Livescore
Kansas coach Bill Self will miss the No. 1-seeded Jayhawks’ first-round NCAA Tournament game on Thursday vs. No. 16 seed Howard as he recovers from a recent hospital stay. Self, 60, was discharged from the hospital earlier in the week after undergoing a heart catheterization.
Self missed the entirety of KU’s run in the Big 12 Tournament after being hospitalized the night before the team’s opening game in the tournament. KU made it all the way to the Big 12 Tournament title game before falling to No. 2 seed Texas.
Self re-joined the team this week as expected after being discharged from the hospital, though he did so on a limited basis. As he continues to recover, assistant coach Norm Roberts, who served as acting head coach during his absence in the Big 12 Tournament, will again step into the role as acting head coach.
“I’m feeling much better. I’ve got more energy. Been with the team all week on a limited basis,” Self said in a video posted to KU’s Twitter account. “I’m there every day, doing a lot of sitting in practice. Never really done that. I feel better, but still I’m not ready to coach the game.”
Assistant Coach Norm Roberts will serve as acting head coach today just as he did to open the season while Self was suspended four games and as he did in the Big 12 Tournament.
“I’m getting better every day. Hopefully over the next 48 hours, if things go well today, I can progress to the point where hopefully I can be out there full time,” said Self.
Kansas won the Big 12 regular-season title for the 17th time during his tenure with the Jayhawks and secured the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 Tournament after going 25-6 overall and 13-5 in league play.
Kansas plays its first NCAA Tournament game at 2 p.m. Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa, as a 22-point favorite over Howard. The Jayhawks are the reigning national champions and the No. 1 seed in the West Region looking to repeat as champions for the first time since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
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