Here is the Cliff’s Notes version of Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self’s comments at his weekly press conference today.

Full audio has been posted.

• Sherron Collins has grown as much in maturity as much as any player Self has coached at KU. Collins came in with everything figured out like a lot of 18-year-olds do. He’s been a joy to coach. Self loves everything about him. Self loves Collins’ stubbornness and competitiveness. Self and Collins have had their moments, but at the end of the day, Collins is going to fight as far as he can. He’s going to be successful in whatever he does.

• You can’t really say one player has meant more than a program as others because a lot of players have been good, but Collins has meant as much to coach Self as any other player he’s had. Self can say that without any hesitation.

• Self would put Collins on the all-time KU team. But Self is biased on that question.

• The team won’t talk about jersey retirements because they won’t happen until five years after the players’ careers are over. But Collins has a good shot.

• Self has always liked Collins. Coaches usually have a soft spot for players who rise above the odds. Not many kids come into a situation knowing they need to be adjusted to be improved. The first time that Collins came over to the Selfs’ house, he was overwhelmed by it because he’d never been in an environment like that. Self knew right then that there could be something special in Collins.

• A lot of kids don’t like school, but it’s something that they do. For Collins to evolve into someone that saw his college degree as important is valuable.

• When Collins became a father, Self told him he wasn’t a kid any more. Self doesn’t think Collins came to school here to play four years or how to get his degree. This place has changed him, and he’s allowed it to change him.

• During his freshman year, Collins wasn’t always the most replaceable player on KU’s roster, but by January, he was one of the best KU had. Kansas State coach Bob Huggins said Collins was the second best player in the league during his freshman year. Collins also is an extremely smart player.

• Collins is not as explosive as he used to be, but he’s a much better player.

• Self would want him Collins if he was an NBA coach, because he can handle whatever a coach throws at him. He would be a perfect blend player, as he makes good players better. Self thinks he’s a first-round talent.

• All young people, whether they admit it or not, long for discipline. Structure was what most helped Collins once he got to KU. He resisted that discipline, but he didn’t have any choice but to accept it, because other players were good on that team.

• Though it is Senior Night, but KU can’t lose focus on the task at hand which is winning against KSU.

• Kansas State goes after every rebound. The Wildcats are relentless at doing that. They play a lot of big guys.

• Oklahoma State was quicker, more explosive, more tuned in and tougher on the boards than KU on Saturday. The Cowboys controlled the game in every aspect. KU played soft.

• When KU won in Manhattan, Self told his staff that KSU wouldn’t lose again before KU played the Wildcats. And they didn’t. Self thinks KU has gotten better since then. It’s probably two better teams playing Wednesday than they were in late January.

• For KU to become better, the Jayhawks need to become more physical on the glass.

• The players were a step slow against OSU. But the coaches were a step slow, too. If Travis Ford would have played Bill Self on Saturday, Ford would have kicked Self’s butt.

• The parity in the Big 12 is such that any team can beat any team. KU did nothing to make James Anderson, Obi Muonelo and Keiton Page play poorly.

• In Self’s mind, Frank Martin is the Big 12 coach of the year. Martin and Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim are the two that come to mind as national coach of the year candidates.

• K-State is the toughest team to upset in the league because the Wildcats play with passion, guard and rebound. They can win when they play poorly, because they make other teams play poorly.

• Collins is a fighter. He likes it when it’s the most challenging. Self always respects that about guys.

• Self has talked to the team about not sharing the league crown. Self hopes the loss got his players’ attention. Against OSU, KU didn’t play any differently than it did in the second half against Oklahoma or on the road against Colorado. KU can’t allow other teams to play well against it. The Jayhawks need to impose their will on opponents.