Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoMADISON, WIS. ? Roy Williams and the Jayhawks are back.
Top-seeded Kansas University hammered No. 2 Oregon, 104-86, on Sunday in the Midwest Regional final at Kohl Center, propelling Williams and his KU basketball team into the Final Four for the first time since 1993.
“It meant a lot because there’s a lot of doubters out there,” KU junior Drew Gooden said after an 18-point, 20-rebound performance. “You guys gave coach a lot of heat for not reaching some goals in the past. I think it’s just a bunch of crap because coach Williams is a great coach.”
In 14 years at Kansas, Williams has compiled a 388-92 record including 29-12 in the NCAA Tournament won eight conference championships, qualified for 13 straight NCAA Tournaments and guided his teams to three Final Fours.
To some fans and members of the media, however, the bottom line is the number of national championships won. In Williams’ case, that number is zero. Some sports reporters refer to him as the best coach never to win a national title.
“I don’t know if we need any more motivation, but that’s something we don’t want people to be able to say,” said administrative assistant and former KU guard Jerod Haase. “Coach Williams does a lot for everyone in this program. We do everything we can to pay him back.”
Gooden the Big 12 player of the year, co-national player of the year and first-team All-American credited Williams with his success while the two were seated on the dais in a postgame news conference.
“You can’t take anything away from coach Williams,” he said. “For me as an individual, my learning process has grown so much the last 21/2, three years I’ve been here and it’s all from the man here on my left. He’s a hell of a coach. We want to win, and we want to win for coach.”
The Jayhawks know winning two more games would silence their coach’s critics.
“I can’t imagine cutting down the nets in Atlanta,” senior guard Jeff Boschee said after clipping the nets at Kohl Center. “This was the best feeling I’ve ever had since I’ve been at Kansas. It would mean the world to him and to us.”
While Williams was clearly touched by his players’ remarks, he was focused on the athletes.
“It’s a great feeling, and it means a lot,” Williams said of the regional championship. “But I’m happier for those kids. I want them to enjoy it for themselves because they played their butts off. In coaching, the greatest feeling there is is seeing the look on your kids’ faces when they’ve been successful.”
Williams’ detractors draw much of their ammunition from the 1996-97 team that lost to eventual national champion Arizona in the Sweet 16 and the 1997-98 squad that lost in the second round to Rhode Island.
Like this year, both those Jayhawk teams won more than 30 games, were Big 12 champions, were No. 1 seeds in their region and were ranked either first or second in the country.
“I do expect more out of this team,” Williams said. “At the same time, no coach could be more satisfied than I am right now. If we win a national championship in Atlanta, I won’t love my kids one ounce more than I love them right now.”
Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoMADISON, WIS. ? Roy Williams and the Jayhawks are back.
Top-seeded Kansas University hammered No. 2 Oregon, 104-86, on Sunday in the Midwest Regional final at Kohl Center, propelling Williams and his KU basketball team into the Final Four for the first time since 1993.
“It meant a lot because there’s a lot of doubters out there,” KU junior Drew Gooden said after an 18-point, 20-rebound performance. “You guys gave coach a lot of heat for not reaching some goals in the past. I think it’s just a bunch of crap because coach Williams is a great coach.”
In 14 years at Kansas, Williams has compiled a 388-92 record including 29-12 in the NCAA Tournament won eight conference championships, qualified for 13 straight NCAA Tournaments and guided his teams to three Final Fours.
To some fans and members of the media, however, the bottom line is the number of national championships won. In Williams’ case, that number is zero. Some sports reporters refer to him as the best coach never to win a national title.
“I don’t know if we need any more motivation, but that’s something we don’t want people to be able to say,” said administrative assistant and former KU guard Jerod Haase. “Coach Williams does a lot for everyone in this program. We do everything we can to pay him back.”
Gooden the Big 12 player of the year, co-national player of the year and first-team All-American credited Williams with his success while the two were seated on the dais in a postgame news conference.
“You can’t take anything away from coach Williams,” he said. “For me as an individual, my learning process has grown so much the last 21/2, three years I’ve been here and it’s all from the man here on my left. He’s a hell of a coach. We want to win, and we want to win for coach.”
The Jayhawks know winning two more games would silence their coach’s critics.
“I can’t imagine cutting down the nets in Atlanta,” senior guard Jeff Boschee said after clipping the nets at Kohl Center. “This was the best feeling I’ve ever had since I’ve been at Kansas. It would mean the world to him and to us.”
While Williams was clearly touched by his players’ remarks, he was focused on the athletes.
“It’s a great feeling, and it means a lot,” Williams said of the regional championship. “But I’m happier for those kids. I want them to enjoy it for themselves because they played their butts off. In coaching, the greatest feeling there is is seeing the look on your kids’ faces when they’ve been successful.”
Williams’ detractors draw much of their ammunition from the 1996-97 team that lost to eventual national champion Arizona in the Sweet 16 and the 1997-98 squad that lost in the second round to Rhode Island.
Like this year, both those Jayhawk teams won more than 30 games, were Big 12 champions, were No. 1 seeds in their region and were ranked either first or second in the country.
“I do expect more out of this team,” Williams said. “At the same time, no coach could be more satisfied than I am right now. If we win a national championship in Atlanta, I won’t love my kids one ounce more than I love them right now.”
Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoMADISON, WIS. ? Roy Williams and the Jayhawks are back.
Top-seeded Kansas University hammered No. 2 Oregon, 104-86, on Sunday in the Midwest Regional final at Kohl Center, propelling Williams and his KU basketball team into the Final Four for the first time since 1993.
“It meant a lot because there’s a lot of doubters out there,” KU junior Drew Gooden said after an 18-point, 20-rebound performance. “You guys gave coach a lot of heat for not reaching some goals in the past. I think it’s just a bunch of crap because coach Williams is a great coach.”
In 14 years at Kansas, Williams has compiled a 388-92 record including 29-12 in the NCAA Tournament won eight conference championships, qualified for 13 straight NCAA Tournaments and guided his teams to three Final Fours.
To some fans and members of the media, however, the bottom line is the number of national championships won. In Williams’ case, that number is zero. Some sports reporters refer to him as the best coach never to win a national title.
“I don’t know if we need any more motivation, but that’s something we don’t want people to be able to say,” said administrative assistant and former KU guard Jerod Haase. “Coach Williams does a lot for everyone in this program. We do everything we can to pay him back.”
Gooden the Big 12 player of the year, co-national player of the year and first-team All-American credited Williams with his success while the two were seated on the dais in a postgame news conference.
“You can’t take anything away from coach Williams,” he said. “For me as an individual, my learning process has grown so much the last 21/2, three years I’ve been here and it’s all from the man here on my left. He’s a hell of a coach. We want to win, and we want to win for coach.”
The Jayhawks know winning two more games would silence their coach’s critics.
“I can’t imagine cutting down the nets in Atlanta,” senior guard Jeff Boschee said after clipping the nets at Kohl Center. “This was the best feeling I’ve ever had since I’ve been at Kansas. It would mean the world to him and to us.”
While Williams was clearly touched by his players’ remarks, he was focused on the athletes.
“It’s a great feeling, and it means a lot,” Williams said of the regional championship. “But I’m happier for those kids. I want them to enjoy it for themselves because they played their butts off. In coaching, the greatest feeling there is is seeing the look on your kids’ faces when they’ve been successful.”
Williams’ detractors draw much of their ammunition from the 1996-97 team that lost to eventual national champion Arizona in the Sweet 16 and the 1997-98 squad that lost in the second round to Rhode Island.
Like this year, both those Jayhawk teams won more than 30 games, were Big 12 champions, were No. 1 seeds in their region and were ranked either first or second in the country.
“I do expect more out of this team,” Williams said. “At the same time, no coach could be more satisfied than I am right now. If we win a national championship in Atlanta, I won’t love my kids one ounce more than I love them right now.”
Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoMADISON, WIS. ? Roy Williams and the Jayhawks are back.
Top-seeded Kansas University hammered No. 2 Oregon, 104-86, on Sunday in the Midwest Regional final at Kohl Center, propelling Williams and his KU basketball team into the Final Four for the first time since 1993.
“It meant a lot because there’s a lot of doubters out there,” KU junior Drew Gooden said after an 18-point, 20-rebound performance. “You guys gave coach a lot of heat for not reaching some goals in the past. I think it’s just a bunch of crap because coach Williams is a great coach.”
In 14 years at Kansas, Williams has compiled a 388-92 record including 29-12 in the NCAA Tournament won eight conference championships, qualified for 13 straight NCAA Tournaments and guided his teams to three Final Fours.
To some fans and members of the media, however, the bottom line is the number of national championships won. In Williams’ case, that number is zero. Some sports reporters refer to him as the best coach never to win a national title.
“I don’t know if we need any more motivation, but that’s something we don’t want people to be able to say,” said administrative assistant and former KU guard Jerod Haase. “Coach Williams does a lot for everyone in this program. We do everything we can to pay him back.”
Gooden the Big 12 player of the year, co-national player of the year and first-team All-American credited Williams with his success while the two were seated on the dais in a postgame news conference.
“You can’t take anything away from coach Williams,” he said. “For me as an individual, my learning process has grown so much the last 21/2, three years I’ve been here and it’s all from the man here on my left. He’s a hell of a coach. We want to win, and we want to win for coach.”
The Jayhawks know winning two more games would silence their coach’s critics.
“I can’t imagine cutting down the nets in Atlanta,” senior guard Jeff Boschee said after clipping the nets at Kohl Center. “This was the best feeling I’ve ever had since I’ve been at Kansas. It would mean the world to him and to us.”
While Williams was clearly touched by his players’ remarks, he was focused on the athletes.
“It’s a great feeling, and it means a lot,” Williams said of the regional championship. “But I’m happier for those kids. I want them to enjoy it for themselves because they played their butts off. In coaching, the greatest feeling there is is seeing the look on your kids’ faces when they’ve been successful.”
Williams’ detractors draw much of their ammunition from the 1996-97 team that lost to eventual national champion Arizona in the Sweet 16 and the 1997-98 squad that lost in the second round to Rhode Island.
Like this year, both those Jayhawk teams won more than 30 games, were Big 12 champions, were No. 1 seeds in their region and were ranked either first or second in the country.
“I do expect more out of this team,” Williams said. “At the same time, no coach could be more satisfied than I am right now. If we win a national championship in Atlanta, I won’t love my kids one ounce more than I love them right now.”
