately for the University of Kansas.-High school career:...
announced that he would forgo his junior and senior seasons, hire an agent (therefore forfeiting his amateur status and college eligibility), and enter his name into the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
. Teammate and fellow sophomore Brandon Rush
Brandon Rush
Brandon Leray Rush is an American basketball player. On July 15, 2008, Rush signed a contract to play basketball for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted in 2008 by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Rush played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007–2008...
had originally chosen to follow suit, announcing on April 26, 2007 his plan of entering his name into the NBA Draft, but decided to not hire an agent (therefore allowing him to return to KU if he decided to withdraw his name from the draft). However, after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in a pickup game of basketball, Rush changed his mind and decided to return for his junior season at KU. Rush's surgery was successful; and, as it turned out the following season, the injury was a blessing in disguise for Rush and the Jayhawks.
Roster
| Name | # | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Home Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darrell Arthur Darrell Arthur Darrell Antwonne Arthur is 6'9", American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He plays the power forward and small forward positions. Arthur played for the University of Kansas in college for two seasons, including the 2007–2008 national championship team... |
00 | Forward | 6–9 | 230 | Freshman | Dallas, TX |
| Brennan Bechard | 11 | Guard | 6–0 | 183 | Sophomore | Lawrence, KS |
| Jeremy Case | 10 | Guard | 6–1 | 182 | Junior | McAlester, OK |
| Mario Chalmers Mario Chalmers Almario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the NBA. He was selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves... |
15 | Guard | 6–1 | 195 | Sophomore | Anchorage, AK |
| Sherron Collins Sherron Collins Sherron Marlon Collins is an American professional basketball player who plays for Hacettepe Üniversitesi, in the Turkish Basketball League. He formerly played for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association. He has also played for Lietuvos Rytas, Maine Red Claws and Quebradillas... |
4 | Guard | 5–11 | 200 | Freshman | Chicago, IL |
| Darnell Jackson Darnell Jackson Darnell Edred Jackson is an American professional basketball player for BC Donetsk in Ukraine. He is 6'9" and is 253 lbs. Jackson played for the University of Kansas in college for four seasons, including the 2008 national championship team... |
32 | Forward | 6–8 | 250 | Junior | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Sasha Kaun Sasha Kaun Alexander Olegovich Kaun is a Russian professional basketball player. He played college basketball in the United States with the University of Kansas for four seasons, including the 2007–2008 national championship team... |
24 | Center | 6–11 | 245 | Junior | Melbourne, FL |
| Matt Kleinmann | 54 | Center | 6–10 | 247 | Sophomore | Overland Park, KS |
| Brady Morningstar | 12 | Guard | 6–3 | 185 | Freshman | Lawrence, KS |
| Russell Robinson Russell Robinson Russell Robinson, Jr. is an American basketball player with JSF Nanterre in French Pro A. Prior to his move to Europe, Robinson played with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League, where he wore number 11. Robinson played for the University of Kansas in college for four seasons,... |
3 | Guard | 6–1 | 200 | Junior | New York City, NY |
| Brandon Rush Brandon Rush Brandon Leray Rush is an American basketball player. On July 15, 2008, Rush signed a contract to play basketball for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted in 2008 by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Rush played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007–2008... |
25 | Guard | 6–6 | 210 | Sophomore | Kansas City, MO |
| Rodrick Stewart | 5 | Guard | 6–4 | 205 | Sophomore | Seattle, WA |
| Brad Witherspoon | 40 | Guard | 6–1 | 180 | Junior | Humboldt, KS |
| Julian Wright Julian Wright Julian Emil-Jamaal Wright is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Toronto Raptors. He played collegiately for the University of Kansas.-High school career:... |
30 | Forward | 6–8 | 225 | Sophomore | Chicago Heights, IL |
Schedule
|-!colspan=8| Exhibition
|-
!colspan=8| Regular season
|-
!colspan=8| Big 12 Tournament
|-
!colspan=8| NCAA Tournament
Awards
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year- Mario ChalmersMario ChalmersAlmario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the NBA. He was selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves...
(Sophomore, Guard)
Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week
- Julian WrightJulian WrightJulian Emil-Jamaal Wright is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Toronto Raptors. He played collegiately for the University of Kansas.-High school career:...
(Sophomore, Forward), November 27 and March 5 (co-winner)
All-Big 12 First Team
- Brandon RushBrandon RushBrandon Leray Rush is an American basketball player. On July 15, 2008, Rush signed a contract to play basketball for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted in 2008 by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Rush played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007–2008...
(Sophomore, Guard) - Julian Wright
Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team
- Brandon Rush
- Julian Wright