TEMPE, Ariz. — Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self was ejected from Tuesday night’s 70-60 loss to Arizona State after a heated exchange with officials following a controversial foul call against freshman guard Darryn Peterson. The incident, which occurred with the Jayhawks trailing in the first half, led to Self receiving two technical fouls and an early exit from the game. The ejection marked only the third time in his storied coaching career that Self has been dismissed from a contest.
Following the defeat, Self addressed the media, offering his account of the events that led to his removal. The focus of his frustration centered on a call he believed was incorrect, impacting Peterson’s play. The loss to Arizona State was Kansas’ third in their last four games, raising concerns as the Big 12 Tournament approaches.
Dispute Over Peterson Foul Sparks Ejection
According to Self, the initial point of contention was the offensive foul called on Peterson during a play near the baseline. “I argued Darryn’s foul. I think he gets held all the time, but I argued that,” Self explained. He acknowledged receiving the first technical foul after stepping onto the court to protest the call. Yet, the second technical, and subsequent ejection, stemmed from his continued presence outside the coaching box.
“The first [technical foul] was fine. I was out of the box. The second one, I was still out of the box. So, I guess that’s the reason why he gave it to me,” Self stated, referring to referee Doug Sirmons. “He gave it to me because I was still out the box. I didn’t retreat in the timely manner in which he wanted me to. So that was it, I certainly was not intentional whatsoever.”
The sequence of events can be seen in a clip posted on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/CBBonFOX/status/1765484899998883893
Self Critical of Team Performance
Beyond the officiating, Self expressed disappointment with his team’s overall performance. He described their effort as “awful,” while also acknowledging the strong play of Arizona State. “I thought they were good. A lot of times when coaches say their team was awful, it doesn’t give credit to the other team being good. And they were good. Diop throws in two threes to start it, banked the first one in,” he said.
Self also highlighted deficiencies in rebounding and overall preparedness. “Once again, we didn’t rebound the ball defensively the whole night,” he continued. “We did offensively, just didn’t get anything from it. I didn’t think we played very well. I didn’t think we were as prepared to play as what I’d hoped that we could have, and that is on the coaches.”
Arizona State capitalized on Self’s ejection, closing the first half on a 16-4 run with Jacque Vaughn taking over coaching duties for the Jayhawks. Peterson, a highly-touted 2026 NBA Draft prospect, struggled offensively, scoring just two points on 0-for-7 shooting in the first half, according to On3.
Looking Ahead for Kansas
The Jayhawks, currently 21-8 overall and 11-5 in Big 12 play, face a crucial matchup against Kansas State this weekend before entering the Big 12 Tournament. This game represents an opportunity to regain momentum and solidify their position in the conference standings. Kansas currently sits in fourth place in the Big 12, a half-game ahead of Iowa State and Texas Tech, as reported by The Kansas City Star.
Self’s ejection, while a significant moment in Tuesday’s game, underscores the intensity and passion he brings to the sideline. While he expressed regret over not retreating quickly enough after the initial technical, he maintained that his intention was not to be ejected. The Jayhawks will need to regroup quickly as they navigate the final stretch of the regular season and prepare for the challenges of the Big 12 Tournament.
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