Self plans to keep KU busy in Hawaii

By Gary Bedore     Nov 21, 2015

? It’s off to paradise for Kansas University’s basketball players and coaches, who Monday through Wednesday will be representing the school at the Maui Invitational for the third time under head coach Bill Self.

The Jayhawks placed second in 2011-12, beating Georgetown, 67-63, and UCLA, 72-56, before falling to Duke in the finals, 68-61.

In 2005-06, KU lost to Arizona, 61-49, and Arkansas, 65-64, before crushing Chaminade in the seventh-place game, 102-54.

Self has learned it’s better to take care of business on the court while games are in session, then have the players have some fun in the sun all day Thursday before flying back to Kansas later that night.

“We’ll practice Saturday and Sunday and play Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday will be the day off,” said Self, whose Jayhawks flew charter out of Topeka at 9:30 a.m. Friday. “They’ll have some time (today). After that (players) will be basically be locked up until Thursday.”

It’s a fine balance between business and pleasure, with business by far the most important aspect of the trip.

“The things you do when you aren’t playing is what gives you a chance to win, which is getting treatments (for aches, pains), getting off your feet and staying focused,” Self said. “That’s not the easiest thing to do when you look out your window and all you see is blue (Pacific Ocean).

“Everybody of course will want to be down on the beach. You have to limit their activity until the tournament is over,” he added.

In the past, some players have snorkeled, some used the boogie board and rode waves and some even went parasailing on the Thursday day off before returning home.

“I’m excited, just being there with the team, bonding,” KU sophomore guard Devonté Graham said. “My mom and family will be there. They get to see us play. Being able to see them will be fun,” he added, noting on Thursday he’d like to “go to the beach, chill, relax, have some fun.”

Self said: As a team, we’ve got to get better in a lot of areas. No better place to get better than Hawaii.”

The Jayhawks will meet Chaminade at 8 p.m., Central time, Monday.

If KU wins, it would meet the winner of Monday’s UNLV-UCLA game at 9 p.m. Tuesday. Finals are 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

The other side of the bracket pits St. John’s against former KU assistant coach Kevin Stallings’ Vanderbilt Commodores and former KU All-American Danny Manning’s Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Indiana (on Monday).

“Kevin Stallings was a long-time assistant with Roy (Williams) and Danny is probably our most popular KU player ever,” Self said, “and also a really good coach. It’ll be fun if you are a KU fan.”

More on Maui: KU, by the way, has been to the Maui Invitational five times in history. Larry Brown’s Jayhawks opened the 1987-88 NCAA title season by beating Chaminade, 89-62, in the season opener, then losing to Iowa, 100-81, and losing to Illinois, 81-75.

That’s right, KU went 1-2 in Maui to open that title campaign.

“Coach Brown wasn’t very happy with ’em. He told them (players) he was going to make them swim back,” Self said.

Williams’ Jayhawks won the event in 1996-97. KU beat LSU, 82-53; California, 85-67; and Virginia in the finals, 80-63. KU won the Big 12 that 34-2 season, but was knocked out in the Sweet 16 by Arizona.

In 2001-02, Williams’ Jayhawks lost to Ball State, 93-91, in a stunner, then beat Houston, 95-78 and downed Seton Hall, 80-62. That KU team went 33-4 and reached the FInal Four.

Diallo update: Friday morning, before KU left for the Hawaii event, Self said in a release that a waiver was granted to allow Cheick Diallo the opportunity to travel with the team, and that the NCAA case is ongoing.

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