Report: Kansas' Bill Self, Kurtis Townsend to Serve Self-Imposed 4-Game Suspension
Nov 2, 2022
Bill Self
The University of Kansas reportedly
self-imposed a four-game suspension for men's basketball head coach
Bill Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Stadium's Jeff Goodman reported
Wednesday the punishment, which relates to an ongoing NCAA
investigation into alleged violations within the program that began
in 2017, also includes future recruiting restrictions.
Norm Roberts will serve as the
Jayhawks' acting head coach until Self returns, per Goodman.
In August, the NCAA announced it would
dissolve the Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP)
once it completed all the ongoing investigations, including the one
into KU. All the changes are scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1.
Despite the upcoming alterations to the
governing body's review process, no timetable for the NCAA's final
ruling in the Kansas case has been announced.
In May 2020, the NCAA enforcement staff
announced its investigation into the five Level I violations showed
"egregious" and "severe" rules violations by Self
and Townsend, who allegedly "embraced, welcomed and encouraged"
Adidas representatives to persuade highly rated recruits to sign with
the Jayhawks, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach.
More than two years after that statement, the case
remains unsettled.
Self has led the Kansas program since
2003, which ties him for the 10th-longest-tenured head coach in men's
college basketball.
The 59-year-old Oklahoma native has
compiled a 556-124 record (.818 winning percentage) across 19 seasons
with the Jayhawks. He led the team to national championships in 2008
and 2022.
His nearly four-decade coaching career
also includes stops as the head coach at Oral Roberts, Tulsa and
Illinois before arriving to Kansas.
Townsend, 64, joined KU's coaching staff in
2004.
The fifth-ranked Jayhawks are scheduled to open
their title defense Monday night at home against Omaha. Self and
Townsend will also miss games against North Dakota State, seventh-ranked Duke and
Southern Utah.
They'll be eligible to return for the
Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. Kansas' first game in the event is a
Nov. 23 clash with NC State.
Former Kansas, New Mexico CBB Player Gethro Muscadin Dies at 22 After 2021 Car Crash
Nov 1, 2022
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO - NOVEMBER 10: Gethro Muscadin #35 of the New Mexico Lobos drives to the basket past Everett Winchester #2 of the Florida Atlantic Owls at The Pit on November 10, 2021 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
Former Kansas and New Mexico State basketball player Gethro Muscadin died Monday as the result of injuries he suffered in a December 2021 car crash.
He was 22.
"Gethro left us late last night," Kansas coach Bill Self said Tuesday. "He was involved in a major car accident 10 months ago and has basically been in a non-responsive state since then. Although only here one year, Gethro was loved and liked by all and will always be remembered as a Jayhawk. We wish his family and loved ones the best going through this most difficult time."
Muscadin was the passenger in a one-car crash on Dec. 30, 2021, in which the vehicle "went off the road, rolled multiple times, and came to rest on the fence line," according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. The car was driven by his girlfriend, with whom he had attended a Kansas vs. Nevada basketball game the previous day.
Muscadin grew up in Haiti and came to the United States at 16 to pursue a basketball career. He spent the 2020-21 season at Kansas before transferring to New Mexico, where he averaged 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 12 games played.
The Lobo community is saddened today by the passing of former New Mexico basketball player Gethro Muscadin. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time. pic.twitter.com/ilDeksDDpE
Muscadin had been in a coma for the last 10 months following the crash.
Kansas' Location, Date, Time, Schedule and More for 'Welcome Home Celebration'
Apr 5, 2022
Kansas celebrates with the trophy after their win against North Carolina in a college basketball game at the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team is in for a well-deserved greeting from its fans after making a historic comeback to defeat North Carolina 72-69 in the national championship game on Monday.
Kansas announced it's hosting a "welcome home celebration" at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Tuesday. Gates will open at 3 p.m. local time with the team expected to arrive around 4:15 p.m. after returning from the Final Four in New Orleans.
