Suddenly, there are doubts. Suddenly, weâÂÂre not sure.

Is Kansas UniversityâÂÂs menâÂÂs basketball team overrated?

Are the Jayhawks really as tepid and tentative as they appeared in Wednesday nightâÂÂs stunning loss to North Carolina in the Preseason NIT semifinals?

Or was that defeat merely an anomaly, a fluke destined to occur during the course of a long basketball season?

Two similar games come to mind – the loss to Michigan State in the now- defunct Great Eight in 1999 in ChicagoâÂÂs United Center, and last seasonâÂÂs defeat at the hands of Oklahoma in the championship game of the 2002 Big 12 Tournament.

All three losses were by virtually identical scores. North Carolina won 67-56, Michigan State 66-54 and Oklahoma 64-55. Each game featured opposing athletes so motivated and so quick and active that they shut down the Jayhawksâ freewheeling offense.

As you know, the loss to Oklahoma was a mere bump in the pavement, a meaningless defeat that occurred late in the season and had about as much affect on the Jayhawks as a spit wad shot from a pea shooter.

Not so that Michigan State mauling. Like the North Carolina shocker, it happened early in the season. KU went in with a 6-0 record, including the championship of the Great Alaska Shootout, and the Spartans never allowed the Jayhawks to take an open shot all night.

As you may recall, that 1999-2000 team was not a vintage Roy Williams team, and the Michigan State game was a harbinger. That KU club would go on to lose nine more games, including a 69-64 decision to Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Now the question is: Was the North Carolina loss merely a blip on the radar screen like the OU defeat, or was it more an example of foreshadowing like the Michigan State loss?

Right now, IâÂÂd have to say the latter because any team is equal to the sum of its parts, and Williams may not have enough parts to manufacture a Top 10 ranking, much less a Big 12 championship or a trip to the NCAA Final Four.

Sure, itâÂÂs early, but it is becoming increasingly clear Williams doesnâÂÂt have the firepower he needs to make the Jayhawks a national power. One proven three-point shooter isnâÂÂt enough. When Kirk Hinrich is on the bench – as he was often on Wednesday night nursing a back problem – the Jayhawks have no real outside threat.

Also, KU does not have a go-to guy like Gooden who was so athletic he could make things happen without setting screens or working a play.

In the North Carolina game, Wayne Simien, GoodenâÂÂs replacement, had five offensive rebounds. Very good. Yes, but North CarolinaâÂÂs Sean May had five blocked shots, and the bulk of MayâÂÂs rejections were on Simien stick-back attempts.

At least Simien didnâÂÂt have any turnovers. KU was guilty of 21 giveaways and two-thirds of those were steals by the Tar Heels. Point guard Aaron Milesâ numbers were particularly ugly – 1-for-6 from the floor with six turnovers and four fouls.

If Miles has another bad game against Florida tonight, there will be genuine cause for concern, and Miles will be heading for his homecoming game a week from Saturday against Oregon in Portland with a cloud over his head.

All in all, though, it would appear KUâÂÂs future opponents will go to school on Matt DohertyâÂÂs game plan – if they have the speed to get back on defense and disrupt the Jayhawksâ catalytical running game, and the discipline to spread the floor on offense and dare KU to try to guard them.

âÂÂIf we bounce back and focus,â Williams said, âÂÂwe have a chance to come back and be a very good basketball team.âÂÂ

Kansas isnâÂÂt chopped liver, by any means, but the Jayhawks may not be the highest price item on the menu, either.