Bill Self says Jayhawks are seeking personality infusion

Losers in three of their last five games, Kansas and coach Bill Self seek one remedy above all else.

Better shooting? Rebounding? Defense? All would help. But the answer, at least on Thursday, was none of those.

“Personality,” Self said. “I think that’s probably as much as anything. I’d love to see personality.”

If that personality takes the shape of energy and passion, all the better for the fourth-ranked Jayhawks, who take on No. 20 Kentucky in the Big 12/SEC Challenge at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The lack-of-energy observation has been popular among commentators and critics attempting to explain how a team that started 14-1 and jumped to No. 1 could fall at West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Iowa State in the last 2  1/2 weeks by an average of 14 points.

The Jayhawks’ personality hasn’t changed throughout the season, and it didn’t seem to be an issue in better times, such as when Kansas outlasted Oklahoma in triple overtime. The current malaise started after that game.

“We’re a pretty buttoned-down group for the most part, and that’s fine,” Self said. “But one thing we’ve always encourage our guys is to let their personality show.

It’s an ongoing issue. I don’t think it’s something that’s fixed overnight. I do think it’s something that can be corrected and guys (have) got to get out of their comfort zone in order to do so, but energy and enthusiasm creates activity, and we haven’t been near as active, I think, in the games in which we haven’t played as well.”

From a statistical standpoint, there aren’t many common threads through the losses. Kansas was competitive through most of the Iowa State loss. That wasn’t the case at West Virginia and Oklahoma State. Turnovers were a problem against the Mountaineers and Cyclones, less so against the Cowboys.

That points to the intangible issues, and center Landen Lucas, who has started the previous two games, said the team could use an energy boost.

“When we come out for games, we have energy and seem ready to play,” Lucas said. “There’s just another level we can take it to. Once one person does it, I think everybody will kind of feed off it.”

Saturday could be the day things change. The conference race is interrupted for a day, a schedule that Self and other coaches weren’t wild about when the Big 12/SEC Challenge date was announced.

Now that the game is next, Self senses a different feeling.

“I looked at our schedule, and I’m like, ‘Good gosh, we have to play Kentucky in the middle of our league schedule? Geez, this isn’t any good,’ ” Self said. “Not because we’re playing Kentucky but because we’re focused on the league.

“And now that it’s getting close, I think it’s just going to be awesome, great for college basketball.”

Especially if it brings out the personality in the Jayhawks.

This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 3:27 PM with the headline "Bill Self says Jayhawks are seeking personality infusion."