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

• Full press conference audio has been posted.

• KU’s players have pleased Self as of late. Self joked that he didn’t like his players much — and they didn’t like him much — up until after Christmas, except for a couple outings. The team has pleased Self with its toughness and effort. KU is a work in progress. Self thinks KU can play better. Some guys can make more shots. Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor can’t play much better than they have been playing, but other guys around them could still be better.

• More than any team he’s had at KU, Self believes energy level keys this year’s team. Before the common denominator was talent or depth. This year, KU has to be turned up to play really well.

• Self doesn’t believe Tyshawn Taylor is doing too much differently in his last few games. He’s been making shots, and the basket has looked bigger to him. He’s been aggressive all year. Most of the time, that’s really good for KU. Self said Taylor made a great play against Baylor when he was wide-open in the corner, waited for about three seconds, then drove in for a layup. He’s showing good patience, too. Talent-wise, Self thinks Taylor is one of the top five guards in the country.

• Self doesn’t think this team scores off its defense as well as the 2006-07 or 2007-08 teams. Those teams were relentless. It’s hard to keep defensive pressure turned up for 40 minutes when a team doesn’t sub much. So this team has become a good defensive spurt team. There are times when KU doesn’t get any steals but still plays its best defense because it’s solid.

• Thomas Robinson was a very raw, energetic, active guy when KU recruited him. The coaches thought he could be really good. His hands have been a pleasant surprise. If he gets his mitt on the ball, more than likely he’s going to get it. Also, his body has continued to develop. He also has a “want-to” that is about as good as anybody Self has had at KU. Right now, he’s driven and focused. Coaches get too much credit when players improve. When you have a ball in your hands for three hours a day, you’re going to get better. Robinson has been a guy that has wanted to get better.

• This is the one-year anniversary for Thomas Robinson’s mother passing. Self says he couldn’t have handled the situation Robinson has been through as well as he has. He’s a remarkable kid and deserves the things he has coming his way. Self is sure this weekend will be emotional for him. Robinson will be off-limits to the media before this game. Self is amazed at how well he’s done. Robinson is playing with a smile on his face and seems happy, when we know he has a bigger burden than he’s showing.

• Self was proud of KU’s administration after last year and proud of the NCAA for allowing KU to help Robinson with his mother’s funeral. Last year was an example of a group of guys becoming a family.

• If Texas’ J’Covan Brown played against KU every game, he’d have been national player of the year the last two years. He’s killed KU. The Jayhawks need to do a good job with him. Texas is young and talented. KU will have to combat UT’s speed.

• Texas’ Myck Kabongo will be a pro. He’s fast. KU recruited him. He’s got a great personality. He’s a good leader.

• Self thinks you can pre-judge players inaccurately if guys don’t play hard in high school. You shouldn’t judge them then, because you need to see how they do in a different environment. When the Morris twins were in high school, Self sent Joe Dooley to watch them work out and asked to rate their work ethic from one to 10. Dooley rated it as a negative-3. Dooley told them they’d never make it through a practice. And they almost didn’t early, but then their mind-set changed. Self says to give him athletes that can shoot and that are tough, and he thinks KU can get them to work hard.

• It’s hard to limit J’Covan Brown’s touches. You have to try to limit his good touches. It’s hard to keep the ball from guards.

• Self says this isn’t like a Kansas State or Missouri game, but it still feels like a big rivalry to KU. It should get more that way as the teams play twice a year.

• Self remembers a lot about KU’s 2001-02 team. While Self was coach at Illinois, the Illini had a wide-open 16-footer to put that game into overtime in the Sweet 16. KU got a bad draw that year, because Illinois was playing really well, and KU drew it as a 4-seed. Self thought KU was the best team in the country that year. Any team that can bring Wayne Simien and Keith Langford off the bench is going to be good. KU honored that team against Iowa State, but that team needs to be honored later as well so the guys that are playing now can come back when they’re retired.

• Self thinks it will be hard for any other team to go undefeated in the Big 12 like the 2001-02 team. Self believes that team was close to Roy’s earlier teams in the late ’90s with Jacque Vaughn, Paul Pierce and Raef LaFrentz.

• Brett Ballard is a rock. Baker is fortunate to have him as a coach. He’s going to do a great job there.