LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self credited 2,500 enthusiastic fans for helping his No. 23-ranked Jayhawks trip No. 15 Texas Tech, 67-61, on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.
The 2,500 spectators — maximum allowed during the pandemic — included a large group of KU students in the bleachers behind both goals.
“I’m happy about everything. I thought the crowd was great. I told our guys at the last TV timeout, at 3:41, I said ‘Gosh dang it seems loud in here today’ and they felt it,” Self said after the Jayhawks (17-7, 11-5) claimed their second victory over the Red Raiders (14-7, 6-6) this season. “The guys played great. They played with great energy,” Self added.
Five players scored in double figures as KU snared its fifth win in a row heading into Tuesday’s game at No. 12-ranked Texas.
“From what I understand they hung 50 in the first half on West Virginia so they seem rested and ready to go,” Self said of the Longhorns (13-6, 7-5), who squandered a 19-point lead and lost to the Mountaineers, 84-82, on Saturday in Austin, Texas. Texas led 53-43 at halftime.
“It’ll be an exciting game for our guys and I think they (Longhorns) will see a different Kansas team than they saw in January,” Self added.
Texas slammed the Jayhawks, 84-59, on Jan. 2 at Allen Fieldhouse. KU bounced back from that 25-point loss to defeat TCU in Fort Worth, Texas on Jan. 5 and Oklahoma on Jan. 9 in Lawrence. After that, the Jayhawks lost five of seven games and temporarily dropped out of the AP poll with a 12-7 overall record, 6-5 in the league.
“The expectations and standards of excellence are so strong in Lawrence, lose a couple games in a row and it’s like the world is ending,” Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said prior to Saturday’s game at KU. “Those of us that know this league like myself and know Coach Self and understand the talent on that roster … this is a team that is in a fight for a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament and could easily be in another Final Four,” Beard added.
Beard continued his praise of KU’s rejuvenated team after the Jayhawks’ fifth win in a row.
“I thought Kansas fulfilled its identity tonight,” Beard said Saturday in a Zoom call with media members. “On a day they don’t shoot great (41.0% to Tech’s 42.3%) they still get five guys in double figures.”
KU power forward David McCormack led the way with 17 points, while Ochai Agbaji scored 14 points, Jalen Wilson 11 (with 11 rebounds) and Marcus Garrett and Christian Braun 10 apiece. Bryce Thompson was the only KU reserve to score. He chipped in five points in 16 minutes.
McCormack, who has scored in double figures in four of five games in this winning streak, credited 18th-year KU coach Self for the team’s winning ways.
“Coach says it before every game and we reiterate in the locker room, ‘Big Mo is on our side’ — momentum is on our side,’’’ McCormack said before Saturday’s game in an interview with the Jayhawk radio network.
“We are continuing to stay positive, continuing to encourage each other. We are making sure everybody finds their groove the last third of the season, making sure we all get on the right page, the same page going into March. It’s just great energy in the locker room … ‘Big Mo,’” McCormack added.
Self acknowledged speaking to the team after that 2-5 stretch.
“It started with the Oklahoma State game. We told the guys we have a chance to right the ship,” Self said Saturday, explaining the reasoning behind his optimistic outlook. “They knew we certainly could play our best ball moving forward.”
KU small forward Wilson, who has had double-doubles in five of the last six games — has noticed great chemistry since the start of the win streak.
“We have five guys all clicking, all playing for each other, all making the right plays whether scoring, passing, doing anything we can to win the game,” Wilson said.
Wilson said beating a Top 15 team Saturday, “shows people we are refocused and are on track and on pace for a good season. We’ve got to close out the last two games of the Big 12. We are focusing on that.”
KU will meet No. 12 Texas (13-6, 7-5) at 8 p.m. Tuesday, at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, then meet No. 2 Baylor (17-0, 9-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse.
“I’d say we are clicking on all ends. A lot of times (earlier) we didn’t play defense for each other. Now if one person scores he scores on all of us. Pride comes with that. We’re playing defense for each other. Lately we’re playing as one instead of as individuals,” Wilson added.
