Why Bill Self doesn't love KU's conference schedule

LAWRENCE (KSNT) - Four new schools in the Big 12 this season means a scheduling change for each team.

Bill Self spoke in-depth on the topic in a press conference on Monday.

"It feels less like a league race to me knowing that some teams in your league you may not play until March and you only play them once, and some teams you play twice," Self said.

For example, Oklahoma State comes to Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Jan. 30 with a chance to avenge its home loss to KU. The Jayhawks do not get a chance at payback after losses against UCF, West Virginia or Iowa State.

To be clear, Coach Self isn't claiming a regular season Big 12 title means any less because of the scheduling changes.

"Does that takeaway from the significance of anything? No, it does not at all," Self said. "I'm talking about from my standpoint, knowing that you line up and you play everybody twice feels more like it's obviously everybody gets the same opportunities. And I'm not saying ours have been bad, good or indifferent it just feels that way to me."

It's not necessarily the who the 'Hawks play that Self has an issue with, but rather when they play some of these conference games. Kansas plays Oklahoma State twice before February but will meet Texas just once and that matchup comes in March.

"I don't like them," Self said when asked about the quick turnarounds of playing the same team in the span of two weeks. "That just seems kind of strange to me. I wish the schedule wasn't like that but I know it's computerized, it may always be that way. I think it's a little quick on the turnaround."

However, he says:

"There are some positives to it, too, for both teams." he said. "You only have to scout the three games in between [your matchups with a repeat opponent] for both teams as opposed to scouting the seven games in between. So, I guess you could look at that as a positive.

Of course, this isn't the first taste of scheduling change for Self, who is in year 21 at KU.

"My first several years [at KU] we did play a similar unbalanced league," he said. "It felt a little different because you just knew exactly who you were playing each year, and you knew exactly how many times you're going to play somebody that year."

He pointed out that teams can benefit, or suffer, from getting two games against some teams in the league and only one against others.

KU dropped one spot to No. 8 in the AP Poll after a weekend loss in Ames. The Jayhawks are gearing up for two home games: Oklahoma State on Tuesday, Jan. 30 and No. 4 Houston on Saturday, Feb. 3.