Bill Self Never Considered Removing Silvio De Sousa From Team After Kansas State Brawl

Coach Bill Self is sticking by forward Silvio De Sousa following his actions in the Kansas-Kansas State brawl on Tuesday night.

"I can be mad at him or say things to him in a private setting that the media won't be privy to, but if my son or daughter makes a bad emotional decision in the heat of the moment, I don't stop loving them. He's ours and I'm proud that he is," Self said, per Kansas' director of broadcasting, Brian Hanni.

Self added that he never considered kicking De Sousa off the team after the fight and will "continue to do what's best for the team."

On Tuesday, Kansas and Kansas State engaged in a brawl in the final seconds of the Jayhawks' 81-60 victory.

Kansas State guard DaJuan Gordon was rejected on a layup in the final seconds by De Sousa. The forward then stood over Gordon until the Kansas State bench emptied and ran toward him. Kansas's bench then also cleared as the brawl spilled toward the stands at Allen Fieldhouse. De Sousa was seen picking up a stool in a video of the melee before it was knocked out of his hands. 

Self initially suspended De Sousa indefinitely before the Big 12 handed him a 12-game ban on Wednesday. Three other players were suspended for their roles in the fight as well.

"As I said last night, we are disappointed in [De Sousa's] actions and there is no place in the game for that behavior," Self said on Wednesday.