Just got back to my hotel after spending some quality time with Coach Self and a number of players at the Superdome early this afternoon. On the front of the site, I just posted every word that was said at the press conference and video from the breakout sessions. Here, I'm going to provide some highlights of what stood out when Coach Self, David McCormack, and Ochai Agbaji met with the media a little bit ago.
-- Self said there was absolutely no celebration after the win last night. It was business as usual for his team. Kansas came here with the attitude of this being a business trip. The Jayhawks took care of business against Villanova last night, but the job, without question, isn't done. Kansas is just one win away from capturing its first National Championship since 2008. The Jayhawks came here to do just that.
"We were obviously happy," said Self. "I thought after you win, body language was fantastic. I don't think we spent a lot of energy in the locker room after the win, though. I think we were thinking, at least the best you can, next play. And we got right back to the hotel and had dinner around 10:30 or whatever it was, 10:00 or 10:30, and went to bed. So we didn't start talking about Carolina until this morning. But I thought they responded just the way you should respond."
-- Coach Self also talked about how Kansas has had some terrific seasons, but ultimately came up short of winning the ultimate prize. Kansas won it all in 2008, finished 2nd to Kentucky in 2012, lost in the Final Four to Villanova in 2018, were the best team in college basketball in 2020, but COVID-19 shut down the NCAA Tournament and, on Saturday night, Kansas defeated Villanova to advance to the 2022 National Championship game. To me, and I feel strongly about this, Monday night is a game that Kansas absolutely has to win. They've got to take care of business against North Carolina in the title game.
"Well, it has been," said Self when talking about how it has been a while since Kansas won its last title. "We've had some really terrific seasons and some great teams that came up short. And I do think that when you have as many good teams as we've had -- at most places winning one national championship would be quite an accomplishment -- I think as many good teams as we've had, one's not enough. And so I don't think that I personally feel the pressure that we have to win. But I do know that when you have a chance to coach at a place where you have an opportunity to be in the game most years, you need to take advantage of that more than we have.
-- Self, with Kansas playing in the NC game on Monday night, was asked about the 2020 team and how tough it was missing out on the opportunity to compete for a National Championship. Listen, let's be honest here and say that Kansas was, without question, the team to beat in 2020. Kansas was going to be the No. 1 overall seed and was going to make a serious run at the 2020 National Championship. I have absolutely no doubt that Marcus Garrett, Devon Dotson, Christian Braun, Isaiah Moss, Ochai Agbaji, Udoka Azubuike, and company would have taken Kansas to the promised land. The 2020 team was built for success in March.
"It was tough for everybody," said Self. "I mean, that was just a tough year all around for everybody, no matter what you did as a profession. Everybody was affected in some way. It was probably maybe our most equipped team to go deep in the tournament, at least going into a tournament. We had the best big man defensive player in the country. We had the best guard defensive player in the country and we had a second-team All-American on top of that. So that was tough for our guys. But they handled it well. And probably what made it a little tougher was the year before we got knocked down in the second round the year after we get knocked out in the second round. So getting here is I think pretty sweet for us, in large part because many guys on this team didn't have a chance to play in it when we had -- I don't know if we had a legitimate shot but it would have taken a pretty good effort to knock us out."
-- Coach Self spent quite a bit of time talking about the development of North Carolina forward Brady Manek. Self is familiar with Manek from his days at Oklahoma, but in the system at North Carolina, he's playing a completely different role. With Bacot in the paint, Manek has the freedom to step outside and play on the perimeter. He's become an absolute star at North Carolina and Kansas will have its hands full defending Manek on Monday night.
"I think Brady has obviously been unbelievable," said Self. "He and Caleb have arguably been the two best players in the tournament. It's shocking to me -- and I just noticed this morning looking at stats -- we've shot 91 3s as a team in the tournament. Manek and Love have shot 90 by themselves it's amazing. And to have a guy 6'10" that has that quick a release, he's playing with freedom. He was a threat always at OU. But Hubert's given him a mind, a free mind that he feels like that anytime he's got any separation at all he needs to let it fly. And that's a compliment to his coach and their staff, but also he's such a good player. He's got such a quick release. It's a high release. And playing him at OU, you had you to defend him probably a little more at the post. And now obviously with Mando in the game he's playing primarily on the perimeter."
