Bill Self believes Iowa State is 'as good a team as there is in America'

The Kansas Jayhawks are getting ready for a major road test on Wednesday when they travel to Ames to take on the Iowa State Cyclones. It’s a game that head coach Bill Self is incredibly excited for going into the matchup.

With both teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll, ahead of the game, Self praised Iowa State, sharing that he believes they’re as good as any team in the country this season.

“Sure,” Bill Self said. “I think anytime you play a team ranked as high as Iowa State, you get fired up. We’re playing the second-ranked team in the country, and if I’m not mistaken, what did Auburn beat ’em in Maui by two? And Iowa State could have easily won that game and be undefeated right now. So yeah, I think we’re playing as good a team as there is in America.”

Iowa State is coming into the game 14-1 overall and 9-0 at home this season. The Cyclones have wins against Marquette, Iowa, and Baylor. Their only loss came in a neutral site game at the Maui Invitational to Auburn in an 83-81 game.

“And the building will be obviously great.” Self said. “So it’ll be a tough assignment, but one that you like being a part of.”

Iowa State is currently one of three Big 12 teams that is unbeaten in conference play this season, and even though it’s early in the season’s conference schedule, Bill Self knows that dropping this game and falling two spots behind the Cyclones is going to make for a difficult mountain to climb moving forward in the regular season.

In recent games, Kansas has needed to come from behind to win a pair of ugly games against Cincinnati and Arizona State. Despite that, Bill Self has shared that he sees value in those ugly wins, especially in the Big 12.

“We’ve had two examples. Because Arizona State we were not any good in the first half and you hold them to 13 in a half — 13 I think — and you hold this team to 15 in a half on the road, I think what happens is you win the fight, you usually win the game. That was a quote that was sent to me this week and we’ve got to keep winning the fight,” Self said. “And we’ve got to enjoy rock fights. What’s that expression? ‘You wrestle with the pig, you get muddy but they like it.’ And we need to be one of those teams that like it, and right now we’re kind of in that mode.”

Kansas and Iowa State are set to tip off at 7:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday.