KU held both of their NCAA Tournament opponents to less than 60 points last weekend, but Kansas coach Bill Self was quick to point out that pace played a factor in the number of points his team allowed.
“The number of points a team scores is so misleading in how well you play defense,” Self said. “In low-possession games, you don’t score as much.”
Self pointed out that the great UNLV teams of the late 1980s played great defense but would often give up scores in the 70s because there were so many possessions.
Still, no matter the pace of play for KU against Boston University and Illinois, the Jayhawks held the Terriers to 35.3 percent shooting and the Fighting Illini to 38.3. It’s hard to argue with the importance of those numbers, particularly when Kansas held Big 12 opponents to less than 40-percent shooting just six times in 19 games this season.
“I do think we’re guarding better,” Self said. “I thought we really defended the two second halves of both games. It’s more that the guys are more focused and paying attention to detail a little bit better. It means a lot to them, and they know that’s important for us to advance.”