The Kansas men's basketball team moved up to No. 8 in the most recent AP Top-25 Poll after a 1-1 week. Starting last Monday, the Jayhawks took down No. 1 and undefeated Arizona State at Allen Fieldhouse, but then lost on the road to No. 6 Iowa State.
The Jayhawks will now turn the page to Wedensday where they travel to Stillwater to take on Oklahoma State. Kansas head coach was asked about the Cowboys on Monday and credited their speed.
“Speed. Their guards are good and fast," Self said. "Their players are quick and athletic. They’re really good at getting downhill and making plays when nothing’s there.”
The Cowboys are led by senior guard Anthony Roy, who averages just under 18 points per game (17.6). He is one of the most efficient shooters in the country, shooting 41.3% from 3-point range.
“I think he’s one of the league’s top players and certainly one of the top shooters and scorers," Self said. "He’s shooting 42% from three and taking nine a game, basically four for nine every night. That’s something we’ll have to contend with.”
In the Big 12 Conference, every night is a battle, and every game matters so much in the conference race. Kansas is firmly in the mix at the top, and these next three weeks are crucial.
“I liked where we were four days ago more than two days ago," Self said. "But we can become tougher. We can be more consistent defensively. We can understand more about winning away from home. We can be more fluid offensively. We had 12 turnovers, 10 in the first half, and that hurt us. They also made some tough shots late in the clock. We can get better in all facets. I don’t think we’re where we need to be yet in any area.”
Kansas takes on Oklahoma State on Wednesday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CST, and the game will be shown on Peacock.
More From Coach Self:
On whether late-season games mean more:
“Well, it’s a results business. If we’d have lost by three, would it mean less? I think every game this late in the season means more and more as you go. When you can see the finish line, things that happen closer to it are more important. Early in a game you can make mistakes and recover. Under five minutes, there may not be time to recover. It’s the same thing with seasons and scheduling. So yeah, they take on added importance in mid-to-late February.”
On the team’s reaction after the road loss:
“We haven’t been together yet. Yesterday was our day off, so we practice here in a little bit. I think the guys will respond fine. Losing on the road to a ranked team is hard regardless. They were more physical and took the game to us. People talk about ‘wakeup calls,’ but you don’t have wakeup calls after every loss. Can we learn from it and be better next time out? That’s what I’m focused on.”