No. 5 Kansas opens up the 2022-23 season on Monday night
With head coach Bill Self serving a four-game suspension, self-imposed, to open up the 2022-23 season, Norm Roberts met with the media on Sunday to talk about Monday night's opener against Omaha.
“Well, I think we're doing probably what every other team in America is doing, just trying to get prepared, trying to get them in the best shape possible, trying to get them to understand that there's a difference between playing hard and competing,” said Roberts. “And then you're competing, you're thinking as well as playing hard and those things. We're moving in that direction.
“We know where we're at right now and we've got to improve quite a bit, but it's a process,” he added. “It takes some time.”
Kansas, last Thursday night, defeated Pittsburg State, 94-63 in its only exhibition game of the season. Against the Gorillas, the Jayhawks were led by Jalen Wilson (23), Gradey Dick (20), and Kevin McCullar (13). Dajuan Harris dished out a game-high 10 assists, while McCullar added a game-high five steals.
Coming off a season in which Kansas won its second National Championship under Self, the 2022-23 team, without question, has a different look. This season, Kansas will look to replace Christian Braun, Remy Martin, Chris Teahan, Ochai Agbaji, David McCormack, Mitch Lightfoot, and Jalen Coleman-Lands.
“Probably right where we thought we'd be right now, and we're hoping that we're gaining on it,” said Roberts. “Our young guys bring great enthusiasm and energy, but we got to make sure we do it in the right way and we're disciplined in those things.
“And everything's different,” he added. “It's a whole different level, playing high school and playing college, and then at this level.”
MJ Rice, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound guard from Durham, N.C., was expected to play a major role this season. However, so far, KU’s talented freshman has yet to take the court for the Jayhawks. Roberts, on Sunday afternoon, provided the latest update on Rice.
“He's doing well,” said Roberts. “He's getting better. He's getting better, but he hasn't been able to practice full speed for at least a week or so, so who knows what'll happen tomorrow? I don't foresee him maybe playing tomorrow.
“He's got to get up to speed with his conditioning, all those things,” he added. “Well, we've had guys in and out. You got Joseph Yesufu, Bobby Pettiford. Both of those guys have had good minutes of playing forwards. Obviously, you got Kevin and Gradey. And so, we're fine on the perimeter as far as our numbers of the guys. But we got to just get him conditioning and all that stuff and strength back.”
With a schedule that features the likes of Duke, N.C. State, Dayton or Wisconsin, Seton Hall, Missouri, Indiana, along with conference play, Kansas, without question, will be tested early and often this season.
With that in mind, what, if anything, will Roberts be looking for on Monday night?
"Get out and just play Kansas basketball,” said Roberts. “Playing Kansas basketball, starting the season off the right way, getting out to a better start, defending the way we're going to need to defend. Because early on, everybody's trying to catch up offensively. You never know when shots are going to fall.
“But you need to make other teams play ugly, and that's something that Coach preaches all the time,” he added. “Make the other team play ugly. Defend. If you defend, you always got a chance to win.”