One writer declared the game “almost one of the biggest embarrassments in the program’s recent history.”

Meanwhile, one talk-show host wondered aloud whether KU made a mistake in not hiring Larry Brown for a couple of years instead of Bill Self, who’d compiled a wildly successful coaching resume the past 10 years at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and Illinois.

“Well, people can draw their own conclusions,” said a calm, cool and collected KU coach Self Wednesday afternoon, a day after EA Sports canned 16 three-pointers to KU’s two. “I think there were a lot of positives and a lot of correctable things.”

First, the correctables.

“Our rebounding was bad. We didn’t block out very well,” Self said. “Our transition defense was marginal at best, but if they also shoot a normal percentage … most teams don’t make threes like that (16-of-33) even when they are unguarded. They just got on a roll.”

So what were the positives KU’s coach observed while watching film of the preseason game, in which KU battled back from a 10-point second-half deficit?

“Did Aaron play well? He was terrific,” Self said of point guard Aaron Miles, who had 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds. “What about Jeff Hawkins? It’s the first action he’s really ever seen and he was terrific (defensive spark while playing 22 minutes).

“David Padgett in his first game was terrific,” Self added of the freshman center who scored 16 points off 5-of-8 shooting. He made six of seven free throws.

“Jeremy Case did some good things; J.R. Giddens did some good things. Mike Lee took over the game down the stretch during one brief period of time. Wayne (Simien) was great the second half.

“Then you’ve got Jeff Graves who was in a funk because he didn’t start because he was late and Langford didn’t play,” Self continued.

“I mean, if you tell me we’d score 91 points and play without (Kirk) Hinrich, (Nick) Collison and (Keith) Langford, last year’s three leading scorers. …”

Langford didn’t play because of a sore right knee. The junior guard’s knee had been feeling fine until he visited a chiropractor Tuesday.

Self wanted to clear up any media misconceptions that Langford visited the doctor on his own.

“Our KU doctors sent Keith to see him,” Self exclaimed. “They sent him to see him to work on a different body part. Keith did exactly what our training personnel told him to do, go over there and get his hip worked on.

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“When he gets there, the guy tells him he could work on his knee as well so yeah, our medical staff talked to the chiropractor before Keith met with him and after Keith met with him to see how his hip was doing, something totally unrelated to his knee. Then a guy decides to go ahead and work on his knee.”

Langford, who could have played Tuesday, is expected to practice full-go today. The team had an off-day Wednesday.

Self on Wednesday also responded to one talk-show host’s declaration that Langford should not be allowed to write a column for the University Daily Kansan during the regular season.

Langford, a journalism major, pens a weekly column for the school paper. The talk-show host’s objection was Langford is a colorful personality who speaks his mind.

“He’s a colorful guy that’s getting college credit for writing it,” Self said. “This is one of his journalism credits he needs for graduation based on what I’ve been told. I have no problem with him writing a column. If he’d ever say anything construed as bulletin board material or anything like that, then I would (step in).”

Meanwhile, as for as senior center Graves, Self agrees with critics who say the player should know better and show up for games on time. Graves was five minutes late Tuesday and disciplined by Self, who took away the player’s starting spot.

“You are right. You are exactly right,” Self said. “That’s been a problem with Jeff since he’s been here (at KU). That’s not a problem that just started this year. That was a big problem last year. He’s done much better, but certainly we can’t reward guys that are not on time.”

Self took away Graves’ starting spot because of the player’s tardiness.

“Yes it bothered him. It bothered him a lot,” Self said of the player who scored 11 points with three boards and four turnovers in 20 minutes. “The thing about it is I’d rather deal with those issues now than later.”

Unlike his predecessor, Roy Williams, who seethed at Internet and talk-show criticism, Self took complaints about a meaningless exhibition game in stride Wednesday.

As he did after Tuesday’s game, he praised KU’s fans for helping spur a late defensive rally.

“I thought the crowd was great the whole time,” he said, “because it’s easy for crowds to get frustrated when they expect a blowout and it doesn’t occur. I do think if this game wasn’t played in Allen maybe we’d have lost maybe a one-fourth step, which would have been enough to not win the game. Our kids have unbelievable energy in Allen and were trying so hard.”

Self said the bottom line was he liked the way Tuesday’s game turned out. KU overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to win.

“A lot of things we messed up because we were trying too hard, especially guys that have never been out there,” Self said. “How many games did Bryant Nash start in his career (two)? How many did Mike Lee start in his career (zero). I think we may have had three guys out there making their first start.

“Don’t you want your exhibition teams to give you a good game? So I thought it was good,” he said. “I don’t think by any means we were great as a team. I thought the way the game played out was a real positive for our program.”