Kansas' Devon Dotson Reportedly Will Declare for 2020 NBA Draft
Apr 13, 2020
LAWRENCE, KANSAS - FEBUARY 1: Devon Dotson #1 of the Kansas Jayhawks shoots against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Allen Fieldhouse on February 1, 2020 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Kansas guard Devon Dotson reportedly will declare for the 2020 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining two years of eligibility.
Jeff Goodman of Stadium reported the news on Monday.
The sophomore will have an opportunity to withdraw from the draft by June 15 if he doesn't like what he hears from NBA personnel.
Bleacher Report'sJonathan Wassermanlisted him as the No. 37 overall player in the 2020 draft class in his postseason big board.
Dotson showcased his potential throughout the 2019-20 season, leading the Jayhawks with 18.1 points per game to go with his averages of 4.0 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals.
He was the go-to option for a team that finished 28-3 and was ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll, even though the NCAA tournament was canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The North Carolina native was a 247Sports 5-star recruit and McDonald's All-American out of high school and made an impact right away for Kansas, averaging 12.3 points and 3.5 assists per game as a freshman.
The 6'2" guard has displayed excellent on-ball defense throughout his career while showcasing a versatile offensive skill set that featured quality outside shooting in his first season.
There was a decline in outside shooting this past season, with him finishing 30.9 percent from three-point range, but his 36.3 percent mark as a freshman should be enough for teams to believe it was just a fluke.
Dotson will now try to make his mark at the next level, potentially following in the path of recent Kansas point guard Devonte' Graham.
It also means there will be significant turnover for the Jayhawks going into 2020-21 with other key players set to leave the program.
Kansas' Bill Self Says Devon Dotson Could've Been 'The Best PG to Play Here'
Apr 8, 2020
MANHATTAN, KS - FEBRUARY 05: Head coach Bill Self of the Kansas Jayhawks instructs Devon Dotson #11 during the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats on February 5, 2019 at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images)
Kansas head coach Bill Self provided high praise for Devon Dotson, even if the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA men's tournament put a damper on the guard's chance to secure his legacy at Kansas.
"Devon, to me, could have been the best point guard to play here that I've had, but it's hard to judge that when you win one NCAA tournament game as a freshman and then you don’t get the chance to play it as a sophomore," Self said, per CJ Moore of The Athletic. "If that's the end of your career, it's obviously incomplete."
Dotson has yet to announce whether he will enter the 2020 NBA draft, but a big tournament could've put him in line with the top Jayhawks in history. On March 13, Bleacher Report'sJonathan Wassermanlisted him as the No. 37 overall prospect in this year's class.
"... I really think the table was set for him to go down as one of the all-time greats here and possibly the best guard ever I coached here," Self said.
Dotson had a solid freshman year, averaging 12.3 points per game, but he took the next step as a sophomore in 2019-20, recording 18.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals per contest.
He was the go-to option for a team that finished No. 1 in theAssociated Presspoll after a 16-game winning streak.
Adding an NCAA title would have given Dotson an impressive resume in just two years, although there is a lot of competition to be the best point guard in the Self era (since 2003).
Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins helped claim a national championship for the Jayhawks, while Frank Mason won the Wooden Award in 2017. Devonte' Graham, Aaron Miles and Tyshawn Taylor also had impressive careers at Kansas.
Although the lack of opportunity could limit Dotson's legacy, Self added: "I think that Devon Dotson had the best year of any point guard that we've ever had at his age. Nobody's had a better sophomore season than what Devon's had."
Kansas' Marcus Garrett Wins Naismith Men's Defensive Player of Year Award
Apr 1, 2020
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - MARCH 07: Guard Marcus Garrett #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks watches a free throw during the second half of the college basketball game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on March 07, 2020 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Kansas Jayhawks junior guard Marcus Garrett is the 2019-20 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year.
"First, I would like to thank God," Garrett said in a statement via KU Athletics' official website. "I would also like to thank my coaches and teammates because these awards are won as a team, not individually. I'd also like to thank the Naismith Awards voters. We have a great season as did the other finalists who were also worthy of this award."
