HOUSTON — The injuries that are affecting Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. were significant topics of conversation, following Kansas basketball’s loss this past Saturday at Houston.

The loss itself was bad enough, considering the Cougars completed a 76-46 rout of the Jayhawks. Houston proved itself capable of enjoying the honor of the Big 12 Conference regular season championship, and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Big 12 tournament, while Kansas settled into a No. 6 seed. And while the Jayhawks have been able to enjoy success at times this season, ahead of postseason play those injuries to Dickinson and McCullar have highlighted how slim the team’s margin for error is.

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But there was more to take away from Kansas’ loss. Dickinson, a senior center, and McCullar, a graduate senior guard, might not have changed all that much of the final result had they been able to remain fully healthy. And here are a few more takeaways from that game between the Jayhawks (22-9, 10-8 in Big 12) and the Cougars (28-3, 15-3 in Big 12).

Houston presented a heightened level of intensity, but Kansas could have done more

As Kansas graduate senior forward Parker Braun would acknowledge postgame, there was a stark difference between the two times his side has faced Houston this season. Back in February, when they faced off in Lawrence, the Jayhawks had their fans behind them during a 78-65 win. The atmosphere was much different when the Cougars were the home team in March.

But Braun noted that’s not really and excuse, and Kansas coach Bill Self also pushed back on the venue being the lead difference. Self highlighted how much more Houston was playing for. Self highlighted that he would’t fault the Jayhawks’ effort, just their competitiveness.

“They were turned up and ready, and we tried to prepare our guys to be prepared for that,” Self said. “And you get a good team that’s well-coached, that’s well-drilled and they’re turned up and athletic and you have so much to play for — that’s what happens sometimes when the other team doesn’t do enough to make them play poorly or stem the tide and that’s obviously what happened today.”

Kansas doesn’t credit Houston’s arena for the loss

Self praised the environment Houston’s home crowd presented, especially compared to what the Cougars have had in the past before they joined the Big 12. Braun mentioned how it felt like the crowd was on top of them, and that they could notice how much Houston’s players were energized by it. But while the Cougars’ win meant they remained undefeated at home, the Jayhawks’ struggles loomed large.

“I’m not going to give the building credit on why we played so poorly and they played so good,” said Self, whose team has struggled mightily on the road this season. “I mean, they were turned up and ready to go and the few good possessions we had we came away empty on them, and the few bad possessions they had it seems like they got three points at the end of the clock. So, it was one of those days.”

Houston is a team that could win a national championship

Self’s praise for what Houston’s roster has flowed quickly postgame. There’s what the Cougars have on the perimeter, as well as inside. But while there’s more than just one team that could win the national championship this season, considering the likes of Tennessee and UConn, in his mind Houston is assuredly in that conversation.

“If they played well they could give Houston all they wanted, but Houston’s got to be one of the favorites,” Self said. “I hope they’re the No. 1 overall seed going into the tournament. I personally think they deserve that, winning our league in dominant fashion — which they have.”

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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: 3 more takeaways from Kansas basketball’s Big 12 loss against Houston