Naturally, Bill Self hopes Kansas University’s men’s basketball team plays its first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games in nearby Kemper Arena.
For that to happen, KU’s coach says, the No. 18-ranked Jayhawks need to win at least one and perhaps even two games at this weekend’s Big 12 Conference tournament in Dallas.
“My feeling is we need to be a 4 seed or better to play in Kansas City. I think now, unless we play well this weekend, there’s a chance that will not happen,” Self said. “We need to play well this weekend.”
KU’s weekend begins at 8:30 p.m. Friday when the Jayhawks play the winner of Thursday’s Missouri-Texas A&M game. A win there and in the next round over Texas, Nebraska or Oklahoma greatly would help KU’s NCAA seed.
“If you are fortunate enough to play Texas, you could justify the winner of that game going to Kansas City (with league champ Oklahoma State),” Self said. “If you play Texas and they beat you twice, I can’t imagine a scenario in which they wouldn’t have a serious advantage over us.”
The bottom line: The Jayhawks have much to play for in Dallas.
“I think our seeds could vary four lines as far as the tournament goes, from the worst-case scenario to the best-case scenario,” Self said.
“A lot of times the first game (Thursday) is very, very important, which will be the case for us. The winner of Sunday’s game and loser of Sunday’s game isn’t as affected as much as if the tournament ends Saturday, which we found out firsthand last year.”
His Illinois team, which won the Big Ten regular-season title with a 21-6 overall record, entered the league’s postseason tourney looking at a 4 or 5 seed. The Illini, who won three games in the postseason tournament in Chicago, received a 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
“Our game was over 30 minutes prior to the Selection Show,” Self said. “We basically knew what we were in talking to the commissioner on Saturday night. I kept saying, ‘What if we win Sunday?’ He said, ‘It’s not going to matter if you win.’ The brackets have to be done.
“The committee can’t leave so many scenarios open. It would be way too much work for any committee to have it all done unless the team you were playing in the finals you could flip-flop (seeds).”
The Illini beat Western Kentucky in a first-round 2003 NCAA Tournament game in Indianapolis, then fell to No. 5-seeded Notre Dame, 68-60.
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“I thought it was very unfair we played Notre Dame on Sunday. With every Mass going on, there were some priests praying (for the Irish),” Self quipped.
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What knee injury?: Keith Langford good-naturedly declined to talk about his right knee injury Tuesday.
Langford will need surgery after the season to repair torn cartilage in his right knee and is expected to face a three-month rehab.
“After the season they’ve got to amputate my leg,” Langford said with a smile. “I guess I’m playing on borrowed time. I don’t want my leg amputated, so I’ve got to play. It’s the only alternative.”
Asked about his vicious dunk Sunday against Missouri, Langford said: “Hopefully that won’t be my last time dunking the ball. I’ve got to try and get as many as I can before they amputate my knee.”
And finally, asked if the swelling was terrible, he grinned, “Nah, I’ve got gangrene and all that.”
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Simien’s turns 21: Tuesday was Wayne Simien’s 21st birthday. His plans?
“Practice, and my pastor is throwing a birthday dinner for me,” Simien said of his pastor at Morning Star church.
Simien, whose faith was mentioned in Tuesday’s Journal-World, expounded a bit Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s got a lot to do with the church family I’m associated with now,” Simien said. “Having my life focused totally on the will of the Lord and not just basketball has made all the difference.
“I will share it (his story) with anybody, anywhere. Word is starting to get out and more people are starting to come up and ask me about it. I’m always prepared to share where I get my hope and joy from — Jesus Christ.”
He said turning to God had nothing to do with his shoulder injury last year.
“Not everyone needs to have a serious injury or something like that,” said Simien, who Tuesday was named to the all-district 6 team along with Langford by the U.S. Basketball Writers. “When the time is right, God will come in and put his hand on the situation and lift you through whatever you are going through.”
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KU signees in Capital Classic: KU signees Alexander Kaun and Russell Robinson will play in the Capital Classic all star game April 17 at the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland.
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Graves hobbling, too: Jeff Graves has been suffering from knee pain the past several weeks. He likely won’t need surgery after the season.
“It’s doing all right. Take it day by day, but it’s not bothering me that much. If it does, then I’ll take care of it,” Graves said.