He continued: "I hope and pray all are safe with the current happenings worldwide, and we get back to normalcy soon. Rock Chalk!"
The 6'5", 195-pound is just the third player to ever take home this award, with West Virginia's Jevon Carter winning in 2018 and Washington's Matisse Thybulle last year. Thybulle, now with the Philadelphia 76ers, presented the award on CBS Sports HQ's live stream and then congratulated Garrett:
“I’m definitely disruptive. I try my hardest just to make it hard on the offensive player.” - @KUHoops' Marcus Garrett describing his game after winning the @NaismithTrophy Award for Men’s Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/jfUqylEGWh
The Dallas native beat out finalists Ashton Hagans (Kentucky), Tre Jones (Duke) and Mark Vital (Baylor). The Jayhawks (28-3) ended the season as the top-ranked team in the AP poll.
Garrett averaged a career-high 9.2 points, 4.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 32.2 minutes per game across 31 starts for the No. 1 Jayhawks. He led the Big 12 in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.7). His steals per game ranked fifth in the conference, and he also averaged 4.5 deflections per game.
The unsung hero and heart of the @KUHoops defense, Marcus Garrett’s Defensive Player of the Year campaign was the driving force for Kansas. pic.twitter.com/mXN27p8wER
Kansas owned the second-best adjusted defensive efficiency (85.5) behind only Virginia (85.1), according to KenPom.
The Jayhawks finished 17-1 in conference play. They were riding a 16-game winning streak before the remainder of the 2019-20 college basketball season was cancelled on March 12 due to the coronavirus crisis.
KUcapturedthe regular-season Big 12 title outright on March 7, marking the 15th time in the last 16 years it has at least owned a share of the regular-season conference championship.
Kansas Head Coach Bill Self Live-Tweets 2008 National Championship vs. Memphis
Mar 22, 2020
FILE - In this Monday, April 7, 2008, file photo, Kansas' Mario Chalmers shoots a three pointer to take the game in to overtime against Memphis during the championship game at the NCAA college basketball Final Four in San Antonio. Kansas defeated Memphis 75-68 in overtime. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
Bill Self was tweeting through it Sunday morning in the best possible way.
The head coach of Kansas ended a Twitter hiatus to provide live commentary on CBS' re-airing of the 2008 national title game against Memphis. In the lead to Mario Chalmers' epic game-tying three at the end of regulation, Self went through all the emotions as he watched the game for the first time in 10 years.
Here's the best from the coach's feed:
I’ve seen this game 50 times. But not in a decade. Exited to watch.
College bb was so good in 2008. All four #1 seeds made it to San Antonio. And we were the lowest rated one. Which means we got the worst hotel of the four.
Felt good at halftime. Did a great job on D Rose. But we knew he could get 20 in a half. And he almost did. 20 or let’s say 25 minutes from a pretty good night.
When Derrick Rose hit a circus bank shot that was later ruled a two, Self admitted he had no clue the call was reversed and was stunned to find out 12 years later.
Omg. I had no idea it was a 2. Thought it was 3. I believe alternate official called attention to it. Tv didn’t pick up till then.
CBS announcer Jim Nantz immediately called that the shot of the tournament. He'd be proven very wrong only four minutes later.
Speaking of Rose, Self tried everything he could to contain the star freshman who would wind up the NBA's No. 1 overall pick a few weeks later. The Hall of Fame coach pulled out a few different zone options that ended up backfiring down the stretch despite initially holding Rose to four points in the first half. Even a decade later, Self is still angry with himself. Rose finished the game with 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
Ok. They have momentum. I made mistake. Had done a good job on Derrick. Then I go box and 1 a possession. He makes a 3 to get going. I’m an idiot.
When it came time for the Jayhawks' comeback down nine with two minutes left, Self could tell his players had it covered just by looking at them.
