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Colorado state guard Dorian Green, right, races past University of San Francisco defender Dontae Bryant in this Nov. 29, 2009, photo taken at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colo.
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Kansas City, Mo. — Colorado State sophomore guard Dorian Green, who grew up a big Kansas University basketball/football fan, today gets a chance to compete against his second-favorite school.
“It will be a little odd playing KU because in Kansas, there’s not much to do, so you entertain yourself with KU sports, especially basketball. In Lawrence, KU’s pretty much everything,” said Green, a 6-foot-2, 170-pounder out of Lawrence High School.
The Rams (4-2) and Jayhawks (8-0) will tangle at 5:30 p.m. today in Sprint Center in a game Green — the son of former KU football standout Darren Green — has been looking forward to for a long time.
“This is a week we circled on the calendar, definitely. It’s going to be weird at first, but it’s just going to be fun to come home and play,” Green said.
He has heard from hordes of family members and friends who are looking forward to the homecoming.
“I’ve been getting messages on Facebook and texts from friends saying they can’t wait until Saturday. Most of my friends from high school and growing up are going to KU, so I’m assuming I’ll see most of them at the game,” Green said.
He told CSU’s athletic-media-relations office that his dad’s side of the family recently purchased 25 tickets and that his mom’s side bought around 30.
“Pretty much all of the people I went to high school with go to KU, so I’m excited to see who shows up and just talk to some people I haven’t seen in a while,” said Green, a two-year starter for the Rams who averages 7.0 points and 1.8 rebounds a game.
Surprisingly, not too many of Green’s pals have requested tickets.
“It’s not too bad,” he said. “My family’s been trying to get an idea of how many people were going to go, so I know they bought a bunch of tickets.”
Green realizes the demand would likely be greater if the game was to be played in Lawrence.
“I think it would've been a unique experience to play at Allen Fieldhouse just because it’s one of the top five places to play in the country,” Green said. “Sprint Center’s going to be different and I’m pretty much just really excited to come home and play in front of my friends and family. Either way, I’m happy with it. I’ve never actually been in the Sprint Center, so I’m excited to go in there.”
Green — he spoke to KU’s coaching staff about perhaps walking on the team, but ultimately decided to pursue a scholarship offer at CSU — averaged a team-best 11.8 points a game as a freshman.
He not only started all 32 games, but led the Mountain West Conference at 35.0 minutes played per game and helped the Rams to a berth in the College Basketball Invitational Tournament. It marked CSU’s first postseason appearance since 2003.
“I kind of got thrown into the fire last year and got to play a lot right away and that really helped me,” said Green, who said he’s gained at least 15 pounds since his senior year at LHS. “I’ve put on some weight and matured and gotten stronger. College basketball’s just such a different level than high school and that’s really helped me.
“I can’t have asked for anything better than what I’ve been able to experience so far,” added Green, a 50 percent shooter who is down to 25.5 minutes per game so far this season.
He has no bragging rights at stake against individual KU players today.
“I don’t know (Jayhawks) them too well personally, but I’ll get to know them through scouting and during the game,” Green said.
He scored six points and grabbed four rebounds in Wednesday’s 90-83 overtime loss at Colorado. The Rams have also lost to Sam Houston State (92-81) and defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff (82-51), Denver (77-66), Drake (78-67) and Fresno State (87-74).
CSU, which averages 81.3 ppg, is led by senior forward Andy Ogide (17.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 68.2 fg percentage) and senior forward Travis Franklin (16.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg). Iowa State transfer Wes Eikmeier, a sophomore guard, averages 8.2 ppg.
“Colorado we think is pretty good and that game was in Boulder. That tells me right there, they (Rams) are very capable,” KU coach Bill Self said. “It will be a good test for us. Dorian Green is a good player who is coming home. He’ll have everybody jacked up. Of course they’ll be jacked up anyway. I’m sure the crowd will be good. We need to play better. We have not played very well the last two weeks, to be honest with you.”
Green — he’s hit 13 of 26 shots including eight of 16 threes — realizes today’s matchup may be the Rams’ most difficult all season.
“Just to come in confident and be aggressive,” Green said of goals. “If we can be solid defensively and limit our mistakes, don’t turn the ball over, that’s going to help us a lot.
“For us, we always talk about being special and that’s winning big games, making the (NCAA) tournament and trying to win when we get there. That’s our goal.”
The series: KU, which has never met CSU, is 17-4 against the Mountain West Conference. KU beat UNLV, 75-56, in a second-round 2008 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region game in Omaha, Neb. ... CSU, which is located in Fort Collins, has an enrollment of 26,348.
Home away from home: KU is 9-2 in Sprint Center after winning the 2010 Big 12 Championship. KU went 4-0 in 2009-10, 1-2 in 2008-09 and 4-0 in 2007-08.
