The Kansas Jayhawks posted a huge win over the UConn Huskies on Friday night, beating them by four points in a 69-65 affair.
Forward KJ Adams was playing with the weight of the world on his shoulders as his mother Yvonne lost a battle to cancer in November and was buried this Saturday. Adams scored 18 points and sank two key free throws late in the game while the home crowd lifted him with chants.
Head coach Bill Self was fighting back the tears while speaking to his players after the win, praising Adams for his performance while pointing out that he is not a great shooter from the stripe.
“Imagine the stress he’s been under, and for him to play for you guys the way he did, knowing he’s going to get on a plane to go say goodbye tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. Wow. Stud. Stud,” Self told the team. “So you guys, put your arms around that kid.”
Self also noted that he and his staff would all attend the service on Saturday.
“My teammates have helped me a lot. They’ve been here a lot for me,” Adams said, per the Kansas City Star. “Coach has made stuff easy for me. Having Jayhawk nation in my inner circle means a lot. They especially help me in rough times like these.”
