These are the reasons that WSU and KU don’t play every year
When the brackets came out on Selection Sunday, the whole state cheered in realization that both KU and WSU might play each other in the round of 32. They found themselves playing for bragging rights for the state of Kansas. The game did not disappoint the hype and Wichita State played lights out against their in-state “rival” proving that they deserve to play them more often. This probably won’t awaken the long overdue rivalry between the schools separated by only 160 miles of Kansas Turnpike and rolling farmland. Most fans want to see the rivalry happen every year but there’s one problem: the Jayhawks.
WSU vs KU Video – Small from smnw on Vimeo.KU has nothing to gain by playing Wichita State. They are not going to get any more recruits since they tend to get the best players in Kansas. The Jayhawks have played games in big market cities like Washington D.C, Boston, and Los Angeles looking for more revenue and new recruiting channels. I don’t blame them for this, they want to make more money. College basketball is a business and you have to stay on top to succeed.
Another reason is that it will look bad if KU loses. Many people say that if KU wins it just looks like another easy non conference victory but if they lose the only thing that will be talked about is that KU lost to a team in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The fans want to see the meeting because they want to see two good teams from the same state square off against each other. Universities need to look to fans and see what they want. They want to see this game happen and people will pay good money for it.
In the end, this would be a great game in our state but what it comes down to is: KU has everything to lose and nothing to gain.Other times KU and WSU have played:
1908: First game played in Wichita, KU 65-15 Fairmount College (to become Wichita State)
1941: First actual meeting between KU and Wichita State in Wichita, KU 54-39 WSU
1981: First tournament game at Midwest Regional Semifinals in New Orleans, WSU 66-65 KU
2015: Third Round of the NCAA Men’s Tournament in Omaha, WSU 78-65 KU
