Late on Saturday afternoon, No. 3 Kansas (15-2; 3-1) will square off against West Virginia (6-11; 1-3) in Morgantown. While the Jayhawks have lost just two games this season, the Mountaineers are struggling to put things together on the court early in the season.
Bill Self, on Thursday afternoon, previewed the game between No. 3 Kansas and West Virginia during his weekly press conference in Lawrence.
-- Self said he’s going to wait and really judge West Virginia once they are capable of putting an entire team on the court. The Mountaineers continue to do with injuries and haven’t had the opportunity to take the court as a complete team just yet.
Despite struggling record-wise this season, West Virginia defeated Texas at home back on January 13.
-- Self said he thinks that Kansas is a really well-conditioned group. He added that its easier to play “turned up” for 40 minutes if you can maybe get a little more rest than what his guys are currently getting this season. As an example, Self, with a smile, said he doesn’t see KJ (Adams, Jr.) slowing down much. Self said Hunter (Dickinson) played 30 minutes the other day and, according to Self, it hardly felt like he played.
The two guys Self said he would be most concerned with would be Hunter and Dajuan (Harris), but he added that he doesn’t have a concern about that.
-- Self, when talking about KJ Adams, Jr., said he’s much more active on the defensive board the last month then he ever was last year. Self added that last year Adams, Jr., was more concerned about not letting the five-man get the ball. This year he’s more concerned about going and getting the ball.
-- Self said he feels like Kansas has found its fifth starter in Johnny Furphy. That isn’t a knock on Elmarko Jackson at all, according to Self. Self believes that Jackson’s role off the bench will be better than what it was as a starter, and Johnny’s role as a starter will be better than when he was coming off the bench.
Self said that he’s excited about Johnny Furphy. Self said the other guys feel comfortable playing with Furphy and they play better when he’s in the game. Self added that Furphy is very, very bright and picks things up quickly. He can make plays you can’t coach, according to Self.
-- Self doesn’t think that WVU presses as much without Huggs on the bench, but Self expects WVU to press on Saturday. There’s no doubt that WVU will press, but Self just isn’t sure how much.
Bill Self, on Thursday afternoon, previewed the game between No. 3 Kansas and West Virginia during his weekly press conference in Lawrence.
-- Self said he’s going to wait and really judge West Virginia once they are capable of putting an entire team on the court. The Mountaineers continue to do with injuries and haven’t had the opportunity to take the court as a complete team just yet.
Despite struggling record-wise this season, West Virginia defeated Texas at home back on January 13.
-- Self said he thinks that Kansas is a really well-conditioned group. He added that its easier to play “turned up” for 40 minutes if you can maybe get a little more rest than what his guys are currently getting this season. As an example, Self, with a smile, said he doesn’t see KJ (Adams, Jr.) slowing down much. Self said Hunter (Dickinson) played 30 minutes the other day and, according to Self, it hardly felt like he played.
The two guys Self said he would be most concerned with would be Hunter and Dajuan (Harris), but he added that he doesn’t have a concern about that.
-- Self, when talking about KJ Adams, Jr., said he’s much more active on the defensive board the last month then he ever was last year. Self added that last year Adams, Jr., was more concerned about not letting the five-man get the ball. This year he’s more concerned about going and getting the ball.
-- Self said he feels like Kansas has found its fifth starter in Johnny Furphy. That isn’t a knock on Elmarko Jackson at all, according to Self. Self believes that Jackson’s role off the bench will be better than what it was as a starter, and Johnny’s role as a starter will be better than when he was coming off the bench.
Self said that he’s excited about Johnny Furphy. Self said the other guys feel comfortable playing with Furphy and they play better when he’s in the game. Self added that Furphy is very, very bright and picks things up quickly. He can make plays you can’t coach, according to Self.
-- Self doesn’t think that WVU presses as much without Huggs on the bench, but Self expects WVU to press on Saturday. There’s no doubt that WVU will press, but Self just isn’t sure how much.
