Bill Self assesses KU basketball team — and what must change as postseason nears
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Bill Self says KU must improve defense, toughness and offensive fluidity.
- Kansas has six regular-season games left; wins could improve tournament seeding.
- KU sits two games behind Houston in the Big 12 and would need help to win title.
As the Kansas men’s basketball team enters a pivotal stretch of games in the run-up to the postseason, coach Bill Self provided an honest assessment of his team.
The Jayhawks (19-6, 9-3 Big 12) lost to No. 6 Iowa State on Saturday, which ended an eight-game winning streak. Earlier last week, KU upset former No. 1 Arizona, without freshman star Darryn Peterson.
“I liked more where we were at four days ago than I did two days ago,” Self said. “We can become tougher, we can become better defensively consistently. We can understand more about what it’s like to win away from home. We can definitely be much more fluid offensively. ... I think we can get better in all facets. I don’t think we are where we need to be in any area.”
KU’s next test will be a road matchup against Oklahoma State on Wednesday. In total, KU has six games left in the regular season, with two of those coming against top-5 teams (Houston and Arizona).
Currently, Kansas is tied for third place in the Big 12 with Iowa State and Texas Tech. The two teams ahead of the Jayhawks are Arizona (10-2 Big 12) and Houston (11-2 after Monday night’s loss).
It’s not out of the question that KU could win the Big 12. But it will be difficult chasing two teams with others bunched around them in the standings. The Jayhawks would need some help along the way.
Aside from the chance of winning a Big 12 title, there’s plenty else at stake for KU.
Kansas is projected as a No. 3 seed as of Monday, according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. His projection has KU in the East regional, playing in Greenville, South Carolina.
To move up seed-wise — or earn a spot at a closer regional site — KU will need to win most of its remaining six games.
“I think every game this late in the season means more and more as you go, without question,” Self said. “I think that’s the way it is with everything. When we can see the finish line, the things that happen closer to the finish line are more important. Just like in a game, you can make a mistake in the first five or 10 minutes and there’s time to recover.
“You get under the five-minute mark and there might not be time to recover. It’s the same thing in seasons and scheduling, too.”
Self emphasized that there’s another level of urgency right now for the Jayhawks, but that it also applies to a team like Oklahoma State. The Cowboys (16-9, 4-8) are fighting to earn an NCAA Tournament berth. They’ll be desperate for wins along the way.
“Other people are playing for stuff and there’s still time to get stuff done,” Self said. “We have to recognize that, respect that and know we have to be at a different level ourselves.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2026 at 4:47 PM.