No announcement has been made about a potential championship parade in Lawrence.
The Jayhawks earned the celebration by making the largest comeback in men's NCAA tournament title game history.
After falling behind by as many 16 in the first half and facing a 15-point halftime deficit, a special second-half performance propelled Kansas to victory. The Jayhawks outscored the Tar Heels 47-29 in the final 20 minutes.
It was a balanced effort for the Jayhawks with five players scoring in double figures. David McCormack and Jalen Wilson led the way with 15 points apiece. Remy Martin had 14 points off the bench. Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun each had 12 points. Braun added a team-high 12 rebounds and McCormack also had 10 boards.
The win helped KU capture its fourth national championship in men's basketball and the Jayhawks' first March Madness title since 2008.
No. 10 Baylor Rides Balanced Offense to Upset of No. 5 Kansas in Big 12 Action
Feb 27, 2022
Baylor guard James Akinjo (11) reverses his dribble on Kansas guard Remy Martin (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin)
No. 10 Baylor has kept its hopes for a Big 12 regular-season title alive thanks to an 80-70victory over No. 5 Kansas on Saturday night at the Ferrell Center.
This was the second time these two heavyweight programs have met in the past three weeks. Kansas dominated the first meeting, 83-59, at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 5. Head coach Bill Self's squad was riding a four-game winning streak coming into this matchup.
The Bears got a much-needed win over one of their key conference rivals. Their last two losses were against Kansas and Texas Tech (83-73 on Feb. 16). They are now 12-4 in Big 12 play, one game behind Kansas in the loss column with two games left in the regular season.
Fresh off shooting 64.1 percent from the field and scoring 102 points against Kansas State on Tuesday, the Jayhawks' offense went cold against a much better defense. They only made 34.3 percent of their attempts, including 7-of-28 from three-point range.
Ochai Agbaji did his best to carry the unit with 27 points. David McCormack and Christian Braun both recorded a double-double in the loss.
This game initially looked like it would be a blowout for Kansas after taking a 21-9 lead midway through the first half.
Baylor settled in at that point, closing the first half on a 22-11 run to close the deficit to one point. Kendall Brown gave the Bears their first lead of the game with a dunk to open the second half.
The Jayhawks cut the lead to three with just under two minutes to play, but the Bears scored seven unanswered points to seal the victory.
Flo Thamba was the star of the game for the Bears with a career-high 18 points.
David McCormack (Kansas): 10 points (4-of-11 FG), 13 rebounds
Christian Braun (Kansas): 17 points (6-of-13 FG), 10 rebounds
Thamba, Sochan Step Up for Bears in Marquee Win
It's a testament to how well head coach Scott Drew has done at building depth on the roster that Baylor has been able to stay in the Top 10 of the Associated Press poll for most of the season, despite dealing with injury issues this season.
It was only two weeks ago that Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua suffered a season-ending knee injury in an 80-63 win over Texas on Feb. 12.
Thamba and Kendall Brown are the only two players on the roster who have appeared in all 29 games.
Thamba did his best to keep Baylor's offense afloat early in this game when it was struggling.
Flo Thamba has 12 of #Baylor's 17 points, the Bears are 0-6 from three & shooting 32% from the floor
Freshman Jeremy Sochan provided a huge spark off the bench. The England native dropped 17 points and grabbed five rebounds.He has now scored at least 17 points in two of the past three games.
So Jeremy Sochan is running the point, defending 5s, and hitting three pointers. Got it.
This wasn't the best performance for the Bears, but they were able to grind out a win over one of the top teams in the nation.
Baylor did most of its work on the offensive end inside the three-point line. It went 25-of-44 on two-pointers, compared to 3-of-14 from behind the arc. This was the team's first game with at least 80 points since Feb. 12 (four games).
If they can get LJ Cryer back healthy before the NCAA tournament begins, the Bears will be one of the most difficult teams to beat. The sophomore guard sat out his third straight game with a foot injury.
