Bill Self ‘not buying’ talk that upcoming game at ISU is a ‘must-win’ situation for KU

Bill Self had no recruiting duties scheduled for Wednesday night, so he sat back at home and watched Kansas State and Iowa State — two teams that, like KU, ended the evening with 4-2 Big 12 Conference records — square off on ESPN2.

“I thought it was a great defensive game. I thought both teams hooked up,” Self, KU’s 21st-year men’s basketball coach, said, speaking of Iowa State’s 78-67 victory over Kansas State played before 14,267 fans at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.

K-State (14-5, 4-2) was whistled for 27 fouls while No. 23-ranked ISU (15-4, 4-2) committed 20 fouls in a physical game that precedes Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. contest between the No. 7-ranked Jayhawks (16-3, 4-2) and Cyclones at Hilton.

“I don’t think either team played great offensively because the defense was so good on both ends. That game could have gone either way. It was tied with five minutes left. Iowa State made some plays down the stretch,” Self added.

Self saw enough to be convinced that Saturday’s assignment in Ames, against one of four teams tied for second in the Big 12 standings and one game in the loss column behind Texas Tech (15-3, 4-1), will be most difficult.

“I think they are tough. I think they take on the personality of their coach (TJ Otzelberger) and their point guard,” Self said of 6-foot-1 sophomore Tamin Lipsey, who had eight points, six assists and three rebounds vs. K-State.

“I think they guard as well and as hard and are as connected as any team we play this year,” Self added of the Cyclones. “I hope we can get to the point we are in the same conversation. To this point we have not been. I would say they (and Houston (17-2, 4-2) to me are different on the defensive end as far as our league goes. They’ll make it very difficult. We were lucky last year to get 53 at their place (in 68-53 loss to ISU in Ames). We know they can guard.”

Self will not call this a must-win situation even though a defeat would dip KU’s record to 4-3 after seven contests including losses at West Virginia (7-12, 2-4) and UCF (12-6, 3-3).

“It’s a long season. We’re going to lose again as everybody else in our league is going to lose again,” Self said. “It’s too good a league. So you’re going to put a must-win game in late January when our goal is to be the best we can be in March? I’m not buying it.

“I think the Chiefs are still in the AFC Championship game this week and I think there was a stretch they lost three out of four. I’m not buying it. People make way too big a deal when it’s good and people make way too big a deal when it’s not good.”

Self added: “We could be talking about, gosh we beat a good team on Monday (74-69 home win over 13-6, 2-4 Cincinnati) but instead we’re going to talk about something that happened in the past (losses to WVU, UCF) that is irrelevant on how good we can be this March.

“Would it (win in Ames) help our chances of staying at the top of the league at this point? Absolutely, but every game you win in the league helps your chances. If we are going to put a must-win situation on a group of five guys that are playing almost all the minutes over a course of three months I think that would be pretty taxing and pretty draining and totally wear a group out. So I’m not going to do that but it is a big game,” Self noted.

The starting five of Dajuan Harris, Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams, Kevin McCullar and Johnny Furphy rested Tuesday and Wednesday (only watching film) until returning to practice Thursday. The rest of the players took Tuesday off then practiced Wednesday and Thursday.

“If guys are going to play substantial minutes like this you certainly don’t want to wear them out on non-game days,” Self said.

KU will meet Oklahoma Sate at 8 p.m., Tuesday, at Allen Fieldhouse then play Houston at 3 p.m., Feb. 3 in Allen before traveling to K-State on Feb. 5 for an 8 p.m. tip.