Kansas Head Coach Bill Self Big 12/SEC Challenge Pre-UK Game @ Rupp Arena Comments
On what he hopes to achieve from Saturday’s game at Kentucky …
“Well, I just hope we go get better. It’s going to be a great environment, I’m sure, and one which will definitely test our poise and our toughness. I’m just looking forward to seeing how we’ll react. We did not react favorably (at West Virginia on Tuesday) – although I will say this, if you had told me going into the game we’d be up one with seven minutes left at West Virginia, I would say that’s not the worst thing that would every happen. Obviously, they whipped us down the stretch. The last two media timeouts they put it on us good. My goal is to go over there and to play well. We certainly expect to do that, and to play with a free mind and see what happens.”
On the matchup between Kansas and Kentucky’s guards …
“I think it’s a great matchup, and it’s for different reasons. Obviously, with (Isaiah) Briscoe, who I think sometimes doesn’t get the attention or the notoriety that he deserves – now I’m not there every day, maybe he does – but from the outside looking in there’s been so much emphasis on (De’Aaron) Fox and (Malik) Monk, deservedly so. But Briscoe, he’s a terrific guard that I know opponents that have played against him know how good he is.
“But with the two little guys out front, even though Monk and Fox aren’t exactly little, you got going against (Frank) Mason and (Devonte’) Graham, you got the prototypical experience against youth. And the youth is lottery pick talent without question, that have shown that they can play at the very highest level, and certainly play at a level that is better on certain days than anybody else in the country has played.
“Then you got some guys on our side that are pretty consistent, and tough, and solid, and been through a lot of wars together.
“I think it makes for a great matchup. I think there are other matchups that will be key, but certainly I think most eyes will be on those four guys.”
On how important it will be for Kansas to “neutralize” Adebayo …
“Oh God, yeah, he’s a monster. I think he’s continuing to get better and better. That’s what I meant, there’s some other key things going on as well, but certainly not allowing him to catch it at two or three feet, because then he does such a good job of going over and through you to get to the basket. I don’t know what he ended up (with) against Tennessee – I don’t know his stats – but he’s continuing to score the ball more and it seems like to me the guys are throwing it to him more, and they’re developing more of a low-post presence offensively as the season progresses. Obviously, he’s a big key.”
On what he hopes to achieve from Saturday’s game at Kentucky …
“Well, I just hope we go get better. It’s going to be a great environment, I’m sure, and one which will definitely test our poise and our toughness. I’m just looking forward to seeing how we’ll react. We did not react favorably (at West Virginia on Tuesday) – although I will say this, if you had told me going into the game we’d be up one with seven minutes left at West Virginia, I would say that’s not the worst thing that would every happen. Obviously, they whipped us down the stretch. The last two media timeouts they put it on us good. My goal is to go over there and to play well. We certainly expect to do that, and to play with a free mind and see what happens.”
On the matchup between Kansas and Kentucky’s guards …
“I think it’s a great matchup, and it’s for different reasons. Obviously, with (Isaiah) Briscoe, who I think sometimes doesn’t get the attention or the notoriety that he deserves – now I’m not there every day, maybe he does – but from the outside looking in there’s been so much emphasis on (De’Aaron) Fox and (Malik) Monk, deservedly so. But Briscoe, he’s a terrific guard that I know opponents that have played against him know how good he is.
“But with the two little guys out front, even though Monk and Fox aren’t exactly little, you got going against (Frank) Mason and (Devonte’) Graham, you got the prototypical experience against youth. And the youth is lottery pick talent without question, that have shown that they can play at the very highest level, and certainly play at a level that is better on certain days than anybody else in the country has played.
“Then you got some guys on our side that are pretty consistent, and tough, and solid, and been through a lot of wars together.
“I think it makes for a great matchup. I think there are other matchups that will be key, but certainly I think most eyes will be on those four guys.”
On how important it will be for Kansas to “neutralize” Adebayo …
“Oh God, yeah, he’s a monster. I think he’s continuing to get better and better. That’s what I meant, there’s some other key things going on as well, but certainly not allowing him to catch it at two or three feet, because then he does such a good job of going over and through you to get to the basket. I don’t know what he ended up (with) against Tennessee – I don’t know his stats – but he’s continuing to score the ball more and it seems like to me the guys are throwing it to him more, and they’re developing more of a low-post presence offensively as the season progresses. Obviously, he’s a big key.”
