Instead, the No. 6-seeded Jayhawks wilted in an 88-77 loss at T-Mobile Center. A prime example came when Kansas trailed by five with 4:06 left. Kansas turned the ball over on two straight possessions and eventually lost another winnable game.

The finals, between Houston and Arizona, will take place March 15 at 6:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. CT. Notably, this is Arizona’s first year as a member of the Big 12 conference, following the numerous shakeups in the conferences. This will mark Houston’s return to the finals after falling to Iowa in 2024 in their first year in the Big 12.