-- KU's seniors, Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack have a chance to go out on top on Monday night. However, when you look at the headliners of that specific recruiting class, it was Quentin Grimes and Devon Dotson that received most of the attention when the 2018 recruiting class first arrived in Lawrence. Grimes ultimately decided to transfer out of the program and Dotson left following his sophomore year in Lawrence. However, there's absolutely no doubt that Kansas wouldn't be one win away from winning its second National Championship under Self without Agbaji and McCormack.
"I'm thrilled for them," said Self. "When we recruited the senior class the headliners were not David McCormack and Ochai Agbaji. They were Devon Dodson were Quentin Grimes. And we coached Quinton for one year and he transferred to Houston, and we coached Dot for two. I'm extremely happy for those guys and what they've given us. And they've been great ambassadors and role models for our school and our community. And they both put in the time to give us a chance to be here, so I'm happy they got to experience what this is all about."
There isn't a young man playing in this tournament that didn't dream of one day playing on the biggest stage that college basketball has to offer. Heck, as a kid myself, I remember playing ball with my friends and playing out the scenario of time running off the clock in the National Championship game and I was going to not only take the big shot but hit the game winner. For both Agbaji and McCormack, they have a chance to see a lifelong dream become a reality on Monday night.
"Yes, this is the moment that every kid dreams to be in, to play for a national championship for their school, to represent their school on the highest stage of basketball itself and play in front of all these people," said Agbaji. "I think that's just a dream come true for me and all the guys on my team. So we're just excited to play tomorrow and everyone's just ready."
"I know for me I remember the days of watching every game in March Madness and watching the finals and you're raving about it with your friends what team you're picking. Now I get to play a part in that," said McCormack. "We've fought all this way, battled this way to make it to the biggest stage in college basketball. And there's no better feeling, especially having my family there to support me during the time, and there's kids back at the same schools that I went to cheering me on. So it doesn't get any better than that."
-- Self said there was absolutely no celebration after the win last night. It was business as usual for his team. Kansas came here with the attitude of this being a business trip. The Jayhawks took care of business against Villanova last night, but the job, without question, isn't done. Kansas is just one win away from capturing its first National Championship since 2008. The Jayhawks came here to do just that.
"We were obviously happy," said Self. "I thought after you win, body language was fantastic. I don't think we spent a lot of energy in the locker room after the win, though. I think we were thinking, at least the best you can, next play. And we got right back to the hotel and had dinner around 10:30 or whatever it was, 10:00 or 10:30, and went to bed. So we didn't start talking about Carolina until this morning. But I thought they responded just the way you should respond."
-- Coach Self also talked about how Kansas has had some terrific seasons, but ultimately came up short of winning the ultimate prize. Kansas won it all in 2008, finished 2nd to Kentucky in 2012, lost in the Final Four to Villanova in 2018, were the best team in college basketball in 2020, but COVID-19 shut down the NCAA Tournament and, on Saturday night, Kansas defeated Villanova to advance to the 2022 National Championship game. To me, and I feel strongly about this, Monday night is a game that Kansas absolutely has to win. They've got to take care of business against North Carolina in the title game.
"Well, it has been," said Self when talking about how it has been a while since Kansas won its last title. "We've had some really terrific seasons and some great teams that came up short. And I do think that when you have as many good teams as we've had -- at most places winning one national championship would be quite an accomplishment -- I think as many good teams as we've had, one's not enough. And so I don't think that I personally feel the pressure that we have to win. But I do know that when you have a chance to coach at a place where you have an opportunity to be in the game most years, you need to take advantage of that more than we have.
