Coach Bill Self benches freshman Bryson Tiller for lack of effort as Kansas crashes out of the Big 12 tournament.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas freshman Bryson Tiller never left the bench in the second half of the Jayhawks’ 69–47 loss to Houston in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals Friday night, a decision head coach Bill Self said came down to effort and physicality.
Self said the message to the 6-foot-11 forward has been consistent throughout the season.
“My message is rebound and play competitive,” Self said. “That’s it. Be physical, rebound, play competitive. So that’s been the message for a long time.”
Houston’s physical defense caused problems for Kansas all night as the Cougars pulled away while the Jayhawks struggled offensively, shooting just 25% from the field.
Tiller finished with two points and two rebounds in 14 minutes before being held out for the entire second half. The freshman made one of his five shot attempts and committed one turnover.
Self said the decision to keep Tiller on the bench was simply a coach’s choice based on how the game was unfolding.
Tiller acknowledged afterward that he needed to bring more energy and production on the court.
“Obviously I could have played a little harder, got more rebounds, but nothing I can do about it now,” Tiller said. “Just got to chalk it up and move on.”
Earlier in the season, Tiller played a key role during Kansas’ eight-game Big 12 winning streak, providing size and rebounding in the frontcourt. But during the Jayhawks’ last five losses, his production has dipped to just 3.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
Despite the difficult performance and lopsided loss, Tiller said the team remains focused on what lies ahead with the NCAA Tournament approaching.
“We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs on this team with various situations,” Tiller said. “I don’t feel like this is a setback that we can’t come back from.”
The freshman forward said the goal now is to quickly move past the semifinal defeat and refocus on the postseason, where he expects to contribute.
If Kansas hopes to make a deep run in March Madness, Tiller will likely need to regain the physical presence that helped fuel the Jayhawks earlier this season.
Kansas will now turn its attention to Selection Sunday to learn its NCAA Tournament destination. The bracket reveal begins at 5 p.m. CST on CBS.