Key to Kansas Jahawks' Success: Great Defensive Perfomances, Not Offensive Ones

"Defense wins championships." No matter what the sport, the cliche remains the same.

No team epitomizes that cliche more aptly than the top ranked Kansas Jayhawks. 

The Jayhawks have held their first 13 opponents to an average of 58.1 points per game, an impressive figure.

However, what's more impressive is that Kansas has held opponents to under 40 percent  field goal percentages on avarage this season. 

If you've kept tabs on Kansas since Bill Self took over for Roy Williams in the fall of 2003, you'd know that coach Self has always stressed defensive dominance. 

After many of the Jayhawks' 13 wins this year, Self has complained that the defensive performances weren't good enough. 

His criticism has usually stemmed from the fact that up until the victory against Temple on Saturday, his team has yet to play what equates to good defense in his mind for an entire game. 

If the cliche is accurate, as most cliches are, then the message should be clear to the Jayhawks. Continue to play defense like you did against Temple, and you are going to be tough to beat come tournament time. 

While this season's team may not have the defensive talent of the 2007-2008 National Championship team, they make up for that in grit. 

The Morris twins (Marcus and Markieff) have seemed to evolve into post players that are looking to at least deflect wayward entry passes to their opposition, if not looking to steal the pass outright by sliding off the backs of their man. 

Freshman stud Xavier Henry has bought into the fact that his success on the offensive end correlates with the amount of effort he puts in on the defensive end. 

His defensive performances over the last few games have been an added bonus to a stout perimeter defense that is one of the best in the country.  

The Jayhawks' superior athletic ability means they'll defend you one-on-one for the entire game. Their guards are long and aggressive, and  the Morris twins love playing with active hands. 

Everyone loves offense. Perhaps that's why Kansas hasn't been as lauded as many Jayhawk fans would like see on ESPN and in other media outlets. 

Maybe they have a point. The Jayhawks are averaging nearly 88 points per contest. 

In fact, what they are doing on offense can't go unmentioned. 

It seems like the Jayhawks will have no problem scoring 80 points every game. Those who may disagree and say offense is more important than defense might say, "So long as the Jayhawks get 80 or more every game, they'll beat everyone with the exception of Texas." 

This team is going to score a lot of points, it's a given. 

I would be more concerned about (and I think coach Self would agree with me) if or when the Jayhawks just have an inexplicably horrible shooting night, where nothing seems to go in.

How are the Jayhawks going to win if that happens? The answer is obvious.

If Kansas continues to play this kind of stingy, give nothing away defense, they won't have to worry about shooting 40 to 45 percent on the offensive end because they'll win in spite of the poor offensive performance.  

My point may have already been validated in the Memphis game this year, where the Jayhawks narrowly squeaked by 57-55. 

In that game, Kansas shot 45 percent but held the Tigers to 35 percent shooting. Luck? Coincidence? I think not.

This is one of my favorite Jayhawk stats.

The 2008 Championship team held every opponent they faced in the tournament to under 40 percent with the exception of Memphis in the title game. They held them to just over 40 percent. 

The blueprint is clear. 

If Kansas continues to play defense like they are currently playing, then I'd predict great things for this squad. 

Games against Cornell and Tennessee precede a tough Big XII conference schedule.

Winning another Big XII title, and the National Championship will not be easy feats. But if Kansas can satisfy the old cliche, my guess is that they will love where they stand come April.