Bill Self weighs impact of freshmen in win over Texas

Bill Self was complimentary of his freshman trio following Kansas‘ victory over Texas on Tuesday.

A win was all-important in the highly-competitive Big 12, and the Jayhawks were able to capture one by a score of 88-80. Gradey Dick led Kansas in scoring during the victory, amassing 21 points and showing off his offensive arsenal.

Self made sure to point out how good he was during the showdown, as well as fellow freshman Ernest Udeh and MJ Rice.

“I thought Gradey [Dick] had a really good game, especially offensively. He was terrific offensively,” started Self. “Ernest [Udeh] had obviously a terrific game. MJ [Rice] had presence out there. I’m sure you guys could tell too. He belongs. So I thought they all did really well.”

Moreover, Dick played the most minutes of any Jayhawks player, accumulating 35 minutes while leading Kansas in scoring. Additionally, he added four rebounds, two steals and an assist.

The unsung heroes of the victory were Udeh and Rice, who came off the bench to keep Kansas rolling throughout the game. Udeh amassed six points, two rebounds, one steal and one assist, while Rice scored two points, gaining three rebounds, one assist and one steal.

Alas, Kansas advanced their record to 19-5 on the season, and their record inside the Big 12 to 7-4. While the Jayhawks are third in the conference and Texas remains in the lead, the Longhorns are feeling the heat of Kansas after Tuesday’s game.

This weekend Kansas will travel to Norman, taking on the Oklahoma Sooners, followed by another road game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. It’ll be interesting to watch if the Jayhawks can keep their momentum rolling.

Nevertheless, Bill Self recognizes Kansas has some serious freshman talent on their squad, and he’ll only continue to lean on them moving forward.