Gary Bedore’s KU basketball notebook: Bill Self ‘nervous’ for short-handed Jayhawks

By Gary Bedore     Nov 2, 2011

KU vs. PSU

Little ‘Dipper’

Conner Teahan calming influence

PSU wanted KU’s best

Kansas University men’s basketball coach Bill Self admitted he had a bit of a queasy feeling entering Tuesday’s exhibition game without Thomas Robinson (hyperextended knee), Elijah Johnson and Tyshawn Taylor (suspension).

“I was nervous before the game, to be honest,” he said. “Today we actually practiced with that group some (starting five of Conner Teahan, Travis Releford, Justin Wesley, Naadir Tharpe, Jeff Withey). The building was hot, too. There may have appeared to be more anxiety because of that.”

KU officials said fans were running and windows were open as usual; the fieldhouse was just steamier than normal.

All tickets were sold, KU officials indicated, with some empty seats in the corners and in the chairbacks.

West on team

Anthony West, a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward from Shawnee Mission East, on Tuesday was officially added to the team as a walk-on. West had been practicing with the team since impressing at walk-on tryouts. West, who wears jersey No. 50, has four years of eligibility.

Tharpe’s debut

KU freshman Naadir Tharpe finished with 12 points, eight assists and nine turnovers in 34 minutes. He had seven turnovers the first half.

“Coach came in and told me, ‘Seven damn turnovers.’ That was the first thing he said. He said, ‘Seven damn turnovers. Come on. You’re a better player than that,”‘ Tharpe said of Bill Self. “He picked me up, as well as my other teammates. I went out there, and I settled down definitely.”

This, that

Ben McLemore and Jamari Traylor (partial qualifiers able to practice second semester) attended and sat in the stands behind the bench. Both, by the way, will have four years of eligibility at KU starting next season. … Self said Merv Lindsay (no stats, two minutes) was not a red-shirt candidate this season. He will be eligible to play in games. … Travis Releford had 14 points, six rebounds and two turnovers in 36 minutes. “He labored tonight,” Self said. “We have to get his confidence back doing some things with the ball.” … Kevin Young (four points, eight rebounds, 20 minutes) had a nice dunk off an inbounds pass from Tharpe in the second half

Block party

If stats counted, KU’s 15 blocks would have tied a school record, set on Dec. 9, 2006, versus Toledo.

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