Bill Self addresses Kevin McCullar Jr.’s availability for Kansas basketball ahead of Texas

LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self didn’t have much of an update Thursday on Kevin McCullar Jr., a graduate senior guard who has been dealing with an injury that got tweaked in this past weekend’s win at Oklahoma.

Self reiterated that McCullar hasn’t done anything yet this week. Self added that they’ll see if McCullar can do anything Thursday, and that they’ll go from there in determining McCullar’s availability. If McCullar misses Saturday’s Big 12 Conference game at home against Texas, it’ll be the fourth game the All-America candidate will have missed this season.

“Kevin, he really doesn’t show too much because he’s always just trying to be that even-keel guy,” Kansas junior forward KJ Adams Jr. said. “So, I really can’t really tell a difference with him because he’s always pretty consistent with all that stuff.”

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Here are a few more things to think about before No. 10 Kansas (20-6, 8-5 in Big 12) tips off at 5 p.m. (CT) against Texas (17-9, 6-7 in Big 12):

Kansas is benefiting from not having a midweek game

Self cautioned that it’s too early to tell how much the team’s been helped by not having to play a midweek game this week, but he did note that he hopes the guys are benefiting from the rest they’ve gotten. Adams said it’s been a good week for everyone. Although Adams doesn’t know exactly the extent to how everyone’s feeling, he did feel generally positive.

Bill Self, KJ Adams Jr. address if they’re in must-win territory

Kansas is going to need help if it’s going to win a Big 12 regular season title, and that’s even if the Jayhawks are able to go undefeated the rest of the way. Self and Adams acknowledged as much Thursday. But while that can lead someone to bring up if they feel these upcoming games at home are must-win games, both Self and Adams pushed back on that and mentioned they’re just focused on taking things one game at a time.

There’s one Texas player who Bill Self went out of his way to highlight

Self was asked about Texas’ lead guards Thursday, and he took time to speak on how talented junior guard Tyrese Hunter and graduate guard Max Abmas both are. Hunter is someone who Kansas recruited at one point, and Abmas is one of the most prolific scorers the college game has ever seen. But Self also went out of his way to highlight sophomore guard Chendall Weaver, who Self said makes their team what it is as much as anyone and is a high-energy guy who can make a lot of different plays.

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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.