ST. LOUIS — Bill Self gathered his team around the bench late in Friday's game against Eastern Kentucky, one that had grown a bit too close for comfort for the second-seeded Jayhawks. His team had gone back to chucking up jumpers, the scrappy Ohio Valley Conference champions had regained the lead, and thoughts of Mercer's upset of Duke earlier in the day were on everyone's mind. "I thought we responded as a group," Self said.