Don’t worry folks. We’ve got them over confident. We just can’t score. Their defense was good. And I have no idea what to tell our guys on what will work.
Ok from this point forward watch body language of our guys. It’s perfect. No stooped shoulders. No pointing fingers. No head hung. Total maturity. Proudest moment of a coach.
As the game moved to overtime, it was Self's players who were dictating the huddle, leaving the coach to sit back and take in the final few minutes before winning his first national title.
My guys were saying it’s over. I’m saying what are you talking about. But watch first 3 possessions they are perfect. And I mean perfect.
What a game. What a team what a group of individuals. They spoiled us. What a privilege to be their coach. Joe Kurtis Danny Ronnie Mike Lee, what a staff. Thanks for giving me the ride of my life. Love you all.
It's been 12 years since Kansas was crowned the kings of college basketball. For at least one afternoon, Self was able to remind KU fans just what that felt like.
No. 1 Kansas' Bill Self 'In Favor' of Alternate Process to Name NCAA Champion
Mar 16, 2020
WACO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 22: Head coach Bill Self in the first half against the Baylor Bears at Ferrell Center on February 22, 2020 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Kansas Jayhawks finished the 2019-20 NCAA men's basketball season at No. 1 in the final AP and USA Today Coaches polls before the NCAA tournament was canceled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Head coach Bill Self would accept the national championship trophy should it be decided by how the regular season concluded, though he acknowledged it wouldn't feel the same.
"I would think, from our standpoint, that would be great," Self told reporters during a teleconference on Monday. "But even if that occurred, and I don't think it would, there'd be a huge asterisk on our side and I'd be the first one to admit it. This would be the year I'd be all in favor because there's a great chance we'd be No. 1 in the country in most everything when all the rankings are turned in."
The 28-3 Jayhawks were riding a 16-game winning streak and had one more regular-season contest left on their schedule—a matchup with Oklahoma State on March 12.
KU won the Big 12 regular-season title outright when Baylor lost to unranked West Virginia 76-64 on March 7. The Jayhawks had their streak of 14 consecutive conference titles snapped last year with Texas Tech and Kansas State as co-winners.
The Big 12announcedKansas senior big man Udoka Azubuike as Player of the Year and Kansas junior guard Marcus Garrett as Defensive Player of the Year on March 8.
"I want to tell you guys that if we go to the Final Four this year, I get to see her."
Just over a week ago, #kubball senior Udoka Azubuike said in his senior night speech his mom, who lives in Nigeria, would come watch KU play if they made it to Atlanta. This one hurts. pic.twitter.com/kLtzyfWYzV
NCAA vice president Dan Gavitt decided Sunday that 68-team March Madness brackets will not be released, Stadium'sBrett McMurphyrelayed.
CNN'slatest numbersshow 168,019 worldwide cases of the coronavirus with 6,610 global deaths. There are more than 4,000 people infected in the United States, and 70 people have died in the U.S.
No One Has an Answer for Udoka Azubuike
Mar 10, 2020
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - MARCH 07: Center Udoka Azubuike of the Kansas Jayhawks gestures
After the final buzzer, the big man known as "Doke" addresses the crowd at center court. It's tradition at Kansas for the seniors to speak on Senior Night, and as the only senior who has been with Kansas for his entire career, Udoka Azubuike does the heavy lifting moments after the Jayhawks polish off a 75-66 win over TCU at Allen Fieldhouse.
The Nigeria native is a storyteller. He speaks to the capacity crowd of 16,300 for more than 13 minutes, recalling personal anecdotes about every coach, trainer and manager in the Kansas program. He thanks coach Bill Self for teaching him about hard work and consistency, and he thanks assistant Norm Roberts for recruiting him so aggressively—even when a 16-year-old Azubuike didn't want to talk on the phone.
Azubuike's story then takes an emotional turn as he thanks his host parents, Harry and Donna Coxsome, with whom he lived while attending high school in Jacksonville, Florida, and who are in attendance for his final home game. "I had a hard time when I first came to the States," Azubuike tells the crowd. "I had a hard life. My father had just died. But they took care of me. When I felt like giving up, they kept me strong."