Cold Shooting Dooms Jayhawks
If the theory about a team needing to peak at the right time is true, Kansas looked to be well on its way to making a deep run in the NCAA tournament before Saturday night.
Per ESPN's College Basketball Power Index, Kansas entered this week ranked No. 1 in strength of record that measures how successful a team has been relative to its schedule. They rank fourth in adjusted offensive efficiency and 33rd in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom rankings.
One reason to be encouraged coming out of this game is that Kansas has not shot this poorly in a loss all season. The closest it came was a 39.1 field-goal percentage in a 76-62 win over Oklahoma State on Feb. 12.
Agbaji has shot 51 percent from the field (44.5 percent from behind the arc) this season, but he made just eight of his 22 attempts on Saturday.
Even on a night when he was struggling, at least by his own standards, Agbaji was a one-man wrecking crew for Kansas early in the second half. He scored 10 of the team's first 12 points coming out of the intermission.
When u pick the best 5 PTPERS in the nation this year for your ALL ROLLS ROYCE TEAM you MUST include @KUHoops OCHAI AGBAJI! He has been SENSATIONAL all year.
So after Bill Self's T, Ochai Agbaji hits two free throws (KU was 0-for-0 when he went to line), dunks and hits a three. KU up 39-35 at 17:25. Time out Baylor.
Christian Braun was the only Jayhawks starter who made at least 40 percent of his field-goal attempts. Dajuan Harris Jr.'s late-season struggles continued against Baylor. He went scoreless in 31 minutes and missed all six of his shot attempts.
One positive is that Harris had seven assists with just one turnover. The sophomore has never been a dominant scoring guard, but he had been shooting 45.7 percent from the field coming into this game.
In his last three games, Harris has scored a combined total of eight points on 4-of-16 shooting.
The strength of this Jayhawks roster is offense. They entered Saturday ranked 14th in points per game (80.0) and 18th in offensive rating (112.9), per Sports-Reference.com.
A one-game sample against Baylor isn't reason for panic. As long as Self can get his team to regroup, especially with a favorable schedule to end the regular season heading into the conference tournament, this loss will only be a blip on the radar of the 2021-22 season.
What's Next?
Kansas will play its final road game of the regular season against TCU on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Baylor will take on No. 20 Texas at the Erwin Events Center on Monday at 9 p.m. ET.
No. 10 Kansas Routs No. 8 Baylor in Big 12 Action Behind Balanced Team Performance
Feb 5, 2022
Kansas guard Christian Braun (2) celebrates after a shot during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Baylor suffered its second defeat in three games, losing to No. 10 Kansas 83-59 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas.
Kansas was up 18 by halftime after holding Baylor to 21 first-half points. The Bears shot 8-of-31 from the field as a team and were sorely missing leading scorer LJ Cryer, who was out because of a lingering foot injury.
The Jayhawks led by as many as 34 points as they improved to 19-3. The eighth-ranked Bears, meanwhile, slipped to 19-4.
Notable Performers
Christian Braun, G, Kansas: 18 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal
Ochai Agbaji, G, Kansas: 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists
James Akinjo, G, Baylor: one rebound, three assists, two steals
Adam Flagler, G, Baylor: 16 points, two rebounds, one assist, four steals
Kansas Atones for Kentucky Drubbing
Around this time last week, the Jayhawks were licking their wounds from a heavy 80-62 defeat at the hands of Kentucky. Although head coach Bill Self moved on as quickly as possible mentally, it was a stunning result from a program that's typically so difficult to beat at home.
Since then, Kansas already picked up a 70-61 victory over No. 20 Iowa State, but this felt a more cathartic win.
Not enough room to discuss Kansas' positives when up 39-21 on Baylor at half. Transition game was strong (but calmed down). Rebounding exceptional. Second-chance opportunities provided. Braun's 14 first-half points. Akinjo scoreless on seven shots. An emphatic statement. #kubball
This was a great collective effort by Kansas from start to finish. The Jayhawks didn't rest on their laurels coming out of halftime and instead poured it on even more. This sequence at the 11:33 mark of the second half encapsulated the contest.
