Bill Self reflects on OSU game, one KU needed to win ‘with conference implications’
Bill Self felt as if he played in, rather than coached a college basketball game on Saturday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.
He had to sweat it out with 16,300 Kansas fans who were on hand for No. 4-ranked KU’s 69-67 historic come-from-behind victory over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 opener for both teams.
KU’s comeback from a 15-point halftime deficit matched the largest halftime deficit overcome in a victory by the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse (15 points vs. Florida in 2014; 15 points vs. UCLA in 1995).
“We did some great things in the second half,” Self, KU’s 20th-year coach, said of a half in which the Jayhawks outscored the Cowboys 39-22 to atone for a first half won by OSU, 45-30. “If we were turned up like that for the entire game I wouldn’t have lost seven pounds over the course of two hours. But it was a fun game, a game you have to win with conference implications.”
Self added, “It’s hard to say that a first game of a conference season is a must win, but it kind of is playing at home because you don’t want to give your home court away. I was really pleased with our guys in the second half. We didn’t come ready to play the first half and they (Cowboys) were obviously quicker and they played lights out.”
KU the final half finally was able to subdue an Oklahoma State (8-5) team that was picked to finish fifth (tie with Texas Tech) of 10 teams in the Big 12 preseason coaches poll. KU (12-1) was picked second behind Baylor in that poll.
“You can win the league by losing at home,” Self said Saturday, “but it puts more pressure on you. (If you lose a home game) you’ve got to win at a place you maybe are not favored to win.”
Junior forward Jalen Wilson, who led KU with 20 points, said: “winning at home is definitely an important foundation for winning the Big 12. We couldn’t have done it without the crowd. They pump energy. I think they were on their feet pretty much the whole game. It shows how much everyone cares. You’ve got to win at home to win the conference.”
After this weekend’s action, KU, Kansas State, TCU, Texas and Iowa State are all 1-0; West Virginia, Baylor, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are 0-1..
“We’ll play other hard games, don’t get me wrong. it’s an unbelievable league but that’s one of the hardest early season conference games I can remember in a while,” Self said.
Self said there could be a lot of games decided after the final TV time out.
“We’ve got to be better in certain areas (but) that’s how we’re going to have to win games in our league,” Self said. “We are going to hope that games are like this. Hopefully we have enough experience we can make some plays late.
“This league is a monster. We’ve played some teams (nonconference) that are predicted to make the (NCAA) Tournament. Nobody can tell me Oklahoma State isn’t as good as those teams picked to make the tournament. They’ve got a good team.”
Self was impressed with OSU guards Bryce Thompson and John-Michael Wright, who scored 14 points apiece in the first half on 9-of-15 shooting. They hit a combined seven of 11 threes the first half as OSU built its 45-30 lead
“Their two guards had 28 in the first half and our two guards combined for zero. They were just whipping us,” Self said.
KU’s Dajuan Harris and Kevin McCullar scored no points the first half on 0-for-4 shooting. Harris finished with six points, nine assists and one turnover. McCullar had seven points, five rebounds, one assist and five turnovers. He had just one turnover in the final half. That was KU’s only turnover of the half. KU finished with 12 to OSU’s 13.
“The second half, Dajuan was a lot better and Kevin was better,” Self said. “But you know obviously we made two huge plays late (bucket by KJ Adams off an assist from Harris to break a 67-67 tie and McCullar’s block of a Thompson shot that could have forced OT).”
Next up is KU’s league road opener Tuesday at Texas Tech. Tipoff is 8 p.m. at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock. The game will be shown on ESPN2.
This story was originally published January 1, 2023 at 7:34 PM with the headline "Bill Self reflects on OSU game, one KU needed to win ‘with conference implications’."
