Kansas moved to No. 1 in the Coaches poll Monday and immediately had to play a road game inside what is widely considered to be one of the most difficult road environments in college basketball.

Hilton Coliseum.

So, as expected, the Jayhawks were tested in Ames. It was a one-possession game in the final minute. But, like usual, Kansas finished with more points than its opponent and added another victory to the résumé.

Final score: Kansas 76, Iowa State 72

Here are three takeaways from KU's 17th consecutive victory:

1) KU has won 17 in a row

The only other college basketball team that can match that winning streak is Gonzaga, which is 17-0. But what makes Kansas' winning streak even more impressive than the Zags' winning streak is that it features seven victories against top-50 KenPom schools, two of which have come in true road games. Meantime, the Jayhawks are 6-0 in the Big 12 and -- with all due respect to West Virginia and Baylor -- probably on their way to a 13th consecutive league title. It's impossible to overstate how impressive that is. And it's why Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame voters would be foolish to do anything other than induct the Kansas coach into the HOF this year.

2) Perhaps the loss of Udoka Azubuike won't hurt Kansas too much

To be clear, it matters. And Kansas would be better with him. But the emergence of Landen Lucas has resulted in the season-ending injury to Azubuike not costing Kansas a loss to date. Lucas, a 6-foot-10 forward, got 14 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes against Iowa State. The senior is now averaging 10.8 points and 11.1 rebounds in the seven games since Azubuike was injured. His best game was a 15-point, 17-rebound effort in last month's victory at TCU.

3) The final shot was nerve-wracking for gamblers

For folks who do not wager on amateur athletics, Nazareth Mitrou-Long's 3-point attempt at the buzzer was completely meaningless. But it was massive for everybody else. Kansas closed as a 3-point favorite, you see? And the Jayhawks were four points ahead when that final shot left Mitrou-Long's hands. If it falls, Iowa State covers. If it doesn't, Kansas covers. So literally millions of dollars were on the line while that ball was in the air. And when it hit the rim, then hit the rim again and ultimately fell outside of the basket, the people who had Kansas minus-3 were happy and the people who had Iowa State plus-3 were losers.

Weird deal.

And it's a reminder that the game sometimes isn't over until it's over even when the winner and loser have been decided. On that note, I'll say this: Thoughts and prayers to ISU bettors. But you did wager against Bill Self. So perhaps you deserved what you got.