KU’s Self sees ‘expanded’ role for Isaiah Moss: ‘He can keep teams honest’
Graduate transfer Isaiah Moss has averaged 22.6 minutes a game in 15 games in this, his one and only season at Kansas.
The 6-foot-5 senior shooting guard, who made his first start and logged 38 minutes in Tuesday’s 66-52 victory at Oklahoma, figures to see an uptick in playing time the rest of the Big 12 season, KU coach Bill Self said Thursday.
“I think his role is going to be probably expanded or exaggerated some moving forward than what it has been, not just because he made shots against OU,” Self said Thursday in a news conference held in advance of Saturday’s 1 p.m. game at Texas.
Moss hit 6 of 11 threes and scored 20 points against the Sooners after making 2 of 8 threes in 30 minutes and scoring 15 points in Saturday’s 67-55 home loss to Baylor.
“He can keep teams honest just because he can shoot the ball so well,” Self stated, adding, “what’d he play 32 (actually six more than that) minutes against OU? I’m not sure anybody’s minutes will stay the same once we work Dot (injured point guard Devon Dotson, who is day-to-day because of a hip pointer) back in there because Dot will take 30 to 35 of them (minutes) regardless.
“I see him (Moss) playing starter’s minutes the rest of the way. I didn’t say ‘starter.’ I said ‘starter’s minutes.’ To me starter’s minutes would be in the 25-to-28 type range.”
Moss, who started 96 of 102 games in three years at Iowa, averages 8.3 points a game on 39.4% three-point shooting (28 of 71). Overall, he’s made 41 of 96 shots for 42.7%.
“I think he’s gotten better defensively. He’s committed to trying (on that end),” Self said of Moss, who was bothered by a nagging hamstring injury early in the season. “I still think there’s an area of aggressiveness and competitiveness he can get to.
“Against OU, on a 50/50 ball, really a 70/30 ball … he had a guy (from OU) who comes away with it. That kind of stuff drives me nuts. If he makes the shots, I guess you can live with that more. If he makes a conscious effort to be more of that (aggressive defender), that helps. I believe if you play the right way and play the way that Coach wants you to play, you’ll draw confidence from that and shoot better rather than thinking Coach is upset because he’s not doing other things.
“At that point the basket shrinks a little bit. I think he’s really trying in those areas and competing in those areas and certainly he can shoot the ball. He needs to be a 40 to 45% shooter for us the rest of the way (from three) to give us the best chance.”
Moss said he’s had a surge of confidence lately.
“Seeing the ball go in helps,” Chicago native Moss said simply. “Coach tells me to shoot. My teammates tell me to shoot all the time, which helps your confidence. Knowing Dot is out I know all our guards have to step up and fill in that void.”
Moss will assuredly make his second straight start and second start overall for KU in Saturday’s game at Texas if Dotson cannot answer the call for a second straight game.
Self said Dotson, who sustained a severe hip bruise in the Baylor game on Jan. 11, is improving daily.
“I know he’s making progress,” Self said of the sophomore, who is KU’s leading scorer at 18.0 points a game.
“I’d like to know (if he can go) sometime today. If not today, tomorrow morning, if not tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon... I mean, sure, because you need to prepare your team on how to play.
“People make too big a deal out of this,” Self added of wondering about Dotson’s status. “We’re not going to change our strategy a lot. Whether he does or doesn’t (play), this is who we are. It’s different than football where you play one game a week and only play 12 (games). Here there’s a lot of things, so if he’s day-to-day I’m not going to change how we play totally for this one game.
“We would enjoy having him with us regardless of when he lets us know,” Self added, noting it’s Dotson’s call if he can play or not. “If it’s sooner that’s definitely better than later.”
Self was asked if some coaches might simply sit a player like Dotson for the foreseeable future. KU plays two games in four days (Saturday at Texas; Tuesday at home vs. Kansas State) then meets Tennessee a week from Saturday in a nonconference game, also in Lawrence.
“I would think some coaches would do that. I would think so depending on the injury,” Self said. “I don’t think this is one of those injuries. I think if a guy has a high ankle sprain for instance, like Marcus (Garrett) last year, you could say, ‘Man if we could just get through getting to next week there’s a much better chance he’ll be 95%.’ I think you can do that in a situation like that. I don’t think this situation is one of those that would require you to do that.”
Travel note
The Jayhawks were to fly charter to Austin, Texas at 9:30 p.m., Thursday. The plan was to leave before wintry weather predicted for Friday hit the Lawrence/Topeka area. Game time for Saturday’s KU-Texas game is 1 p.m., at Frank Erwin Center.
This story was originally published January 16, 2020 at 4:35 PM.
