Kansas University men’s basketball coach Bill Self joined the media on Friday morning to preview KU’s upcoming Georgetown game and the winter break.

Here’s a blow-by-blow look at Self’s comments:

Self says he expects Georgetown to play great on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse (11 a.m. tipoff). Their reputation speaks for itself and they have great tradition. They’ve added some nice pieces lately and it should be a big-time college basketball game.

Self on Georgetown big man Josh Smith, who transferred from UCLA: I just know he’s big. And he’s an unbelievable athlete for a man that size. It’ll be a good challenge for anybody to go against a player like that, Joel Embiid or whoever.

Self said Andrew Wiggins has had a great week of practice, particularly on the defensive end. The New Mexico game was one of the least effective defensive games for Wiggins, according to Self. He wasn’t bad, you’re just used to his man never scoring and he was guarding a really good player (Kendall Williams). He’s getting it and he’s getting better every day.

Overall defensively, Self says there’s been a lot of improvement made and he still thinks the team can get to the point where it is excellent defensively.

Self said he did not see a common thread in the games where Perry Ellis doesn’t put up as big of numbers as he does in wins. He added, “I know we’re a better team when he’s playing aggressive and scoring the ball.”

Self said team will all head home for winter break Saturday night. They’ll reconvene on Dec. 26 and from that point to the first day of classes (mid-January), practice time is unlimited and KU will work on all aspects of the game extensively, film, fundamentals, philosophy, etc. Likely to practice twice a day during that stretch, 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. or something like that.

Self says over Christmas is the toughest time to be a student-athlete because if you’re here working, no one else is… no friends, no girlfriends, no classes, no classmates, etc.

Self says “We’ve always gotten better over Christmas. Last year was the one year we didn’t.”

Self: Sure there’s a role for Tarik Black. We’re going to start Joel, but absolutely Tarik still has a role… and an important role.

Self said he thought Wayne Selden was the best newcomer KU had when they first started practicing. Since the Duke game he’s been up and down. Big reason for that is his health hasn’t been great. Nothing major, but this and that, here and there. Self says Selden is a guy who will really benefit from both the time off and the extra time in the gym.

There have been teams with bigger breaks between games at Allen Fieldhouse (Self challenged our own Gary Bedore to research it, and, yes, Gary did) but Self said outside of the icecapades or a rodeo, there’s no reason to go this long without playing home games. Adds, “I’m excited to be back home.”

Self says the Big 12 is a darn good league this season, top to bottom. Points out KU’s large distance of strength of schedule, but adds that Baylor is No. 2 in the country. Loves seeing so many Big 12 teams in the Top 25 and says that will make it tough to keep the consecutive Big 12 titles streak alive.

Self says he thinks Naadir Tharpe has a great opportunity to keep that starting PG spot for the rest of the season. “We definitely need him to be the quarterback for us.”

Self on Embiid: When you think about gifted, with hands and feet and size and all that, I don’t think anything really surprises you. Still, you have those moments — probably once a day — where you say, “Did he really just do that?” He and Andrew Wiggins both have a lot of those moments.

Self says Embiid’s moves are different every time… you can teach him a move but he always has a different way of getting there. Says he’s not robotic and that’s a good thing and tough for defenses to prepare for him and guard him.