KU basketball is enjoying (& learning from) exhibitions. Here’s Bill Self’s take
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- KU used Louisville exhibition to test rotations, rebounding and defensive focus.
- Coach Self cited hustle, free throws and downhill drives as win catalysts.
- Exhibition showed depth and player development to build toward North Carolina game.
Weary of practicing against their own teammates the past four weeks, Kansas men’s basketball players were eager to take the court against somebody else — in this case the No. 11 Louisville Cardinals on Friday night at the KFC Yum! Center in downtown Louisville.
“It wasn’t really a practice game in our eyes. We wanted to come out and dominate, so we rebounded and executed our plays,” KU forward Bryson Tiller said after KU’s 90-82 victory.
“I feel like most games are hard iron. At this level, it’s not high school anymore. There’s bigger and better guys. This was a good way to see where we are on the court and what we need to improve on,” Tiller added after scoring 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting with seven rebounds and four blocks in his first game for the Jayhawks.
Tiller arrived second semester from the Overtime Elite program last school year, rehabbing a knee injury while redshirting the campaign.
KU coach Bill Self will be seeking similar attention to detail and overall effort during the Jayhawks’ second and final exhibition game of the 2025-26 preseason Tuesday. Tipoff for KU-Fort Hays State is 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse with a live telecast on ESPN+.
“I think that’s the way it is every year, isn’t it? You get tired of beating on each other so it’s always nice to get out there and play someone else. I’m sure it is that way in all sports when you do intrasquads all the time,” Self said Monday.
“It wasn’t treated like a regular game, because the routine wasn’t exactly the same as a regular game,” Self continued. “We didn’t talk about anything they would run or really go over anything to try to scout or anything like that. But I do think from an excitement standpoint, it felt different than most exhibitions for sure.”
It was a much better result for KU than the past two preseasons when KU dropped exhibitions at Arkansas (85-69 last October) and at Illinois (82-75 in 2023).
“We did some things that you have to do on the road in order to win,” Self said, singling out Melvin Council Jr. who, thanks to downhill drives, went to the line 10 times. He hit 9 of 10 free throws on a night he missed 8 of 9 floor shots.
“I actually thought we were the first one on the floor just about every time there was a loose ball. I thought there were some things that don’t have anything to do with coaching or technique, that the guys played with reckless abandon for the most part,” Self added. “I thought that was really positive, because I don’t think we’ve seen that as much in practice as what we’d like to. So I thought there were a lot of good things like that.”
Elmarko Jackson scored 11 points (he was 9-of-9 from the line) in his return from patellar tendon surgery that forced him to redshirt a year ago,
“Coach Self said he thought we played well,” Jackson said. “There are a lot of things we could have done better, but it was still a first game, first exhibition. It’s a lot of stuff to build on, but we can’t get relaxed. It’s the beginning of the season. We just have to keep stacking days and building.”
Of Jackson’s play in the opener, Self said Monday: “I thought Elmarko played with so much poise and patience compared to what he did a couple of years ago. He didn’t feel as rushed to me. He didn’t take a lot of shots (1-for-2), but he got fouled and he made them kind of chase him. He drove straight lines, which forces fouls and hand contact.”
For one night at least, KU may have resembled a team better than its No. 19 AP ranking.
“I don’t really think it proved anything. It’s a preseason game,” Jackson said. “I just think it shows something to a lot of people that thought we were about to have a down year. We’ve got a lot of guys that can step up and play. If you want to count us out, count us out. We’re coming. We’re hunters now. That’s that’s how we like it.”
KU will open the regular season Nov. 3 against Green Bay. After that, KU plays its second game at North Carolina on Nov. 7.
“Playing before 17,000 people (at Louisville), any time you play in front of that type of crowd and you respond favorably, I think it’d be something we can draw from,” Self said Monday, adding, “it’s not going to be Carolina atmosphere. That’ll be a different atmosphere — turned up and more people and all that stuff. But I thought it was a good way to give us an idea about how we need to stick together on the road and what really wins on the road. Because I did think we did some things that you have to do on the road in order to win.”
This story was originally published October 27, 2025 at 3:56 PM.
