Indiana basketball vs. Kansas: Who wins in an all-time historical matchup?

On Saturday, No. 14 Indiana basketball takes on No. 8 Kansas in a battle of two of the best college basketball programs of all time. Who will come out on top this weekend?

Putting together these two college basketball rosters and dwindling both of them down to a starting five and a sixth man off the bench is a task that is nearly impossible without some sort of ridiculous compromise and hurt fans of each respective school.

Before diving into the all-time starting lineups and sixth men chosen, let me preface with some hoopers I left off each list for this specific occasion. For the Jayhawks, leaving off Mario Chalmers (2008 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player), Nick Collison (2002-03 Big 12 Player of the Year), and Raef LaFrentz (1997-98 Big 12 Player of the Year) was a difficult task, but it seems as though many Jayhawk fans will agree with these six as their all-time lineup.

Now for the Hoosiers, not including Scott May (1975-76 Naismith Award winner), Kent Benson (1976 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player), and Don Schlundt (3-time Consensus All-American), among others, was tough. But the six Hoosiers included in this lineup, I think, could beat any team’s all-time college basketball lineup.

Kansas Jayhawks All-Time Starting Five + 6th Man

G – Frank Mason III (13.0 PTS | 4.0 AST | 1.1 STL | 1.3 3PM)
G – Devonte Graham (12.3 PTS | 4.5 AST | 1.4 STL | 2.1 3PM)
F – Paul Pierce (16.4 PTS | 6.4 REB | 1.4 STL | 48.1 FG%)
F – Danny Manning (20.1 PTS | 8.1 REB | 1.7 STL | 1.4 BLK | 59.3 FG%)
C – Wilt Chamberlain (29.9 PTS | 18.3 REB | 47.0 FG%)

6th Man – Clyde Lovellette (24.5 PTS | 10.2 REB | 45.2 FG%)

Indiana Hoosiers All-Time Starting Five + 6th Man

G – Isiah Thomas (15.4 PTS | 5.7 AST | 2.2 STL | 53.4 FG%)
G – Steve Alford (19.5 PTS | 3.1 AST | 1.4 STL | 3.1 3PM | 53.0 3P%)
F – Calbert Cheaney (19.8 PTS | 5.4 REB | 55.9 FG% | 43.8 3P%)
F – George McGinnis (30.0 PTS | 14.7 REB | 46.0 FG%)
C – Walt Bellamy (20.6 PTS | 15.5 REB | 51.7 FG%)

6th Man – Mike Woodson (19.8 PTS | 5.6 REB | 50.5 FG%)

Who wins this matchup? Do any current Indiana basketball players or Kansas Jayhawks players end up on an all-time list like this in the future? Not entirely sure about the Jayhawks, but Trayce Jackson-Davis has the opportunity to cement his Indiana basketball legacy this season with a winning season for the Hoosiers.

Matchup Prediction Between All-Time Starting Five & 6th Man

Led by Coach Bobby Knight, the Indiana Hoosiers would come out on top of the Jayhawks, led by current head coach, Bill Self. Isiah Thomas’ playmaking abilities and Steve Alford’s outside shooting, along with the presence inside would be too much for Kansas to handle defensively to slow down the Hoosiers in this all-time meeting.

Let’s hope for a similar outcome for our 2022-23 Hoosiers led by Coach Mike Woodson on Saturday against No. 8 Kansas on the road.