KU Jayhawks coach Bill Self fires up fans at 40th annual Late Night in the Phog

Bill Self walked through the northwest tunnel of refurbished Allen Fieldhouse at 7:31 p.m., Friday, and microphone in hand, proceeded to fire up 15,300 fans attending Kansas’ 40th-annual Late Night in the Phog.

“Good evening! How does the new sound system sound?” Self, KU’s 22nd-year men’s basketball coach exclaimed to applause from the fans, enjoying an improved acoustics, thanks in part to a new center scoreboard in the 70-year-old arena, which has been freshened up courtesy of a $55 million project.

“Cindy (his wife) and I came here almost 22 years ago, and this has always been one of the highlights for each and every team (and) each and every year. We have the best tipoff in all of college basketball right here in Lawrence, Kansas.

“You (fans) are the reason why guys come here, and the reason we win so many games is because we have the best guys. We owe it to you to put us in position year-in-and-year-out play for a national championship,” he added to the enthusiastic crowd.

His Jayhawks enter the 2024-25 campaign as the No. 1 ranked team in the country.

Self did provide some news during his short five-minute speech which followed a short video honoring KU’s current players in the NBA: Markieff Morris (Dallas), Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick (Toronto), Devonté Graham (Portland), Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre (Philadelphia), Andrew Wiggins (Golden State), Christian Braun (Denver), Kevin McCullar (New York) and Johnny Furphy (Indiana).

“You guys don’t know this, but about three days ago we didn’t know if we could get the building in position to host this tonight because there was so much work to do,” Self said of construction crews being able to meet the Oct. 18 deadline.

Thanks to Turner Construction workers, who Self said “worked 70 hours a week the last two months,” the building indeed was made available for Late Night.

“Through the generosity of a few anonymous families that love KU so much to make sure this not only was the best building the last 50 years it’s going to be the best building the next 30 years,” Self added.

He noted that thanks to KU chancellor Douglas Girod and athletic director Travis Goff “we positioned ourselves at the University of Kansas to be among the most elite year in and out. There are no excuses,” he added, expecting the Jayhawks to remain a powerhouse in its renovated building for years to come.

As far as this year’s team, he told the fans that after losing Furphy and McCullar to the NBA “three things had to happen first and foremost to get back where we need to be. All three happened. Juan (Harris) came back; KJ (Adams) came back and Hunter (Dickinson) came back. And with players returning and us getting into the transfer portal the way we did, we may not look great tonight, but we’ve got the roster you are absolutely going to love. Let’s have some fun tonight and show Lil Jon we can party in Lawrence, Kansas,” he added.

Lil Jon was the featured performer at a concert held after the Jayhawks’ short 15-minute intrasquad scrimmage.

Self also introduced a member of the 2008 title team to the crowd. Darrell Arthur, who works for the Denver Nuggets after a 12-year NBA career, was recognized to a loud ovation.

Members of the KU men’s and women’s teams both took part in a dance number on the court per Late Night tradition.

The S’mya Nichols-led KU women’s team defeated a group of male KU students who practice against the Jayhawks daily, 26-24, in a 10-minute exhibition contest.

The Jayhawk men’s players held a 15-minute scrimmage. Newcomer Flory Bidunga had 11 points including several dunks off lob passes in leading the Blue team to a 30-26 win over the Red squad. KJ Adams had eight points. Here’s the final scoring: Red Team: KJ Adams 8 points, Diggy Coit 6, Rakease Passmore 6, Zeke Mayo 2, Hunter Dickinson 2, Jamari McDowell 2.

Blue team: Flory Bidunga 11, Noah Shelby 6, Rylan Griffen 5, Juan Harris 4, Zach Clemence 4.

Also, thanks to KU staff member Brennan Bechard, two freshmen students at KU won some money. Bechard hit a halfcourt shot to win $10,000 for Levi Hager, a freshman from Abilene, Kansas. He hit the rim on a halfcourt shot to win $5,000 for Ally Carrier, a freshman from Denver. The team mobbed Bechard after he hit the halfcourt shot.