Bill Self visits granddaughter in Texas, prepares for KU game against Arizona State

Head basketball coach Bill Self took advantage of Kansas’ off day Thursday to travel to Richardson, Texas, to meet his newly-born granddaughter, Ella Jane Browning.

“I bet you if I was there in the house for 10 hours, I bet you I held her eight — the whole time,” said Self, 54, after practice Friday at Allen Fieldhouse. “It was pretty cool. It was really cool as a matter of fact.”

Self, who met the media on Friday to discuss Sunday’s 1 p.m., home game against No. 16 Arizona State, had his players study film on Thursday during the period of time he visited with his new 7 pound, 11 ounce granddaughter, who was born Tuesday, as well as his daughter Lauren and son-in-law Hayden Browning.

“My daughter was colicky. She cried all the time (as a baby). It was more like, ‘Here hon,’’’ Self said with a laugh, referring to passing Lauren over to Bill’s wife, Cindy, many years ago. “The granddaughter … she never cried once. It was nice.”

Self was not such a softie on Friday during both a film session with his Jayhawks and ensuing practice, KU’s first practice since Wednesday’s 74-65 setback to unranked Washington at the Sprint Center.

“We play a little spoiled. That was certainly the case the other day,” Self said. “The things this team lacks is the toughness and the extra-possession mentality we’ve had on all our teams that this team hasn’t got yet. Let’s just call it like it is.

“You are replacing Frank (Mason) with somebody not near as competitive as Frank (Devonté Graham). You are replacing Josh (Jackson) with someone not near as competitive as Josh (Lagerald Vick). And you are replacing Landen (Lucas) with somebody who doesn’t know how to be competitive yet (Udoka Azubuike). Those aren’t negatives. Those are just facts. We had 2  1/2 dogs last year. Landen was close to being a full one.”

Asked which players on this year’s (7-1) team still could become fierce ‘dogs,’ Self said: “I think Lagerald could without question. He’s not yet. I think Devonté can. He’s close but not there yet. Svi (Mykhailiuk) is a lot tougher than he was last year. I think Marcus Garrett can.”

Self noted that Sacramento Kings rookie Mason didn’t arrive at KU as a fiercely competitive player but developed into that during his career. Self said current Jayhawks could improve in intangible areas as well.

“You look at personality and whatnot, we’ve got some really nice young men. I don’t know that anybody, first thing they said after playing Frank or Josh was, ‘Those are some nice young men.’ I don’t think that’s what they said normally. I think that’s probably how other people look at us now,” Self said.

He noted the Jayhawks appeared “tired, sluggish, running in quicksand, not very energetic,” versus Washington.

On Friday one of those players, Vick, did not practice because of an abscessed tooth. Self said Vick should be ready for practice Saturday and be ready Sunday’s game against Arizona State.

Of center Azubuike, who had 10 points and nine rebounds in just 23 minutes Wednesday, Self said; “I honestly believe the foul situation has gotten in his head.”

Azubuike had two fouls the first half Wednesday and played somewhat cautiously the final half.

“He’s not in foul trouble,” Self stressed. “He’s probably committed less than 20 fouls in eight games (he has 20). For a big guy, that’s not considered fouling. He put himself in position he’s been taken out of three or four games early because of silly fouls. He got a bad call on the first one (early Wednesday). The official said, ‘I blew that one.’ I said (to ref), ‘You don’t understand what that means to us (since KU has just two available scholarship bigs right now).’

“He follows it up fouling 94 feet from the basket. Those are hard lessons to learn, probably good lessons to learn. It’s all learning. He’s trying. I think he can get better in that area.”

Self said not all is doom and gloom with the team.

“I’d say there have been seven games I’ve been really proud of our team this year,” he said. “It’s a long season. We were not going to run the table. I can guarantee you that, and it won’t be the last time it (disappointing loss) happens this year. If we can learn from it and be better from it then it’ll be OK. We certainly need to learn from it. I don’t think it’ll be hard. The tape doesn’t lie,” he added. “We reinforced (Friday) what they watched yesterday. It’s not hard to figure out.”

Minor water main break at Allen Fieldhouse

A water main break on a valve on the third floor, south side of Allen Fieldhouse caused water to flood onto the second and first floor concourses of Allen Fieldhouse between 5 and 6 p.m. on Friday.

No water reached the court, and “everything will be fixed by tomorrow,” KU associate athletic director Jim Marchiony said on Friday night.

A cleanup crew was at Allen Fieldhouse at 7 p.m., Friday. Marchiony said there was minimal damage that would be assessed Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s game against Arizona State, set for a 1 p.m., tip, should not be affected by the break, he stated.

Notes

Self said there was no news on freshman Billy Preston, who has not played in a game this season as KU compliance looks into the financial picture surrounding a vehicle Preston has driven on campus this school year. “No news that’s different from what you guys (media) knew earlier,” Self said.

Also there’s no news on IMG Academy senior forward Silvio De Sousa, who is hoping to play for KU second semester.

“I know he hasn’t got his test results back. Even with the test results we’ll need to wait for grades to come in, too,” Self said. “I’d like to be able to say definitely (he’ll play for KU this season). We are not able to say definitely one way or another (if he’ll be eligible) until a little bit more time passes.”

Self said former Arizona State guard Sam Cunliffe, who has spoken to his KU teammates about ASU personnel in advance of Sunday’s game, worked out some with the first team on Friday. It’s expected he’ll play in the KU-Nebraska game a week from Saturday in Lincoln. Cunliffe transferred to KU from ASU at semester break last school year.

This story was originally published December 8, 2017 at 7:36 PM with the headline "Bill Self visits granddaughter in Texas, prepares for KU game against Arizona State."