How KU’s Self wants Kevin McCullar to handle game at Texas Tech, his former school
A fan favorite who started 49 of 78 men’s basketball games at Texas Tech University the past three seasons, Kevin McCullar figures to hear some boos while playing for the visiting Kansas Jayhawks on Tuesday night in United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.
Tipoff for the Big 12 battle between Tech (10-3, 0-1) and the No. 4-ranked Jayhawks (12-1, 1-0) will be 8 p.m., with a live telecast on ESPN2.
“It’s going to be fun to go back there and play against them,” McCullar, a 6-foot-6 senior guard from San Antonio said Saturday after scoring seven points, grabbing five rebounds and blocking a game-tying shot attempt from Bryce Thompson with 0.3 seconds left in KU’s 69-67 victory over Oklahoma State at Allen Fieldhouse. The game was the Big 12 opener for both teams.
“It’s going to be electric in there. I know they (fans) are waiting for it. It’s our next game on the Big 12 schedule. I know it’s going to be a battle. I’m looking forward to it,” McCullar added.
McCullar — he averages 11.5 points and 7.7 rebounds a game in 2022-23 — decided to enter his name in the NCAA transfer portal after averaging 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the 27-10 Red Raiders his junior season. He missed eight of Tech’s 37 games because of an ankle injury.
McCullar has been asked periodically about his return game to Lubbock ever since choosing KU over Gonzaga as a transfer destination last spring. McCullar also tested the NBA Draft waters, ultimately deciding to return for another year in college basketball.
“It’s going to be a big game. I know there’s going to be a lot of emotions involved,” McCullar said in a recent interview.
“It’s a blessing to be able to go back there and play a game. I know it will be an intense game. Nothing but love for Tech and everything. I laid my heart on the line (there). So you know it’ll be good going back there and competing. It’s basketball at the end of the day, so I’ll be looking forward to it, for sure.”
McCullar will be the second Jayhawk to likely draw the wrath of another school’s fans this season.
KU junior point guard Dajuan Harris heard some insults shouted from fans at the KU-Missouri game on Dec. 10 in Columbia, Mo. Harris, who had nine assists, six points and two steals in the Jayhawks’ 95-67 win over the Tigers, was not recruited by Missouri but is from Columbia. Thus some Mizzou fans considered him a traitor for attending rival KU.
“Now we’re going to play Texas Tech. They (Tech fans) are going to be there for Kevin,” Harris said Saturday after KU’s conference-opening win. Tech, meanwhile, fell to TCU, 67-61, Saturday in Fort Worth.
“He knows it’s going to be tough there. He’s going back to his old school. We’ll have his back and hopefully bring home a ‘W.’’’
Like Harris, KU’s Jalen Wilson (20 points against OSU) and KJ Adams (14 points) plan on supporting McCullar on Tuesday.
“It’s going to be a high atmosphere type of game. The main thing in Juan going back to Columbia or Kevin to Tech is to let our teammates know we have their back. They are not alone and are not going to have to win it alone,” Wilson said Saturday. “It’s not on them to win or lose. It’s on us to make it us versus them, not Kevin versus Tech,” Wilson added.
“It’ll be a different type of game for Kevin,” predicted sophomore forward Adams. “Kevin does a good job focusing on the present and what our team needs. He never gets outside of himself. It’ll be a fun atmosphere and fun playing them.”
KU coach Bill Self said he would speak to McCullar about playing Tech in Lubbock.
“We’ll talk about it for sure,” Self said. “He (McCullar) saw firsthand how you are supposed to handle a situation like that when Juan went back to Columbia. We’ll talk about it with Kevin.”
McCullar did not play in the Red Raiders’ 75-67 victory over KU on Jan. 8, 2022 in Lubbock because of injury.
He scored two points on 1-of-11 shooting with four assists and three boards while playing 44 minutes in Tech’s 94-91 double overtime loss to KU on Jan 24, 2022, in Allen Fieldhouse.
McCullar had eight points on 3-of-10 shooting with five assists and three boards in Tech’s 74-65 loss to KU in the Big 12 tournament finals on March 12, 2022, in Kansas City.
He went 0-2 in games versus KU his sophomore year and 0-2 his freshman season.
“It’s not too different in a way, but still is,” McCullar said, comparing his role as one of the leaders at Tech last season to another leadership role this year at KU. “I was helping to build up the program a little bit (at Tech). It was already going where it was going (up), thanks to the guys who played there in the past.”
The Red Raiders advanced all the way to the NCAA title game, losing to Virginia during McCullar’s 2018-19 redshirt season in Lubbock.
“Now at Kansas, its tradition is already set in stone. I’m learning from those guys (Wilson and Harris who won the NCAA title last spring) and am using my knowledge in my years of college as well and having that trickle down as well,” McCullar said.
McCullar has come a long way in his hoops career.
Unranked by Rivals.com coming out of San Antonio’s Wagner High School, he chose Texas Tech over Kansas State, Louisville, Baylor, Oklahoma, TCU and others.
“Kevin to me has grown to be as complete a guard as we’ve had here in awhile,” Self said. “When you talk about defense, rebounding, understanding the game, feel, covering for (others’) mistakes — all those things — he’s been pretty darn impressive He doesn’t score the ball the same way Och (Agbaji) did or C.B. (Christian Braun) could if he got on a roll. I’ve been really pleased with him. … Kevin’s NBA skill set has got a lot better. He’s a jack of all trades.”
Harris on Saturday referred to McCullar as KU’s “defensive stopper.”
“I like playing on both ends of the floor,” McCullar said. “I kind of take it personal. ... You’ve got to play (defense) to win games. I play hard every possession, bring energy. Every possession I’m going to lay it on the line for the Jayhawks.”
Including KU’s upcoming game at Texas Tech.
“I expect another Big 12 game, another Big 12 road game. Go in there, compete and get a ‘W,’’’ McCullar said.
