Jalen Wilson: "It's a blessing to be back here as a No. 1 seed"
Des Moines, Iowa -- Kansas (27-7), the No. 1 seed in the West Region, will begin the defense of its NCAA National Championship against Howard (22-12), the No. 16 seed on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. (Central) at the Wells Fargo Arena.
Kansas, after winning the Big 12 regular season championship outright and advancing to the finals of the Big 12 Tournament, is very much looking forward to facing a team out of the Big 12.
“The Big XII was the hardest conference in the country this year, or the best conference in the country,” said Kansas point guard Dajuan Harris. “So, I'm happy to play someone different, see someone new. We just gotta be ready to play.”
Just like a season ago, Kansas will enter the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed. For the Jayhawks, last year's run began in Fort Worth, Texas, and ended in New Orleans, La., with a trip to Chicago, Ill., sandwiched in between.
This season, KU’s run begins in Des Moines and could potentially end in Houston, Texas, with a stop in Las Vegas scheduled for next week if the Jayhawks take care of business here in Des Moines.
While addressing the media on Wednesday, Jalen Wilson, the 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward from Denton, Texas was asked about being a No. 1 seed again, along with the pressure of being the first team to repeat since Florida did so back in 2006-2007.
“It's a blessing to be back here as a No. 1 seed,” said Wilson. “I don't think anyone really is looking at it as us repeating. I think it's us going to win it again. As far as this is something for us. To do that is going to take us winning two games at a time, each weekend, and understand every game is going to be a battle, no matter who we're playing.
“Just appreciate the moment that we're in,” he added. “Doesn't come too often that you're a Number 1 seed so it's great to have this opportunity in front of us and to go do it.”
A season ago, Kansas, with Dajuan Harris, Christian Braun, Jalen Wilson, Remy Martin, Ochai Agbaji, David McCormack, Mitch Lightfoot, and Jalen Coleman-Lands, emerged as the last team standing on the first Monday in April after overcoming a 15-point halftime deficit against North Carolina.
While Braun, Martin, Agbaji, McCormack, Lightfoot, and Coleman-Lands are gone from a season ago, Kansas, with Jalen Wilson (20.1), Gradey Dick (14.1), Kevin McCullar (10.7), KJ Adams (10.4), and Dajuan Harris (8.7), is back as a No. 1 seed and looking to make another magical run during the month of March.
For Kansas, that run will begin against Howard on Thursday afternoon.
“Last year it was an older team, and we had a lot of vets,” said Harris. “So, it was easier. So, we were more put together but this year, J-Will, one of the best players in the country, he's leading us and it's going to be his last year here so we want to try to do our best for him.”
Another big difference from a season ago, at least recently, has been the absence of Kansas Head Coach Bill Self. Having been released from the hospital on Sunday and back home in Lawrence, Self, who arrived in Des Moines, along with his family, on Tuesday, has not yet officially made his return to the court.
Self has continued his duties as head coach at practice but has yet to meet with the media since arriving in Des Moines.
According to Jalen Wilson, Self will make his return to the bench on Thursday.
“We know Coach's role,” said Wilson. “He will be coaching. He's doing everything he's been doing. He was down for a while for the Big XII, but he's back, he's energized and excited and ready to get this going again. We're super excited to have him back, so we know we will have him.”