Bill Self praises Kansas defense after Utah vs Kansas win as Bidunga’s 7 blocks power a 71–59 statement at Allen Fieldhouse

Kansas coach Bill Self leaned on defense as the clearest takeaway Saturday after No. 11 Kansas beat Utah 71–59 at Allen Fieldhouse, calling the Jayhawks’ effort “not bad” even on a day the offense sputtered from deep. Freshman big man Flory Bidunga supplied the statement play after statement play—finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks to anchor a win that kept Kansas rolling in the Big 12 race.

Self summed up Bidunga’s impact bluntly afterward: “Flory was our best player by far.”

Bidunga’s seven blocks change the game

Utah repeatedly tested the rim and repeatedly found Bidunga. Some of his blocks were clean erasures at the summit; others forced Utah’s drivers to double-clutch and settle for tough floaters. Either way, the tone was the same: Kansas could survive cold shooting because it could protect the paint and run opponents off clean looks.

Bidunga’s efficiency mattered, too. He went 7-for-8 from the field, turned rebounds into quick finishes, and stayed composed when Utah tried to pull him into switches. Self singled out Bidunga’s ability to defend guards on switches, noting that he and Bryson Tiller handled those matchups better than expected.

Kansas wins ugly from the arc, wins anyway

The Jayhawks shot 3-for-18 from three-point range, a line that would normally invite trouble. Instead, Kansas leaned into a simpler identity: defend, rebound, and create high-percentage looks inside the arc.

Kansas shot 50% overall, largely by getting the ball to the paint and letting Bidunga’s gravity open space for others to cut and finish. Tre White provided the secondary scoring punch (16 points) and Darryn Peterson added 14, giving Kansas enough steady offense to avoid ever letting Utah’s pressure turn into a real comeback bid.

Self was candid that the performance didn’t match Kansas’ usual sharpness. He pointed to “attention to detail” and a lack of consistent energy as areas that slipped, even as the defense held up for long stretches.

Utah hangs around behind Dawes, but can’t break through

Utah’s Keanu Dawes kept the Utes competitive with 22 points and 12 rebounds, battling through contact and generating offense when possessions bogged down. Terrence Brown added 16 points and created a few transition chances with four steals. But Utah struggled to string together stops and scores once Kansas started controlling the interior.

A key theme was shot quality. Utah hit 5-of-18 from deep and finished at 40% overall, and the rim deterrence from Bidunga turned several potential layups into resets late in the shot clock. Utah also earned a few easy points with slip actions early—Self noted Kansas got “screwed up” on multiple slips—but Kansas cleaned it up after halftime.

The second-half surge that settled it

Kansas’ separation came from a familiar recipe at Allen Fieldhouse: a defensive stand, a rebound, then quick offense before Utah could set. The margin grew as Kansas turned stops into momentum plays—dunks, put-backs, and interior finishes that steadied the scoreboard even without the three falling.

By the final eight minutes, the game had shifted into Kansas’ preferred rhythm: Utah having to score against a set defense, and Kansas able to trade possessions without panicking. The Jayhawks maintained a double-digit lead down the stretch and closed with disciplined possessions and paint touches.

What it means heading into the next test

Kansas’ win extended its streak to seven and kept it near the top tier of the Big 12 standings. The bigger point for Self, though, was the blueprint: even when the shot-making isn’t there, Kansas can still win if it defends, rebounds, and protects the rim at an elite level.

Bidunga’s rise is central to that formula. Seven blocks is the headline, but his presence changed Utah’s decisions and allowed Kansas’ perimeter defenders to play more aggressively, knowing the back line was protected. With bigger games ahead, Kansas may need more consistent spacing and outside shooting—but Saturday showed how high the floor can be when the defense travels.

Sources consulted: Reuters; Associated Press; ESPN; Sports Illustrated