Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self has fielded dozens of phone calls from well-wishers since the NCAA Tournament pairings were announced late Sunday afternoon.
Some of the calls have been from fellow coaches, most notably North Carolina coach Roy Williams, who buzzed Self on Monday.
“He just called to say good luck, and we talked for a while,” said Self, who replaced Williams at Kansas in April. “I’ve visited with him periodically over time. We have a good relationship.
“This time of the season, a lot of times you call coaches you know and their staffs and wish them the best. Sometimes you call, sometimes you fax.”
Self had chatted with the former KU coach on other occasions since leaving the University of Illinois to come to Kansas, but not since the start of the season.
Self said he had not chatted with first-year Illinois head coach Bruce Weber, the former Southern Illinois coach who succeeded Self in Champaign, Ill.
“I’ve talked to an assistant there. I don’t know the head coach. I’m really happy for those guys,” he added of the Illini, who earned a No. 5 seed in the tourney with a 24-6 record.
Carolina is a No. 6 seed at 18-10. KU is a No. 4 seed at 21-8.
“Yes, absolutely,” Self added, asked if he hopes the Illini and Tar Heels fare well in the NCAAs. “I wish more success for our guys than anybody else, but I’d love to see people I care about do well, also.”
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Bulletin-board material: Illinois-Chicago guard Cedrick Banks thinks the Flames, who play KU at 8:55 p.m. Friday in Kemper Arena, will beat the Jayhawks.
“Now that we’ve been there, we’re experienced. We should make it past the first round,” Banks told USA Today.
Two years ago, as a No. 15-seed, Illinois-Chicago lost to Oklahoma, 71-63. This year the experienced Flames are a 13 seed.
Also providing KU with possible bulletin-board material was ESPN analyst Digger Phelps, who said Providence would be the team that advances from Kemper Arena, likely to face Kentucky in the Sweet 16 in St. Louis.
The winner of the KU-UIC game plays the winner of the Providence-Pacific game Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16.
ESPN analyst Jay Bilas wasn’t as forceful as Phelps, but he did say UIC was capable of defeating KU because of guards Banks and Martell Bailey.
“I haven’t watched that stuff (on TV),” Self said. “A majority of things I’ve seen have Providence being the one out of the four to advance. We’ll certainly use that as motivation. If our guys are not excited now, I don’t think what experts predict matters. When they make predictions, it’s a crapshoot anyway. A lot of people do it to be ornery or different. Some pick the same teams no matter what. I can understand why people are high on Providence and UIC, too.”
KU has received some love from Alexander Wolf of Sports Illustrated, who taps KU a Final Four team with Oklahoma State, Duke and Stanford.
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Bus leaves today: The Jayhawks are slated to leave Allen Fieldhouse for Kansas City via charter bus between 6 and 7 tonight. KU will practice at an undisclosed location Thursday morning or afternoon, then hold a 50-minute workout open to the public from 6 p.m. to 6:50 p.m. Thursday at Kemper Arena.
Self explained the reasoning behind heading to K.C. Wednesday.
“The biggest reason is, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, and that way I can make sure I can keep an eye on all of ’em,” Self said of the Jayhawks. “It’s not that I don’t trust my guys. I do. I just don’t know how many people would be coming around (them).
“During the NCAA Tournament, 90 percent of all schools go two days before. We felt we could go over there Wednesday night, and since we have to be there Thursday for press conferences and practice and the game Friday, I thought we could monitor the situation better having them all together in the hotel Wednesday night.”
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Walking wounded: Self admits it has been tough to get much accomplished at KU practice sessions the past couple of weeks.
Sitting out Tuesday were Keith Langford (knee), Bryant Nash (foot) and J.R. Giddens (foot). Wayne Simien, who practices every other day, will sit out today.
“It makes it tough because it’s hard to put in new stuff,” Self said. “Basically you are not going to get as many reps at all. Wayne couldn’t go Monday. He went Tuesday. He will not go Wednesday.
“Keith won’t go, period,” Self said of Langford who will need surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee after the season. He won’t practice the rest of the way, but can play in games.
“Keith is not even shooting. He shoots set shots. J.R. went yesterday, off today, and hopefully can practice tomorrow and Thursday as well. Bryant is out every other day.”
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