Successful in the past, Self’s Jayhawks begin Big 12 grind vs. Oklahoma State on Saturday
Bill Self, perhaps better than any coach in the country, knows what it takes for a college basketball team to survive a marathon conference season and capture a league title.
Self, who turned 60 on Tuesday, has directed the Kansas Jayhawks to 16 Big 12 regular-season crowns in his first 19 years in Lawrence. That includes an NCAA record 14 straight titles from 2005-18.
Before that, Self’s teams won two league titles in his three years at Tulsa and two in three years at Illinois. His first stop, Oral Roberts, did not play in a league in his four years at the Tulsa, Oklahoma school.
That’s 20 league titles in a possible 25 seasons entering the 2022-23 Big 12 race.
The Jayhawks will take on Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse in the Big 12 opener for both squads.
“Have really good players. Make more (shots) than you miss,” Self said with a smile Friday, summarizing suggestions on how best to win the conference. “A lot of things, … staying healthy. You’ve got to hold serve at home. You’ve got to call it like it is — teams that win the league may lose at home. They don’t lose often.
“If you hold serve at home and go split or do maybe a little better than split on the road, you are right there in the mix. So that would be a formula I think most coaches would go to the house with.”
KU has won 31 consecutive conference openers dating back to the 1991-92 season. That include 12 wins in Allen Fieldhouse and 19 on the road. The last time KU lost a league opener was 88-82 at Oklahoma on Jan. 8, 1991.
A win over the Cowboys (8-4) would possibly prove important to start this season, considering KU follows the home opener with a pair of road games — at Texas Tech (Tuesday) and West Virginia (a week from Saturday).
“We are trying to educate our guys that intensity will be ratcheted up a few notches. It always is when you get to league play,” Self said. “We let them know the first season (nonconference, in which KU went 11-1) has very little relevance in the big scheme of things when you talk about successful seasons. The second season (conference) and third season (postseason) obviously are more important even though the first season puts you in position to have great seasons basically.”
Self noted that “nobody will look back on the season and say, ‘They were good in the nonconference.’ Nobody.’’
KU freshman guard Gradey Dick says he’s been briefed by teammates about what to expect in the upcoming league race.
“Just how important it is. Every game is important when you go into conference play,” said Dick, KU’s second-leading scorer (15.4 points per game) behind Jalen Wilson (21.1). “I see online the Big 12 is one of the best, if not the best, conferences out there. There will be tough games night in and out.
“You have to be active every single play, not take any plays off. ... Every possession matters. It could come down to one possession. You take one of them off, it could be the difference in winning and losing.”
KU on Saturday will face an OSU team that enters with an 8-4 record. The Cowboys lead the Big 12 in rebounds per game at 39.5, field goal percentage defense at 36.0 and blocked shots at 5.3 per game.
Senior guard Avery Anderson leads OSU in scoring at 12.2 points per game. He also has a team-best 40 assists and 27 steals and leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage at 90.7.
Junior guard Bryce Thompson, who played at Kansas in 2020- 21, is next in scoring at 11.5 points per game. He is second on the team with 31 assists and tied for the team lead with 20 three-point field goals made.
Junior forward Moussa Cisse has 35 blocked shots and averages 10.8 rebounds per game.
“They and Tennessee are maybe the two best defensive teams we’ve played against this year,” Self said of the Cowboys, who lost at No. 2-ranked UConn 74-64 on Dec. 1. “They pressure. They are quick, sprinkle in zone. We’ll have to defend two big guys and have not had to do that much this year.”
Cisse, a 7-1 junior who averages 8.6 points a game, is joined on the front line with 6-9 senior Kalib Boone (9.5 points, 5.3 boards).
“This game coming up is extremely important,” Dick said. “We realize what’s at stake. The history, … I think it’s been 30-plus for us, winning that first game of conference. We want to keep that going playing the way we play.”
Self, by the way, said as of Friday KU was as healthy as it has been all season entering conference play. Only redshirt-freshman guard Kyle Cuffe (knee) is not practicing at this time.
This story was originally published December 30, 2022 at 4:11 PM with the headline "Successful in the past, Self’s Jayhawks begin Big 12 grind vs. Oklahoma State on Saturday."
