LAWRENCE — There were a couple differing opinions Friday, as a couple representatives of the UConn basketball team reacted to the 69-65 loss at Kansas.
As Huskies head coach Dan Hurley spoke, there was a nod to how influential the Jayhawks’ fan base had been that night inside Allen Fieldhouse. He mentioned how there aren’t many places where the crowd operated the way it did. He noted the environment even rattled his side for a while.
UConn (7-1) graduate guard Tristen Newton said he didn’t feel like the crowd affected his team. After playing for and winning a national championship last season, he explained he doesn’t feel like a crowd can faze them. He added he and his Huskies teammates just have to play better and be more aggressive.
But from the Jayhawks’ perspective, the opinion on the caliber of the crowd remained consistent. The effect the fans had on the outcome was unmistakable. Those who flocked to Allen Fieldhouse to watch No. 6 Kansas (7-1) top No. 4 UConn had a role in the Jayhawks coming away with the win.
“There’s probably some places out there that can rival that,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I don’t know if there’s anybody out there that can rival it over 40 minutes like that. It’s as good a place as there is, and we — this team hasn’t yet, but hopefully this’ll be a good starting point to learn how to have confidence by being in the building. And there was 16,000 people that got here early that made sure they played their role to make sure we had a successful night.”
That crowd seemed capable of propelling the Jayhawks to a rout early, as they jumped out to and maintained a significant lead. Kansas led by as many as 12 points as halftime approached. But then the Huskies found their footing and challenged the Jayhawks, even taking as much as a five-point lead in the second half.
Self explained he wasn’t surprised by the fact UConn mounted a comeback. Basketball, he explained, is a game of runs. And considering the dominance the Huskies showcased as they went on their run in the NCAA tournament last season, there was more than one reason to respect the capability UConn entered the game with.
Maybe Self wouldn’t have wanted to play junior forward KJ Adams Jr. for more than 38 minutes, or senior center Hunter Dickinson and redshirt senior guard Dajuan Harris Jr. for both more than 37. In a perfect world, those three and graduate senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr. end up closer to 30 minutes and Self can turn to his bench more. But Self also highlighted postgame that, when it came to this game, he didn’t think his home crowd was going to let his players get tired.
“Me and Kevin have seen a lot of games here, but I think that crowd was just relentless and loud and were into the game the whole 40 minutes,” Adams said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a crowd that engaged for the whole time. So, I think that was amazing and I think we have one of the best fans in the country.”
Dickinson volunteered that he wouldn’t mind experiencing some more high-profile games inside Allen Fieldhouse. The Michigan transfer just played through the most intense home game he has so far since joining Kansas ahead of this season. And as it stands, he won’t have to wait too long for that next chance.
The Jayhawks’ next home game is Tuesday against Kansas City. But their next home game after that, on Dec. 9, is against rival Missouri. The atmosphere the last time the Tigers played at Kansas did not disappoint.
“That was nuts out there today, I ain’t going to lie,” Dickinson said Friday. “It was nuts. It’s something that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before. Phog Allen, it’s a different environment. It’s — there’s a reason why coach has so many wins and so few losses out there.”
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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
