Why Bill Self put his hands on his head just before KU’s game-winner vs. Texas Tech
Let’s watch this together through Bill Self’s eyes.
While we can’t know exactly what the Kansas coach is thinking — during a final-minute play in KU’s 58-57 road victory over Texas Tech — we can come up with pretty good assumptions based on both his own comments and previous history.
So look at the top of the screen on KU’s bench and find Self. In roughly 6 seconds, he is going to:
1. Scream from the bench in a panic;
2. Put his hands on his head in disgust;
3. Shuffle wildly while urging his team to get back on defense.
By now, you likely know the final result: Ochai Agbaji finished the KU out-of-bounds play with a game-winning layup, helping the Jayhawks improve to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in games decided by four or less.
And while many across the nation were lauding Self for his X’s and O’s on social media, the KU coach had a different take afterward.
“That was not coaching,” Self said. “That was players.”
Here’s what Self saw.
Trying to keep a secret
Self had a major advantage for this particular out-of-bounds play while trailing by one: He was able to run it in front of his own bench.
KU had actually tried this same set in the first half, but it hadn’t worked. That’s because when Self screamed out the call, a few coaches on Texas Tech’s bench heard him, immediately knowing a lob was coming thanks to their pregame study.
So Self had to keep his voice quieter this time. The replay even shows KU guard Marcus Garrett shielding his face while announcing the play call to teammates, hoping to keep it guarded from any potential lip-readers.
There was a problem for KU, though: Jalen Wilson didn’t hear it. He puts his hand up in confusion, then walks away from the location where he’s supposed to start near the basket.
Garrett gets the ball from the referee, and it’s officially panic time for Self. He sees Wilson confused and thrusts forward to scream to him, most likely attempting a last-ditch effort to communicate the call.
This seems to work. Wilson — though starting in the wrong spot — goes where he’s supposed to and sets a solid screen on Agbaji’s defender.
Agbaji loops around and is wide open.
And this is where Self likely has a quick flashback.
Seen this before
This wasn’t the first time Self had gone to this particular setup to win a game.
Two seasons ago, KU was tied against Tennessee with 2 seconds left in regulation when Self ran the same play. Dedric Lawson set a screen, Lagerald Vick curled, and his defender fell to the ground ...
but inbounds passer Devon Dotson didn’t see Vick. The point guard instead opted for a perimeter pass to Lawson, who missed a fadeaway jumper and the game went to overtime. (KU eventually won.)
It might’ve flickered in Self’s mind, if only for an instant. KU’s twirling action had opened up another player Thursday, with Agbaji coming into the clear.
“Ochai couldn’t have been more wide open for an uncontested dunk,” Self said afterward.
Out of his periphery, though, Self could tell Garrett hadn’t thrown the pass, leading to an instinctual response. Self’s hands both shot up from his waist, grabbing at his hair in frustration.
KU had missed its chance at an easy one.
Or so Self thought.
Garrett had the toughest role of all. He knew Agbaji might break free, but couldn’t see him because 6-foot-6 Terrence Shannon was jumping up and down in front of him while defending the play.
So Garrett started to move to his third option before he saw a flash under the basket. There was a blue jersey coming open and he decided to zip it there, with Agbaji putting in the layup for the lead.
Garrett, who had 5 seconds to inbound the ball, used 4.7.
“We had two really good players make two great individual plays,” Self said, “that really wasn’t anything we drew up.”
It all led to the Self sideline shuffle. The KU coach urged his guys to get back on defense while thinking next play, obsessed with not allowing an easy basket after working so hard to take the lead.
The Jayhawks didn’t. Following a timeout, Wilson blocked a shot, and KU held on for the one-point win.
“We got lucky with that,” Agbaji said of KU’s final basket.
“Kind of a difficult pass,” Garrett added.
“Unbelievable play,” Self would say.
And the kind of 6-second stretch a coach is unlikely to forget.
This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 12:34 AM.
