Jayhawks, minus head coach Bill Self, storm to win over Howard: ‘Next man up’

KU basketball players didn’t panic on Thursday morning when they learned Hall of Fame coach Bill Self would be unable to coach the No. 1 seed Jayhawks in their first-round NCAA Tournament game against No. 16 Howard.

A seemingly carefree KU squad, led by acting coach Norm Roberts, run-and-gunned and slam-dunked its way to a 96-68 victory over Howard at Wells Fargo Arena — a 28-point win that likely put a smile on the face of 20th-year head coach Bill Self back at the team hotel.

“Coach prepares us in case moments like this happen. He coaches us for things like this — ‘next man up,’” backup point guard Bobby Pettiford said after the Jayhawks (28-7) advanced into a Round of 32 matchup against No. 8 seed Arkansas (21-13) on Saturday back at Wells Fargo Arena.

Arkansas defeated Illinois 73-63 in a game played right after the KU-Howard contest.

“Coach Rob has been coaching us a lot,” Pettiford added of Roberts, who directed the Jayhawks to a 2-1 record in the Big 12 Tournament with Self out following last weeks heart catheterization. Roberts also led KU to a 4-0 record, including a win over Duke, to open the 2022-23 campaign when Self was out via a program-imposed suspension.

“Coach’s program is player-led. Older guys like Jalen come out and lead us, like he did today,” Pettiford added.

Junior forward Jalen Wilson scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds while freshman wing Gradey Dick had 19 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double.

Sophomore forward KJ Adams had 13 points, four rebounds and two blocks and Kevin McCullar 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Jayhawks, who made sure they gave their head coach a fighting chance to coach in Des Moines over the weekend.

Self said during a pregame radio interview he’s been at all of KU’s recent practices and hoped to be able to go for the second-round contest. Winner of that KU-Arkansas game advances to next Thursday’s Sweet 16 in Las Vegas.

“Just because we always play for ‘next man up,’’’ Adams said, asked why the Jayhawks clicked Saturday without Self. “Coach Rob … he has a good impact on what’s going on.”

Roberts acknowledged he might have been a bit more animated during Thursday’s game than he’s been in other games he’s filled in for Self.

“To say I wasn’t (more animated), then I would be wrong,” Roberts said. “I probably was more animated today just because we knew what they were capable of doing and we didn’t guard it right in the beginning and we let them get off too many easy looks and got beat backdoor. Those are things we had discussed and said we didn’t need to have happen, so I probably was more animated today.”

The Jayhawks’ up-and-down style of play resulted in a a halftime score of KU 50, Howard 37. KU played better defense the final half in outscoring Howard 46-31.

“Ratball,’’ Roberts said with a smile, asked to describe the offensive show KU and Howard put on Thursday.

“We got some steals (13 to Howard’s eight). We got our hands on balls and attacked in transition. When we got in transition we got some open looks, layups. It got us going,” Roberts added.

The Jayhawks certainly clicked offensively. KU scored a season-high 96 points. The 96 points are the most by a KU team in tourney play sine an 100-62 first-round win over UC Davis in 2017. It’s just the second KU tourney game with 96 points or more since 2007.

“Funball,” is the word Adams chose to describe KU’s fast-paced attack. “Everybody likes going up and down. Coach Self will have some things to say about defense, though. We were not as good defensively as we like to be. We have another game in two days. We’ll pick it up (defensively) then.”

“It was fast paced with a lot of threes,” said point guard Harris. He had 11 points, seven assists and four steals with four turnovers.

Of his various passes that led to lob dunks, including one to Ernest Udeh (eight points) that had Roberts smiling in the bench area, Harris said: “That’s what we do. That’s what I try to do. When the guys set screens I can get in the lane easy and throw it up there. I came out and did what I was supposed to do.”

Roberts left the arena pleased with the win but suggested the squad will have to play better Saturday to advance to the Sweet 16 in Vegas.

“We’ve got to rebound the ball better,” Roberts said. KU outrebounded Howard 44-35. “We’ve got to get back in transition. “We are going to be playing some teams with unbelievable athletes.”

His message to the team after the game is similar to his halftime message Thursday.

’’Nobody should want it more than you, This is why you come to Kansas, to play in the NCAA Tournament. It’s here now,” Roberts said.

Will Self be able to take part in game day anytime soon, such as Saturday?

“He’s doing good. It’s all day-to-day on how he feels,” Roberts said. “The doctor’s decisions. And he’s been able to spend time with the guys and practice and that type stuff. So he’s doing good.”