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.

• Travis Releford has practiced well. When Self worries about Travis, it’s when he’s not aggressive. He’s scoring more and not worried about scoring. Statistically, he’s a good three-point shooter. He’s not going to be a high-volume three-point shooter, but he’s a guy you have to guard. Self likes it when the shot leaves his hand. He’s a shot-maker.

• Some players have to shoot well to play well. Tyshawn Taylor is not one of those players. Self thought Taylor did a lot of nice things against OU. He tried to do a little too much late, but he was aggressive, and he’s defending better.

• Self likes what KU has done in the last two games because it’s scored off its defense. The Jayhawks have been more active with their hands defensively. There’s a skill to that. Self is not saying to reach, but getting more deflections and touches defensively. That was the difference in the OU game.

• Sometimes guys play to please the coach and not to screw up. Releford has gotten to the point where he’s comfortable enough that he knows what he’s doing and has figured out that being aggressive is what the coaches want from him as well.

• Texas Tech coach Billy Gillispie has had the itch to get back coaching the last couple years. Self thinks the time off probably was good for him, especially so he could spend some time with his family, as his mother had some health issues. He’s going to be able to recruit guys down there.

• Texas Tech had its chances against Baylor. It could have won the Oklahoma State game as well. It was a one-possession game late. The Red Raiders are getting better.

• KU’s coaches show their players film of opposing teams when they’re running their stuff the best and playing well. Self thinks most coaches do that.

• Self talked to Gillispie about getting back in the Big 12 last year and getting back to his home state and an area where he could recruit. Kentucky is a different deal. Gillispie will do a good job of taking good players and making them do great things.

• TTU’s Jordan Tolbert puts pressure on the defense. He’s a prototypical undersized four-man that drive it. He’s good. He’s been the most dominant production freshman in the league.

• Self thinks there are a lot of times when stereotypes are made about kids that are young who make mistakes that they wish they can have back. Athletics, in many instances, allow those kids to make a good life for themselves and be productive. Jamari Traylor is an example, not from a legal standpoint, but he’s been able to use basketball to get an education. Sherron Collins is the same way. Self says it might be a bad analogy, but it’s kind of like the movie, “Trading Places,” where Eddie Murphy and Dan Akyroyd switch places. So much of decisions that are made are environment-based. Self rarely passes judgment until you give kids opportunities. If they screw those up, that’s one thing. But everybody deserves a second chance.

• It doesn’t do Self much good to watch last year’s film of Texas Tech. This year has different players and different schemes.

• Self believes Jeff Withey has been great the last two second halves. He thinks the biggest reason is that he’s played with more fire and energy. When he plays with fire and energy, he plays athletically. KU needs him from the tip.

• Travis is a great kid. There are a lot of things that depth does. It allows you to keep guys on the bench. It allows you to play through fouls. It also allows you to red-shirt guys. Three of KU’s top six players spent an extra year here because of KU’s past depth. The biggest reason why players get better is because they want to get better. If you have a mind-set of, “I want to do something with this,” you’re probably going to do it. Travis has bought it, both feet in, and he’s benefiting from that. Releford is a defender, loose ball, energy guy that scores out of making simple plays. He’s done a really good job of that. Travis knows who he is, and he plays to his strengths. Self says Releford needs to average double-figure scoring from here on out.

• Red-shirting allows you to substitute age 18 for 23. That’s the biggest thing that red-shirting does.

• Self is picking Alabama in tonight’s BCS Championship game. He would like LSU to win, because Les Miles has Oklahoma State ties, but he thinks psychologically, it’s tough to beat a team twice in one year. Alabama missed some field goals in the first matchup. He doesn’t see the Crimson Tide beating itself again in this game.