“The Sprint Center has been good to me so far so I like it,” said KU junior Tyshawn Taylor. “It’s cool. We have to get ready for playing away from Allen Fieldhouse. I think we're kind of spoiled, honestly. I feel so much more comfortable at the fieldhouse. I think it’s better that we play away more so that we can get ready for the away games.”
“It’s always good to play at different places,” noted sophomore Thomas Robinson. “I feel we are at home at Sprint Center.”
KU is 80-24 at KC’s Kemper Arena.
Interest: Green on walk-on recruiting interest from KU: “I know coach (Danny) Manning talked to my dad a little bit. But I didn't really get too deep into talking to them.”
Recruiting: DeAndre Daniels, a 6-9, 197-pound senior small forward from IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., is considering enrolling at a college in January. Daniels, who is visiting Kentucky this weekend, made recent trips to KU and Oregon. He is also considering Texas, Alabama, North Carolina State, UCLA and Baylor.
“He made a commitment to come to us for an entire year because he knew he needed to get bigger, stronger and more competitive to be the type of player he wants to be on the Division 1 level,” IMG Academy’s Andy Borman told Zagsblog.net. “Because of his hard work and success in the last three months, his dad and DeAndre and us are contemplating sending him somewhere at the semester. It’s not set in stone. We have sped up his recruiting process, so that if he does find a home at the semester, that he and his dad are very comfortable with, then he is going to go.”
Daniels’ coach said he could opt to play right away in college or red-shirt and wait until the 2011-12 season to compete.
Behind the Lens: Game Over April 19, 2012
Jeff Withey says he considered leaving early April 9, 2012
Final thoughts following KU's run to national championship game April 3, 2012
Elijah Johnson and Tyshawn Taylor post-game interviews April 3, 2012
Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson: Linked through their KU careers April 2, 2012
Comments
hailtoku (anonymous) says…
“I lived literally five minutes from campus, and my high school is a couple blocks away,” he said. “It will be a little odd playing KU because in Kansas, there’s not much to do, so you entertain yourself with KU sports, especially basketball. In Lawrence, KU’s pretty much everything.”- Green
.....crush 'em
kerbyd (anonymous) says…
Anybody notice rivals.com article on "Who's hot"? They said T-Rob was hot but they had a picture of Taylor instead.
yates33333 (anonymous) says…
Taylor's hot too, despite a detractor who criticizes him for nothing in these pages.
wheatwave (anonymous) says…
Now that CU will be in the Pac 10 or 12 or whatever it will be called, it would be really cool for KU to plan a road trip to play CSU in Colorado.
wheatwave (anonymous) says…
There are thousands of fans here in Colorado who will desperately miss the KUtrips to CU - basketball and football.
milehighhawk (anonymous) replies…
+1
Pretty sure there are 15,000-20,000 KU grads in Denver alone.
ajhk (anonymous) replies…
Don't forget about all of us here in the mountains! CU is a traitor and I'll have to let'm know at the upcoming game. The KU BB game has to be their biggest grossing game every year, and it's been an especially big money maker since they've made us buy 2 extra games in order to get the KU game. That scam is something I won't miss.
KGphoto (anonymous) replies…
I think there are that many at Choppers on gameday.
JHWK (anonymous) replies…
I really have never understood CU's decision to leave the Big 12. Are they really that poorly matched with the conference, feel like they shouldn't be the only school at altitude, or just tired of Texas calling all the shots?
USAF_J_Hawk (anonymous) says…
Completly off subject but of even more importance. If you watch the video regarding Ben Mac I believe we are in for some great news before x-mas. He states that he will commit in Dec "for sure" & multiple times that he knows where he wants to go but has to talk to his mom about it, if it were Mizery he wouldn't need to discuss it at all. X-mas might come early for us,RCJH!!http://theshiver.com/2010/12/ben-mclemore/
BlownJay (anonymous) replies…
"everybody knows where I'm gonna go. I know where I wanna go"
Sounds like he has all but given us the word.....if he can just convince his mom.
I'm sorry, Mrs. McLemore, but Missouri is not the best place for your son to showcase his talent and evolve to his full potential. No, I'm not just saying that because I don't like Missouri, or because I'm still bitter over Quantrill's Raid or the States' overall demeanor and disposition during the Civil War Era.
I'm simply speaking matter-of-factly....I truly Respect Mike Anderson, but he and the Mizzou program cannot even come close to preparing Ben they Bill and Kansas will. Not only for basketball, but for life.
Respectfully,
A Blown Away Jahawk
BlownJay (anonymous) replies…
"the way Bill and Kansas Will"
JHWK (anonymous) replies…
That would be better than an air rifle for Christmas, better than a tree planted for Hanukkah, or better than a feat of strength for Festus!
Rock Chalk!
KANSTUCKY (anonymous) replies…
you'll shoot your eye out!
KU_FanSince75 (anonymous) says…
I still think the Jayhawks should schedule a road trip to Colorado and play somebody because of the alumni base in that state. Hopefully, it will happen. Good luck today, Jayhawks, against the Rams. Play hard because Selby is on deck! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
jaybate (anonymous) says…
Nice to get Bedore back cranking out some professional column inches after some of the staff has been struggling. Bedore remains the go-to guy and the glue man too. Don't know how he does it. My XTReme Compliments to M. Bedore for keeping this place readable.
ParisHawk (anonymous) replies…
My thanks to Gary Bedore too. To all Twitter users: Bedore's tweets are far more interesting than the players'. He does occasionally call us out for being "grouchy", but don't complain for that would prove him right :-)
jaybate (anonymous) says…
Note to board rats: I have seen the future and it works. Just got a new iPad fom Apple. 95% of persons can toss their desktops and laptops. When the camera is added on the next gen it will be perfect. Steve really is the Bill Self of computing. He took what Gates gave him and beat him with it.
It does not matter anymore that Apple pc s have a small share. The iPhones, iPods, and iPads converge and rule.
The pc is now just another industrial tool that almost no one needs.
I am so glad I lived to see this. I am so glad Steve lived to pull it off. He could have quit after Sculley and Next. But he just kept getting better.
Even I lost faith for awhile.
But I am back Steve.
You were right.
Digital technology can change the world for the better.
Thank you, Steve, for remembering a machine is software and hardware.
The kid from Sunnyvale did good.
KGphoto (anonymous) replies…
Stephen Fry just nails it!
http://www.time.com/time/business/art...
Best article on why i-everything is just cooler. One place I must visit. 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California. The Mothership.
jaybate (anonymous) replies…
Great article. The iPad is the best new digital device since the first Mac. Loaded with a camera and photoshop, it will become my new plein aire painting/imaging environment. Most persons do not yet get what an incredible art/photographic tool it will become. It is like it came from Area 51, or something.
dynamitehawk (anonymous) replies…
I'm on my new iPad right now, too... Not sold on the keyboard yet. Could be a cynical gen-ex thing. With the amount of typing you do, you reall like it better?
dynamitehawk (anonymous) replies…
No disrespect meant and would have gotten 'y' on really with real keyboard.
jaybate (anonymous) replies…
Keyboard takes some adjustment, but it is coming for me. Hang in. Would like virtual keyboard full size and could type even faster. :-)
jaybate (anonymous) says…
Daniels would be perfect for KU with a red shirt year.
But Daniels visiting Oregon, which Altman is trying to rebuild under a tidal wave of Knight's Nike money, suggests a possible checkbook model in process. Add UK and warning lights flash. Add the long list of schools, and we have the makings of an auction model, also.
But KU with Self, Manning and Hudy is his smart move.
ParisHawk (anonymous) says…
OK, suppose Daniels wants to come 2d semester:
1) When does the semester start, meaning how much time does he have to decide?
2) When could he start practicing with the team? Semester break is top coaching time.
3) Could he redshirt just the second semester?
4) How can we get him a scholarship second semester? Supposing Connor is willing to give up his schollie, is it "legal" to take one back in the middle of the year?
truehawk93 (anonymous) replies…
Hudy can work wonders with DD's physcial development. He needs some work!
Either way, we'll take him.
OakvilleJHawk (anonymous) says…
1] He would have to enroll to be allowed to play. That might not be till early January.
2] After he enrolls.
3] He could redshirt for two semesters, but come out in the second semester
4] Therein lies the rub, McDuff.
ajhk (anonymous) says…
Hate to look past this game but It's also hard to ignore the excitement induced pee stains on my pants brought on by the thought of...SELBY! Anyone else so excited by his upcoming appearance that you pee yourself like a yippie little dog greeting his master after a long day bladder expanding activities?
After watching a few tube vids, this cat looks ambidextrous!? Or at least able to dribble, shoot and dunk with either hand- that's ambi to me. Oops, spilled again. That's going to be fun to watch since since some of our past super stars could only drive with one hand which made it easier to defend their drive.
Just hope he doesn't hurt his big toe.
HighEliteMajor (anonymous) replies…
Man, you just took a pretty exciting event and made it kind of gross and weird.
ajhk (anonymous) replies…
Ouch! Tough Crowd, though I knew going in that guys with small dogs may take offense. You're right about the weird though, I did forget the "of" between day and bladder. For that I am truly embarrassed.
Selby's arrival will be fun but, hey, let's not pee ourselves!
drgnslayr (anonymous) says…
“It will be a little odd playing KU because in Kansas, there’s not much to do, so you entertain yourself with KU sports, especially basketball."
There is plenty to do in Lawrence.... and if you run out of things to do you are a frog's breath away from KC.
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DeAndre Daniels, a 6-9, 197-pound senior small forward from IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., is considering enrolling at a college in January.
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Bring him to the Hudy. No one builds 'em like Hudy!