Kansas already had ranked victories over Iowa State (twice), Texas Tech on its resume. A shellacking to this degree was absent until Saturday and it reaffirmed the Jayhawks' status as the top team in the Big 12 at the moment.
Baylor Finds Itself in Unfamiliar Position
The Bears dropped six games over the past two seasons, and their three losses entering Saturday all came by single digits. Calling Baylor a front-runner would be inaccurate, but this is a team that doesn't dig itself into as big of a hole as it experienced against Kansas.
Kansas up 39-21 at the half over Baylor. That's Baylor's fewest number of points in a half all season. Also per @ESPNStatsInfo, it's only the second time in the last three seasons they've trailed by double-digits at halftime.
There's no question Cryer's absence had a negative impact on Baylor's offense. But head coach Scott Drew at least got Adam Flagler and enough firepower to have mounted a better challenge against Kansas. James Akinjo missed all 11 of his shot attempts.
Baylor looks so limited offensively of late. Part of it is absolutely the fact that their guards are banged up, but James Akinjo is supposed to be healthy now. He's 0-7 today. The Bears really need Matthew Mayer to be that dude, but we've been saying that for how long?
Kansas' wildly divergent outcomes from last week to Saturday is an example of why fans shouldn't read too much into one game. There are some days when things go inexplicably wrong.
Drew might also be able to use this to help refocus his players for the home stretch of the regular season. All will be forgiven if Baylor defends its home court and gains a measure of revenge against Kansas on Feb. 26.
What's Next?
Kansas' stretch of five ranked opponents ends Monday against No. 23 Texas in Austin. Baylor stays on the road to play Kansas State on Wednesday.
Kentucky forward Keion Brooks Jr., left, and guard Kellan Grady, right, share a hug after an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi State in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Clubb)
Kentucky earned its biggest win of the season, upsetting Kansas 80-62 at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday in Lawrence, Kansas.
This is the 12th-ranked Wildcats' second victory over a Top 25 opponent as they improve to 17-4. The No. 5 Jayhawks are losers for only the third time as they slip to 17-3 amid their toughest stretch of the year.
The rout was on by halftime. Kentucky was up 20 points, 51-31, at the end of the first half. Kansas hadn't allowed 50-plus first-half points in a home game since 2007.
This is the largest home halftime deficit for Kansas over the last 25 seasons.
The Jayhawks last trailed by such a margin to Florida in 2014 (15 points). Kansas came back to win that one, but it has never overcome a 20-point deficit at home to win. pic.twitter.com/7mPie4IHhD
Christian Braun, G, Kansas: 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal
Ochai Agbaji, G, Kansas: 13 points, two rebounds, three assists, one steal
Brooks, Tshiebwe Too Much for Jayhawks
Keion Brooks Jr. and Oscar Tshiebwe were the engines for Kentucky's offensive explosion.
Tshiebwe didn't fill up the points column, but his work on the glass was instrumental in denying Kansas second-chance opportunities and getting the transition started. The junior forward now has 15 double-doubles in Kentucky's 21 games.
I also don't think that enough is made of the fact that Oscar Tshiebwe does the job of two people on the glass. That's a big part of why Kentucky is so lethal in transition, and why it's so hard to run on them.
This is a fun, fun team, and I did not see this coming.
Brooks' impact, meanwhile, is evident in his stat line. At one point in the second half, he scored 15 straight points for Kentucky.
His willingness to put the Wildcats offense on his back was helpful when Kansas began building a head of steam to start the second half. He was content to take what the Jayhawks were giving him inside the arc.
Keion Brooks is loving this triangle and 2 defense.
Kentucky is one week removed from losing to Auburn, so this win should be kept in perspective. But this outing was another reminder—something that was evident with the blowouts of North Carolina and Tennessee—of how dynamic the Wildcats can be.