Then, the finisher. Doke talks about his mother, and there's not a dry eye in the house.
"My mom, she's back in Nigeria," the 7-foot, 270-pound center explains. "The only time I got to see her was the [2018] Final Four. That was the only time I've seen her in a minute. ... I want to tell you guys that we'll go to the Final Four this year, I'll get to see her.
"So Jayhawks Nation, let's go to Atlanta!"
Azubuike thanking Self on senior night: "You taught me a lot about life. You taught me a lot about hard work, about being consistent, and about never giving up." #kubballpic.twitter.com/VxOcszSZbX
While that may be a reasonable expectation for a Kansas team that heads into the Big 12 tournament having won 16 consecutive games, the expectations for the Jayhawks' senior big man are far more uncertain.
The youngest of five siblings (two brothers and two sisters), Udoka was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1999. His father, Fabian, a police officer and his mother, Florence, a middle school teacher, raised the family in Delta, a southern state along the Gulf of Guinea coast. Despite record oil revenues in the early 2000s, the Nigerian government was riddled with corruption.In 2009, a militant Islamic organization called Boko Haram waged an insurgency against the Nigerian government.
Amid the upheaval, the Azubuike family's financial situation deteriorated. Udoka told Bleacher Report's Jason King in 2018 that his mother frequently went without a paycheck in her teaching position. Eventually, his parents resorted to selling whatever they could—valuables, services, even furniture—to generate some income.
"A lot of people didn't have jobs because the government was so bad," Azubuike said in 2018. "For a lot of them, the only way to eat was through violence. They would just walk up to people in the street and attack them and rob them just so they could have money for food."
Making matters worse for the family, Fabian became ill in 2009. What was initially just some swelling in the feet spread across his entire lower body, which gave rise to itchy, tumor-like bumps that made it difficult for Fabian to sleep. Doctors were unable to diagnose the illness, and Fabian died in 2010. Udoka was just 10 years of age.
Two years later, Udoka's life would take another turn, this time at a Basketball Without Borders camp in Nigeria. Azubuike had only just begun playing basketball, but his sheer size (he was 6'8" by the summer of 2013) prompted one of the scouts in attendance to contact Steve McLaughlin, the head coach at Potter's House Christian Academy in Jacksonville. McLaughlin was interested, and soon Azubuike set off for high school in the States.
In Florida, the Coxsomes proved to be a welcoming presence. They ushered him from store to store to find clothes that fit and worked to find food that he liked as he transitioned to life in the U.S. The fact that the Coxsomes were devout Christians also helped ease the worries of Udoka's mother, who was deeply religious herself.
Almost from the moment he stepped on the court, Azubuike got a glimpse of his basketball future. In his first game as a high school freshman, according to B/R's story in 2018, Azubuike went up against future Kansas star and Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid. A senior at The Rock School in Gainesville, Embiid had moved from Cameroon to Florida the year before.
Only four years after he began playing basketball, Udoka Azubuike scored nine points and eight rebounds in 15 minutes in the 2016 McDonald's All-American Game.
Azubuike went on to become a four-year starter at PHCA and averaged 16.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game his senior year. A member of the National Honor Society—a point of pride for the big man—he played in the 2016 McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic, becoming ESPN's No. 22 player in the class of 2016. With offers from Kansas, North Carolina and Florida State to choose from, Azubuike settled on the Jayhawks, thanks in large part to the relentless recruiting by Roberts. When Embiid called Harry Coxsome on behalf of Kansas, the decision was all but made.
Chances for Azubuike to reunite with his family have been few since he moved to America. The NCAA provides $3,000 to $4,000 stipends to assist players' families in attending the Final Four, so Azubuike hopes that a deep tournament run would allow for another reunion in Atlanta. In 2018, it took a nonimmigrant travel visa, obtained with some help from Kansas U.S. Representative Kevin Yoder, to get Florence Azubuike to the States. Even if his mother doesn't make it back this year, Udoka could already count one special family moment earlier in the year.
