It’s been a tough two weeks for Kansas. The Jayhawks have been drilled by 43 points in their last 3 road games – all by double digits. These losses should not be taken lightly. Reaching for the panic button is not over reacting with this team. This is not what most of us expected after a 14-1 start to begin their season.

We’re closing in on the halfway mark of the conference slate and KU sits at 5-3 in the Big 12. There’s still plenty of time for Bill Self to figure it out, but something is not right with this basketball team right now. The Jayhawks have nearly everyone back from last year. They have a veteran roster with 4 seniors and 6 juniors. That doesn’t happen often in this day of one and done players to the NBA. In addition, then throw in a pair of freshmen McDonald All Americans.

This team should never be embarrassed like it has been in the past couple of weeks. Bill Self is relying heavily on his guards which is probably too much in the first month of the conference season. KU played to its lofty ranking only one time in the past month. That was the overtime win against the No. 1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners at Allen Fieldhouse. That was one of the best basketball games I’ve ever seen.

Monday night at Ames, the Jayhawks were really good for the first 25 minutes before crumbling in the second half. KU looked lost after falling behind. The Jayhawks lacked poise and the ability to rally in a hostile environment. The losses at WVA and Iowa State are not bad losses but the meltdown at Stillwater was a disaster.

One of the glaring weaknesses in the Iowa State game was the fact the KU guards had no answers for their counterparts. The Cyclones back court trio was far superior on this night. That is a concern going forward. Self is counting on 4 players to carry the load. Ellis, Selden, Mason and Graham are all averaging about 30 minutes a game. There is little production to be found anywhere else except for the 3 ball when Brannen Greene is on.

Perry Ellis has been the “horse” as the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, but Ellis needs some help from Selden on the glass. The highly publicized freshman, Cheick Diallo, has been a bust. You have to wonder if Self hasn’t taken his foot off the pedal. The streak, I’m sure, is in the back of the minds of the players but the incredible run could be in serious jeopardy. Six of the remaining ten conference games could fall easily under the category of “toss-up” games. Road trips to Norman, Manhattan, Waco and Austin could be identified as choppy sailing at best.

I still strongly believe KU will run the table again and win all their conference home games but trouble looms when the Jayhawks hit the road. Let’s be honest, this league is more difficult than it’s been in recent years. There are better teams and more of them. KU, a year ago, lost 5 games in the Big 12, the most ever by a Bill Self coached team. The last two seasons, the Jayhawks have gone 27-9 in the league, the worst 2 year stretch during Self’s tenure at Kansas. Still, KU won the league both years and the streak remains alive.

This is still a very good basketball team but it’s also a team that has not played up to expectations this season on the road. When you break down the remaining conference schedule, Oklahoma appears to have the best crack at ending KU’s miraculous streak of 11 straight titles.