They arguably have as good a shot at making a Final Four run as anybody else in the country.
Kansas Undone by Slow Start
A high-octane offense has been Kansas' calling card this season. The Jayhawks entered Sunday averaging the 12th-most points (81.5) and ranking 10th in field-goal percentage (49.3).
Bill Self's squad didn't have a terrible opening half on offense, shooting 13-of-33 overall and 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.
But Kansas was getting bullied inside. Kentucky had a 28-18 edge in points in the paint and a 23-12 rebounding advantage.
Kansas Jayhawks getting exposed for their 51st ranked Ken Pom d and Oscar is also dominating for UK.
The Jayhawks' switch to a 2-3 defensive zone led to some brief success and it looked like the home team might be able to chip away at the deficit. Kentucky—Brooks to be more specific—quickly found a formula to work around the zone, nullifying the gains Kansas had made.
The Jayhawks' last three games were decided by nine combined points and they needed double overtime to put away Texas Tech. Perhaps a result was on the cards sooner or later, and it's better for Self to see now what he needs to work on.
What's Next?
Kansas moves on to another ranked opponent as it faces off with No. 23 Iowa State on the road Tuesday. Kentucky returns to Lexington on Wednesday for an SEC clash with Vanderbilt.
No. 4 Kansas Upset by Unranked Dayton on Mustapha Amzil Buzzer-Beater
Nov 26, 2021
Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji defends as Dayton forward Toumani Camara, right, drives during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Jacob M. Langston)
One of the biggest upsets of the still-young 2021-22 college basketball season came on Friday, with the No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks falling to Dayton 74-73 in a thriller decided at the buzzer.
Trailing by one point with the clock ticking down, Mustapha Amzil's jumper bounced off the rim and backboard before falling through the net after time expired to give the Flyers a stunning victory over the previously undefeated Jayhawks.
Amzil only finished with four points, and the final shot was his lone field-goal attempt of the game. Four of Dayton's five starters reached double figures in scoring, and the team shot 51.8 percent from the field.
Kansas left a lot of points on the board at the free-throw line. Head coach Bill Self's team only made nine of 20 attempts from the charity stripe.
The Flyers entered this matchup with a 2-3 record. Each of their three losses came in consecutive games, to UMass Lowell, Lipscomb and Austin Peay.
Kansas had won each of its first four games by an average of 20 points. It looked to be on track for another big win early on Friday. The Jayhawks jumped out to an 11-1 lead in the first four minutes and led by as many as 15 points in the first half.
Dayton is the 2nd team over the last 10 seasons to come from 15 points down and beat an AP Top-5 team on a buzzer-beater, joining Stephen F. Austin at (1) Duke in 2019.
Dayton upsets Kansas and snaps the Jayhawk's 35-game winning streak vs unranked non-conference opponents, which was the longest active streak in Division I.
It is Kansas' 1st loss as an AP top-5 team to an unranked opponent since Jan. 5, 2019 vs Iowa State. pic.twitter.com/uZ7tZvyGew
After a Remy Martin layup put Kansas up 49-37 with 18:13 remaining, Dayton scored 12 straight points to tie the game. The Flyers took their first lead at 51-50 on a Daron Holmes II dunk.
Dayton did get its lead up to seven points with 7:23 left to play. Kansas stormed back by scoring 12 of the next 14 points to take a 73-70 advantage in the final minute.
Malachi Smith cut that deficit to 73-72 on a layup with 45 seconds left. David McCormack was called for an offensive foul on the Jayhawks' ensuing possession, giving Dayton the ball back with 15 seconds remaining.
McCormack looked like he was going to play the role of hero on defense when he blocked Smith's layup attempt. Amzil was able to corral the ball and put up a shot as time expired.
The win gave Dayton its first victory over a team ranked in the top five of the Associated Press poll since a 72-71 win over No. 3 DePaul on Feb. 18, 1984.
