Kansas getting Border War win over Missouri 'means everything' to Jalen Wilson

Kansas is fresh off a national championship, getting a second one for head coach Bill Self. But it’s a new year with new goals and aspirations early in the season. One was continuing dominance against Missouri, with the Border War returning to Columbia for the first time since 2011. The Jayhawks did exactly that, getting a 28-point win on Saturday afternoon.

Jalen Wilson is one of the few players returning from last year’s squad and got to experience the rivalry in Lawrence in 2021. He knows how important getting this specific win is to Kansas. Not just Self or the players but fans and even the city of Lawrence.

“It means everything,” Wilson said during a postgame interview on ESPN. “This is bigger than us, bigger than our team. This is about the city of Lawrence, the Kansas community, and the Jayhawk family. This is what everyone wants.

“The rivalry that’s been going on for so many years. To come out here and represent not just my team but my school and fanbase, it’s special. And to get the win is amazing.”

Kansas and Missouri first met in 1907, beginning a long rivalry of hatred. While the Tigers won the first two games, it’s been all Rock Chalk over the years, having a 175-95 series lead.

When Missouri decided to leave the Big 12 in favor of the SEC, nearly a decade separated the two meetings on the basketball court. Feb. 25, 2012, was the last matchup before last year’s game in Lawrence on Dec. 11, 2021.

The two schools are now in the second year of a six-year agreement. Kansas has been on the winning side both times, as Wilson has made his presence known in the Border War.

Coming off the bench a season ago, Wilson managed just seven points and four rebounds in a comfortable 37-point win. What a difference a year can make, as Wilson dropped 24 points and 10 rebounds at Mizzou Arena for double-double No. 21 in his college career.

Wilson might be from Denton, TX, but it’s hard to deny how important this rivalry means to the people of Kansas. Three in a row have now gone in favor of the Jayhawks, with four more on the schedule at the moment.

There will be bigger goals for Kansas throughout the entire season but for now, celebrating another dominant rivalry win is what Wilson, his teammates, and everyone in Lawrence will be doing.