Norm Roberts provides update on Bill Self, updates plan for NCAA Tournament

Kansas might not be heading into the NCAA Tournament as Big 12 Tournament Champions. They will have something just as sweet, though — Bill Self will be back on the sidelines coaching the Jayhawks, according to Kansas assistant Norm Roberts.

“He’s doing well,” Roberts said after losing in the Big 12 Championship game. “We plan on him coaching next week.”

Roberts had been filling in for Self during this week’s conference tournament after Self was hospitalized after arriving at KU’s emergency department and subsequently “underwent a standard procedure that went well.”

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Stites clarified that Self did not suffer a heart attack as some reports initially stated, and he is expected to fully recover.

The Jayhawks had a strong week at the Big 12 Tournament in Self’s absence — until the championship game. Kansas easily disposed of West Virginia and Iowa State, but Texas was too much for the Jayhawks down the stretch. The Longhorns would go on to blow out KU for the second time in seven days to claim their second Big 12 Championship in program history.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi updated Bracketology at 2:45 a.m. ET Sunday morning and still sees Kansas as the NCAA Tournament’s top overall seed despite the two losses to Texas. The Longhorns are still on the two-line.

Kansas’s top seed might be in jeopardy, however, as Alabama is the second No. 1 seed in Lunardi’s field, and has a chance to win the SEC Tournament Sunday afternoon over Texas A&M. It’s always a toss-up whether or not the selection committee even considers the final Sunday championship slate, which could save the Jayhawks.

While the top overall seed might not be confirmed just yet, Lunardi has said that Kansas has locked up the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, meaning if they earn a Sweet 16 bid, they’ll be playing in Kansas City. That would put Kansas in Des Moines, Iowa to begin the tournament.