Kansas content with 'Self'

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Bill Self was introduced Monday as the new basketball coach at Kansas, which lost Roy Williams to North Carolina shortly after losing the NCAA championship game.\nSelf's first college coaching job was as Larry Brown's assistant at Kansas in 1985, and he called his new post "the most prestigious act in all of college basketball."\nAbout 300 people were at Hadl Auditorium on campus for the news conference, greeting Self and chancellor Robert Hemenway with a standing ovation as they entered.\n"I stand before you very, very happy," said Self, who left Illinois after three seasons. "But I stand before you with mixed emotions. ...\n"It was difficult because I'm leaving behind an unbelievable situation and I'm leaving behind some great players."\nHemenway said his school's search focused only on Self, who won two Big Ten regular-season titles and one conference tournament with the Illini. His record there was 78-24, and he led the team to the NCAA tournament each year, reaching the final eight in 2001.\nWith the Jayhawks, he replaces the beloved Williams, who departed a week ago for his alma mater. Williams led Kansas to nine conference titles and four Final Fours in 15 seasons, going 418-101. He lost in the national title game twice.\n"You've had a remarkable coach here for the last 15 years," Self said. "He's a tough act to follow, but Larry Brown was a tough act to follow, and Ted Owens was a tough act to follow."\nThe 40-year-old Self met with Kansas' players -- including three starters from the 81-78 loss to Syracuse in the NCAA title game April 7 -- for more than an hour Sunday night.\nSelf apparently made a good impression.\n"He's cool. I like him," sophomore point guard Aaron Miles said. "He said he is a different coach than Roy Williams, but he is a good coach."\nSelf's intensity on the bench and affable nature off the court made him a fan favorite at Illinois, which gave him a five-year contract extension in December worth $900,000 a season.\nKansas had to spend $500,000 to buy out the contract.