Mind-boggling statistics of Bill Self era: Monday’s KU basketball game the latest

Bill Self was made aware of a remarkable accomplishment of his Kansas men’s basketball program heading into Monday’s Big 12 battle against TCU at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Since we’ve been at Kansas, two teams (have) swept us in 20 years. This could have been the third,” Self, KU’s 20th-year coach, said after a 63-58 victory at TCU that prevented the Horned Frogs from joining Texas in 2021 and Oklahoma State in 2018 as the only conference teams to win both games in a regular season home-and-home series versus KU.

TCU had thumped KU 83-60 on Jan, 21 at Allen Fieldhouse prior to Monday’s rematch on the road.

“I don’t know if it would mean anything to them (players), but it certainly motivates our staff,” Self stated.

Self was asked about that particular program achievement Tuesday on his Hawk Talk radio show.

“Somebody told me a stat. There have been 140 home-and-homes since we’ve been here and we’ve screwed up twice big time. They were screwups. That’s too many,” Self said jokingly of the two home-and-home setbacks. “The guys did respond well (after the loss in Lawrence to TCU).”

In 140 league home-and-homes in the Self era, KU has 91 sweeps and 47 splits. The Jayhawks have been swept twice.

Of course Self wasn’t dwelling on the home-and-home records of his squad during Monday’s TCU game.

“I look at it as they beat our (butt). It was a knockout,” Self said of TCU’s lopsided win in Allen Fieldhouse. “We wanted to come play better this time.”

No team in the Big 12 will sweep KU in a regular-season home-and-home during this 2022-23 campaign. KU has already won one game against all three remaining teams on the schedule: West Virginia, Texas Tech and Texas. The Jayhawks will meet the Mountaineers at 3 p.m. Saturday and Texas Tech at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse. KU will finish the regular season a week from Saturday at Texas.

KU defeated Texas 88-80 on Feb. 6 at Allen, West Virginia 76-62 on Jan. 7 in Morgantown and Tech 75-72 on Jan. 3 in Lubbock.

Here are some of the other remarkable numbers concerning KU’s achievements this season and in the Self era.

• KU, which is tied with Texas for first place in the Big 12 with three games left to play, has won 16 of the past 19 Big 12 regular-season league titles. KU won an NCAA-record 14 straight Big 12 crowns from 2005 to 2018.

• KU with Self at the helm last season passed Kentucky as college basketball’s all-time winningest program (currently 2,380 victories to UK’s 2,372).

• Self has a 579-129 record in 20 seasons at KU. He is now just 11 wins from tying Phog Allen (590-219 in 39 seasons) as KU’s all-time winningest coach.

• KU has been ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll the last 34 weeks dating to the 2021-22 preseason poll. It’s the longest active streak in the country.

• KU has won at least 10 conference games the past 39 seasons, longest streak in Division I.

• Allen Fieldhouse has been sold out for 350 consecutive games.

• KU is 47-1 at home on ESPN Big Monday. Self’s teams are a perfect 36-0 at home on Big Monday.

• KU has 14 Quad 1 wins this season. Texas is second nationally with nine.

• KU is 305-17 in Allen Fieldhouse under Self (including seven undefeated seasons at home). Self’s teams are 158-11 in Big 12 home games and 147-6 in nonconference home tests. The nonconference losses: Kentucky, Arizona State, San Diego State, Richmond, Oral Roberts and Nevada. The conference losses: Iowa State (2), Texas (2), Oklahoma State (2), TCU, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas Tech.

• KU has won 23 or more games in 30 of the last 31 seasons

• KU has received an NCAA Tournament bid 31 straight seasons, longest active streak in the country and best all time.

• KU is 50-26 versus AP top 10 teams in the Self era.

• Each four-year senior class since 1986-87 has won at least 100 games.

Jayhawks honored this week

KU men’s basketball players Zach Clemence and Dajuan Harris and women’s players Ioanna Chatzileonti, Katrine Jessen, Chandler Prater and Sanna Strom have been named Academic All-District by the College Sports Communicators (CSC), the organization has announced.

Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot, where first, second and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in mid-March.

Gradey Dick is this week’s Big 12 newcomer of the week in a vote by a media panel that covers the league. It is the third time this season Dick has earned the accolade. His week included 26 points in a win over Oklahoma State and 16 over Baylor.