Bill Self updates Kansas basketball’s health status, more ahead of Indiana road game

LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball will match up with Indiana on Saturday for a road game in Bloomington.

Here are five things to know before the No. 2 Jayhawks (9-1), representing the Big 12 Conference, tip off at 11:30 a.m. (CT) against the Hoosiers (7-2, 2-0 in Big Ten Conference):

Bill Self addresses Kansas’ health status at this point

Kansas coach Bill Self said Thursday junior forward KJ Adams Jr. was under the weather, and missed practice that day. However, Self expressed hope Adams would return Friday. Otherwise, Self thinks they’re in decent shape physically.

Bill Self shares his thoughts on if the series with Indiana will continue

When the home-and-home was announced between Kansas and Indiana back in Dec. 2021, the only two matchups were the one in Lawrence last season and the one in Bloomington this season. Does that mean Saturday’s game will be the last regular season matchup for some period of time? Not necessarily.

Self said it’s a great home-and-home and one that would be good for the Jayhawks and the majority of blue-blood programs. However, he added that they’re also trying to schedule some other programs that could be good home-and-home matchups with his side also. So, no decision has been made and they are waiting to see what happens.

There’s an Indiana game from last season that Kansas has studied that wasn’t against the Jayhawks

Senior center Hunter Dickinson has been a special player for Kansas so far this season, and while he didn’t play with the Jayhawks in last year’s game against Indiana he does have experience against the Hoosiers. Dickinson, who transferred in from Michigan ahead of this season, is no stranger to facing Indiana. Self said they watched a game Dickinson played last season in which Dickinson scored 24 points and played well, which would have been the game Michigan played at Indiana, to get a look at how the Hoosiers tried to guard the Jayhawks’ big-man.

Bill Self knows it’ll be a tough road environment

This is Kansas’ first true road game of the season, and Self is expecting a packed arena in Bloomington full of Indiana fans. He said he’s been to the Hoosiers’ arena before, and mentioned they couldn’t communicate because it was so loud. He compared IU’s arena to KU’s Allen Fieldhouse when the Hoosiers’ fans have that place buzzing.

Jayhawks graduate senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr. said having the exhibition game at Illinois earlier this year helps, but added that they also have an experienced team and coaching staff. He understands what it takes to win in an environment like that. He’s looking forward to the opportunity.

Here’s what stands out to Bill Self about Indiana

Self acknowledged that Indiana hasn’t shot the ball all that well from behind the arc, 27.2%, but said as well that the Hoosiers are capable of shooting better. He added Indiana’s roster features athleticism, length and size. Hoosiers sophomore center Kel'el Ware, sophomore forward Malik Reneau and senior guard Trey Galloway were among those Self highlighted.

“(Indiana coach) Mike’s (Woodson) done a great job,” Self said, “and it’ll be hard game — especially first road game of the year.”

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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: Bill Self on Kansas basketball’s health status, more ahead of Indiana