Kansas leads the all-time exhibition series, 2-0. Last season KU beat the All-Stars 124-101 on Nov. 6, 1999.
Tonight’s game marks the earliest date KU has played a home exhibition game. The previous early date for a Kansas exhibition game came in 1997, when KU beat the Outback All-Stars 117-87 on Nov. 3.
The Jayhawks have won 12 straight home exhibition contests, dating back to a 93-82 loss to Australia on Nov. 29, 1993.
A limited number of general admission tickets remain for tonight’s game and are on sale in the KU ticket office.
KU is offering a special football and men’s basketball combo ticket package. For $60, fans can purchase a ticket to the Kansas-Texas football game on Nov. 11, plus receive a ticket to any two of KU’s first five home basketball games, starting with the All-Stars and ending with Washburn on Nov. 25. The ticket office phone number is 1-800-34-HAWKS.
Kenny Gregory had 20 points, Nick Collison and Eric Chenowith 16 apiece in last year’s win over the All-Stars. Drew Gooden, in his first action as a Jayhawk, nearly recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.
All-Stars guard Ed Cota played at the University of North Carolina where KU coach Roy Williams assisted for 10 years under Dean Smith after getting his degree in Chapel Hill in 1972.
Drew Barry’s brother, Scooter, played at Kansas from 1986-89, helping the Jayhawks to two Final Fours and the NCAA Championship in 1988. Scooter played one season 1988-89 for current KU coach Roy Williams.
The All-Stars’ Kenny Price played against the Jayhawks twice while at the University of Colorado. In his final meeting versus Kansas, Price scored a team-high 23 points in 33 minutes.
KU is 26-4 all-time in preseason exhibition games and 19-2 under Roy Williams.
Kansas plays host to in-state Division II Emporia State at 8:05 p.m. Saturday. A new rule this season allows Division I teams to face Division II teams in the preseason to count as an exhibition game. The Jayhawks are expected to now replace foreign teams on their exhibition schedule with in-state Division II schools so that two such schools will now get the opportunity to visit Allen Fieldhouse each season. For the last eight seasons KU has rotated playing Emporia State, Fort Hays State, Washburn and Pittsburg State each year in the Fieldhouse. Washburn visits Lawrence for a regular season game on Nov. 25 this year.
1 Ed Cota, 6-3, North Carolina.
2 Troy Nesmith, 6-3, Gannon University.
3 Kris Weems, 6-2, Stanford.
4 Drew Barry, 6-3, Georgia Tech.
5 Kenny Price, 6-4, Colorado.
10 Nate Holmstadt, 6-8, Montana State.
11 Kevin Simmons, 6-8, UNLV.
12 Joe Vogel, 6-10, Colorado State.
14 Nantambu Willingham, 6-10, UConn.
Tipoff: 7:05 tonight, Allen Fieldhouse.
Live telecast: Channels 13 and 62.
