KU continues ‘salvageable’ season Saturday against Oklahoma in Allen Fieldhouse
The college basketball world continues to be hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, evidenced by Missouri, Villanova, Marquette, Florida State, Pitt, Colorado, Oregon State, Clemson, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisville, Michigan and others being forced to miss games this weekend.
“We’ll have issues. Our league hasn’t had many thus far which is good,” Kansas coach Bill Self said Friday in a video conference with reporters held in advance of Saturday’s game against Oklahoma, set for 3:30 p.m., tipoff at Allen Fieldhouse. It will be shown live on CBS.
“I know the rate is higher than it’s ever been. I believe yesterday we experienced more deaths than we’ve ever had (in the U.S. on a given day) which is so ridiculously sad. That comes after Christmas vacation and comes after the New Year’s Eve stuff. For us and teams we play against coming back (from break) the 26th and 27th (of December) and having 10 to 12 days of negatives gives you hope we’ve gotten through a tough stretch.
“It’s not great but I still think it’s salvageable,” Self added of the season. “Hopefully we can continue to have some good fortune and everybody buy in. The fact of the matter is if we don’t (have good fortune), no fingers will be pointed (at anybody). It’s just the way times are.”
KU will enter Saturday’s game 9-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12. That’s good for sole possession of third place behind 3-0 Texas and 3-0 Baylor.
While there is a sense of urgency to win at home after last Saturday’s 25-point home loss to Texas, Self said “it’s too early,” to talk about the league race heading into the game against the Sooners, who are tied for fourth in the league (6-3, 2-2).
Self also acknowledged college league standings around the country aren’t exactly the pressing issues of the day.
“I think college basketball, if I was going to be so candid,” Self said, “I don’t feel the same excitement about our game this year as I have in other years. I think it’s hard to feel that without the presence of fans in the stands (up to 2,500 will attend Saturday’s game), those sorts of things.
“I feel there is a much more important element going on in our world today than playing college basketball which beforehand even though there were a lot more things more important than college basketball, to me and to us that was the most important thing going on.
“I don’t even feel we even sense that right now because of the pandemic and other issues that are going on. I don’t think college basketball is in a bad place but it’s not in a place anybody wants it to be either. There’s so many elements outside of (one’s) control,” Self added.
Self did say it was encouraging that the NCAA this week officially announced plans to hold the entire postseason tournament in Indiana.
“I think it gives our sport optimism going into this that we will positively have that, even though nothing’s positive,” Self said. “I think that’s a plus. I also think when you get into league races with the testing protocol that goes on with the teams you are going to be competing against all the time I think sometimes that gives you an element of optimism.
“You know exactly what you have to do and what the people you are playing against have to do.”
KU hasn’t had any COVID-19 positives of late, but has had some injuries to deal with. Self said senior point guard Marcus Garrett, who missed Tuesday’s 93-64 victory at TCU because of concussion-like symptoms, figures to play Saturday.
“We’ve been cautious moving forward,” Self said. “We didn’t play a game Wednesday, didn’t play a game Thursday, don’t have a game today. I do expect him to be good to go so to speak.”
He said junior wing Ochai Agbaji, who tweaked his hamstring at practice Monday, should be able to play against the Sooners, who are coming off Wednesday’s 76-61 loss at Baylor. Freshman Bryce Thompson is out with a back injury.
“I think ‘Och’ is doing pretty well,” Self said, noting he’s been able to practice after scoring 19 points in 31 minutes at TCU.
KU is looking forward to returning to action at Allen after last Saturday’s loss to Texas, sophomore Christian Braun said.
“We are excited. Coach said something about we needed to respond last game,” Braun said. “We are excited to be able to respond back in front of our fans. That wasn’t what you normally see from us at home especially. We are excited to redeem ourselves, just put on a better show than the last time we were here.”
Regarding the Texas loss, Self said: “We didn’t let one get away from us. It was taken from us (by UT). We got our (butt) handed to us, but it still only counts as one. As long as we can continue to learn and grow from it it’ll be something that maybe benefits us down the stretch. I like how our guys responded the other day,” he added of the win at TCU.
This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 4:22 PM with the headline "KU continues ‘salvageable’ season Saturday against Oklahoma in Allen Fieldhouse."
