Kansas' Players Era Festival Run Could Produce a Matchup Against Top-Ranked Team

The Kansas basketball team will have spent one week without games before embarking on a three-game tournament in the Players Era 8 Festival. The Jayhawks went undefeated in last year's edition of the event, finishing in third place after capping off their run with a come-from-behind victory over Tennessee.

Bill Self's squad will open the showcase this upcoming Tuesday in a first-round opener against UNLV, and the winner of that contest will take on West Virginia or Auburn. Whoever comes out victorious on KU's side of the bracket will advance to the championship round versus Houston, Rutgers, Florida, or Notre Dame.
It would be somewhat unusual to watch the Jayhawks square off with Houston when the two schools already meet later in the campaign during Big 12 play. The real clash fans should keep an eye out for is a potential showdown against top-ranked Florida.

Kansas Basketball Could Get Chance to Upset Florida

Coming into the season, the Gators were voted the No. 1 team in the country and widely considered the clear-cut favorite to win it all. They are two seasons removed from winning a national title and brought back top contributors like Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon.

So far, UF has already defeated a ranked Miami (FL) team and Florida State on the road. Its toughest test yet could come in the second round of the Playera Era Festival, as there is a strong chance Todd Golden's group goes head-to-head with Kelvin Sampson and Houston.

Kansas is only ranked No. 15 in the nation, but its revamped roster with newcomers like Tyran Stokes and Trey Kaufman-Renn has the firepower to make a deep tournament run. The Jayhawks recently drubbed Kentucky by 20 points in the Champions Classic for their first marquee win of the year.
Even without Melvin Council Jr., Self and his coaching staff have demonstrated an ability to prepare for tournaments like these. It can be demanding for players to partake in three high-level games in as many days, but last year's undefeated showing proves the Jayhawks are built for these types of moments.

While a matchup with Florida would be incredibly challenging, it is one the fanbase should be rooting for. Early-season losses in nonconference play don't mean as much as the exposure the team will get from playing elite competition. More importantly, upsetting the top school in the nation would only strengthen KU's resume.

Before worrying about a title-game appearance, the Jayhawks still need to take care of the opponents in front of them. Both Auburn and WVU are sneaky dangerous teams that could knock off anyone in the bracket.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as Kansas' Players Era Festival Run Could Produce a Matchup Against Top-Ranked Team.