The Jayhawks headed home for the holidays after Saturday’s game. Kansas University’s 17 players are required to be back for practice Wednesday night.

Sasha Kaun, who hails from Russia, traveled to upstate New York to stay with a family that served as his host family when he attended Florida Air Academy.

Russell Robinson of the Bronx, N.Y., was the only out-of-state Jayhawk who decided to remain in Lawrence.

“I’d like to see my family,” Robinson said, “but it’s a short break, not much time. I’ll get some rest at my place. I’ve got my tree up. I’ll probably watch a movie (on Christmas).”

KU coach Bill Self is ready to spend some time with extended family.

“All we talk about anyway is ball,” Self said of conversations with his dad, a former coach and head of the Oklahoma high school activities association, his mom and others. “It won’t be much different than normal. I’ll be thinking of practice tomorrow, the next day and Christmas.

“We all need a break. Our guys need to be with family.”

Self is glad to enter break on a winning note.

“I’ve had teams not play well going into Christmas. It made coming back after Christmas a dreaded thing,” Self said. “This time, they (players) won’t be happy coming back. It won’t be because of basketball. It’ll be because they wished they could spend more time with their families. Our guys only get three full days. They’ll take advantage of it.”

¢

Perfect at 12-0: Self is pleased his team takes a 12-0 mark into Christmas break.

“There’s room for improvement,” he said. “It’s good to be playing well going into a break.”

¢

Packed house: The fieldhouse was jam-packed in all corners despite blizzard-like conditions outside Saturday.

“Unbelievable, wasn’t it?” Self said of the crowd. “Terrible weather, and it was an awesome crowd. The crowd was great.”

“I figured it would still be full,” Robinson said. “What better way for people to start their holiday than watch the Jayhawks?”

Darnell Jackson said the players never take the fans for granted. “I’ve always said we have the greatest fans. I’m thankful they came out.”

¢

Collins progressing: Sherron Collins, who is slowly but surely returning to full speed following surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot, had eight points and three assists in 19 minutes.

“He’s closer, but he still doesn’t look like Sherron to me,” Self said. “I talked to the doctors before the game. They are confident his quads will start firing real soon. He doesn’t have the leg strength he had before. Hopefully he’ll be 100 percent the next week or two.

“To me he gives us something we don’t have. He gives us an extra weapon from the perimeter.”

¢

Stats, facts: KU is 12-0 for the first time since the 2004-05 season when KU won its first 14 games. : KU is 1-0 versus Miami all time, 8-1 all-time against Mid-America Conference schools. : The 78 points scored were most allowed by Miami since Michigan scored 87 on Dec. 22, 2005. : Nine KU players recorded assists on a day Robinson led the team with just four. : Conner Teahan, who hit a late three, has made 10 of 13 on the season. : Brennan Bechard hit a late three for his first field goal since Nov. 15 versus Washburn. : KU’s six turnovers were the squad’s lowest total since six against Texas Tech in 1999. : KU outscored the RedHawks 44-24 in the paint.