Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) flashes a big smile as time runs out in the Jayhawks' 81-71 win over West Virginia, Saturday, March 12, 2016 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) flashes a big smile as time runs out in the Jayhawks' 81-71 win over West Virginia, Saturday, March 12, 2016 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.

When the 2016-17 Kansas basketball schedule came out this week, the names of programs such as Kentucky, Duke and Indiana instantly captured eyes and attention, making it easy to ignore many other opponents on KU’s calendar.

In particular, the Jayhawks’ games at Sprint Center, in Kansas City, Mo., don’t exactly inspire one to start clearing off dates on his or her calendar.

KU will face two of the following three teams the week of Thanksgiving, at the CBE Hall of Fame Classic: UAB, Georgia and George Washington. Then, in mid-December, Davidson (yet to be re-named Steph Curry University for some reason) travels to K.C. to take on Bill Self’s squad.

Those are three less than appealing games for KU’s fans, for sure. But when it comes to next season’s Kansas team, the short trips down I-70 are more about quantity than quality. It’s all about the venue, really.

Since Sprint Center opened in 2007, it has served as an easy spot for KU to play “neutral” regular-season games in front of thousands of its fans. And, unless Kansas is facing Iowa State or Kansas State, the Jayhawks generally enjoy a similar environment for Big 12 Tournament contests.

Self’s Jayhawks are 31-6 all-time at their home away from home, following their win over West Virginia in the conference title game this past March.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Carlton Bragg Jr. (15) casts a menacing expression at West Virginia guard Jevon Carter (2) after a turnover by the Mountaineers during the first half, Saturday, March 12, 2016 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.

Next season, Kansas is expected to run its regular-season Big 12 title streak to 13, meaning another No. 1 seed for the league tourney. Barring an upset along the way, KU, led by Frank Mason III, Devonté Graham, Landen Lucas, Carlton Bragg Jr., Josh Jackson and Svi Mykhailiuk, should play — and win — six games at Sprint before the NCAA Tournament begins.

That’s where things really get interesting for KU. Kansas City isn’t just hosting two rounds of March Madness in 2017. The Midwest regional champion will be crowned at
Sprint Center. The Jayhawks have a real shot at playing Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games less than an hour away (depending on traffic) from Allen Fieldhouse.

Suddenly those non-conference games in K.C. seem a lot more meaningful. Mason, Lucas and Graham already are accustomed to Sprint Center success, and their confidence on that court will only grow in the months ahead. Plus, with younger players such as Bragg and Mykhailiuk stepping into larger roles, and freshmen Jackson and Udoka Azubuike expected to make significant contributions, the more the Jayhawks experience victories in the downtown arena the better.

By the time next March gets here, playing and winning — maybe even winning big — at Sprint will feel routine for the Jayhawks. The games wouldn’t quite be on the same level as playing NCAA regional semifinals and finals in the fieldhouse, but it’s as close as KU can get to having such an advantage.

So just how likely is Kansas to play in the Midwest bracket? Well, as of June 1 at least, the Jayhawks are projected as the No. 1 seed in that region by ESPN’s “bracketologist,” Joe Lunardi. If that actually holds true nine months from now, Kansas would open The Big Dance in Tulsa, Okla.

Taking care of business in Rounds 1 and 2, KU fans have learned, certainly isn’t a foregone conclusion. Still, if the Jayhawks prove to be as explosive as everyone figures, their road to the Final Four in Glendale, Ariz., looks enviable.

Mason, Graham, Jackson and company might as well get comfortable in Kansas City’s home for hoops. They should be seeing a lot of the locale next season.