In late February, one day before Azubuike's 19 points and 16 rebounds led KU to a rout of Oklahoma State, he found out that his older brother Chima Azuonwu would be in attendance to watch the game in person. The brothers hadn't seen each other in 10 years, and the game was the first time Chima had ever seen his "little" brother ball. Azuonwu, a 6'11" center, received a scholarship to play at Tennessee State, but a knee injury ended his career. Now living in Nashville, Azuonwu surprised Azubuike with the trip to Lawrence.
"Doke was proud," Self said after the game. "I left the locker room area at 11ish. Doke still had his brother in there. They were taking pictures. They were the only two left. That was fun to see."
Azubuike is a college basketball anomaly: the dominant college senior. With a game that is based almost entirely on his overpowering size and strength, Azubuike has figured out how to be an exceptional offensive college center without possessing tremendous skill or touch.
His evolution hasn't come without tribulation.
After playing sparingly in an injury-shortened freshman season, projections of potential became reality in Azubuike's sophomore season. He led the nation in shooting with a 77 percent mark only to miss the Big 12 tournament with a sprained MCL. That summer, he declared for the 2018 NBA draft, measuring out with the second-longest wingspan at the combine (7'7", behind only Mo Bamba). But injury concerns gave some scouts pause, and Azubuike returned to school.
Udoka Azubuike had himself a night in his final game at Allen Fieldhouse.
An honorable mention All-Big 12 preseason pick entering the 2018-19 season, Azubuike severely sprained his right ankle in early December 2018. He returned four games later, only to tear a ligament in his right hand, which required season-ending surgery.
As the 2020 NCAA tournament beckons, though, Azubuike—named the Big 12 Player of the Year over the weekend—makes a more convincing case for his NBA future with each passing game. Entering this season, he shed nearly 20 pounds. He's stronger, and his endurance has improved. Always one of the best interior scorers in college basketball, Azubuike leads the nation in field-goal percentage (.748), and he has surpassed Tacko Fall for the best career field-goal percentage in NCAA history (.746).
Perhaps most notable for his future, he has shown an improved ability to not only defend the rim, but also to guard players on the perimeter.
"When you've got the big fella changing the game it seems most every possession on both ends, that bodes well for you," Self told reporters after a Feb. 22 win over then-No. 1 Baylor. "Nobody else in America has a guy like that. Nobody."
Along with sophomore point guard Devon Dotson, a leading candidate for the Naismith College Player of the Year Trophy, Self has a point guard and big man combo that reminds him of some of the most dynamic duos in Kansas basketball history.
"You're looking at Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich or Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur," Self told reporters after the Baylor win. "I don't know that we've ever relied on two guys more than what we rely on those two."
As it does so often this time of year, Kansas has discovered its identity. The Jayhawks are a dominant defensive unit with an efficient four-out, one-in offense predicated on great guard play (Dotson), typical athletic Kansas wings (Marcus Garrett and Ochai Agbaji) and one immovable, inimitable force in the middle. After the 12-game suspension of junior forward Silvio De Sousa for his role in the Jan. 21 brawl at Kansas State, Self has placed even more responsibility on Azubuike's broad shoulders. In his quest for a second national title, the head coach's best hope for hardware is Azubuike.
"You don't realize how big he is until you see him in person," CBS analyst Clark Kellogg says. "Kansas isn't as proficient as they've been in the past because they're missing a dynamic wing like Andrew Wiggins or Brandon Rush, but with Azubuike, they punish you for 40 minutes."
A national championship in Atlanta may be Azubuike's sole focus of the present. But there's basketball life beyond April 6, and Doke knows his NBA future likely depends on a run of sheer dominance through the NCAA tournament.
But as opportunities in the NBA keep drying up for players of his ilk, no one knows for sure what his role will be as a professional. A career 41.6 percent free-throw shooter, Azubuike has his share of doubters about whether he'll develop a reliable enough mid-range jump shot to make him a rotation player. Still, his size and strength are intriguing.
