If memory serves, the opponent was Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Tightly guarded in the left corner, Thomas Robinson launched a shot. Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self cupped his hand over his mouth to blind the lip-readers. Assistant coach Joe Dooley stared at the floor and rubbed his temples, keeping a stroke at bay.

The shot, which drew nothing but air, ranks as one of the most memorable of this season, even if I’m not sure of the opponent. They tend to blend together in November. The airball stood out because Kansas players so rarely show bad judgment in distinguishing a good shot from a bad one.

Rank smart shot selection high among the contributing factors to Kansas leading the nation in shooting percentage (.581, according to NCAA statistics, well ahead of No. 2 Central Florida at .554).

Marcus Morris, who leads the Jayhawks with 19 points per game, has had a particularly hot hand, shooting .677 overall, .615 from three-point land. He’s a smart player who takes smart shots. Not every one of his buckets drew praise from his coach.

During KU’s 98-41 thrashing of Ohio in Las Vegas, Morris checked back into the game, stepped into a pass just to the right of the top of the key and buried a three-pointer, triggering an exchange between coach and player.

“Awful shot,” Self told Morris. “Awful.”

Morris: “I made it.”

Self: “No, it doesn’t matter if you made it. Your butt’s been sitting over there for 10 minutes. You should never shoot the ball when you first come down.”

Self is not a “no, no, yes (when it goes in)” guy.

“It’s a good or bad shot when it leaves your hand,” Self said. “That’s what we tell our players as coaches. When it counts for two, it doesn’t bother us as much.”

It’s a delicate balance between coaches and shooters. Nag too much and players won’t shoot with confidence. Never draw a line for them and they’ll take bad shots. This team and this coach have struck the perfect balance because KU players are shooting with confidence and seldom let a bad one fly.

“You can’t tell a player that’s a bad shot when he misses it and then tell him it’s a good shot if it goes in,” Self said. “You are sending mixed messages. It’s a good or bad one when it leaves your hand.”

Self is the son of a former high school coach, Bill Self, Sr.

“I want to send a consistent message,” KU’s coach said. “My dad taught me that. Whether it goes in or not is irrelevant whether or not it’s a good shot.”

Other factors for the nation’s best shooting percentage, beyond players making wise decisions, were offered by players.

“I would say all that goes to coach Self,” Robinson said. “High-percentage shots are part of his offense, and we get those looks once we run our offense.”

Tyshawn Taylor has done a terrific job of initiating the offense, and a team that shoots a high percentage generally reflects well on the guard who handles the ball the most.

“I’m just doing my job as far as getting us in the offense, and when guys get open looks and knock them down, it makes it look like the offense is running fluently. We’re shooting the ball well, with a lot of confidence.”

It shows.