Bill Self frustrated by KU Jayhawks’ poise in UCF loss: ‘They were better than us’
UCF, a team picked to finish last of 14 teams in its inaugural season in the Big 12 — a squad that dropped its league opener to Kansas State by 25 points on Saturday — knocked off No. 3-ranked Kansas 65-60 on Wednesday night at sold-out Addition Financial Arena.
“There’s no understating that they were better than us. On the flip side, we weren’t very good. We’ve got to take care of the ball,” KU coach Bill Self said after seeing KU’s nine-game winning streak come to an abrupt end, largely because of 18 turnovers and Hunter Dickinson foul problems.
“We did some things good teams shouldn’t do, especially when playing away from home in a hostile environment. I don’t think we played with near the poise that we’ve exhibited in some other games, That’s probably a fair assessment,” Self added after KU’s record fell to 13-2 overall and 1-1 in the league. UCF improved to 10-4, 1-1.
Self — his team had to experience a court storming by UCF’s energetic student section — stressed that “the game was won or lost the last four minutes of the first half and first three minutes of the second half.”
KU senior big man Dickinson (12 points, four rebounds) headed to the bench after picking up his second foul with 3:41 left in the initial half and KU up by a whopping 16 points, 35-19.
By halftime, UCF had cut the deficit to eight points, 37-29. UCF continued to dominate KU, completing a monumental 33-10 run to go up by seven, 52-45, with 10 minutes to play.
Self removed Dickinson from the game 2 1/2 minutes into the final half after he picked up his third foul. He returned with 12:36 left.
It turns out Dickinson — who was burned by Ibrahima Diallo, who hit a 10-footer over Dickinson to give UCF a 59-57 lead with 2:55 left — had his minutes limited not only by foul problems, but a sore knee.
Dickinson — he played 28 minutes, fewest he’s played since the second game of the season — has what Self called “a bad knee. If he didn’t have a bad knee, I’d say yes for sure (he would’ve returned quicker despite foul problems). He’s been struggling with his knee in practice and everything. We knew going in it’d be real good if we could get him rest minutes.
“He told me even in the first half when things were going well that he was really laboring. ... I don’t think that is what caused (the loss). I think that’s when four other players (should) figure out, ‘Hey, we don’t have him. We have to take better care of the ball and execute better, get what we want as opposed to maybe being looser (and turning it over).’”
Self was asked if Dickinson’s injury would have to be monitored.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. It’s just a bruised knee,” he said, “but we’ll see. We’ve been really fortunate knock on wood with our health so far because we don’t have a lot of depth. You’ll go through periods of time in a season when guys get nicked up.”
UCF big man Diallo scored 13 points with five rebounds in 24 minutes. The baseline jumper over Dickinson gave UCF the lead for good late.
“That eight-, nine-foot shot from the baseline at the end of the clock was maybe as good a shot as there was in the second half,” Self said.
Still, in the final analysis, KU may have felt as if it let one get away.
Remember, the Jayhawks led by 16 late in the first half. The Knights and 10,000 fans never gave up.
“I told our guys in the under-four timeout, ‘We’ve got to get this thing to 20 and not let it get to 10,’’’ Self said. “’Put yourself in position to make it hard on somebody.’ When it gets to eight and you have momentum, it’s manageable. If it had gone to 16 or 20 whatever, now teams may be pressing to try to get back in it. It opens up easy baskets, rotation rebounding and other things. We messed the game up at the four-minute mark.”
The loss wasn’t the only road upset in the nation this week. No. 1 Purdue lost at Nebraska and No. 2 Houston lost at Iowa State.
KU, which was led by Kevin McCullar (16 points, six rebounds, five assists), will return home to meet Oklahoma at 1 p.m., Saturday, at Allen Fieldhouse.
This story was originally published January 10, 2024 at 10:17 PM.
