Kansas Jayhawks Earn No. 4 Seed in 2026 NCAA Tournament, to Face Cal Baptist

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks have received an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 seed in the East Region. The 68-team tournament bracket was announced Sunday evening.

Making its 53rd all-time appearance in the tournament, Kansas will face No. 13 seed Cal Baptist in the first round on Friday, March 20, at Viejas Arena in San Diego, California. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:45 p.m. CT and will be televised on CBS. This first-round matchup marks the first-ever meeting between Kansas and Cal Baptist.

Jayhawks Season Overview

Kansas enters the NCAA Tournament with an overall record of 23-10, having tied for third place in the Big 12 Conference during the regular season with a 12-6 league mark. This marks the Jayhawks’ 36th consecutive tournament appearance, extending a streak that began in 1990.

Historically, Kansas boasts an impressive 113-50 record in the NCAA Tournament, including 15 Final Four appearances and four NCAA Tournament Titles, the most recent coming in 2022.

Key Players and Coaching

The Jayhawks feature four players scoring in double figures, led by a trio of All-Big 12 honorees. Flory Bidunga has been recognized as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-Big 12 First Team selection. Melvin Council Jr. Was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and received all-league honorable mention. Freshman guard Darryn Peterson secured an All-Big 12 Second Team selection and leads the team in scoring with an average of 19.8 points per game.

Head coach Bill Self is leading the Jayhawks in the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd time. Under his guidance, Kansas has achieved a 43-19 tournament record, including National Championships in 2008 and 2022.

Cal Baptist’s Tournament Debut

The Cal Baptist Lancers, representing Riverside, California, are making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance as champions of the Western Athletic Conference. They enter the tournament with a 25-8 record, having defeated Utah Valley 63-61 in the WAC Championship game on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Kansas’ Tournament History as a No. 4 Seed

This is the seventh time Kansas has earned a No. 4 seed in the tournament and the first since 2024. In 2024, the Jayhawks defeated No. 13 Samford 93-89 in the first round before falling to No. 5 Gonzaga. Kansas holds a 9-6 all-time record when competing in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed.

Tournament Schedule

The 2026 NCAA Tournament commenced with the First Four on Tuesday-Wednesday, March 17-18, in Dayton, Ohio. The first weekend of competition includes the first round on Thursday-Friday, March 19-20, followed by second-round play on Saturday-Sunday, March 21-22.