Bob Huggins to Give Bill Self a Call When Time is Right

KANSAS CITY — In the last 20 years, when you think about Kansas basketball, you think of Bill Self. The Jayhawks were without Self on the sidelines on Thursday as the Hall of Fame coach was hospitalized with an illness hours before the game.

WVU head coach, and close friend to Self, Bob Huggins said he will call the Kansas head coach when the time is right.

“I plan on calling him soon. I need to find out from his guys when’s a good time. I don’t want to make a call or do whatever that’s not in his best interest. I want to do what’s in his best interest,” Huggins said postgame. “And I’m sure at some point in time we’ll talk. He and I talk.”

Huggins calls Self a competitor. As a coach, he feels for Self being out of action from coaching during a crucial time of the season. Kansas announced on Thursday afternoon that Self would not coach for the remainder of the Big 12 Tournament.

“I’ve been through those things and it’s not any fun,” Huggins said. “I think it would be hard for Bill at this time of the year because of them trying to make another run for a national championship and him being in the state that’s he in now. I think that would be very difficult for him.”

Kansas defeated Huggins’ Mountaineers 78-61 during the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Tournament. Assistant Norm Roberts was assigned as the acting head coach on short notice. Roberts didn’t have to bother Self about what to do; he knew the game plan.

“We always talk about next man up. Faces change but expectations don’t,” Roberts said. “That’s our motto, it’s what we live by and our guys understood that.”

Kansas will continue its Big 12 Tournament run as they face Iowa State on Friday in Kansas City. Self’s status is unknown for the rest of the season.