
Given the success of our football X-factor simulations — and the likely success of the KU men's basketball team — we here at KUsports.com are bringing the virtual games to the virtual hardwood of Allen Fieldhouse.
Each week KU has a game, we'll simulate that contest using EA Sports' NCAA March Madness 2005. If the real Jayhawks have two or more games that week, we'll pick the top one (or maybe two, come the Big 12 Conference season, Big 12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament) and pit KU against its real opponent(s). Just like in our football X-Factor simulations, the game will control each team, so as to not unfairly affect the outcome. Click here for our full methodology.
We'll then give you a rundown of the game, just as if it were a real tilt. We'll include a full box score, pictures (or screen captures, if you prefer) and video highlights. Too much, you might say? Pshaw, we reply. As KU fans have proven for years, there is no such level as "too much" when it comes to covering the Jayhawks (even the virtual ones).
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The No. 1-ranked virtual Kansas Jayhawks started the year right with a 93-54 victory over Vermont in the first X-Factor basketball simulation. Kansas jumped out to a 14-4 lead four minutes into the game and never looked back. The Jayhawks led, 44-23, at halftime thanks to a blistering 70.4 field-goal percentage, including 66.7 percent shooting from three-point range. Vermont shot just 38.6 percent before intermission, though the Catamounts did outrebound the Jayhawks, 9-8. Full story.
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After last week's hard-fought real-life win over Vermont, the last thing Kansas University's virtual men's basketball team wanted was another close game. Unfortunately for the virtual Jayhawks, a tight contest was just what they got against St. Joseph's. KU stayed tough, though, and pulled out a 93-82 victory in this week's X-Factor simulation. Full story.
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In last season's NCAA Tournament, Pacific's Guillaume Yango scored 22 points and grabbed six rebounds in the Tigers' 78-63 loss to the Kansas Jayhawks. In this week's X-Factor simulation, Kansas held Yango to four points and four boards in just nine minutes, forcing him into a team-high five turnovers in a 103-80 virtual KU victory. Full story.
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It's hard to blame one player for a loss. But if this week's X-Factor simulation had been a real game, you can be sure that Kansas University message boards across the country would have been full of irate fans putting KU's 102-101 loss to TCU squarely on Keith Langford's shoulders. KU's senior shooting guard scored just six points in 33 minutes, hitting just 2 of 13 shots from the field (including 2-of-8 shooting from three-point range) and turning the ball over a team-high three times. Full story.
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For the second straight men's basketball X-Factor simulation, the Kansas University Jayhawks struggled defensively. And for the second straight simulation, the Jayhawks' defensive struggles resulted in a high-scoring loss for KU. This time, South Carolina defeated Kansas, 118-109, in overtime after shooting 58.8 percent. The Gamecocks fell behind by double digits early in the first half, but closed the gap to just five points, 51-46, at intermission. Full story.
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No Wayne Simien, no problem for the virtual Kansas University men's basketball team against Georgia Tech in this week's X-Factor simulation. Freshman center C.J. Giles started in place of Simien and finished with a solid line of 12 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks in the Jayhawks' 100-86 victory over the Yellow Jackets. Full story.
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Kansas University's first virtual men's basketball road game resulted in the team's third virtual loss, a 109-92 defeat at the hands of Kentucky in this week's X-Factor simulation. The Jayhawks started strong with an 11-5 lead after a three-pointer by Keith Langford, but the Wildcats took the lead midway through the first half with strong shooting, and never trailed again. Full story.
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Just like the real-life men's basketball game Wednesday against Iowa State, our virtual Wayne Simien and Keith Langford led the X-Factor Jayhawks to victory in this week's simulation. Kansas defeated Colorado, 91-70, in this week's virtual match-up behind 33 points from Langford and 12 points and four rebounds from Simien. Full story.
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Despite missing center Jason Fraser with a broken hand, the virtual Villanova Wildcats gave the Kansas Jayhawks a run for their money in this week's X-Factor before falling to KU, 105-94. The Jayhawks led in the opening minutes, but ended up trailing for much of the middle of the first half, before finally taking the lead for good with a run late in the period. Full story.
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Despite missing P.J. Tucker and LaMarcus Aldridge while playing in Allen Fieldhouse, the Texas Longhorns held off the Kansas Jayhawks, 109-105, in this week's X-Factor simulation. The Jayhawks led through the first six and a half minutes, but the Longhorns then took the lead and never relinquished it. Texas led 48-45 at halftime Ñ a lead which would have been more had it not been for KU's 12 blocked shots before intermission. Full story.
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Apparently the virtual Jayhawks couldn't keep any momentum from the real Kansas University men's basketball team's win over Texas on Saturday, falling to Missouri, 70-68, in the latest X-Factor simulation. Despite Linas Kleiza scoring just two points and missing two-thirds of the game with foul trouble, the Jayhawks couldn't get much going inside. Full story.
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The virtual Jayhawks started slow against the Buffaloes, but took control midway through the first half and held on for a 73-64 victory in this week's X-Factor simulation. Colorado kept the game close by shutting down KU's inside game. The Buffaloes held Jayhawk big men Wayne Simien, Christian Moody, Sasha Kaun, Moulaye Niang and Darnell Jackson to just eight combined points in the first half, and 20 in the game. Full story.
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Apparently, the virtual Jayhawks were sick of it and wouldn't take any more. After the real Kansas University men's basketball team lost back-to-back overtime games last week, our virtual Jayhawks didn't let overtime even enter the minds of the Oklahoma Sooners in this week's X-Factor simulation. Kansas jumped out to an early lead and ran away with the game, defeating Oklahoma, 74-53. Full story.
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Kansas University's virtual men's basketball team didn't let its first trip into Paige Sports Arena — the video game won't let Missouri forget Ms. Laurie's indiscretions — be intimidating, easily handling the Tigers in an 85-72 victory. The Jayhawks took an early lead and didn't look back, never leading by fewer than 10 points after midway through the first half. Kansas led by 13 points at halftime and won by the same margin after both teams scored 36 points after intermission.
Full story.
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Kansas University sophomore J.R. Giddens made up for Keith Langford's reduced play with 25 points and five rebounds in the Jayhawks' 83-58 virtual victory over the Bucknell Bison in the first X-Factor simulation of the NCAA Tournament. Giddens also grabbed five rebounds in 23 minutes, helping replace Langford. The injured senior scored seven points in 13 minutes off the bench. Full story.
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