Jayhawks not drawing many fouls: ‘That game was over in 1 hour, 40 minutes’

Bill Self glanced at his watch after the final horn sounded in Kansas’ 109-64 nonconference basketball rout of Omaha on Monday night at Allen Fieldhouse.

“That game was over in 1 hour, 40 minutes,” Self, who is Kansas’ 15th-year coach, said in an somewhat incredulous tone, adding, “they (ESPN2 announcers) had to fill a lot of time. I know because they interviewed Svi (Mykhailiuk, 26 points) about 10 minutes. I bet that was a fun interview understanding Ukrainian English.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to stop the clock and get to the free-throw line,” Self added, noting there have been a lack of stoppages lately because of a lack of fouls called in games.

The Jayhawks hit 7 of 9 free throws Monday to Omaha’s 11 of 17.

In the previous three games, KU went 8 of 8 from the line against Nebraska, 7 of 9 versus Arizona State and 4 of 8 against Washington.

A check of the record books shows that no KU team had gone four straight games with single digit free-throw attempts since at least the 1953-54 season. Free-throw attempts were not recorded in the box scores in that particular campaign.

KU, which has attempted 17 free throws the past two games, last combined for 17 or fewer in consecutive outings during the 1982-83 season. The Jayhawks were awarded eight free throws versus Bowling Green and seven against Mississippi Valley State that year.

“We don’t get to the free-throw line … ever,” Self said. “We’ve got a big guy we like to throw it to (Udoka Azubuike, who is 10 of 23 for 43.5 percent at the line). Moving forward we have to find some way to shoot more free throws than our opponents.”

Self pointed out the Jayhawks have shot 132 free throws (98 makes for 74.2 percent) all season, just a few more attempts than Stanford junior forward Reid Travis, who has cashed 72 of 101 for 71.3 percent. Last year, Travis hit 19 of 22 free throws in KU’s 89-74 win over Stanford at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU plays Stanford at 10 p.m. Thursday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif.

“It’s not the officiating, trust me, because we’re not fouling either,” Self said.

KU’s opponents have made 115 of 173 free throws for 66.5 percent.

“Who drives it for us to get in there (near the basket)? Devonté (Graham) a little bit. He’s not like Frank (Mason). Nobody is like Josh (Jackson). The reality is that is not who we are,” Self said. “Malik (Newman) doesn’t do that (drive to get fouled). Malik has shot 11 this year (making 11). Doke going into today’s game shot one free throw in the last five games.

“If it’s not for Devonté (30 of 34, 88.2 percent) we don’t shoot any free throws, and we should be a decent free-throw shooting team, minus maybe the big fella. We’ve got to do a better job of driving it.”

Self said one reason for the lack of fouling, “is I don’t think there’s as much pressure (defense) this year. There will be some schools like West Virginia who get out and pressure you. I do think in many ways offense has more an advantage than the past.

“I do think being able to go straight up to contest shots favors the defense more than the past. I think there’s less contact, more ball and body movement this year without chucking the cutters than what I’ve seen. Maybe it’s created teams not getting in the bonus as much.”

Sosinski to play football next season

KU sophomore tight end James Sosinski, who scored four points in his Jayhawks basketball debut Monday, plans on playing football again next season, Self said on Tuesday’s Hawk Talk radio show.

“He’ll play (football) next year,” Self said. “We lost a good tight end, Ben (Johnson) who is a senior. So James feels he’ll have a chance to move into a tight end spot and hopefully play some next year. I hope it’s the case for him. He’s a nice kid who is getting a chance to do more than a lot of people do and more than people thought (with) him coming to KU.”

‘Pops’ Self

Self was asked what his new baby granddaughter, Ella Jane, will call him: “I don’t know I pick what she calls me. I’ve been told I will be ‘Pops,’ ” Self said. “By all the oohs and ahs (from the Hawk Talk audience) I see that’s obviously not a popular choice.

“I don’t know what we’ll be. ‘Pops’ is in the running,” Self added with a laugh.

Mason to meet with team

Former KU guard Frank Mason of the Sacramento Kings should be in California on Thursday to meet with the Jayhawks, Self said.

“I think we’ll see Frank. They are coming home from a road trip,” Self said. “We’ll play where the Kings play. We’ll all be excited to see Frank. We’ll let him talk to our team. I’m sure he’ll tell them how soft we are.”

This story was originally published December 19, 2017 at 8:14 PM with the headline "Jayhawks not drawing many fouls: ‘That game was over in 1 hour, 40 minutes’."