Kansas' victory over Villanova doesn't impress Self

DETROIT -- Kansas coach Bill Self slumped onto his stool, threw down his sheet of plays and spoke to nobody in particular. "Our offense stinks," he said.

Bill Self is not happy with Sherron Collins and the Jayhawks' showing vs. Villanova. (Getty Images)

Kansas was beating the snot out of Villanova, but Self wasn't worried about Villanova. This Kansas team wasn't built to beat Villanova in the Sweet 16. This Kansas team was built to inhale Villanova like the grill of an 18-wheeler inhales a love bug, and then move on to something bigger. And by bigger, that means bigger than Davidson in the Elite Eight, although that's who Kansas will have to get past Sunday to reach the Final Four for the first time in Self's five seasons in Lawrence.

But that's what this Kansas team was built to do. It was built to get to the Final Four -- and to win two games while there -- and Self didn't think his sloppy team was playing like that. No matter what the score was against Villanova. So what was the score against Villanova? At game's end, it was 72-57.

Which means Kansas was pretty average for most of the game. The Jayhawks led 26-10 after 11 minutes, so do the math: Villanova "won" the final 29 minutes by a 47-46 margin. That won't make the loss any easier for Villanova coach Jay Wright, but it didn't make the victory all that sweet for Self, who ripped into his team during timeouts down the stretch.

"We didn't play so good in the second half," said guard Mario Chalmers.

"Coach Self wasn't pleased at all," said wing Brandon Rush.

"Bonehead play after bonehead play," said guard Sherron Collins.

And still Kansas won by 15.

After suffering through Kansas' 26-10 game-opening flurry, Villanova got within single digits briefly, trailing 28-21, but Kansas was the cat and Villanova was the ball of yarn. Kansas scored the next 10 points, and less than two minutes later it was 38-21.

Kansas did whatever it wanted, whenever it wanted. After falling behind 6-5, Kansas went on a 14-2 run to build a 19-8 lead. Rush keyed that run with a dunk, a hook and a 3-pointer. Kansas kept pouring it on, getting to 26-10 on dunks from Rush, Sasha Kaun and Darrell Arthur.

When 28-21 became 38-21, it was Chalmers hitting a pair of 3-pointers and a floater, and making a steal on defense.

At that point, it was easy to take your mind off Kansas-Villanova and start imagining Kansas-Davidson in the Elite Eight. How will Russell Robinson -- who forced Villanova's Scottie Reynolds into 4-for-13 shooting and four turnovers without an assist -- do against Davidson force of nature Stephen Curry? How many dunks will Kansas get against Davidson's frontcourt, which is even smaller and less athletic than Villanova's? What's for dinner after the game, anyway?

Those were my thoughts. You don't think they were Kansas' thoughts, too? Kansas looked bored in the second half, even as Robinson was hitting two free throws to make it 64-43 with 5:25 left. Villanova started to creep closer. And closer. And closer. Soon it was 66-54 with 1:02 left, and Villanova was calling timeout to plot its next move.

In the other huddle, Self was giving his team hell.

"We had 18 turnovers," Self said. "Villanova is a very good team defensively, but some of those were unforced -- really silly turnovers. The second half, we really had some bad turnovers."

Not bad enough to let Villanova completely back into the game. Kansas was too talented, experienced and deep to let that happen. Kansas players were fighting for offensive rebounds because nobody from Villanova had the size or explosion to get involved. Kansas players were racing to the rim to finish alley-oops.

The few times Villanova center Dante Cunningham was in position to challenge at the rim, he paid for it. Don't know what I mean? It'll be apparent some day, because Dante Cunningham is coming soon to a Kansas poster near you. He'll be the one being dunked on by Arthur and Sasha Kaun.

It was silly, and soon Kansas began playing that way. Rush threw passes right at the Wildcats. Chalmers and Robinson combined for seven turnovers. Collins was too fast. Self was furious.

"Yeah, he was upset," said forward Darnell Jackson. "It was guys making mistakes. But that's how it goes when you have so much running through your mind."

Stuff like a potential dream date with North Carolina in the Final Four? Stuff like playing two days later on a Monday night with the sporting world watching? Those are the thoughts Kansas should be having, because that's the kind of talent Kansas has.

But with its game against Davidson tipping off Sunday at 5:05 p.m. ET, Kansas might want to wait until late Sunday night to have any more of those thoughts.