Kansas has been the class of the Big 12 conference for 12 straight seasons. Winning tight ones at home is a huge reason, among the many, why the Jayhawks have sustained an unprecedented level of success.
So Saturday's outcome -- an 87-80 victory over Oklahoma State -- should come as no surprise.
The No. 2 Jayhawks improved to a perfect 5-0 in conference play with an 87-80 win over the Cowboys, and now have 16-straight wins after opening the season with a loss to Indiana.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
1. Bill Self at Phog Allen Fieldhouse is basically automatic
The last time a Big 12 team beat Kansas in Phog Allen Fieldhouse, Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart was doing backflips to end the game.
That was 2013. This is 2017.
The Jayhawks extended its home winning streak to 52 games with the win on Saturday -- the nation's longest active home winning streak. And under Bill Self, they are 215-9 at Allen Fieldhouse. Even after trailing for much of the first half, Kansas never let it get away. The Jayhawks have been in tight ones before at the Phog, and they played like the veteran team they are, closing out the game as they routintely do in a place where they're nearly impossible to beat.
No team has posted two wins at Allen Fieldhouse in the Self era. Just utter dominance.
2. The Jayhawks will almost certainly be No. 1 on Monday
Baylor's first appearance at No. 1 in the AP poll will likely be a short stay after falling to No. 10 West Virginia earlier in the week.
The Jayhawks, who sit in the shadows at No. 2 this week, will likely take over the top spot on Monday. They now have five wins over KenPom top-50 teams, eight over KenPom top-100 teams. No team has had the sustained success Kansas is enjoying this season.
3. Oklahoma State's aggressive play may have cost the Cowboys
Under new coach Brad Underwood, the Cowboys play an aggressive in-your-face style of defense. They rely on that defense (fifth-most forced turnovers in the country) to get them quick offense.
But that aggressiveness, although it kept them in the game, may have been what buried them. OSU committed 30 fouls to Kansas' 14, and sent the Jayhawks to the line 45 times (to OSU's 14).
Kansas is already difficult to beat at home. Giving them that many free opportunities to get points may have been what sealed the game.
Should Kansas move to No. 1 on Monday, it will be welcomed with a similar greeting Baylor received earlier this week: A road trip to one of the rowdiest arenas in the Big 12 on Monday when the Jayhawks face Iowa State on the road.
