Kansas head coach Bill Self isn’t one to throw around praise lightly, so when he says Michigan was the best team at the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas, you know he means it.
“Michigan was the best team in the tournament,” Self said bluntly. “They proved that by winning by 40, 30, and 40.
OK? They were the best team.”
It’s hard to argue with him. The Wolverines steamrolled their way through the 18-team field, going 3-0 with eye-popping wins over Gonzaga (101-61), Auburn (102-72), and San Diego State (94-54).
That kind of dominance doesn’t just happen by accident. Michigan didn’t just win - they overwhelmed.
Kansas also went 3-0 in the tournament, wrapping things up with a gritty 81-76 comeback win over No. 17 Tennessee in the third-place game.
The Jayhawks had to dig deep, erasing a 12-point deficit to close out the week strong. They also picked up solid wins over Syracuse (71-60) and Notre Dame (71-61).
Iowa State joined Michigan and Kansas in the undefeated club, knocking off St. John’s (83-82), Creighton (78-60), and Syracuse (95-64). So, while Michigan stole the spotlight, Self made it clear that Kansas belonged in that top tier of performers.
“You can make a case we were the second-best team in the tournament,” Self said. “It was a field with five or six teams that could make a Final Four run.
Does that mean anything? Not really - we didn’t get matched up with some of those teams.
But Gonzaga is so impressive, and that makes what Michigan did even more impressive.”
Self also had high praise for Iowa State, calling their performance “ridiculously impressive.” As for his own team? He’s encouraged - not euphoric, but encouraged.
“I thought we did as well as we could possibly do,” he said. “Three games, three wins, all against high-major opponents, including a team in Tennessee that might be playing for the highest stakes come March.
So I was pleased. It was a good momentum push for us.”
Now, sitting at 6-2 and ranked No. 21, Kansas is gearing up for a major early-season test: a home showdown with No.
5 UConn on Tuesday night at Allen Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.
ET on ESPN2.
Kansas’ two losses have come against ranked bluebloods - Duke and North Carolina - but this UConn matchup will offer another measuring stick for where the Jayhawks stand.
“I don’t know that I expect certain milestones,” Self said. “But the way these kids tried and competed three straight days with very little depth - guys playing 35-plus minutes a night - that showed me something. From a toughness and effort standpoint, we saw what we needed.”
That intangible grit - the kind you can’t measure in a box score - is what Self believes will lay the foundation for growth.
“You can’t be good unless you have those qualities,” he said. “We’ll grow into playing well, but the intangible bit was very important for us to see - and for the players to see what happens when we do display that.”
Kansas might be getting some reinforcements, too. Freshman guard Darryn Peterson, who’s missed six straight games with a hamstring injury, has returned to practice and could be a game-time decision. Senior guard Jayden Dawson, who sat out two games in Vegas with a hand injury, is also back in practice and expected to be available.
Self believes the team took a step forward in Vegas - not just in the win column, but in chemistry.
“I actually think the success in Las Vegas helped us bond,” he said. “I don’t know that we’re a team yet.
I don’t know if anybody in America is a team in November. But I think we’re closer to becoming one.”
They’ll need to be, because UConn is no joke.
The defending national champions - winners in 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023, and 2024 - are once again in the thick of the national title conversation. Danny Hurley’s squad is 6-1, with convincing wins over BYU and Illinois, and a narrow loss to Arizona.
UConn brings a balanced offensive attack, with four players averaging double figures: Tarris Reed (15.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg), Solo Ball (14.3 ppg), Alex Karaban (14.0 ppg), and Silas Demary (12.0 ppg). They’re averaging 82.4 points per game, compared to Kansas’ 76.3 - and they’re doing it with a brand of motion offense that’s tough to guard.
“They’re the best we’ll probably play against this year in terms of offensive movement,” Self said. “Danny must spend 30 minutes a day running dry offense because those guys really do a good job of tight curling and coming off screens. They move without the ball better than just about anyone.”
Defensively, UConn is just as sound. They’re holding opponents to 61.3 points per game, while Kansas is allowing 64.5. Self knows his team will have to be sharp on both ends.
“They’re physical. They make you make plays,” he said.
“You’re not going to get a ton of wide-open looks. But when you do, you better take advantage of it.”
This early in the season, it’s not about perfection. It’s about progress. And with UConn coming to town, Kansas has a chance to show just how far they’ve come - and how far they still might go.