University of Kansas Jayhawks Men's Basketball at Allen Fieldhouse
The University of Kansas Jayhawks have been a men's basketball powerhouse for decades. The proof is in the numbers: The team has appeared in the Final Four an impressive 16 times, winning four NCAA National Championships, and won a staggering 64 conference championships. Since the 2003-2004 season, the Jayhawks have been coached by Bill Self, who led the team to a record-setting 14 straight Big 12 Conference titles between 2005 and 2018. The team plays its home games in Lawrence, Kansas, at the 16,300-capacity Allen Fieldhouse, which opened in 1955. Tradition is a big part of these games, most notable when students ignore the opposing team introductions by pretending to read the school newspaper, making confetti from the newsprint to toss in celebration of the home team. Another gesture known as "waving the wheat" finds students swaying their arms in the air, much like the crop, to troll the road team.
University of Kansas Jayhawks Men's Basketball History
The University of Kansas, which started its men's basketball team program during the 1898-1899 season, was historic right from the start: The university's first coach was James Naismith, who is credited for inventing the sport. Between 1907 and 1909 (and, later, from 1919 to 1956), the Jayhawks were coached by Phog Allen, a man dubbed the "Father of Basketball Coaching." In addition to coaching greatness, Kansas has boasted an impressive array of future superstars on its roster, including Danny Manning, Paul Pierce, Clyde Lovellette, Joel Embiid and NBA great Wilt Chamberlain.
The Jayhawks played in the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association from 1907 through 1928, before joining the Big Six, which eventually evolved into the Big Seven and Big Eight. Since 1996, Kansas has played in the Big 12 Conference. Before moving to the Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks played at the Robinson Gymnasium from 1907 to 1927 and, later, the Hoch Auditorium. For over a century, the Jayhawks have faced off against their in-state rival, the Kansas State Wildcats, in a contest known as the Sunflower Showdown.