-- Self, with Kansas playing in the NC game on Monday night, was asked about the 2020 team and how tough it was missing out on the opportunity to compete for a National Championship. Listen, let's be honest here and say that Kansas was, without question, the team to beat in 2020. Kansas was going to be the No. 1 overall seed and was going to make a serious run at the 2020 National Championship. I have absolutely no doubt that Marcus Garrett, Devon Dotson, Christian Braun, Isaiah Moss, Ochai Agbaji, Udoka Azubuike, and company would have taken Kansas to the promised land. The 2020 team was built for success in March.
"It was tough for everybody," said Self. "I mean, that was just a tough year all around for everybody, no matter what you did as a profession. Everybody was affected in some way. It was probably maybe our most equipped team to go deep in the tournament, at least going into a tournament. We had the best big man defensive player in the country. We had the best guard defensive player in the country and we had a second-team All-American on top of that. So that was tough for our guys. But they handled it well. And probably what made it a little tougher was the year before we got knocked down in the second round the year after we get knocked out in the second round. So getting here is I think pretty sweet for us, in large part because many guys on this team didn't have a chance to play in it when we had -- I don't know if we had a legitimate shot but it would have taken a pretty good effort to knock us out."
-- Coach Self spent quite a bit of time talking about the development of North Carolina forward Brady Manek. Self is familiar with Manek from his days at Oklahoma, but in the system at North Carolina, he's playing a completely different role. With Bacot in the paint, Manek has the freedom to step outside and play on the perimeter. He's become an absolute star at North Carolina and Kansas will have its hands full defending Manek on Monday night.
"I think Brady has obviously been unbelievable," said Self. "He and Caleb have arguably been the two best players in the tournament. It's shocking to me -- and I just noticed this morning looking at stats -- we've shot 91 3s as a team in the tournament. Manek and Love have shot 90 by themselves it's amazing. And to have a guy 6'10" that has that quick a release, he's playing with freedom. He was a threat always at OU. But Hubert's given him a mind, a free mind that he feels like that anytime he's got any separation at all he needs to let it fly. And that's a compliment to his coach and their staff, but also he's such a good player. He's got such a quick release. It's a high release. And playing him at OU, you had you to defend him probably a little more at the post. And now obviously with Mando in the game he's playing primarily on the perimeter."
-- KU's seniors, Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack have a chance to go out on top on Monday night. However, when you look at the headliners of that specific recruiting class, it was Quentin Grimes and Devon Dotson that received most of the attention when the 2018 recruiting class first arrived in Lawrence. Grimes ultimately decided to transfer out of the program and Dotson left following his sophomore year in Lawrence. However, there's absolutely no doubt that Kansas wouldn't be one win away from winning its second National Championship under Self without Agbaji and McCormack.
"I'm thrilled for them," said Self. "When we recruited the senior class the headliners were not David McCormack and Ochai Agbaji. They were Devon Dodson were Quentin Grimes. And we coached Quinton for one year and he transferred to Houston, and we coached Dot for two. I'm extremely happy for those guys and what they've given us. And they've been great ambassadors and role models for our school and our community. And they both put in the time to give us a chance to be here, so I'm happy they got to experience what this is all about."
There isn't a young man playing in this tournament that didn't dream of one day playing on the biggest stage that college basketball has to offer. Heck, as a kid myself, I remember playing ball with my friends and playing out the scenario of time running off the clock in the National Championship game and I was going to not only take the big shot but hit the game winner. For both Agbaji and McCormack, they have a chance to see a lifelong dream become a reality on Monday night.
"Yes, this is the moment that every kid dreams to be in, to play for a national championship for their school, to represent their school on the highest stage of basketball itself and play in front of all these people," said Agbaji. "I think that's just a dream come true for me and all the guys on my team. So we're just excited to play tomorrow and everyone's just ready."
"I know for me I remember the days of watching every game in March Madness and watching the finals and you're raving about it with your friends what team you're picking. Now I get to play a part in that," said McCormack. "We've fought all this way, battled this way to make it to the biggest stage in college basketball. And there's no better feeling, especially having my family there to support me during the time, and there's kids back at the same schools that I went to cheering me on. So it doesn't get any better than that."
