Bill Self stays humble after breaking KU wins record, declares Phog Allen the “all-time best coach at Kansas”
Bill Self scaled new heights in Kansas men's basketball program history, as he surpassed Phog Allen's long-standing record of wins with the Jayhawks' 77-69 victory over the Michigan State Spartans yesterday.
The victory over Tom Izzo's side was Self's 591st at Kansas, officially making him the winningest coach of all time in Jayhawks program history. While the victory over the Spartans could give him an edge in a debate on the greatest Kansas coaches of all time, Self stayed humble and said the late great Phog Allen is still the best to make their mark in Lawrence.
"It means I’m old and it means I’ve had a lot of really good players,” Self said via On3.com. “We’re proud about that. I haven’t thought about that at all. But certainly proud about it, but Phog Allen’s still gonna be the all-time best coach at Kansas."
Phog Allen recorded 590 victories in 36 seasons as the Jayhawks' head coach from 1919 to 1956. He led the program to its first NCAA Tournament win in 1952, and his final season was the first in their home arena, the Allen Fieldhouse, which was named in his honor. Allen finished with a 590-126 overall record and a winning percentage of 82.4%.
Meanwhile, Bill Self has led the Jayhawks to two national championships and four appearances in the Final Four since taking over as head coach in 2003, as they made March Madness in every season he was in charge.
Hunter Dickinson stars in history-making win for Bill Self
Hunter Dickinson played a major part in the Jayhawks' win over the Spartans at the State Farm Arena last evening. The 7-foot-2 center stood out with an impressive double-double, finishing with a team-leading 28 points and 12 rebounds, while also recording three steals.
Starting guards Dajuan Harris Jr. and Rylen Griffen, who scored 11 and 10 points, respectively, were the only players besides Dickinson to score in double-digits against the Spartans in a game that left fans demanding more from both teams offensively.
However, Zeke Mayo put in an intriguing performance off the bench, finishing with six points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in 33 minutes of game time.
The Jayhawks, ranked the top team in AP's Top 25, will return home to take on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.