Kansas’ Bill Self Says He Will Return to Coach Against Kansas State

The Sunflower Showdown’s most compelling figure is expected to be courtside Saturday night but the status of the best player in uncertain.

Kansas coach Bill Self, who was hospitalized this week and missed the Jayhawks’ win at Colorado said he will be at Bramlage Coliseum on Saturday night to face Kansas State. Self said he had “abnormal” chest pain.

KU announced that Self felt under the weather and was taken to a hospital “out of an abundance of caution.” According to KU Athletics, “once at the hospital coach Self received IV fluids.”

Self, who has won two national championships at Kansas, has been hospitalized several times over the last four years. Because of his health, Self didn’t coach in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and Big 12 Tournament.

Self, 63, was hospitalized in July 2025 to have two stents inserted to treat blocked arteries.

“What happened was, and situation I had is very similar to what many people have,” Self said at a news conference Thursday.

“Mine got me pretty good for a short snippet of time and and then was under control. But yeah, that won’t have any impact at all moving forward in any way, shape, or form. I was at the office yesterday, so it won’t impact me moving forward.”

Injured players on both sides

Kansas State will be without Abdi Bashir Jr. who is out 4-to-6 weeks after surgery Tuesday for stress fracture. Bashir is the Wildcats’ best three-point shooter. He was replaced in the starting lineup against Utah with David Castillo, who scored 14 points and made four three-pointers.

Khamari McGriff, Elias Rapieque and Mobi Ikegwuruka also did not play against Utah because of injuries.

Bashir averages 13.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He ranks 14th in the country in distance shooting, making 44.4 percent of his attempts.

The status of Kansas’ top player, freshman Darryn Peterson, is uncertain because of an ankle sprain. Peterson is one of the top freshman in the country but has been injured throughout the season. He is considered “questionable” to face the Wildcats.

“I don’t know yet,” Self said about Peterson. “He’s getting treatment and he’s got a pretty severe ankle sprain but fortunately that’s all it is is a sprain.

“So hopefully he’ll be able to go and play, but we’re not at a point where we can make a decision on that yet.”

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson suffered a sprained ankle against Colorado on Tuesday. He is 'questionable' to play against KSU. — Kansas guard Darryn Peterson suffered a sprained ankle against Colorado on Tuesday. He is 'questionable' to play against K-State. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Peterson scored 16 points in 32 minutes against Colorado in the 19th-ranked Jayhawks’ 75-69 win.

“I've been watching Kansas a lot, and [Peterson’s] a good scorer,” Kansas State guard P.J. Haggerty said in a news conference.

“I think we just have to limit him. I think everyone has the ability to score, but I think we just have to guard everybody and treat everybody the same, and see what happens on Saturday.”

K-State at Bramlage

Kansas State has defeated Kansas three consecutive games at Bramlage Coliseum. In 2023, the Wildcats upset No. 2 Kansas in overtime.

The Wildcats are struggling this season at 10-9, 1-5 in the Big 12. They won their last game, 81-78, over visiting Utah.

The Jayhawks have struggled, for them, with a 14-5, 5-2 record.

Haggerty has been reliable all season. The team’s leading scorer averages 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. He has been clutch, too, taking big shots down the stretch.

“My teammates, they trusted me in the end to take them type of shots,” Haggerty said. “They tell me just take the shots. We live and die with me. So, I mean, I took the good shots. They went in and we came out with the win.”

Saturday’s game begins at 7 CT and will be shown on Fox. The rematch will be in Lawrence on March 7.

And for the Wildcats, mired in a rough season, a victory Saturday over the Jayhawks could help propel them forward as 12 games remain in the regular season.

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