Kansas and Southwest Missouri State will be matched in the 2000 Sprint Shootout at Kansas City’s Kemper Arena.
The nonconference men’s college basketball game — to be contested on Dec. 30 at a yet-to-be determined time — will be an emotional one for second-year Southwest Missouri coach Barry Hinson, whose “best friend” is Jayhawk assistant coach Joe Holladay.
“I’ve known Joe Holladay since the fourth grade,” said the 39-year-old Hinson.
Hinson’s family used to dine with Holladay and his wife, Roi, one Sunday a month years ago — when Holladay lived in Lindsay, Okla., and Hinson in Marlow, Okla.
Holladay, who is 13 years older than Hinson, went on to coach at Tulsa’s Jenks High. Hinson years later became coach at Tulsa’s Bishop Kelley High, going 0-2 in games against Holladay.
Hinson has worked as a coach at Roy Williams’ summer camp, during his four years as an assistant under Bill Self at Oral Roberts University.
“I had three references when I applied for the job here — Bill Self, Eddie Sutton and Roy Williams in no particular order,” said Hinson, who worked two years as head coach at ORU.
“The respect I have for Roy Williams is tremendous. At coach Williams’ camp, I was in a gym with two youngsters named Scott Williams and Brad Frederick. To this day get e-mails from them.
“My daughter worked coach Williams’ camp two years in a row. There are some ties to this game people won’t know about,” Hinson added.
Aside from family ties, there’s another reason Hinson sought a game with Kansas.
SW Missouri State did not receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament last year despite a 22-10 regular-season record and No. 34 RPI rating.
The Bears, who won nine of their last 10 games, placed second in the Missouri Valley Conference and notched second in the postseason conference tournament.
While proud of his team’s schedule, which included games against Tulsa, Wyaoming, Saint Louis and Mississippi, Hinson vowed to improve it to gain the attention of the NCAA Tournament committee.
“After the season, we sent out 75 faxes and letters to every major program across the United States,” Hinson said.
“The basis of the letter was we played a very good non-conference schedule and conference schedule and were not selected by the NCAA. We’re trying to do everything possible to help our selection process.”
The two schools have agreed to this one-time game, to be shown on ESPN.
“I asked Joe and coach Williams if this game would be good for us. They said, ‘Yes.’ If coach Williams had said, ‘No,’ we’d not have accepted,” Hinson said.
“I can say truthfully it is an honor to play Kansas.”
SW Missouri State loses four starters and five seniors off last year’s squad.
“I think we’ll be competitive and play hard and represent the state of Missouri to the best of our ability,” Hinson said.
The Jayhawks are 3-0 all-time against the Bears. KU has participated in the Shootout the past five years, winning each time. Last season Kansas beat Saint Louis 71-60 at the event. The Jayhawks and Bears last met in December of 1988 in the BMA Classic at Kemper Arena. The Jayhawk women’s team will not be involved in the Sprint Shootout next season.
