# 1951–52 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team

The 1951–52 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas in the 1951–52 NCAA men's basketball season, which was the Jayhawks' 54th. They were led by coach Phog Allen in his 35th season overall, 33rd consecutive. He guided Kansas to its first NCAA Tournament championship, their 3rd National Championship overall, behind center Clyde Lovellette, who scored 33 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in an 80–63 victory over St. John's in the title game. Lovellette became the only player in NCAA history to lead the nation in scoring while leading his team to the national championship in the same season. Also on the team was Dean Smith, who later went on to a Hall of Fame coaching career at North Carolina. Seven members of the team, as well as Allen, would be named to the 1952 United States men's Olympic basketball team.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| December 3* | | Baylor | W 57–46 | 1-0 | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| December 8* | | Denver | W 84–53 | 2-0 | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| December 10* | No. 8 | Creighton | W 65–47 | 3-0 | Vinardi Center Omaha, NE |
| December 14* | No. 8 | at SMU | W 74–51 | 4-0 | Perkins Gym Dallas, TX |
| December 15* | No. 8 | at SMU | W 58–57 | 5-0 | Perkins Gym Dallas, TX |
| December 18 | No. 7 | vs. Rice | W 68–48 | 6-0 | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| December 22* | No. 7 | USC | W 76–55 | 7-0 | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| December 26 | No. 4 | vs. Colorado | W 76–56 | 8-0 | Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, MO |
| December 28 | No. 4 | vs. No. 8 Kansas State Sunflower Showdown | W 90–88 | 9-0 | Memorial Auditorium Kansas City, MO |
| December 29 | No. 4 | vs. Missouri Border War | W 75–65 | 10-0 | Memorial Auditorium Kansas City, MO |
| January 5 | No. 1 | Oklahoma | W 71–48 | 11-0 (1-0) | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| January 12 | No. 1 | at Missouri Border War | W 60–59 | 12-0 (2-0) | Brewer Fieldhouse Columbia, MO |
| January 14 | No. 1 | at Nebraska | W 69–66 | 13-0 (3-0) | Nebraska Coliseum Lincoln, NE |
| January 26 | No. 2 | at No. 7 Kansas State Sunflower Showdown | L 64–81 | 13-1 (3-1) | Ahearn Field House Manhattan, KS |
| January 30* | No. 4 | at Oklahoma A&M | L 45–49 | 13-2 | Gallagher-Iba Arena Stillwater, OK |
| February 2 | No. 4 | Iowa State | W 86–68 | 14-2 (4-1) | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| February 4 | No. 4 | Colorado | W 73–68 | 15-2 (5-1) | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| February 11 | No. 6 | at Iowa State | W 55–50 | 16-2 (6-1) | The Armory Ames, IA |
| February 16 | No. 9 | Nebraska | W 90–52 | 17-2 (7-1) | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| February 19* | No. 7 | Oklahoma A&M | W 66–46 | 18-2 | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| February 25 | No. 9 | Missouri Border War | W 65–54 | 19-2 (8-1) | Hoch Auditoriium Lawrence, KS |
| March 1 | No. 8 | at Oklahoma | W 74–55 | 20-2 (9-1) | Field House Norman, OK |
| March 7 | No. 8 | No. 3 Kansas State Sunflower Showdown | W 78–61 | 21-2 (10-1) | Hoch Auditorium Lawrence, KS |
| March 10 | No. 8 | at Colorado | W 72–55 | 22-2 (11-1) | Balch Fieldhouse Boulder, CO |
| March 21* | No. 8 | vs. TCU NCAA regional semifinals | W 68–64 | 23-2 | Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, MO |
| March 22* | No. 8 | vs. No. 5 Saint Louis NCAA Regional Finals | W 74–55 | 24-2 | Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, MO |
| March 25* | No. 8 | vs. Santa Clara NCAA National Semifinals | W 74–55 | 25-2 | Hec Edmundson Pavilion Seattle, WA |
| March 26* | No. 8 | vs. No. 10 St. John's National Championship | W 80–63 | 26-2 | Hec Edmundson Pavilion Seattle, WA |
| March 30* | No. 8 | vs. Southwest Missouri State | W 92–65 | 27-2 | Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, MO |
| March 31* | No. 8 | vs. La Salle | W 70–65 | 28-2 | Madison Square Garden (III) New York, NY |
| April 1* | No. 8 | vs. Peoria | L 60–62 | 28-3 | Madison Square Garden (III) New York, NY |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||

## Awards and honors

* Clyde Lovellette, NCAA Men's MOP Award

## Team players drafted into the NBA

| Round | Pick | Player | NBA Club |
| 1 | 9 | Clyde Lovellette | Minneapolis Lakers |