Trivia test: How many times has KU been sent to Des Moines? Bill Self tourney history

The NCAA Tournament committee has assigned Kansas games in Des Moines, Iowa — site of first- and second-round action in the 2023 event — just two times throughout history.

The 2022-23 Jayhawks, set to play Howard in an opening-round contest at 1 p.m. Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, will join KU’s 2015-16 team as the only squads to compete in Iowa in the Big Dance.

The 2015-16 Jayhawks, who like this year’s KU team captured a No. 1 seed but in the South Regional — KU is in the West Regional this time — drove 3 1/2 hours to take on No. 16 seed Austin Peay in the first round in Wells Fargo Arena.

The Jayhawks — they entered with a 30-4 record and overall No. 1 seed in the entire NCAA field after defeating Kansas State, Baylor and West Virginia in the 2016 Big 12 Tournament — clobbered the Governors 105-79 to advance into a second-round game against No. 9 seed UConn, also in Des Moines. The Jayhawks handled the Huskies 73-61 to move on to the Sweet 16 in Louisville.

KU upended Maryland 79-63 then fell to Villanova 64-59 in the Elite Eight as a 33-5 season came to a close in the state of Kentucky.

Back to the games in Des Moines … the Jayhawks rolled to a 26-point victory in the 2016 opener — the team’s 15th consecutive victory overall.

Svi Mykhailiuk scored a career-high 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting and Perry Ellis was right behind with 21 points in a game KU put away by halftime (48-28 lead).

Landen Lucas contributed 16 points and Wayne Selden 14. Frank Mason and Cheick Diallo each scored nine points. Guard Josh Robinson scored 24 for the Governors.

The UConn game was not as close as the score indicated. KU led 44-24 at halftime. Selden scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Ellis had 21 points and eight boards, completing an enjoyable trip to Iowa.

Selden and Ellis combined to hit 17 of 27 shots as KU advanced out of the Round of 32 to the Sweet 16 after suffering second-round defeats two years in a row.

Devonté Graham scored 13 points for Kansas, which had a 16-0 run in the first half and 19-0 run in the second half.

The Jayhawks played without any sign of nerves in nearby Des Moines. The team received a warm reception at its downtown Des Moines hotel from fans two days prior to the Austin Peay contest.

A local drill and drum corps performed for the KU players and coaches as they exited their bus after driving in from Lawrence,

“They are very good and very loud as well. I know our players enjoyed that a lot,” KU coach Bill Self said at the time of the drum-and-dance performance.

“It was fine,” he added of the drive on a rainy day. “It was a three-hour bus ride. We watched a good movie, watched ‘Creed,’ so everybody got fired up.”

The Jayhawks are to drive to Iowa on Tuesday, then practice Wednesday at Wells Fargo Arena, leading up to the Howard game Thursday.

Last year, the Jayhawks, the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Regional, opened their run to the national title by defeating Texas Southern 83-56 and No. 9 seed Creighton 79-72 on March 17 and 19 in Fort Worth, Texas. KU defeated No. 4 seed Providence 66-61 and No. 10 seed Miami 76-50 in Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in Chicago. KU beat Villanova 81-65 and North Carolina 72-69 at the Final Four in New Orleans.

Here’s a look at KU’s performance in the NCAA Tournament in the 20-year Bill Self era:

2022 NCAAs (as No. 1 seed): National championship with 6-0 record. Wins over Texas Southern, Creighton (in Fort Worth, Texas); Providence, Miami (in Chicago); Villanova, North Carolina (New Orleans)

2021 NCAAs (as No. 4 seed): Round of 32 with 1-1 record. Win over Eastern Washington, loss to USC (Indianapolis).

2019 NCAAs (as No. 4 seed): Round of 32 with 1-1 record. Win over Northeastern, loss to Auburn (Salt Lake City).

2018 NCAAs (as No. 1 seed): Final Four semifinal with 4-1 record: Wins over Penn, Seton Hall (Wichita); Clemson, Duke (Omaha); loss to Villanova (San Antonio)

2017 NCAAs (as No. 1 seed): Elite Eight with 3-1 record. Wins over UC Davis, Michigan State (Tulsa); win over Purdue, loss to Oregon (Kansas City).

2016 NCAAs (as No. 1 seed): Elite Eight with 3-1 record. Wins over Austin Peay, UConn (Des Moines, Iowa); win over Maryland, loss Villanova (Louisville).

2015 NCAAs (as No. 2 seed): Round of 32 with 1-1 record. Win over New Mexico State, loss to Wichita State (Omaha).

2014 NCAAs (as 2 seed): Round of 32 with 1-1 record. Win over Eastern Kentucky, loss to Stanford (St. Louis).

2013 NCAAs (as 1 seed): Sweet 16 with 2-1 record. Wins over Western Kentucky, North Carolina (Kansas City); loss to Michigan (Arlington, Texas).

2012 NCAAs (as 2 seed): National title game with 5-1 record. Wins over Detroit, Purdue (Omaha); wins over N.C. State, North Carolina (St. Louis); win over Ohio State, loss to Kentucky (New Orleans).

2011 NCAAs (as 1 seed): Elite Eight with 3-1 record. Wins over Boston, Illinois (Tulsa); win over Richmond, loss to VCU (San Antonio).

2010 NCAAs (as No. 1 seed): Round of 32 with 1-1 record. Win over Lehigh, loss to Northern Iowa (Oklahoma City).

2009 NCAAs (as No. 3 seed): Sweet 16 with 2-1 record: Wins over North Dakota State, Dayton (Minneapolis); loss to Michigan State (Indianapolis).

2008 NCAAs (as No. 1 seed): National championship with 6-0 record. Wins over Portland State, UNLV (Omaha); Villanova, Davidson (Detroit); North Carolina, Memphis (San Antonio).

2007 NCAAs (as No. 1 seed): Elite Eight with 1-1 record: Wins over Niagara, Kentucky (Chicago); Southern Illinois, loss to UCLA (San Jose, California).

2006 NCAAs (as No. 4 seed): First round with 0-1 record: Loss to Bradley (Auburn Hills, Michigan).

2005 NCAAs (as No. 3 seed): First round with 0-1 record: Loss to Bucknell (Oklahoma City).

2004 NCAAs (as No. 4 seed): Elite Eight with 3-1 record: Wins over Illinois-Chicago, Pacific (Kansas City); win UAB, loss Georgia Tech (St. Louis).