“Winning close games isn’t a bad thing,” KU coach Bill Self declared Tuesday.

His Jayhawks, who beat Florida, 82-80, in overtime on Nov. 25 in Las Vegas, survived close calls at Iowa State, 68-64, in overtime Saturday and against Missouri, 80-77, Monday night in Allen Fieldhouse.

“Last year we won 23 games by double figures and two by single digits. We get to the NCAA Tournament and the game is a single-digit game (77-73 loss to Bradley). You look back and say, ‘Gosh I wish we had played a few more of these games that were tight.’ At least we’re getting the opportunity to do that this year,” Self said.

The Jayhawks lost six close games en route to a 25-8 record last season, but in victories were tested only by Oklahoma, 59-58, on Feb. 5 in Allen Fieldhouse, and by Oklahoma State, 63-62, on March 10 in a Big 12 Tournament game in Dallas.

“The exciting thing from my vantage point,” Self said, “is we beat a team that slowed it down – a grind-it-out possession game (Iowa State). Then when possessions were so short (against Missouri) … we were fortunate enough to win a game against a team that wants to play full court and pressure all the time. I think it’ll do wonders to help our team. It makes you prepare different ways to play, which should help you.”

KU has lost single digit games to Oral Roberts and DePaul this season.

“We didn’t finish the DePaul and Oral Roberts games the way we should,” Self said. “We didn’t get key stops. In the three we won, against Florida, Iowa State and Missouri, we did do some good things from an execution standpoint which will hopefully give us confidence later on.”

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NU-OSU rescheduled: The Big 12 has announced that the Oklahoma State-Nebraska game, which was scheduled for Saturday but postponed because of bad weather, has been rescheduled for Monday, March 5.

The game will be played in Nebraska’s Bob Devaney Sports Center. Tipoff will be determined by NU in the near future. It is the first time in Big 12 history that a game has been postponed from its original date to one later in the season because of weather.

It will also be the first time a Big 12 Conference game is played on the Monday prior to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship, slated for Oklahoma City this year on March 8-11.

“That’s interesting. Teams won’t know who they are playing in the Big 12 Tournament until Monday night. Wow,” KU coach Bill Self said Tuesday on his Hawk Talk radio show. “That’s what I want to hear. Thanks a lot,” he cracked to host Bob Davis, who informed Self of the league’s rescheduled date.

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School days: Second semester classes will begin at KU on Thursday.

“All those kids out camping for games … I kept saying, ‘You can’t wait to get back to school can you?'” Self quipped. “I know our players are happy they (fellow students) are back. They get to see some familiar faces. This past month they had their fill of me. It will be nice to get back in our regular routine.”

“If our guys saw me, they went the other way to make sure I didn’t see them,” said Self, who rewarded his players with a day off Tuesday. “Our guys should be feeling good regardless of records (of teams in Monday’s game). Missouri is much better than they have been. It was a tough win, and the crowd deserves a lot of credit. They were tremendous.”

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Fabulous freshmen: Self reflected on the performances of freshmen Sherron Collins and Darrell Arthur, who combined for 17 of KU’s final 19 points.

“‘Shady’ benefited from Julian (Wright) giving him two layups, that’s for sure,” Self said of Arthur, who had nine points four rebounds and two blocks. “Still those were good catches and finishes. I think he’ll be a special guy. I can see him picking up stuff all the time.

“The other little guy, he was at a different level last night,” Self said of Collins, who had a career-high 23 points. “He had a free mind, was having fun. That wasn’t Missouri versus Kansas to he and (Missouri’s Stefhon) Hannah. That’s Chicago. That’s West-side Chicago. They both played very well against each other.”

“We were 1-1 against each other in high school,” Collins, a Crane High grad, said of Hannah, a Hyde Park High grad. “I guess I’m one up on him now.”

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40 Minutes of Heck: Missouri didn’t unleash it’s full “40 Minutes of Hell” attack on KU on Monday.

“They still pressured us. We handled the press early,” Self said. “I don’t want to say they backed off. They didn’t trap the ball in the backcourt very often. When we go to Columbia (on Feb. 10 for rematch) I would be surprised if they don’t try to extend and really try to pressure us more than they did yesterday.”

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It’s at 3 p.m.: Tip for Saturday’s KU-Texas Tech game is 3 p.m. in Lubbock, Texas. It was listed as 11 a.m. on some schedules.