LAWRENCE — Standing at a press conference podium earlier this week, Bill Self was told his team’s block numbers had decreased from a season ago.
The Kansas coach interjected.
“They're not down,” he said. “They're almost miniscule.”
Self isn’t incorrect.
As No. 7 KU prepares to host Kansas State on Wednesday, it will do so with a defense that doesn’t resemble the dominant ones of Self’s past.
In particular, the Jayhawks are struggling to protect the rim — an area where KU has thrived most years in the Self era.
“It's nice if you've got a guy when people penetrate they can't see the rim like we had with Joel (Embiid) or some other guys,” Self said.