Bill Self is hoping for a strong performance from his Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team — and enthusiastic support from students seated behind the north and south goals — during Saturday’s Big 12 showdown against Houston at sold-out Allen Fieldhouse.

Tipoff for the contest between the No. 12-ranked Jayhawks and No. 7 Cougars is 5:30 p.m., with a live telecast on ESPN.

“You know what? I don’t feel the student hype the way that I used to,” Self, KU’s 22nd-year coach, said Friday at a news conference held in advance of a game between teams with combined records of 29-7.

By all means it classifies as one of the biggest home games of this or any season. Houston enters 15-3 overall and 7-0 in the Big 12. KU is 14-4, 5-2.

KU is 25-4 against AP top 10 teams in the fieldhouse in the Self era. Overall, KU is 52-31 against AP top 10 teams.

“I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think that from a camping-out standpoint ... when North Carolina was here to start the season, you’ve got 150 camping groups and stuff,” Self said Friday.

Ranked No. 1 at the time, KU defeated No. 9 North Carolina 92-89 in the second game of the season before a boisterous crowd at Allen Fieldhouse. In all, there were 156 groups of students camping prior to that game, eager to gain entry.

There were 75 such groups camping out this week.

“You know, I haven’t even been down there (by the north entrance doors of the fieldhouse) today, so I don’t even know what it is,” Self said. “Maybe it’s out there and really high levels (of groups camping out). ...

“But I haven’t felt the student hype to the level that I’ve felt in some other years. And I know that other people have said the same thing. That’s not being negative to the students, but I don’t think there’s been as much anticipation since the Carolina game, for sure, even in some of our bigger games, but some of them have been over (semester) break too that we felt before.

“So I’m hopeful that our energy level, from a fan standpoint, will be as good as it’s been all year long tomorrow.”

Asked to compare the excitement surrounding this game to other big games during his years at KU, senior point guard Dajuan Harris’ said: “(It compares to) all the big games. They are ranked No. 7 we are ranked No. 12.

“They are coming to our building and they are probably favored to beat us here. It’s another big game to perform in front of our fans and the world to show we are a better team.”

After Saturday’s game, KU will remain home to meet UCF at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.