The Jayhawks entered the 2012 NCAA Tournament as a #2-seed in the Midwest Regional. After a win over Detroit Mercy, the Jayhawks rallied for a comeback victory over Purdue in the second round, a game in which Kansas led for only 45 seconds. In the regional rounds, Kansas secured a narrow victory over North Carolina State before facing top-seeded but injury-riddled North Carolina in the regional final. In only their second meeting against former KU coach Roy Williams, the Jayhawks sprinted with UNC to a 47–47 halftime tie, before ultimately claiming an 80–67 victory and a trip to New Orleans for the Final Four.