--Bill Self said that Johnny Furphy needs to shoot the ball when he's open because he's one of KU's better shooters, but it sounds like Self doesn't want Furphy to focus strictly on being a shooter. Self does want Furphy to shoot the ball when open, but he wants to be aggressive, overall, on the offensive side of the court. Self doesn't want Furphy to be strictly known as a shooter.
-- When asked how Self felt Furphy handled the big stage on Friday night, Self said he did great. When Furphy met with the media before Self, I asked him if he'd ever experienced any type of rivalry game before he arrived a few months ago and it didn't take him long to reply with a no. Self didn't lean on his bench much on Friday night, but Furphy is one player who saw some quality minutes against UConn. Self added that Furphy only played "13 minutes or something like that" but played really well.
-- From a record standpoint (7-1), Self said he's good with where Kansas stands, but from an execution standpoint and some things like that, Self said Kansas is still quite a way away. Self said there is a lot of room for improvement and they must keep developing. Self said that Parker Braun has been the most consistent guy of guys 5-9. Self added that it's hard to play Braun when when Hunter is not in the game, because you lose so much scoring. Self said that Kansas must develop "guys" and get "guys playing where they can play in a big game and do so without Kansas taking a step back.
-- Self said that he loves Nick Timberlake, but he had three big faux pas, as soon as he checked in, in two minutes, against Connecticut. In a game like that, as Self said, in a game like that, one possession could be the difference between winning and not winning. Self said Nic has got to get where he understands, maybe better, of what Kansas is trying to do, from a scouting report standpoint and with what they are trying to run and competing on the glass and things like that.
"He's going to be fine," said Self. "But that was not the game for him the other night, based on how it got started."
-- Self, of which everybody is well aware, Self Dajuan Harris didn't make any floaters on Friday night. He also added that Juan didn't have his best offensive game. Self added that Dajuan can do better in a lot of ways, but, as Self asked, if Kansas didn't have Dajuan, who would be handling the ball? Self also said that Dajuan is playing 37 minutes per game and his body isn't built to play that many minutes. The floaters that he missed are the exact shots, according to Self, that Harris should be shooting.
-- Self said practice, on Sunday, was "absolute awful." Self, was hoping for a better practice today and added that KJ Adams, Jr., is back with his teammates. Self said how he feels about the game tomorrow will depend on how practice goes today.
"You play like you prepare," said Self.
-- Self added that they didn't do a good job at all with Eastern Illinois last week.
-- Going back to Sunday practice, Self said that he could still see his guys were exhausted from the Connecticut game on Friday night. Again, Self is hoping that today is a lot better.
-- Self said KJ Adams, Jr., got back this morning from attending the funeral of his mother. Self added that it was an honor to be in attendance and to be part of the celebration of a lady who has done so much for so many others. Self knew the impact she had was great, but had no idea how truly impactful she was in the lives of so many people.
-- I asked Self to expand on the awful practice comment, and he simply said that it was a practice that wasn't completed. KJ wasn't a practice yesterday, Hunter is nicked up, and Jaun and Kevin are nicked up and exhausted. Self added, whenever those guys don't really practice and you're putting it on everybody else, it wasn't going to be a good practice, regardless.
-- When asked how Self felt Furphy handled the big stage on Friday night, Self said he did great. When Furphy met with the media before Self, I asked him if he'd ever experienced any type of rivalry game before he arrived a few months ago and it didn't take him long to reply with a no. Self didn't lean on his bench much on Friday night, but Furphy is one player who saw some quality minutes against UConn. Self added that Furphy only played "13 minutes or something like that" but played really well.
-- From a record standpoint (7-1), Self said he's good with where Kansas stands, but from an execution standpoint and some things like that, Self said Kansas is still quite a way away. Self said there is a lot of room for improvement and they must keep developing. Self said that Parker Braun has been the most consistent guy of guys 5-9. Self added that it's hard to play Braun when when Hunter is not in the game, because you lose so much scoring. Self said that Kansas must develop "guys" and get "guys playing where they can play in a big game and do so without Kansas taking a step back.
-- Self said that he loves Nick Timberlake, but he had three big faux pas, as soon as he checked in, in two minutes, against Connecticut. In a game like that, as Self said, in a game like that, one possession could be the difference between winning and not winning. Self said Nic has got to get where he understands, maybe better, of what Kansas is trying to do, from a scouting report standpoint and with what they are trying to run and competing on the glass and things like that.
"He's going to be fine," said Self. "But that was not the game for him the other night, based on how it got started."
-- Self, of which everybody is well aware, Self Dajuan Harris didn't make any floaters on Friday night. He also added that Juan didn't have his best offensive game. Self added that Dajuan can do better in a lot of ways, but, as Self asked, if Kansas didn't have Dajuan, who would be handling the ball? Self also said that Dajuan is playing 37 minutes per game and his body isn't built to play that many minutes. The floaters that he missed are the exact shots, according to Self, that Harris should be shooting.
-- Self said practice, on Sunday, was "absolute awful." Self, was hoping for a better practice today and added that KJ Adams, Jr., is back with his teammates. Self said how he feels about the game tomorrow will depend on how practice goes today.
"You play like you prepare," said Self.
-- Self added that they didn't do a good job at all with Eastern Illinois last week.
-- Going back to Sunday practice, Self said that he could still see his guys were exhausted from the Connecticut game on Friday night. Again, Self is hoping that today is a lot better.
-- Self said KJ Adams, Jr., got back this morning from attending the funeral of his mother. Self added that it was an honor to be in attendance and to be part of the celebration of a lady who has done so much for so many others. Self knew the impact she had was great, but had no idea how truly impactful she was in the lives of so many people.
-- I asked Self to expand on the awful practice comment, and he simply said that it was a practice that wasn't completed. KJ wasn't a practice yesterday, Hunter is nicked up, and Jaun and Kevin are nicked up and exhausted. Self added, whenever those guys don't really practice and you're putting it on everybody else, it wasn't going to be a good practice, regardless.
