Preseason & Non-conference Games

What a Rush!

Freshman sparks KU, catches actress Judd's eye

Focused intently on basketball most of the game, Brandon Rush let his mind wander for a moment Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse. The Kansas University freshman guard - who burned Kentucky for a career-high 24 points and 12 rebounds in the unranked Jayhawks’ 73-46 rout of the No. 19-rated Wildcats - rewarded himself for his hard work.

A real back-breaker

Hawkins responds off bench

Jeff Hawkins hobbled down an Allen Fieldhouse hallway, looking like a guy in dire need of a whirlpool. “I’ve got an old body, a real old body. It feels like I’ve been here seven, eight years,” Hawkins, Kansas University’s fifth-year senior guard, groaned after shrugging off nagging back pain to tie his career high of 19 points in Wednesday night’s 87-46 victory over Yale.

Now that was sick!

Ailing Chalmers lifts KU

Mario Chalmers wasn’t able to practice Wednesday. In fact, he barely was able to get out of bed. “I threw up 12 times,” said Chalmers, Kansas University’s freshman point guard from Anchorage, Alaska, who says an infusion of fluids soothed a stomach virus and enabled him to play 20 minutes against the University of New Orleans on Thursday night.

Look who’s back

KU's Jackson has career night in return

The fans started to applaud as Darnell Jackson hopped off the bench and headed to the scorer’s table. They cheered more loudly — some of the 16,300 standing — as Kansas University’s sophomore forward trotted onto the Allen Fieldhouse floor for the first time this season, with 6:01 left in the first half of Thursday’s 85-62 rout of Northern Colorado.

Ho-ho-horrible

Kansas 'miserable' in win over Waves

Santa Claus might fall asleep at the wheel of his sleigh Saturday night if forced to watch a replay of Kansas University’s sluggish 63-43 men’s basketball victory over Pepperdine on Monday in Allen Fieldhouse.

Jayhawks bear down

Vinson sparks Kansas' victory

Stephen Vinson fiddled with one of the many microphones placed in front of him Saturday afternoon in a crowded Kemper Arena interview room.

Hawks finer fowls

Dickie V: Jayhawks sunk by free-throw woes

Dick Vitale walked through a narrow Madison Square Garden hallway, stopping dead in his tracks to make a quick comment to writers who cover Kansas University’s men’s basketball team.

Kansas wrings ‘Necks

Wright sparks Jayhawks

After playing double-digit minutes in Kansas University’s first four basketball games - as well as two exhibitions - a healthy Julian Wright was barely used at all in Thursday’s loss against Nevada.

No harm, no foul, no win

Final-play no-call sinks KU

C.J. Giles didn’t go so far as to say he was robbed. In fact, he didn’t blast the officials at all. Giles, Kansas University’s 6-foot-11 sophomore center, calmly reported he felt contact on the final play of the game — a Nick Fazekas block of his last-second shot — that cemented the Jayhawks’ 72-70 loss to Nevada on Thursday night in Allen Fieldhouse.

Better than nothing

Jayhawks go 1-2 in Maui

It’s not the same as beating No. 9-ranked Arizona or unrated Arkansas. But a victory over Chaminade - a lopsided 102-54 stabbing of the Silverswords Wednesday in the seventh-place game of the Maui Invitational - definitely is something Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self is thankful for.

Another Maui owie

Jayhawks flounder against UA

Kansas University’s ship is sinking here off the shores of the Hawaiian Islands.

Trouble in paradise

Jayhawks sloppy in Maui

The fact unranked Kansas University lost to ninth-ranked Arizona on Monday at the Maui Invitational shocked nobody in the college basketball world.

Kaun’t be stopped

Sophomore leads KU to victory

Sasha Kaun shakes hands with reporters before they ask him all sorts of penetrating questions. He laughs at jokes that, in truth, may not be all that funny.

Giles goes off on Gorillas

Lanky soph powers KU past PSU

He’ll have to erupt for similar performances against Arizona, Kentucky, Nevada, Texas and Oklahoma before comparisons will be taken seriously. But after two exhibition games, Kansas University sophomore C.J. Giles at the very least looks like a strong candidate to replace the departed Wayne Simien’s 20 points and 11 rebounds a game.

Sophomores sensational

Freshmen fine, but Kaun & Co. spark KU

The freshmen - especially Brandon Rush, who survived a case of “bubble guts” to record a double-double in his Kansas University basketball debut - performed well Wednesday night.