Feb. 26, 2018: Self, players get emotional on Senior Night after KU secures 14th title outright

Kansas coach Bill Self’s voice cracked as he introduced point guard/team leader Devonté Graham to 16,300 fans who remained in their seats for Senior Night speeches after the Jayhawks’ 80-70 victory over Texas on Monday night at Allen Fieldhouse.

“We’ve had a lot of great ones come through here … he’s probably as good a leader and man that we’ve had here at Kansas,” Self, who is in his 15th season at Kansas, said of Graham.

Graham dished out 11 assists (one off a career-high), scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds while playing 40 minutes in a victory that gave the Jayhawks (24-6, 13-4) the undisputed 2017-18 Big 12 title.

KU clinched a tie for an NCAA-best 14-straight conference crowns on Saturday at Texas Tech.

“I knew he was going to be good (when KU signed him),” Self said of the four-year player. “I didn’t know he’d probably be 2018 Big 12 player of the year, though.”

Self wiped tears from his eyes a couple of minutes later … during Graham’s speech.

“Coach Self … I don’t know where to start. Everybody talks how I’m such a good leader,” Graham said, his voice trailing off as he screamed, “Ahhhhhhhh” in breaking down, putting a towel over his face and looking skyward.

That’s the moment Self’s eyes were caught watering on the center videoboard.

Self also watched with interest during the speeches of seniors Svi Mykhailiuk, who had 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and Clay Young, who had an assist while starting and playing the first 4 minutes.

“I don’t know if I’ve coached a sweeter young man who has improved more than him,” Self said of 6-8 Ukraine native Mykhailiuk, who broke down during his own speech when speaking of his mom and dad’s dedication in watching his games on the Internet in Ukraine early in the morning, then going to work as teachers just two or three hours later.

“It’s been so fun to watch his senior year (when) he actually believed he was the baddest man on the floor,” Self added, smiling, while introducing Mykhailiuk to the fans.

Mykhailiuk, who combined with Graham for 22 points in the first half as KU rolled to a 45-32 lead over the Longhorns (17-13, 7-10), enjoyed Self’s “bad man” comment.

“It means a lot for him to say that to me,” Mykhailiuk said. “He believes in me. The progress I made these four years, he helped me grow up mentally. I didn’t play my best the first two years because of the mental part, growing up.”

Of Young, whose assist came on a bullet pass to his roommate, Udoka Azubuike (20 points, 10-of-11 shooting, 0-of-4 from the line, eight rebounds, five blocks), that gave KU a 4-3 lead, Self said: “He is a great young man. He helped us beat Syracuse this year. I doubt he has an NBA career. … If I owned a business and you want quality people in the organization I’d definitely interview this dude.”

The Jayhawks said they were fired up Monday not only for Senior Night but to win the league title outright.

“I feel the whole year a lot of people doubted us, losing back-to-back (games to Washington and Arizona State), tweets saying we didn’t deserve to wear the Kansas uniform. Through all that we battled, fought and are outright champions,” Graham said.

Self in his postgame comments to the fans, described the championship season: “It’s been an up-and-down year. We’ve been great. We’ve been not very great. The bottom line is these guys know how to compete. And this team winning the league in a year the league is probably the best it’s ever been, winning the league when we were behind in the standings a couple of weeks ago and knowing there was no margin for error? The reason to do it is great leadership. It’s the reason we’re league champs. We have great seniors.”

On Monday, sophomore Azubuike led the Jayhawks on a night when Texas was without 7-footer Mo Bamba, who missed the game because of a toe injury.

“It’s how he should have played,” Graham said of Azubuike. “Coach Rob (Norm Roberts) told him, ‘Just because Bamba is out doesn’t mean you can take the day off. You should go harder because you have a mismatch.’ Doke played like coach Rob wanted him to play.

“That’s what we emphasized. They didn’t have a rim protector. Bamba is one of a kind when you are driving, trying to make plays.”

Freshman Marcus Garrett added 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals, and Malik Newman contributed nine points and four boards as KU won its 35th consecutive season home finale, which includes 34 Senior Nights. KU did not have a senior on the roster in 2007.

Texas was led by Kerwin Roach who scored 18 points. Dylan Osetkowski, who fouled out by running hard into Mykhailiuk with 7:28 left, had 13 points and five rebounds. Jacob Young contributed 14 points.

KU led by 13 points at halftime, then saw the lead shrink to six (51-45) at 15:11, but the Longhorns crept no closer. Kansas scored five straight points on a bucket by Garrett and a three from Newman to make it 56-45 at 13:55. KU led by as many as 15 points (69-54) at 7:47.

This story was originally published February 27, 2018 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Feb. 26, 2018: Self, players get emotional on Senior Night after KU secures 14th title outright."