Bill Self not worried about three-game losing streak, credits opponents

Kansas has reached nearly uncharted territory with how they’ve played as of late. After dropping their third straight game on Monday night against Baylor, the Jayhawks achieved just the fourth three-game losing skid in Bill Self’s 20 seasons as head coach. However, Self says the results are less about how his team is playing and more about how their opponents are.

Self credited Kansas’ competition following the 75-69 loss in Waco last night. He said his team can obviously be better but that, especially early on, their last three opponents have jumped on them by playing well early and then wearing them down over the course of the games.

“I think that we can certainly be better…But I’ll be honest with you. The way K-State, the way TCU, and the way Baylor played the first ten minutes? We have played really well and still been behind,” said Self. “Those three teams played great. I mean Baylor made everything they looked at to start…so give them credit on that.”

“When you’re behind it takes more energy. Everything’s magnified. It takes more effort. And when you’re playing with the lead, you’re obviously looser (and) everything’s not life or death,” Self said. “You can definitely wear your opponent out that way.”

Kansas hasn’t led by more than two points over the course of this three-game slide. That’s because, as Self explained, their opponents got command of the game within the first twenty minutes. In the first half, Kansas State led by as much as 14, TCU by as much as 22, and Baylor by as much as 13. The Jayhawks did come back to take second half or overtime leads against the Wildcats and Bears. Still, since they had to work so hard to get back in, their comeback attempts became too little, too late.

Now, it’s on Self and the Jayhawks to find ways to get off to better starts or at least to keep their opponents from doing so. Kansas better do it quickly as well with their next four games featuring a trip to Rupp Arena to face Kentucky as well as three more ranked matchups in the Big 12.