Kansas' Bill Self puts respect on Iowa State's name before massive matchup

The Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team is 12-3 and one game back in the Big 12 standings. At the top of the conference in a three-way tie is Iowa State, which finds itself tied with Houston and Arizona with a 4-0 Big 12 record.

No. 9 Kansas and No. 2 Iowa State will get together on Wednesday for a huge matchup between the 12-3 and Jayhawks and 14-1 and Cyclones.

Heading into that big game, longtime Kansas head coach Bill Self is making sure his players respect what Iowa State is capable of. He's also speaking in such a way to ensure that the Jayhawks are pumped up and ready to go for this one.

I think anytime you play a team ranked as high as Iowa State, you get fired up," Self said in a news conference (h/t On3). "We’re playing the second-ranked team in the country, and if I’m not mistaken, what did Auburn beat ’em in Maui by two? And Iowa State could have easily won that game and be undefeated right now. So yeah, I think we’re playing as good a team as there is in America.”

The Cyclones are good, and making Kansas' task even harder is the fact that this one will be played in Ames, so the Jayhawks are going to have to battle Iowa State as well as the rowdy Cyclones crowd.

"The building will be obviously great.” Self explained. “So it’ll be a tough assignment, but one that you like being a part of.”