Azubuike shot almost 75 percent from the field and blocked almost three shots per game as a senior this season.
Bleacher Report NBA analyst Jonathan Wasserman does not have Azubuike included in his latest first-round mock draft, but ESPN has him No. 33 overall on their best available player rankings. One thing going for the big man? His age. At 20, he may have more upside than older college seniors.
"He's not highly skilled, but he's good with the ball when he catches it, and he's a great finisher," one NBA scout says. "He's a force. When you're that big and strong, teams are going to want to give you a shot. He could be an effective rebounder and rim-runner in the NBA."
Just eight years after he first touched a basketball, Azubuike's skills are improving. In previous seasons, a bulkier iteration sort of bumbled through the paint, uncomfortable with the ball in his hands anywhere farther than four feet from the basket. Now? He catches the ball in the post and assesses the defense. He has a better understanding of pick-and-roll reads, passing out of the low post and knowing when to back-cut from the weak side for an easy alley-oop. In short, his instincts have improved, and his movements are more natural.
Whether that's the product of six months of film study while sidelined, his increased athleticism thanks to weight loss or both, no one knows for sure. But it's a fact. And it's made him the most overwhelming physical force in the nation.
"I wouldn't have been able to do this my freshman year," Azubuike told reporters after the win over Baylor. "... I've had a lot of people say, 'He can't do this, he can't do that,' All my life I have been looked down on on everything. So coming out here and playing the way I played and giving it all to my team just made me emotional."
Despite what he can't do, the heights that Azubuike can climb have never been more apparent, his ceiling never higher. Will he lead Kansas to another national title? Is he a capable starter in the modern NBA? Some answers only come in time.
Matthew Foley is a writer based in New York. His freelance work has been featured in SLAM, theNew York Times, Ozy and theScore. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyfoles.
Kansas' Udoka Azubuike Named 2020 Big 12 Player of the Year
Mar 8, 2020
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - MARCH 07: Center Udoka Azubuike of the Kansas Jayhawks gestures
One day after his team celebrated an outright regular-season conference title, Kansas star Udoka Azubuikewon the Big 12's 2019-20 Player of the Year.
Azubuike averaged 13.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 31 games for the Jayhawks.
Azubuike wasn't the only Kansas player honored. Marcus Garrett was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and Devon Dotson was named to the All-Big 12 first team.
The 7-footer was limited to nine games as a junior after undergoingseason-ending surgeryon his hand. Kansasannouncedlast April he'd be back for his senior campaign.
"Udoka knows that he still has some unfinished work left in college and at the University of Kansas, and he has let us know that he is very excited about the potential for next year's team and the role in which he would have," coach Bill Self said.
Azubuike returned with a vengeance and took his game to another level when Kansas started Big 12 play. He averaged 14.0 points, 11.6 boards and 3.0 blocks and was one of the biggest reasons the top-ranked Jayhawks dropped only one Big 12 game.
Without Azubuike in the lineup, Kansas lost to Auburn in the second round of the 2019 NCAA tournament. Now the team is firing on all cylinders with the Big 12 tournament tipping off Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri.
Parity has reigned supreme throughout the season, but a second trip to the Final Four in three years is an attainable goal as long as Azubuike continues to be a dominant presence inside.
Kansas Responds to NCAA's Notice of Allegations, Disputes Wrongdoing in Probe
Mar 5, 2020
The Kansas Jayhawks host the Baylor Bears during an NCAA college basketball game at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
More than five months after the NCAA delivered its notice of allegations to the University of Kansas, KU responded with an emphatic and aggressive defense of its men's basketball program, calling out the organization for what it says are "novel theories" stemming from the 2018 federal criminal trials of former Adidas representatives T.J. Gassnola and Jim Gatto.
The Jayhawks were hit with three Level 1 violations—the most significant charges the NCAA can levy—including lack of institutional control due to alleged payments made to the guardians of potential Kansas recruits meant to sway their college decisions.
