Self will coach Kansas - NCAA

Self in Lawrence amid reports he's new Kansas coach

By DOUG TUCKER, AP Sports Writer
April 20, 2003

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Bill Self arrived on Kansas' campus and
joined basketball players for a meal Sunday amid reports that
he agreed to leave Illinois and coach the Jayhawks.

Kansas scheduled a news conference for Monday at 1 p.m. CDT to
``introduce its men's basketball coach.''

A source within the athletic department, speaking on condition
of anonymity, said the news conference was scheduled for Monday
because Self did not want an announcement on Easter.

The 40-year-old Self, whose first college coaching job was as
an assistant at Kansas under then-coach Larry Brown in the 1985-86
season, flew to Lawrence on Sunday, accompanied by interim Kansas
athletic director Drue Jennings. Self dined with the Jayhawks'
players and school officials at the athletic center. Reporters
were asked to leave the building, and Jennings and chancellor
Robert Hemenway both declined comment when they left.

......

Self went 78-24 in three seasons at Illinois and led the team to
the NCAA tournament each year, reaching the final eight in 2001.

His teams shared the Big Ten regular-season title in 2001 and 2002,
making him the second conference coach to accomplish the feat.
This season, the Illini finished second in the league standings
but won the tournament championship.

Self's intensity on the bench and affable nature off the court
made him a fan favorite at Illinois, which gave the coach a five-year
contract extension in December worth $900,000 a season.




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