What Bill Self Said After Kansas Basketball Win Over Colorado

The Jayhawks claimed a 71-59 win on Tuesday night.

Feb 8, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self looks at his bench during the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Kansas basketball head coach Bill Self didn’t sugarcoat his feelings after the Jayhawks’ 79-59 win over Colorado. While he was happy to take the win, he admitted there’s plenty of work to be done.

“I thought, obviously, there were some decent things that we did,” Self said. “But the first three minutes of the second half was the biggest negative, coming out of halftime like that.”

The Jayhawks held a 14-point lead at the break, but the Buffaloes stormed out in the second half, cutting the lead to just five points. Kansas eventually regained control, but Self was frustrated with the lack of energy on defense during that stretch.

“Statistically, we actually guarded them pretty well,” Self said. “But the start of the second half—about as poor as we could play from an energy standpoint defensively.”

Still, there were bright spots, especially KJ Adams’ performance in the second half. Self called Adams’ plays the most exciting moments of the night.

“I thought the most exciting plays of the game, no question, were when we could get the ball to KJ on short rolls where he could show his explosiveness,” Self said. “Because everything else was just kind of get through it.”

Adams put up 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists, and his energy helped Kansas pull away down the stretch.

The Jayhawks aim to maintain their momentum as they head to Utah for a two-game road trip, facing Utah on Saturday and BYU on Feb. 18.