Kansas Jayhawks basketball has run into trouble in pre-Christmas break games on road
Kansas’ men’s basketball team has claimed some impressive victories and also suffered some deflating defeats in nonconference road games scheduled right before the team’s Christmas break.
In fact the Jayhawks (9-1), who will meet Colorado (9-3) at 8 p.m. Central time Tuesday at CU Events Center in Boulder, are 7-5 in games played on the road on the dates of Dec. 21, 22 or 23 during the 19-year Bill Self era.
“Hopefully our guys understand that Christmas starts after the Colorado game and not before,” Self said after the Jayhawks’ 80-72 victory over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday night at Allen Fieldhouse.
“Not before,” Self added, “because we’ve had many times where we’ve been on the road right before Christmas and it hasn’t always worked out great. So I’m hopeful for that.”
Some pre-Christmas break games come to his mind.
“I don’t know if you guys (media members) remember how bad we were against Villanova or Temple. Remember Temple a few years ago and going back to Nevada?” Self asked.
KU lost to Villanova, 56-55, on Dec. 21, 2019 in Philadelphia in a game that came right before the Jayhawks were released to their hometowns for Christmas vacation. Temple slugged KU, 77-52, on Dec. 22, 2014, again in Philly.
KU played two games in Nevada right before Christmas break during Self’s first season at KU. KU beat Santa Barbara, 72-52, on Dec. 20, 2003 in Reno, Nevada, then lost to Nevada the following night, 75-61.
In other pre-Christmas break road games, the Jayhawks suffered losses to Arizona State and Arizona. ASU topped the Jayhawks, 80-76, on Dec. 22, 2018, in Tempe, Arizona beat KU, 84-67, on Dec. 23, 2008, in Tucson.
KU in the Self era picked up pre-holiday break road wins against Stanford (75-54, Dec. 21, 2017 in Sacramento), at UNLV (71-53, Dec. 22, 2016), at San Diego State (70-57, Dec. 22, 2015), at USC (63-47, Dec. 22, 2011) at Ohio State (74-66, Dec. 22, 2012) and at California (78-63, Dec. 22, 2010).
“Away from home, the guys are already wanting to be home with their family,” Self said. “We can’t take the approach, ‘We’ve got to get through it.’ We’ve got to take the approach, ‘We need to attack it.’
“Colorado will be going through the same thing too. Kids want to be home with their families and so it’ll be a challenge but everybody has to go through it. It makes for a nicer Christmas from an attitude standpoint if you play well before you go home,” Self noted.
The Jayhawks are expected to head to their hometowns on Wednesday. They’ll return to Lawrence for practice the night of Dec. 26 and begin preparing for a Dec. 29 home game against Harvard. The team’s holiday clinic is on Monday the 27th.
KU games immediately preceding Christmas break in the Bill Self era
Dec. 22, 2020, Lawrence: Kansas 79, West Virginia 65
Dec. 21, 2019, Philadelphia: Villanova 56, Kansas 55
Dec. 22, 2018, Tempe, Arizona: Arizona State 80, Kansas 76
Dec. 21, 2017, Sacramento: Kansas 75, Stanford 54
Dec. 22, 2016, Las Vegas: Kansas 71, UNLV 53
Dec. 22, 2015, San Diego: Kansas 70, San Diego State 57
Dec. 22, 2014, Philadelphia: Temple 77, Kansas 52
Dec. 21, 2013, Lawrence: Kansas 86, Georgetown 64
Dec. 22, 2012, Columbus, Ohio: Kansas 74, Ohio State 66
Dec. 22, 2011, Los Angeles: Kansas 63, USC 47
Dec. 22, 2010, Berkeley, California: Kansas 78, California 63
Dec. 22, 2009, Lawrence: Kansas 84, California 69
Dec. 23, 2008, Tucson, Arizona: Arizona 84, Kansas 67
Dec. 22, 2007, Lawrence: Kansas 78, Miami 54
Dec. 23, 2006, Lawrence: Kansas 84, Boston College 66
Dec. 22, 2005, Lawrence: Kansas 85, Northern Colorado 62
Dec. 22, 2004, Kansas City: Kansas 73, UW Milwaukee 62
Dec. 20, 2003, Reno, Nevada: Kansas 72, Santa Barbara 52
Dec. 21, 2003, Reno, Nevada: Nevada 75, Kansas 61
This story was originally published December 20, 2021 at 2:37 PM.
