KU coach Bill Self seeks ‘energy’ for upcoming UMKC game at Sprint Center
Kansas has won six of 11 Big 12 postseason tournaments, two of three Hall of Fame Classics and three of four NCAA Tournament games contested in Sprint Center during the 17-year Bill Self era.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
The Jayhawks, however, have, according to Self, basically been brutal in winning nine and losing three of the single-season December games in Kansas City during his time as KU coach.
“Sucks … for the most part,” Self, said Thursday when asked to assess his team’s “performance” at Sprint Center in games such as last season’s 63-60 victory over New Mexico State, which followed a 74-65 loss to Washington in December 2017.
“We haven’t played well in this game historically in my time here. We’ve won many of them. Last year we crushed New Mexico State and beat ‘em by one. There’s not as much energy.”
KU’s losses during its holiday game at the Sprint Center under Self have been to Washington (2017-18 season), Davidson (80-74 in 2011-12) and UMass (61-60 in 2008-09).
Easily forgettable victories in the holiday classic have been against New Mexico State last year plus Davidson (89-71 in 2016-17), Oregon State (82-67 in 2015-16), Utah (63-60 in 2014-15), New Mexico (80-63 in 2013-14); Oregon State (84-78 in 2012-13), Colorado State (76-55 in 2010-11), LaSalle (90-65 in 2008-09) and Ohio (88-51 in 2007-08).
“That’s one of the challenges we need to bring Saturday is to bring that energy,” Self said Thursday in previewing Saturday’s 4 p.m. clash between No. 2 KU (8-1) and UMKC (5-6) at the Sprint Center.
He is not blaming anybody for what’s been mostly a silent arena during the December trips to KC.
“It’s not that the attendance is poor. It’s not that the fans are bad,” Self said. “It’s not anything like that. It’s just that I think when you get outside your building in a neutral-site type setting, even though it’s not totally neutral, but it could be this week … I think sometimes people want to be entertained. Then when you don’t play well or play boring and they are not entertained, it can become kind of a dull atmosphere. I think that’s kind of what we’ve had over there.”
Of course games in March in the building have been plenty exciting during the Self era.
“We’ve not had that problem in the Big 12 Tournament,” Self said, “but certainly that is where there is more energy. In this particular game it has not been a great game for us as far as us playing well. There are some advantages playing in Kansas City that we like. As far as us bringing the same energy (as Jayhawks have in Allen Fieldhouse), I don’t think we’ve done it consistently.”
Of course this won’t be a problem during the 2020-21 season. KU will play Missouri in its single-season December holiday classic on Dec. 12, 2020.
KU, for the record, is 41-10 in Sprint Center and 227-84 all-time in KC.
Jalen Wilson update
KU freshman Jalen Wilson, who had surgery on his left ankle on Nov. 11, is making steady progress, Self said.
“Jalen is doing fine (with) his range of motion. He is still in his boot. He’s on the bike doing different things. The boot should be coming off real soon. It’s been 4 1/2 weeks, something like that,” Self said.
“It should be coming off soon. I think we will have him on the court in some capacity the first week or two of January,” he added. He’s not yet decided if Wilson will redshirt this season.
Moss to shoot more?
Graduate transfer guard Isaiah Moss has averaged 8.1 points a game in eight games. He has cashed 15 of 33 threes for 45.5%.
What’s his role in upcoming games?
“I think he needs to shoot more,” Self said. “I think he turns down shots. He is trying really hard to do what we want him to do. He needs to be more aggressive offensively.”
Moss has averaged 23.3 minutes a game.
“We forget he didn’t start practicing until really late November,” Self said of the former Iowa player who had a hamstring injury. “We’re talking about (now) being full speed or close to full speed. When you are not healthy you know your body can’t do what your mind wants you to do. Sometimes you take a little more reserved role. He’s healthy. He needs to be aggressive shooting the ball.”
