Kansas basketball coach Bill Self talks facing West Virginia after Bob Huggins’ departure

LAWRENCE — The Big 12 Conference has had its share of surprises so far this season, and Saturday will see Kansas basketball attempt to avoid one when it plays on the road against West Virginia.

Here are five things to think about before the No. 4 Jayhawks (15-2, 3-1 in Big 12) face the Mountaineers (6-11, 1-3 in Big 12):

Kansas will face a West Virginia team not coached by Bob Huggins

Over the course of the offseason, Bob Huggins’ time as the head coach at West Virginia came to a very public conclusion. Josh Eilert became the interim head coach. And that means when Kansas head coach Bill Self steps onto the sideline, it’ll be the start of a new era in this matchup.

Although Self acknowledged that Eilert has assumed the role in a tough situation, he also noted the WVU first-year coach has done well considering the various challenges. That includes the roster complications that have unfolded. And while Self admitted it’ll be different without Huggins as the Mountaineers’ head coach, it’s not something he said he’ll think about a lot.

“I really want (Huggins) to be remembered and thought of in a way that he’s provided a great legacy to our profession and wish the best for him,” Self said. “But that’s not saying I wish it at the expense of anybody else, either, though.”

Bill Self believes he’s found his 5th starter

Earlier this month, Self inserted freshman guard Johnny Furphy into the starting lineup and moved freshman guard Elmarko Jackson to the bench. Since the decision, Furphy has thrived in his new role and Jackson has seemed to play better as well. It’s been a welcome change that had Self saying, understandably, that he feels as if Kansas has found its fifth starter.

Bill Self’s faith in Nicolas Timberlake remains strong

So far this season, graduate senior guard Nicolas Timberlake is averaging 11.2 minutes per game across 17 appearances — all off of the bench. He’s averaging 3.5 points and 1.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 36.1% from the field and 27.5% from behind the arc. It’s not the role or production many envisioned when Timberlake committed as a transfer from Towson, as a potential 3-point specialist, and Self acknowledged as much Thursday.

But while Self said neither he nor Timberlake saw it going this way to date, he once again expressed confidence in what Timberlake can be for the team. He expects Timberlake to remain ready, and be able to deliver when the team needs Timberlake to do so.

Kansas’ schedule has been demanding, but the Jayhawks have confidence they’re handling the grind well

When Kansas’ game at West Virginia ends, the Jayhawks will have played five games in 15 days. The Big 12 is already a grind, and the amount of games Kansas is playing in this span has the potential to add to it. But neither Self nor Timberlake seemed all that concerned about it.

Self said the Jayhawks are a well-conditioned group. Timberlake said with a smile he thinks he and his teammates love how the schedule is playing out, because the games are a lot more fun than practice. Senior center Hunter Dickinson and redshirt senior guard Dajuan Harris Jr. are the only two Self noted he could potentially have a concern with, when it comes to the potential of any players’ stamina being affected.

Here’s what Kansas thinks about West Virginia

West Virginia has had a challenging season, so far, with some glaring losses. But the Mountaineers’ last home game also saw them top Texas. Add the road West Virginia’s taken to this point to the challenges that road has presented dating back to the offseason, including roster availability, and it can be tough to get an accurate gauge on the Mountaineers’ season.

“I’m going to gauge it on since they’ve had their full compliment of guys, and they still haven’t had it because of (Jesse) Edwards has been hurt,” Self said. “But I think getting those guys eligible, and then if Edwards is able to go — I mean, he’s a legitimate top five big-man in the country potentially.”

Both Self and Timberlake expect West Virginia to press, too.

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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas basketball, Bill Self to face West Virginia without Bob Huggins