photo by: AP Photo/Justin Rex

Kansas head coach Bill Self leaves the court after his second technical foul during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in Lubbock, Texas.

Lubbock, Texas — In the annals of Bill Self’s illustrious coaching career, only once could he remember being ejected prior to Monday night.

It was Feb. 4, 1999, Self was still the head coach at Tulsa, and as he put it, he must not have been thinking clearly in the 7,200-foot elevation of Laramie, Wyoming.

“Maybe as good (an) official as our sport’s ever known threw me out there,” Self recalled, “because he said, ‘You don’t have to yell, I’m standing right here,’ and I said ‘I can yell if I want.'”

When Self got ejected Monday night, after arguing an offensive foul call on center Hunter Dickinson as his team trailed by 16 points late in what turned into a brutal 79-50 loss at Texas Tech, he had bigger ideas on his mind — even if, as he said, he “really wasn’t trying to get thrown out.”

“The way things went in the game, I honestly feel the game’s not being called the way it needs to be called, regardless if it’s our favor or their favor — it makes no difference to me,” he said, later specifying that he feels more “physicality” is being allowed than in years past. “I don’t feel like the game’s being officiated the way it’s intended to be officiated.”

Self said he didn’t curse or yell, but rather said a “magic word” that got him the consecutive technicals. He exited the floor promptly and assistant Norm Roberts manned the sideline for the remaining five minutes and 49 seconds of KU’s blowout loss at United Supermarkets Arena.

Dickinson struggled mightily against Tech, to the tune of 2-for-12 shooting and a minus-36 plus-minus rating. He drew three fouls total in the game and committed three of his own; on the night KU committed 16 fouls to Tech’s similar 14. On the play that drew Self’s ire, Dickinson was jockeying for position in the post with Tech’s backup forward Robert Jennings.

Self said he hasn’t discussed his thoughts with other coaches in the conference: “To me, that’s league-level.” But he certainly isn’t the first among his peers to express frustration with the Big 12 Conference’s officiating this season.

After a loss to Houston on Jan. 27, Kansas State coach Jerome Tang criticized an official by name for his attitude toward the Wildcats’ players. A week later, Baylor coach Scott Drew got ejected in a win over Iowa State and the Bears’ athletic director Mack Rhoades called the officiating “an embarrassment.” Then Houston’s own coach Kelvin Sampson ran onto the court to argue with referees in his team’s victory over Oklahoma State.

Self said that he’s felt all year that officials are allowing more physicality into the game than they should.

“Good officials, good officials, I just don’t see it the same way that it’s being called at all,” he said.

photo by: AP Photo/Justin Rex

Kansas assistant coach Norm Roberts watches from the sideline after head coach Bill Self left during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in Lubbock, Texas.

photo by: AP Photo/Justin Rex

Kansas center Hunter Dickinson looks to pass the ball over Texas Tech forward Robert Jennings (25) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in Lubbock, Texas.

photo by: AP Photo/Justin Rex

Kansas center Hunter Dickinson brings down a rebound against Texas Tech guard Darrion Williams (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in Lubbock, Texas.

photo by: AP Photo/Justin Rex

Texas Tech guard Kerwin Walton (24) knocks the ball away from Kansas guard Nicolas Timberlake (25) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in Lubbock, Texas.