Sweating buckets: Jayhawks survive scare from NU, 63-60
In quest to win, Self trusts his gut, not outside factors, in substitution decisions
Kansas University freshman Josh Selby, who had three points, four turnovers, one steal and no assists, sat the final 16 minutes. The combo guard was into the game emotionally, cheering as KU overcame a 10-point second-half deficit.
“I talked to him in the locker room. He is not that disappointed. I mean, we got the win,” KU junior Marcus Morris said. “After a while, you have bad games, but you can’t let bad games affect the team, affect anybody else.
“He’s like my little brother so I can talk to him and tell him, ‘Let that game go. We got the win. You had to sit out for a little bit, but hey, come back next game, come back to practice tomorrow ready to go and be ready Monday (at Baylor),”’ Morris added.
KU junior Tyshawn Taylor also spoke with Selby in the locker room after the game.
“Josh is good. I don’t have to tell him much. He’s always ready to play,” Taylor said. “It’s coach’s decision. The five he (coach Bill Self) had in the game he felt was working so he stayed with it. It happens a lot with people. He’s cool, not moping around, not pouting about it.
“Josh understands,” Taylor added. “He knew how it was going, how he was playing at the time. We are all about winning. As long as we do that, everybody is happy. He’ll bounce back and play better next game.”
Releford update
Travis Releford (ankle sprain) missed his second straight game. Self said Releford was doubtful for Monday’s game at Baylor. It’s expected he’ll be back for next Saturday’s home game vs. Texas.
1,000-point club
Morris became the 53rd player in KU history to score 1,000 points. He has 1,001 points and 505 rebounds.
“I’ve got good teammates who pass me the ball. I love my teammates. They love me,” Morris said. “If I didn’t get 1,000 and we still won the game, it (not hitting 1,000) wouldn’t matter. It was good to get it at home.”
Little things
Self on KU’s needing to do little things to mount a comeback: “We used the analogy after the game of, ‘You’re down three runs in the ninth inning and coming up to bat, get hit by the pitch, take a pitch off the knee or whatever, make sure you get a base-runner,”’ Self said. “We’re trying to make great plays. We’re trying to hit a triple. We’re just not playing very smart.”
This, that
KU’s 1971 Final Four team was introduced at halftime. The 1952 title team was introduced during a first-half timeout. … The mother of recruit Ben McLemore attended the game. McLemore, a 6-5 senior from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., will attend either KU or Missouri next season. … KU is 17-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 season, when the Jayhawks opened 20-0. … KU is 2-0 in the Big 12 for the fifth straight season. …. KU is 169-71 all-time against Nebraska, including a 30-3 mark since the inception of the Big 12. … KU has won 16 in a row versus NU; 12 in a row in Allen. … NU, which is headed to the Big Ten next season, likely will never visit the fieldhouse again. … Tyrel Reed hit four of seven threes. … KU set season lows for points (63), field-goal attempts (50), two-point field-goal attempts (29) and free-throw percentage (52.6) and tied season lows for points in a half (25), rebounds (32) and steals (five). … NU’s 19 offensive rebounds and 43 total rebounds set season highs by a KU opponent.