Bill Self says Kansas basketball’s prep for Kansas State is a ‘crash course’

LAWRENCE — Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self gave his team the day off Sunday ahead of its rivalry matchup Tuesday against Kansas State.

The Jayhawks are exhausted, Self explained, after the stretch they’ve had to play to open their Big 12 Conference slate. As he spoke early Monday afternoon, No. 2 Kansas (16-1, 5-0 in Big 12) had yet to even practice or go over things like how they’d defend certain situations. And that had him describing the Jayhawks’ preparation for No. 15 Kansas State (15-2, 4-1 in Big 12) as a “crash course” in the Wildcats.

“I actually thought bodies were more important than preparation, and I’d be surprised if (Kansas State coach) Jerome (Tang) didn’t feel the same way,” Self said. “This league is such a grind.”

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Here are a handful of things to think about ahead of the scheduled 6 p.m. tip-off in Manhattan:

Jalen Wilson says he isn’t thinking about this potentially being his last game in Manhattan

Jalen Wilson, a redshirt junior forward for Kansas, has yet to lose in his college career against the Wildcats. On Tuesday, he’ll look to help extend the Jayhawks’ overall winning streak in the series to eight games. But so far through his preparation, Wilson said he hasn’t thought about how this could be the last time he plays against Kansas State at the Bramlage Coliseum because of the potential he could turn pro after this season.

Wilson, who’s gone through the pre-draft process for the NBA twice, explained he’s focused on soaking in everything as it comes his way. Whatever he does now, he added, will propel him toward where he wants to go. So, the best case for him is to do what he can to come back to Lawrence with a win and worry about the rest somewhere down the road.

Kansas knows Kansas State is much better than it was last season

The biggest difference between the current Wildcats squad and that of last season, according to Wilson, is how confident his rival is. He said Kansas State knows it can beat teams and compete with the best. Like Self, Wilson highlighted the Wildcats’ road win earlier this season against Texas to show what Kansas State is capable of.

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Self said the Wildcats are playing with a freedom offensively that one doesn’t see very often, and will throw different looks at an opponent defensively. Simply, he outlined, Kansas State is a lot more talented even with the departure of a standout like Nijel Pack because of how the Wildcats’ new coaching staff has recruited. Self described senior guard Markquis Nowell as a player of the year candidate, senior forward Keyontae Johnson as having an unbelievable season and junior forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin as being a NBA prospect.

Kansas can draw from its experience playing on the road against Missouri

Once again, Wilson talked about how Kansas’ game earlier this season at Missouri can help the Jayhawks prepare for the environment they’re going into. Sure, from his perspective the Tigers’ gym might be a little louder and there might be more hatred between the two programs than there is between Kansas and Kansas State. But the hostile environment Tuesday won’t be the first the Jayhawks have played in by any stretch.

Self anticipates the Wildcats being ready for his squad just like Missouri was. Kansas State has yet to lose at home this season. So far during Big 12 play, the Wildcats’ wins at home have come against West Virginia and Oklahoma State.

“They’re capable of definitely playing at a high level against anybody in the country and they’ve already shown they can do it, and they’ll be playing with a lot of momentum in the stands tomorrow,” said Self, who praised the wins Kansas State has been able to rack up on the road in the Big 12. “So, it should be a really fun atmosphere, really fun.”

KJ Adams Jr. was named the Big 12 player of the week

Self said it was awesome that Adams was recognized Monday as the Big 12’s player of the week for his efforts this past week against Oklahoma and Iowa State. It may be a fleeting honor, in the scheme of things, but it’s still something worth celebrating. And it brings more attention to a player who stepped up in key moments and helped keep Kansas undefeated so far during Big 12 play.

Adams scored 22 points in the win against the Sooners, in addition to collecting six rebounds, a couple blocks and a steal. Adams scored 15 points against the Cyclones, in addition to collecting six rebounds, a block and a steal. He’s up to 10 straight games in double figures scoring.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Bill Self says KU basketball’s prep for Kansas State is a crash course