Kansas Coach Bill Self Previews Matchup Against Indiana

Entering Saturday's game against Indiana, Kansas coach Bill Self shared his thoughts on the Hoosiers, Assembly Hall, the possibility to extending this home-and-home series and a few notes the No. 2 Jayhawks.

Jack Ankony | Dec 15, 2023

Kansas Coach Bill Self Previews Matchup Against Indiana /

In this story:

Indiana Hoosiers

Coach Bill Self brings the No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Saturday for a 12:30 p.m. ET tipoff.

Heading into the game, Self held a press conference on Thursday to discuss his thoughts on the Hoosiers, Assembly Hall, the possibility to extending this home-and-home series and a few notes on his team. Here's the full transcript.

On what stands out to him about Indiana...

Self: "They haven't shot the ball like they're capable of shooting. Of course it's a small sample size, but they haven't. And to be honest with you, we've actually statistically shot the ball statistically better than what I feel like we've shot it because Hunter [Dickinson] has been so good and things. So that'll be a big key to the game, is who can make perimeter shots. But they've got a good team, and I don't know about their guard Xavier [Johnson], what his status is, but they've got a good team. They're athletic, they're long, they're big. We won't play a bigger four and five at the same time together than what they do, and of course [Kel'el] Ware can stretch it. I really feel like that the four man is as hard as anybody to guard, [Malik] Reneau, is as hard as anybody to guard because he can put his head down and he can draw fouls. So we'll have to do some different things to defend the post, and we need to keep [Trey] Galloway out of the paint and certainly handle their pressure in a turned up arena. I like their team. I think Mike [Woodson] has done a great job, and it'll be a hard game, especially first road game of the year."

On Hunter Dickinson's matchup against Kel'el Ware...

Self: "They will be matched up some, they won't be matched up all the time I wouldn't think. I could be wrong. They play so big, so I bet you they throw different guys at [Dickinson] and us with [Ware], too. But I think playing to his quick-twitch explosiveness, I think will be a big key. Hunter isn't really a power player, but he can get deep post touches and score down there, and we need to a better job of getting him the ball in those situations."

On picking Dickinson's brain about Indiana due to his previous experience at Michigan...

Self: "We've watched the Michigan game against Indiana last year. Hunter actually had a good game, I think he had like 24 or something like that. So yeah, we've watched some different things and how they guarded Hunter because they may try to do something similar."

On interest in extending the series against Indiana...

Self: "I don't know that it's too early. Interest would be probably an incorrect thing to say because I think it's a great home-and-home, but there's also some other opportunities. We're trying to schedule some other people that could be great home-and-homes, too, so we'll just wait and see what happens. But I think that an Indiana-Kansas type home-and-home would be good for us, and I'm sure it would be good for the majority of the bluebloods out there to play games like that. But no decision has been made."

On challenge of playing at Assembly Hall...

Self: "It's a unique arena. I don't know exactly, but 25 or 30 rows at the most maybe at the end zones, then it goes all the way up at the top. I think it's probably designed to maintain the sound. It's loud. You guys that go, you'll see. It's a good home court, and I assume that it will be a packed fieldhouse on Saturday. I'm sure it's going to be almost all red. I played there before and we couldn't communicate, it was so loud. It's a lot like Allen when it's turned up, and I'm sure it will be turned up Saturday."

On preparation with a week in between games...

Self: "I think this has been a – we haven't had a ton of time yet – but this has been a good week for us. Off Sunday obviously, then we practiced hard Monday and Tuesday, shooting practice Wednesday, then we practiced hard [Thursday] and will [Friday]. Then we'll play a game, come home, then we'll have basically a Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday practice week next week, so that's good. We needed this because usually we get, not always, but usually we get better over Christmas break. Come back the night of the 26th, play the 30th, and then Big 12 play starts right after that, so we won't have nearly as many two-a-day type opportunities that we've had in the past, so this is an important time."

On KJ Adams' unique combination of athleticism and power...

Self: "I don't know that I've coached anybody that would be a better outside defensive end pass rusher than what KJ is, what he could be. I'm thinking right now, I'm sure we've had some bouncy, strong athletes, but I don't know if I've coached anybody that's more explosive than KJ and that strong, as well."

On a potential advantage Indiana has having played two Big Ten games, whereas Kansas hasn't played Big 12 games yet...

Self: "They played two hard Big Ten games, then they played Connecticut, then they played Auburn, which is a good schedule so far. You look at it, and we played Kentucky, Marquette, Tennessee, UConn, Missouri, I think you could say the same thing. So both teams come into it at this time of year having played some good people."

On Dajuan Harris' play so far...

Self: "I think he's been solid, but I think he can play better. I think he's been a little careless with the basketball, and we've talked a lot about it. He knows how I feel about that, but he hasn't played poorly. I think that there's another gear he can get to."

On team's health going into Indiana game and starting five...

Self: "I think the four starters have been pretty good so far. I think Elmarko [Jackson] has shown some progress the last couple weeks. I thought he was better against Missouri, so that's a positive. Right now, he's definitely our fifth starter. I think they're doing fine. We're okay, KJ is under the weather, but hopefully he'll be back [Friday]. He didn't practice [Thursday]. I think we're in decent shape physically."

Here's the full video of Self's press conference.

Related stories on Indiana basketball