Allen Fieldhouse in peak form Friday as Self dubs it ‘best he’s ever seen’

Thirteen times under Bill Self, Kansas has hosted a top-10 team ranked higher than the Jayhawks. With Kansas’ 69-65 win over UConn, the Jayhawks are 13-0 in those games. 

Kansas, coming off a win over Eastern Illinois that was a little too close for comfort, needed help from its faithful fans in the matchup of the last two national champions. 

“The environment really knocked us on our heels,” said UConn head coach Dan Hurley. “We don't go to many places this organized with the fan involvement.”

It is also the first time the Jayhawks have beaten a top-5 non-conference opponent at Allen Fieldhouse since Kansas took down No. 2 Ohio State in December of 2011. 

In the first half, UConn scored 22 points when the shot clock was under five seconds, which was uncharacteristic for a team who usually likes to play quicker. The Jayhawks were able to feed off the crowd and play some fantastic defense off the bat which was imperative for success against the Huskies. 

“That was a game where the crowd was not going to let us get tired,” said Kansas head coach Bill Self. “There’s probably some places out there that can rival that. I don’t know if there’s places out there that can rival that for all 40 minutes.”

After going into the half up seven, the Kansas defense faltered a bit, letting graduate point guard Tristen Newton get hot from deep as UConn took the lead with seven minutes to go. This is where Allen Fieldhouse really shows its colors. 

The infamous Allen Fieldhouse anthem “The Hum” started to play, with both student section ends shaking huge banners that read “Beware of the Phog.” The crowd brought a level of energy that's hard to find at most basketball games elsewhere. There’s a reason Self is 542-19 when leading with five minutes to go in games. 

A miss from redshirt senior guard Dajuan Harris Jr. at the line warranted one last gasp from the Huskies. Senior guard Cam Spencer, who had made a couple triples in the second half, had one last shot but could not convert and the Jayhawks improved their record to 150-6 against non-conference opponents in Allen Fieldhouse. 

It was a night that, if you were in the Phog, will soon not be forgotten. It truly is a special place among the annals of sport.