Those who look at comparative scores would have to conclude that the University of the Pacific has one heck of a men’s basketball team.

The unranked Tigers, who take a 2-0 record into today’s game at No. 2-ranked Kansas University, defeated Santa Clara, 71-65, Nov. 23 in Stockton, Calif.

Santa Clara has beaten perennial powerhouses Stanford, 86-76, and North Carolina, 77-66, this young season.

Currently ranked ninth in the country, North Carolina held a No. 4 ranking at the time of the loss to the Broncos.

“I just don’t understand why we are not ranked No. 10 in the country, right?” 17th-year Pacific coach Bob Thomason said with a laugh.

Tip today will be 2 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse, and the game will be televised live on channels 13 and 38 (Sunflower Broadband Channel 15) with a replay at 10:30 tonight on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

Pacific, which returns three starters from last year’s 25-8 team (17-1 Big West Conference), has been receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Today poll.

“Most of them are from me because I have a vote,” Thomason quipped. “We’re 22-2 in our last 24 games. We’re OK right now. Potentially we could be pretty good.”

KU coach Bill Self and his Jayhawks know all about Pacific’s past success and future potential.

Pacific basketball coach Bob Thomason, right instructs a player during the Big West tournament in this March 2004 file photo. The Tigers will be in Lawrence today to take on No. 2-ranked Kansas University.

The Tigers and Jayhawks were tied, 51-51, with 11 minutes to play in last year’s second-round NCAA Tournament game at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo. Michael Lee scored nine straight points in a 15-4 burst that propelled the Jayhawks to a 78-63 victory and spot in the Sweet 16.

“We played really well against them, and it was tied with 10 1/2 minutes left,” Self said. “We finished the game great.”

KU held Big West player of the year Miah Davis, who has departed, to 10 points off 3-of-10 shooting that day. Returnees Guillaume Yango and Christian Maraker, who have been named to the preseason all-Big West team, combined for 26 points.

“Yango (6-foot-9 senior, 13.0 ppg) killed us last year. He went for 22 points,” Self said. “We did the job on Miah Davis and neutralized him. They’ve got Maraker (6-9, 12.5 ppg). He can really shoot. He was 4-of-5 from three the last game (against Santa Clara).

“If you help too much on the post, he can stretch the defense. They are really sound.”

Thomason hopes the Tigers copy last year’s performance in one respect.

“What helped was the first two time outs we held our own, and it gave us a chance to settle down,” Thomason said. “We have to make some shots and take care of the ball.”

6Sports video: KU ready for Pacific Pacific no pushover for Kansas Carolina’s Williams utilizes his KU tickets 50 years of Allen Fieldhouse celebrated in book KU’s Case to red shirt Men’s basketball briefs X-Factor Game 3: Kansas 103, Pacific 80 Sign up for cell phone updates Sign up for e-mail updates

He knows things could get out of hand against the No. 2 team in the country.

“I’m impressed at how hard they play and how physical they are and how they share the ball,” Thomason said of the Jayhawks (3-0). “When they play as hard as they do it’s hard to count on them having an off night.

“I told one of our guards yesterday I wish I had a guy who had 10 assists and no turnovers. I’ve never had that,” he added, marveling at Aaron Miles’ effort in Monday’s rout of Nevada.

Thomason starts a backcourt of Marko Mihailovic and David Doubley who average 12.5 and 11.5 points a game. They’ve had a week and a half to prepare for the Jayhawks.

“Their players will know our offense better than we know it,” Self said. “They are well drilled and will be well prepared. The last time we played them they had one day to prepare for us. This is one of the best coaches in America. Everyone I’ve talked to said he will have something up his sleeve for you. I think he’s a super coach.”

Thomason, who is 261-209 at his alma mater, chuckled at notion he’s a mastermind.

“You tell him to stay worried. I’ll put in all these trick plays … triangle and two, all those defenses,” Thomason chuckled. “A lot of this game will be based on after the shot is taken. Rebounding, playing physical. Playing against Bill … he’s smart, a class guy, a great coach. I thought he was a great coach even before he got to Kansas.”

The coaches’ mutual respect helped lead to the game. Self and Thomason, who attended a coach’s meeting in July, were summoned to a corner of a room for coaches needing games.

“I saw Bill and said, ‘Hey we should hook up and play.’ I wish I hadn’t gone to that meeting now,” Thomason said.

“Pacific was not my first pick,” Self said. “Of all the guys huddled up we were the only guys the dates matched up we could possibly play. We know they’ve got a nice team. They’ll be the best team we’ve played to date.”