"There are several facts that are in dispute," Kansas wrote in an official response totaling more than 300 pages. "There are assumptions made; and, perhaps most importantly, there are unprecedented and novel theories put forward that, if found to have merit by the Panel, would dramatically alter the collegiate sports landscape in ways not contemplated by the Membership."
Additionally, Kansas challenged each allegation levied against its basketball team deeming "neither NCAA legislation nor the facts support the enforcement staff's allegations."
In explaining its position, KU pointed to the NCAA's criticism of former Kansas head coach Larry Brown for maintaining contact with the current coaching staff and athletic department officials.
"Here again, the enforcement staff asserts a novel theory—that a head coach becomes a representative of an institution for life—a contention that has no basis in NCAA legislation, case precedent, official interpretations or educational materials," KU wrote. "Again, this theory would have a ripple effect across the Membership as any former coach of an institution would be considered a representative of that institution's athletic interests forever."
Perhaps the strongest defense in the school's response came on behalf of head coach Bill Self, who the university argues did not violate any rules or have any knowledge of wrongdoing on the part of Adidas.
Considering Level 1 violations could lead to a show-cause penalty for Self, forfeiture of wins and potential postseason bans, it's not surprising to see KU stand firmly behind its coach.
"As is laid out in great detail in the Response, there is no reasonable conclusion that members of the University, including the men's basketball staff, knew or should have known about any violations of NCAA rules," Kansas said. "Head Coach Bill Self had no knowledge of any NCAA rules violations or illicit conduct exhibited by Adidas, its employees or its consultants. In addition, as the University noted in September 2019, voluminous evidence demonstrates uncontestably that Coach Self did, in fact, promote an atmosphere of compliance and fully monitor his staff. The charges leveled against Coach Self are not based on fact."
Bill Self Talks Kansas' Rivalry with K-State After 1st Matchup Since Viral Brawl
Feb 29, 2020
MANHATTAN, KS - FEBRUARY 29: Devon Dotson #1 of the Kansas Jayhawks drives with the ball during the first half against Antonio Gordon #11 of the Kansas State Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum on February 29, 2020 in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images)
The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 62-58 in Manhattan on Saturday and that alone felt like a win for both teams.
It was the first meeting between the two in-state rivals since a skirmish escalated into an all-out brawl in the stands during the final seconds of their first game back in January. The Jayhawks were on their way to an 81-60 victory when forward Silvio De Sousa blocked a KSU shot at the buzzer, which led to punches thrown by both teams.
De Sousa, who was seen momentarily holding a stool over his head during the fight, was suspended 12 games for his role in the altercation.
Saturday included decidedly fewer fireworks thanks to Kansas' Bill Self.
The head coach orchestrated a pregame handshake with both teams meeting at center court just before tipoff to continue easing tensions.
"What happened over there at our place was an embarrassment to both teams, both schools, and certainly [there is] no place for it," Self said after the game, per ESPN's Myron Medcalf. "But we've never had a problem with K-State players, and they've never had a problem with our players."
Kansas State filled its student sections to the brim, but otherwise played in a stadium that was nowhere near capacity even with an increased police presence on the scene.
After the Jayhawks fell to the Wildcats in Manhattan in 2015, students rushed the court and shoved KU's Jamari Traylor as he was leaving the floor. The added security helped ensure there wouldn't be a repeat.
So, too, did Kansas' victory Saturday, which has them just one win away from clinching the Big 12 title.
"Obviously the first one ended in not a special moment in K-State-Kansas rivalry history," KSU coach Bruce Weber said. "We wanted to make sure this one started with a positive moment of sportsmanship. We can move forward now, worry about the game and how it's played."
If Kansas State and Kansas meet again this season, it'll come during the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City next month.
Udoka Azubuike, No. 3 Kansas Topple No. 1 Baylor 64-61 in Crucial Big 12 Clash
Feb 22, 2020
Kansas center Udoka Azubuike flexes after a dunk against Baylor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin)
The No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks ended the Baylor Bears' 23-game winning streak with a 64-61 victory at the Ferrell Center on Saturday.
