KU guard Kevin McCullar limited at practice, idle at shootaround with back spasms
Kevin McCullar stood underneath one of the T-Mobile Center baskets as his Kansas men’s basketball teammates ran through a 40-minute, pre-Big 12 tournament shootaround on Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, McCullar, a 6-foot-6 senior guard who coach Bill Self said was suffering from back spasms, worked out with the No. 3-ranked Jayhawks on a limited basis.
“He was out there. He didn’t do much. (He played) a couple possessions,” Self said of McCullar, a second-team AP All-Big 12 selection.
Asked if McCullar would be available for Thursday’s 2 p.m. quarterfinal against either West Virginia or Texas Tech, Self said: “I don’t know. I hope so. I think he plans on it.”
McCullar did not seem concerned about his back discomfort speaking at a post-shootaround media session Wednesday at T-Mobile Center.
“I’m fine, I was out there at shootaround, getting ready,” McCullar said, noting, “I practiced earlier. (I’m) just getting ready for tomorrow.”
He’s looking forward to his first Big 12 tournament as a Jayhawk. A year ago, KU defeated his Texas Tech Red Raiders 74-65 in the Big 12 tourney final.
“It was loud in there for KU,” McCullar recalled. “I look forward to be on the other side of that this time and playing for the fans who come see us play.”
McCullar was asked if he was following the current situation at his former school, Texas Tech. Coach Mark Adams has been suspended, with assistant Corey Williams taking over as interim coach for the Big 12 tournament.
“Nah, I just worry about us and stay in my own lane,” McCullar said.
KU practicing a lot of late
The Jayhawks have practiced a lot since Saturday’s 75-59 blowout loss against Texas in Austin.
“This year to me is a little different than last year. We are not playing our bench near as much,” Self said. “We are trying to limit reps as much as possible in practice. We’ve taken two days off a week for weeks now. We didn’t this week. We practiced Sunday and Monday because I really consider Saturday a day off the way we played.
“All the other games … we play on a Monday, it’s Tuesday and Wednesday off and practice Thursday and Friday. I think it’s been something that hopefully has helped the guys.”
The Jayhawks won seven straight prior to the loss in Austin.
“I don’t think we’ve played as well of late,” Self said. “I think we need to get on an uptick going into the (NCAA) Tournament. I do. I’m glad we’re actually playing before next week to give us an opportunity to do that.”
Self on whether Kansas State will join KU for first- and second-round games in Des Moines, Iowa next week: “I know the top four seeds … they try to keep them regionally close. I think there’d be a good chance of that happening. We could have all the Jayhawk fans cheering for the Wildcats and vice versa. I’m sure that will happen.”
Self on fieldhouse improvements
Self on the upcoming renovations to Allen Fieldhouse: “They are big-time,” he said. “I think this puts us in position for the next 10 to 15, 20 years that we’re not going to have to do much to a building that’s already thought of to be as fun a place to watch a game as there is.”
Asked how much input he had in renovation plans, Self said with a smile: “I don’t know if less than zero, if there’s a definition of what that is. I didn’t have any. They asked me what I thought about certain things but the things they are doing are things we were going to do anyway. I don’t understand the mechanical stuff. I don’t understand how concession (stand) works and points of entry but I do know we are all going to benefit.”
