In a game that was supposed to be a celebratory milestone for Kansas head coach Bill Self, UNC Wilmington had other plans—almost crashing the party and sending shockwaves through Allen Fieldhouse.
The No. 5 ranked Jayhawks narrowly avoided an early-season upset Thursday night, pulling out a nail-biting 74-71 victory over a scrappy UNC Wilmington squad. The win marked Self’s 800th career victory, but the path there was anything but smooth.
Kansas looked sluggish and disjointed for much of the contest, struggling with turnovers and cold shooting from beyond the arc. The Seahawks, led by junior guard Trazarien White’s 23 points, seized on every opportunity, building a seven-point lead midway through the second half and keeping the pressure on Kansas until the final buzzer.
“We didn’t come out with the intensity we needed,” Self admitted postgame. “Credit to Wilmington—they were fearless. We were lucky to get out of here with the win.”
The Jayhawks leaned heavily on senior forward KJ Adams Jr., who posted 18 points and 9 rebounds, including a clutch putback with 34 seconds left that gave Kansas the lead for good. Point guard Dajuan Harris iced the game at the free-throw line, but the win felt more like an escape than a triumph.
Despite the rocky performance, Self joined an elite club of Division I coaches with 800 or more career wins, an achievement that drew a standing ovation from the sold-out crowd.
“Obviously, it’s a blessing to reach this milestone,” Self said. “But we’ve got a lot to work on if we want to be playing deep into March.”
Kansas (2–0) will look to regroup ahead of a tougher test next week against a ranked Michigan State squad. As for UNC Wilmington, the Seahawks may have lost on the scoreboard, but they gained plenty of national respect with a performance that will be remembered long after the final buzzer.
