Bill Self on Kansas basketball reunion makes 'the dry chicken taste a little more moist’

Kansas‘ 125-year basketball reunion weekend occurred this weekend, and Bill Self had a unique metaphor for how it felt to win with so many legends in the building.

“To win with so many guys back for reunion will definitely make tonight a lot more pleasant and the dry chicken taste a little bit more moist probably,” Self said. “It was fun out there.”

The game between Iowa State and the Jayhawks was an all-around well-played basketball game.

KJ Adams Jr. hit the game-winning jumper with 10 seconds left to put the Jayhawks ahead for good. Adams finished with 15 points, Gradey Dick had a team-high 21 points and Jalen Wilson had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds.

“I thought we played great,” Self said. “I thought they played great. Guys, that’s a high level game. No easy baskets. That was a high level game. Wish we could have shot it a little bit better and rebounded maybe better offensively. But they’re good and they really guard. They had a great player have a great game. We had a terrific player have a terrific game. But that was an a good basketball game. Of course the building was great.”

Bill Self on the added pressure of playing on reunion weekend

Ahead of the reunion weekend game, Bill Self talked with the players about the pressure of playing in front of so many legends.

“We talked about it yesterday and last night,” Self said. “I’m don’t even think I mentioned it today. I may have said, play for yourselves today. Don’t worry about trying to impress others because there’s some pressure playing here. There’s an expectation to win here. And when there’s an expectation to win, a lot of times the basket shrinks a little bit if things don’t go well. But we’ve talked about history around here all time. But we talked a lot about it yesterday.”

The four coaches who have led the program since 1964 — Ted Owens, Larry Brown, Roy Williams and Self — were all in the building for the game.

More than 200 players, coaches, managers, trainers ad other staffers were projected to make the trip to Lawrence for the weekend.

“There was an event last night where the guys got a chance to mingle with many of the past players,” Self said. “There’s been a lot of people give a lot of effort and energy and time to prop this program up to be in the position that it’s in. Everybody that’s associated with our program now has benefited greatly by the others that’s come before and we respect that. It’ll be fun. It’s nice to have players back, no question. But to have every player that’s coming back with the exception of just a couple all play for the four coaches that are in the building today too. I think that makes it that makes it pretty cool.”