Let the hype continue: Media day, before KU vs. WSU

By Staff     Mar 21, 2015

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Kansas coach Bill Self talks to the media outside the Jayhawks' locker-room Saturday, March 21, 2015 at the CenturyLink Center, Omaha, Neb.

*There might not be basketball games going on Saturday in Omaha, but there certainly is pre-game buzz at CenturyLInk Center for Sunday’s Kansas University basketball game against Wichita State, in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32.*

*The locker rooms for both the Jayhawks and Shockers were packed with media members as the anticipation for the Sunflower State’s postseason matchup grows.*

*This will be your landing place for all the quotes, audio, video and photos the KUsports.com team gathers, so check back as we update it throughout the afternoon.*

**- 4:54 p.m. update -**

Kansas sophomore forward Landen Lucas understands why this Kansas vs. Wichita State game means so much in the Sunflower State, and to the fans especially.

That just makes it more exciting for the players, too, Lucas said.

**- 4:49 p.m. update — By Matt Tait-**

Just another quick hit from WSU guard Ron Baker, a Scott City, Kansas, native, who was asked on Saturday about the idea of playing KU and K-State on a more regular basis in the future.

> “Every Kansas school would like that,
> I think,” Baker said. “Obviously we’re
> not the BCS school and I can see how
> KU and K-State wouldn’t want to have a
> home-and-home. It’s just kind of how
> the RPI and BPI and all that stuff
> works.”
>
> “I think it would be good for the
> state if we had like a Sunflower
> Showdown. Even if we’re not playing
> each other, maybe the three schools
> played different opponents in the same
> location. That way Kansas can kind of
> bond and watch those three games in a
> day. Something simple like that would
> be neat.”

Great idea. Needs to happen.

** — 4:30 p.m. update — By Matt Tait**

Had a chance to talk with both Perry Ellis and Wichita State’s Evan Wessel about their friendship and time playing together in high school at Wichita Heights.

Interestingly enough, the two guys are pretty similar. Both quiet. Both polite. Both hard-working dudes who have made the most of their abilities.

I asked a few KU guys what they would want to know about Ellis if they had the chance to talk to Wessel and their answers were pretty funny. Evan Manning, Tyler Self and Josh Pollard said they’ve heard stories about how Ellis used to get technical fouls when he was younger and may even have thrown a chair once. Wessel didn’t recall those incidents and said it might have happened before they started playing on the same teams.

Landen Lucas wanted to know if Wessel remembered whether Ellis would actually dance at school dances or just kind of hang back against the wall. Wessel didn’t remember any specific incidents of Ellis dancing or not dancing but said he was certain that Ellis was never the one out there leading the dance party.

KU freshman Kelly Oubre might have given the most interesting answer when he was asked what he’d want to know about Ellis from Wessel: “They’re the opposition right now.”

I asked Jamari Traylor what he would want to know and he said he had been around Ellis for so long now that he could not really think of anything.

> “I know everything I need to know
> about Perry,” Traylor said. “I’ve been
> around him for a while now. I know I’d
> trust him with my wallet.”

Wessel, who averages 4.1 points and 3.4 rebounds a game in 23 minutes, said the one thing he always liked the most about Ellis’ game was how unselfish he was.

> “He could always be the best player on
> the floor when he’s out there,” Wessel
> said. “But he still was unselfish.
> He’s a great teammate and a lot of fun
> to play with.”

As for the upcoming battle between these two former Wichita Heights teammates, both sounded excited about the challenge and each said he hoped he would guard the other guy, which seems pretty likely according to players and coaches in both locker rooms.

> “It’s going to be a great
> opportunity,” Wessel said. “Great
> teammates back in high school and it
> will be fun to play against him here
> tomorrow.”

Added Ellis: “We have been competing since we were young and he’s a great guy and it’s going to be fun to get to play against each other again.”

**- 4:09 p.m. update -**

Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall knows this is a big game for his program, but he also realizes the ultimate goal here in Omaha is moving on to Cleveland.

> It’s exciting. I’m not going to tell
> you that I’m not excited about being
> in the third round against a wonderful
> program, a great team, a great coach,
> but when that ball is tossed, I’m just
> going to coach my team, and it’s going
> to be just like any other game, with
> tremendous energy and intensity. And
> last year, Kentucky, that was a
> wonderful basketball game! It was
> electricity all through the building;
> it was one play after another, and
> tomorrow’s game could very well be
> like that. I just hope we come out on
> the different end.

*- Hear Marshall’s press conference: [Gregg Marshall looks ahead to Sunday’s game vs. Kansas][1]*

**- 3:58 p.m. update -**

You might have heard that Wichita State junior Ron Baker grew up a Kansas basketball fan. He talked about that Saturday in the Shockers’ locker room.

http://www2.kusports.com/videos/2015/mar/21/36156/

**- 3:42 p.m. update -**

Bill Self said it didn’t take long for Kansas to turn its focus to Wichita State.

> Yesterday was a great win for us, I
> think anybody that plays in the
> tournament that won would say it’s a
> great win, but we got forgot about 30
> minutes after we played and focused in
> on the next task, and that’s a
> talented and well-coached Wichita
> State ball club.

*- Listen to the complete press conference: [Bill Self discusses Saturday’s showdown with Wichita State][2]*

**- 3:15 p.m. update -**

**- 3:05 p.m. update -**

**- 2:20 p.m. update -**

You can tell some of the Jayhawks aren’t as excited about the two-programs-from-Kansas angle of this game as the media. Which is completely fine and understandable.

Kansas would want to win this game if Indiana was the opponent, too. The players don’t mind all the WSU buzz, but the subplots didn’t seem to exactly intrigue them. They’re just trying to get to the Sweet 16.

[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/podcasts/press_conferences_postgame_interviews/2015/mar/21/gregg-marshall-looks-ahead-sundays-game-vs-kansas/
[2]: http://www2.kusports.com/podcasts/press_conferences_postgame_interviews/2015/mar/21/bill-self-discusses-saturdays-showdown-wichita-sta/

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