Acting Kansas basketball coach Norm Roberts sounded an awful lot like KU coach Bill Self when breaking down Monday’s season opener against Omaha, slated for 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.
Defense wins. Compete hard. Play the right way.
All of those were words Roberts uttered in response to questions about the matchup and KU’s readiness for the season opener.
None of that came as a surprise.
A far more interesting question, however, does not yet have an answer, and KU officials are working toward finding it.
With Roberts operating as KU’s acting head coach for the next four games — in place of Self, who will be serving a self-imposed suspension — the question was asked Sunday whether the games, win or lose, will go on Self’s all-time record or Roberts’ record.
According to KU officials, the NCAA leaves that decision up to the institution, and, as of Sunday, KU had not made that determination.
Kansas officials are expected to have that answer prior to Monday’s tipoff.
Roberts, himself, was asked if he knew the answer about who gets the wins or losses, and he deferred to Self’s seniority.
“Bill’s going to definitely say it goes on mine,” Roberts joked. “When you’re filling the shoes of a Hall of Fame coach, that’s not easy by any means. But we’re going to do it together as a staff. It’s not just one guy out there. And our guys know it’s about players. It’s about making plays and playing the right way.”
Roberts, who has 10 years of head-coaching experience and 105 career victories as a head coach at Queens College and St. John’s, said he had heard a lot from friends in the business during the past couple of days.
“I’ve gotten quite a few texts, joking around with me, messing with me, as well as wishing us good luck and hoping we do well,” he said.
Roberts isn’t one bit worried about how well he’ll fill Self’s shoes during the suspension, because he knows it won’t be all up to him.
“I think we’re all together,” he said. “I think our guys understand what’s going on. … They know it’s about us all bonding and it’s our culture that we bond together and we look out for each other. Our guys know that they’ve got to come out and play at a certain level. Our whole coaching staff is excited about starting the season off. We’re ready to go.”
Rice still ailing
Roberts said Sunday that freshman wing MJ Rice, who sat out KU’s exhibition win over Pitt State because of a back injury, was “getting better” but unlikely to play against Omaha.
“He hasn’t been able to practice full speed for at least a week or so,” Roberts said of Rice. “Who knows what’ll happen tomorrow. I don’t foresee him maybe playing tomorrow.”
The key with Rice at this point, Roberts said, is to do everything he can to be ready to play full speed when he returns.
“We’re fine on the perimeter as far as our numbers of guys,” Roberts said of not having Rice early on. “We just have to get him (in better) conditioning and his strength back.”
Sophomore guard Bobby Pettiford has known Rice for years and the two are close friends. Pettiford said Sunday that he has done everything he can to help Rice push through the current setback.
“I think he’s doing pretty well. He’s kind of a little frustrated, but I’ve been in that situation and I’ve been talking to him,” Pettiford said of Rice. “(I tell him) just stay locked in at practice and try to stay beside one of the coaches. Being a learner right now is the best thing for him.”
Bombs away
Roberts noted that Omaha is a lot like Pitt State in that they’re not afraid to shoot the ball from the outside as often as they’re open.
As such, defending the 3-point line is one of the big keys for Kansas in Monday’s opener.
“They can really shoot,” Roberts said. “They’ve got three or four guys that can really make 3s and make four or five in a game.”
Beyond that, Roberts said taking away drives to the rim — which Pitt State got a lot of — and the bigs protecting the rim would be the top keys for KU in the opener.
“If you defend, you’ve always got a chance to win,” Roberts said.