Oklahoma State Game a "Business Trip" for Bill Self

Originally Published: Feb 26, 2010 6:28 PM CDT

Curt Hill
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

LAWRENCE, Kansas – Emotions will be running high when No. 1 Kansas visits Oklahoma State on Saturday, but it will be all business for Kansas head coach Bill Self.

“It's a business trip. We will not mix personal on this business trip,” Self said.

Self, who played for Oklahoma State from 1981-1985, will be making his fourth trip to Stillwater since taking the head coaching job at Kansas. The Jayhawks have lost two of their three games at Gallagher-Iba Arena under Self, including a 61-60 loss in 2007-2008, and an 80-60 loss in 2003-2004.

“When we came back here (the first time), people made a big deal of going back and that was emotional to me,” Self said. “It's not emotional anymore.”

The Okmulgee native also faced his alma mater several times while coaching at Oral Roberts.

“When I was the head coach at Oral Roberts, we played there every year. It wasn't emotional when we were down 41, but it was still an emotional deal,” Self said.

Self added that his business-like attitude has no negative overtone; he has just become accustomed to his trips to Gallagher-Iba Arena.

“I would think that anybody going back and playing their alma mater is a little different the first couple of times you do it. I would think when (Michael) Jordan was playing with the (Washington) Wizards and he went back to Chicago and played several times, it probably lessened a little bit as far as being emotional,” Self said.

While it will be a business trip for Self, he said he still plans on catching up with old friends.

“There will be some people I will love to see. But it’ll be when we come out of the locker room after the game,” Self said.

The Cowboys and Jayhawks tip off at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.