Kansas' McCullar ruled out of NCAA Tournament

Kansas star Kevin McCullar Jr. announced Tuesday he won't be available for the NCAA Tournament.

"I am more devastated than anyone, knowing that I can't play and compete alongside my team and that my college career has now come to an end," McCullar said in a statement.

The fifth-year senior missed Kansas' Big 12 Tournament with a nagging knee injury. The Jayhawks lost their opening-round matchup against 11-seed Cincinnati.

Kansas will take on 13-seed Samford in the Round of 64.

The Jayhawks have also been without star center Hunter Dickinson after he injured his shoulder against Houston on March 9. The Michigan transfer will be ready for Kansas' first-round game Thursday, head coach Bill Self told reporters, according to Gary Bedore of the Kansas City Star.

McCullar was the Jayhawks' leading scorer in his final season, averaging 18.3 points and six rebounds.

The 6-foot-6 guard transferred to Kansas during the 2022-23 season after spending three years with Texas Tech.

Kansas was ranked No. 1 in the country in the preseason AP Poll. The Jayhawks struggled during the Big 12 regular season, losing six of their final 10 games. Kansas finished the year with a 22-10 record after going 10-8 in its conference games.