Kansas men’s basketball opens season with a resounding win with Norm Roberts at the helm

LAWRENCE — There wasn’t a "1-0" next to Norm Roberts’ name Monday after Kansas men’s basketball topped Omaha in an 89-64 victory in the Jayhawks’ season opener.

While Roberts serves as Kansas’ interim head coach for the first four games of the regular season, whatever results occur are attributed to the program in general. They aren’t on Roberts' record or head coach Bill Self's. Self and assistant coach Kurtis Townsend are serving self-imposed suspensions during that period of time. It’s a decision that’ll operate as a sort of bridge until Nov. 23 when the Jayhawks face their first opponent in the Battle 4 Atlantis and Self and Townsend return to the bench.

But Roberts did lead Kansas to a win against Omaha inside Allen Fieldhouse, as a packed crowd around him lended the hand it would to Self and anyone else in that chair. Roberts navigated a process only he’ll be able to understand. And while the absence of Self and Townsend from game day festivities won’t last much longer, Monday provided the first bit of evidence that the Jayhawks’ plan for that stretch is working.

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“It was great,” said Roberts, reflecting on operating as the head coach. “It was a lot of fun. The arena’s energy, when that place gets juiced and starts going crazy, it’s a lot of fun to be in there. Our guys felt that energy and it really pushed them forward.”

Roberts has been a head coach before. Prior to the start of Roberts’ second stint as an assistant on Self’s coaching staff at Kansas in 2012, Roberts served as the head coach at St. John’s for six seasons. And being back in that role again rekindled memories he had of the program he once led on his own.

Roberts felt that anxiousness in the lead-up to tip-off. He experienced that transition when he stepped out onto the court for the game and realizes it’s on him to coach and help his players. Roberts had a discussion during shoot-around with Joe Dooley, who rejoined the program ahead of this season as its director of student-athlete development, about how there had to be one voice, and that voice was Roberts’.

There are areas of improvement apparent from a game the Jayhawks led by as many as 28 and won by 25. Even redshirt junior forward Jalen Wilson, who nearly had a triple-double in the win, wasn’t perfect. But what was critical more than anything was Roberts keeping Kansas headed in a direction that will allow it to realize its potential, and the smiles from Roberts and others postgame illustrated the success they enjoyed as they made that happen.

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“One thing about our team, no matter what year it’s been, we always step up when we have any type of adversity,” Wilson said. “And our biggest motto throughout my years of being here is faces will always change but expectations won’t. And that’s one thing we did today, was come together. And we wanted to set the tone for the year.”

Wilson continued: “We have the greatest coaching staff in America. So, it doesn’t matter who’s up there leading us. As long as it’s player-led and we got all the coaches’ backs, then we’ll be fine. Coach Roberts has been through a lot and he knows exactly what he’s doing out there. And you see it how we proved it today.” 

There was a moment after a play transpired when Wilson looked over toward the bench anticipating a reaction from Self. The Jayhawks had just allowed an Omaha player to hit a 3-pointer as the first half ended, which Wilson explained is a pet peeve of Self’s. Wilson looked for a reaction that wasn’t there.

Sophomore guard Bobby Pettiford Jr. was the one who was defending the Omaha player who took the shot. As Pettiford reflected on the moment, he felt as if he dodged what could have been a negative reaction from Self. Although Pettiford was sure he’d hear about it soon enough.

More moments like those, good and bad, are likely on their way. But Monday showed the ability the Jayhawks have to navigate them.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.