The No. 20 Kansas State Wildcats and UCF Knights square off in the Big 12 Tournament. Thursday's matchup is the first this season for the teams.

Kansas State battled back from double-digit deficits in each half but dropped their fourth straight game Wednesday night against UCF in Orlando.

Kansas coach Bill Self has heard the chatter from some in the basketball world that he may retire after this season and he has an emphatic response. “No,” Self told NJ Advance Media by text. Kansas (19-9, 10-7 Big 12) began the year as the preseason No. 1 team in the nation, but on Monday dropped out of the poll.

Hunter Dickinson scored 33 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, and Kansas held on for an 83-76 win over No. 24 Arizona in a Big 12 Conference showdown on Saturday afternoon in Lawrence, Kan.

The NJ Advance Media asked Self about the chances of retiring after the 2024-25 season, and he responded with a one-word answer. "No," he said over text on Wednesday. Self has been the head coach at Kansas since 2003, guiding the Jayhawks to the NCAA Tournament every season except for the COVID-shortened year when they finished 28-3.

Kansas State faces the UCF Knights after David N'Guessan scored 20 points in the Wildcats' 66-54 loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils.