Bill Self jokes about ‘welcoming’ atmosphere against Missouri

Mizzou Arena was bumping on Saturday afternoon, with the Border War returning to Columbia. The result was not one Missouri fans were looking for, with Kansas running away with the game from the beginning. However, energy was still in the building throughout and it’s something Bill Self was impressed with.

“The crowd was very welcoming,” Self joked. “In all honesty, you want to be in environments where people care and there was obviously a caring environment today. Mizzou, they turned out. I thought the crowd was great and I thought our guys did a good job of not letting them go on runs that could have gotten the crowd really more into the game.”

Just over 15,000 people packed into the arena, ready for a bitter rivalry to be renewed. Early 2012 was the last time Kansas was in town and the undefeated Tigers were hoping to prove a point. However, Kansas never let them get back into the ball game after building up a big lead.

Self did remember one time Missouri was pushing toward making things interesting and possibly getting the crowd back to its full potential. Kansas was able to respond in a positive fashion, handling the road atmosphere well all afternoon.

“The one run they went on that cut it to 15 or whatever,” Self began. “It was still a ballgame then but we responded to that. So, I thought our guys handled the crowd great but I thought the crowd was really, really good.”

Kansas forward Jalen Wilson explains what Missouri win means

Kansas is fresh off a national championship, getting a second one for head coach Bill Self. But it’s a new year with new goals and aspirations early in the season. One was continuing dominance against Missouri, with the Border War returning to Columbia for the first time since 2011. The Jayhawks did exactly that, getting a 28-point win on Saturday afternoon.

Jalen Wilson is one of the few players returning from last year’s squad and got to experience the rivalry in Lawrence in 2021. He knows how important getting this specific win is to Kansas. Not just Self or the players but fans and even the city of Lawrence.

“It means everything,” Wilson said during a postgame interview on ESPN. “This is bigger than us, bigger than our team. This is about the city of Lawrence, the Kansas community, and the Jayhawk family. This is what everyone wants.

“The rivalry that’s been going on for so many years. To come out here and represent not just my team but my school and fanbase, it’s special. And to get the win is amazing.”