No. 3 Kansas Downs MSU Behind Ochai Agbaji's 29 Points at Champions Classic
Nov 10, 2021
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 09: Ochai Agbaji #30 of the Kansas Jayhawks dunks the ball against Malik Hall #25 of the Michigan State Spartans during the State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden on November 09, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
No. 3 Kansas kicked off its 2021-22 season with an 87-74 win over Michigan State in the Champions Classic on Tuesday.
Ochai Agbaji led the way for the Jayhawks with a career-high 29 points in the neutral-court game at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The game was close in the early going until a late Kansas spurt gave the team a 39-32 lead at halftime. The Big 12 squad took control of the game in the second half while finding a lot of success on fast breaks.
Michigan State was within three points with about 16 minutes remaining in the second half, but the margin quickly ballooned to 15 thanks to a 21-9 run.
The Spartans couldn't keep up despite four players reaching double digits, led by 17 points from A.J. Hoggard.
Kansas has won five of the last six years in the Champions Classic.
Really impressed with Ochai Agbaji and the improvement in his ability to put the ball on the floor. Has made a couple of big-time plays tonight exploding to the basket.
The efficiency was especially impressive as the guard finished 9-of-17 on the floor and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.
Agbaji withdrew from the NBA draft last July, and it looks like he has made the right decision through the first game.
Of course, this is a deep roster with a lot of experience entering the year.
David McCormack, Mitch Lightfoot, Remy Martin, Jalen Coleman-Lands and Agbaji are all seniors in the rotation and will be relied upon heavily this season.
McCormack showcased his skill set on the defensive end with two blocks:
This Kansas team showing its depth without Jalen Wilson. Bill Self not afraid to go with his freshmen tonight, and Zach Clemence and Bobby Pettiford giving KU quality minutes.
Hoggard averaged just 2.5 points per game last year but looks like an impact player to start 2021-22.
Max Christie could be another weapon in the backcourt as a 5-star recruit with high expectations. He showcased some upside Tuesday on his way to nine points.
The team also got limited production from Tyson Walker (two points), who transferred in after averaging 18.8 points per game at Northeastern last year.
There is enough talent to improve as the season progresses, but the level of play was nowhere near good enough to match up with the No. 3 team in the country.
What's Next?
Both teams will now prepare for their home opener Friday. Michigan State will host Western Michigan, while Kansas will take on Tarleton.
Kansas Forward Jalen Wilson Suspended 1st 3 Regular-Season Games After DUI Arrest
Nov 2, 2021
KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 11: Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) leaves play during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners on March 11th, 2021 at the T Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kansas sophomore forward Jalen Wilson was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Sunday, and as a result, he has been suspended for the Jayhawks' first three regular-season games.
Kansas head coach Bill Self told reporters that Wilson, who has also been suspended for Wednesday's exhibition against Emporia State, will "serve community hours during his suspension."
Wilson, whose 21st birthday is Thursday, was pulled over and arrested by a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy early Sunday morning. He was booked into jail before being released on bond.
Wilson apologized on Twitter.
"To my family, friends, coaches, teammates, and Jayhawk Nation - first and foremost, I want to apologize to all of you for my mistake this past weekend," Wilson wrote. "I accept full responsibility for my actions and am extremely remorseful in my lack of judgment.
"I know it wouldn't be fair for me to ask for forgiveness right now, so instead I plan to show you the true man I am and my true character through my actions and behavior moving forward. Again, I am truly sorry."
As a redshirt freshman last season, Wilson started 26 of 29 games and averaged 11.8 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds. He impressed early on with two 23-point, 10-rebound performances against Kentucky and Creighton.
Wilson was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team after ranking second in the conference in rebounding. The 6'8", 225-pound forward tested the NBA draft waters but chose to return to school.
Kansas is ranked No. 3 in both preseason polls. Wilson will miss the Jayhawks' games against Michigan State, Tarleton State and Stony Brook.
