Kansas Coasts Past Miami to the Final Four

The Jayhawks have played in 15 previous Final Fours, including three during Coach Bill Self’s tenure, and own the longest active streak of N.C.A.A. tournament appearances, with 32 straight. On Friday, Kansas surpassed Kentucky as the program with the most wins. But for a team with high expectations for itself, national titles have been elusive, with only one, in 2008, since Self took over as coach in 2003.

In a tournament that had been unfriendly to top-seeded teams, Kansas kept winning, though not dominating, at least not until late in the Miami game. The Jayhawks endured a closer-than-expected challenge from Creighton in the round of 32 and outlasted No. 4 Providence on Friday even without much offense from Agbaji.

The program still feels the sting of the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, when the Jayhawks were ranked first in the final Associated Press poll. Many in Lawrence, Kan., believed a championship had been possible.

“I never felt like this team was the best team in the country this year,” Self said before the game with Miami. “I felt like in ’20, that was the best team in the country.”

But this year’s team, whose youngest starters are redshirt sophomores, has proved resourceful and experienced. The recent emergence of Martin, a postseason bench scoring threat who dealt with injuries earlier in the season, has added to a sense that a championship is possible.

“This year’s team is different, totally,” Self said. “But I do think that this year’s team has the same chance to do as well just because they have a strong belief that they can accomplish anything. And it’s been impressive for me to watch them grow in that belief this year.”

Kansas and Villanova will be joined in the Final Four by Duke, a two seedc, and by either eighth-seeded North Carolina or 15th-seeded St. Peter’s, who will play each other later Sunday.