Bill Self Talks Kansas' Rivalry with K-State After 1st Matchup Since Viral Brawl

The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 62-58 in Manhattan on Saturday and that alone felt like a win for both teams. 

It was the first meeting between the two in-state rivals since a skirmish escalated into an all-out brawl in the stands during the final seconds of their first game back in January. The Jayhawks were on their way to an 81-60 victory when forward Silvio De Sousa blocked a KSU shot at the buzzer, which led to punches thrown by both teams. 

De Sousa, who was seen momentarily holding a stool over his head during the fight, was suspended 12 games for his role in the altercation. 

Saturday included decidedly fewer fireworks thanks to Kansas' Bill Self. 

The head coach orchestrated a pregame handshake with both teams meeting at center court just before tipoff to continue easing tensions. 

"What happened over there at our place was an embarrassment to both teams, both schools, and certainly [there is] no place for it," Self said after the game, per ESPN's Myron Medcalf. "But we've never had a problem with K-State players, and they've never had a problem with our players."

Kansas State filled its student sections to the brim, but otherwise played in a stadium that was nowhere near capacity even with an increased police presence on the scene. 

After the Jayhawks fell to the Wildcats in Manhattan in 2015, students rushed the court and shoved KU's Jamari Traylor as he was leaving the floor. The added security helped ensure there wouldn't be a repeat. 

So, too, did Kansas' victory Saturday, which has them just one win away from clinching the Big 12 title. 

"Obviously the first one ended in not a special moment in K-State-Kansas rivalry history," KSU coach Bruce Weber said. "We wanted to make sure this one started with a positive moment of sportsmanship. We can move forward now, worry about the game and how it's played."

If Kansas State and Kansas meet again this season, it'll come during the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City next month.