In addition to snapping Baylor's Big 12-record streak, Kansas tied the nation's top-ranked team atop the conference standings (13-1) with four games remaining in the regular season for both teams.
The Jayhawks earned a measure of revenge after Baylor won the first meeting between these two teams 67-55 at Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 11.
Udoka Azubuike was an unstoppable force on both ends in the win. He recorded his fourth double-double in the past six games and had a season-high 19 rebounds.
The Baylor offense struggled until the final six minutes of the game. The Bears had a chance to tie the score at the end of regulation, but Jared Butler's three-point attempt hit the front of the rim.
Jared Butler: Baylor: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists
Freddie Gillespie, Baylor: 10 points, 7 rebounds
Matthew Mayer, Baylor: 10 points, 3 rebounds
Azubuike, Defense Carry Jayhawks to Victory
One problem for the Jayhawks in their January loss to Baylor was Azubuike's limited involvement. The senior star scored just six points on 3-of-6 shooting in 32 minutes.
Kansas doesn't need Azubuike to dominate every game because guards Devon Dotson and Ochai Agbaji are better shot-creators. But the 7-footer proved yet again he's capable of taking over in a big spot. He dropped 29 in the Jayhawks' 90-84 overtime win against Dayton on Nov. 27.
Saturday was Azubuike's crowning moment of the season. He was the only Kansas player to score in double figures in the first half (13 points) and recorded a double-double with almost 16 minutes remaining in the second half.
Azubuike has a double-double with 15:40 left to play. Baylor bigs are going to need some whirlpool time after banging with him.
It's gotten lost in the wake of Baylor's winning streak, but Kansas took off after the first meeting between these teams. It has won 12 consecutive games, with Azubuike averaging 13.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game during this streak.
If this is the version of Azubuike that head coach Bill Self and Co. are going to get for the remainder of the season, the Jayhawks will be one of the most difficult teams to beat in the NCAA tournament.
Azubuike makes all the difference for Kansas. They're my pick to win it all.
Even though the Baylor defense has deservedly received acclaim for its performance this season, Kansas proved it can match anyone on that end of the court. The Jayhawks entered Saturday ranked fourth in the nation, allowing a 43.3 effective field-goal percentage; the Bears weren't far behind in seventh at 43.5 percent.
The Kansas defense swarmed Baylor, holding it to 39.7 percent shooting and 7-of-20 from three-point range.
This is the version of Kansas everyone expected when it started the season ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press poll.
Baylor's 2nd-Half Surge Comes Up Short
Baylor struggled to break through against the Kansas defense and faced a 54-44 deficit with 6:38 remaining.
The Jayhawks at that point had nearly equaled what the Bears give up on average for full games:
Baylor is allowing 58.4 PPG, a record setting pace:
From that point on, though, the Bears finally started to look like the team that has been ranked No. 1 in the Top 25 for the last month. They cut the deficit to three by going on a 9-2 run.
But Adubuike and Marcus Garrett gave Kansas breathing room by scoring four straight points. The final ray of hope for Baylor came when MaCio Teague sank a three with 18 seconds remaining to make it 62-61.
After Isaiah Moss made two free throws on Kansas' ensuing possession, Butler had a decent look, but his attempt was short.
Even though the result wasn't what Baylor wanted, the team made the game competitive when little was going right and Kansas was playing as well as it has all season.
Kansas did not play its best when Baylor won at Phog Allen Fieldhouse.
Baylor did not play its best today when Kansas won in Waco.
Scott Drew and his staff will be able to learn from this game heading into the home stretch. The Bears have only one more matchup against a ranked opponent—at No. 17 West Virginia on March 7—so their path to at least a share of a regular-season conference title for the first time since 1949-50 is clear.
What's Next?
Baylor will host Kansas State on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Kansas will return home for a matchup with Oklahoma State on Monday at 9 p.m. ET.
