Kansas achieved a convincing 80-62 victory over Baylor on Friday, improving their conference record to 3-2. After the game, head coach Bill Self addressed the media, providing thoughtful commentary on the performance of his team.
Self highlighted the contributions of players Flory and Melvin, stating, “I think one reason why Flory looked good was also because of Melvin. Both of them were great. They combined for 22-of-27 shooting, while the rest of the starters struggled at 5-of-25. Despite that, we still won comfortably, and I thought Flory had his best game of the year.”
Reflecting on the recent performances, he remarked, “The last week has been significant for us. I didn”t feel that at UCF. When Darryn can score, it changes things. In the past two games, Melvin found his rhythm, scoring 36 in the second half against TCU after a slow start. He seems to have overcome any hesitation he had.”
The head coach praised his team”s intensity and execution, noting, “We played with great intensity, and our execution was better than it was against Iowa State. We had only four turnovers, and for the most part, the ball moved well. Even when we struggled to score in the first half, we consistently attacked the basket.”
Self also addressed a moment in the game when a player requested to come out. “When he asked to come out, it was done. I told him he was going back in, but he asked to come right back out after that,” he explained.
He emphasized the importance of a particular shot made by Jayden, saying, “I thought that was the biggest shot of the game, as we were down by one when he hit it. It was great to see him step up.”
Looking ahead, Self acknowledged the challenges of playing away from home, stating, “We haven”t been very good on the road. We won at NC State, but we weren”t great, and we lost in Orlando and Morgantown. This week presents two more opportunities to perform well away from our home court, where the environment can be different.”
Regarding the team”s rotation, Self mentioned, “Right now, we seem to be playing better with a shorter rotation. If Elmarko and Jamari are playing well, we can manage with seven players. When Jamari got into foul trouble, Jayden stepped in effectively. I want everyone to play, but winning is the priority. Nonconference games are for players to earn their place on the team, and Kohl has the best attitude. We are not giving up on him, but our current performance benefits from a tighter rotation.”
