Nick Collison will show up for tonight’s Kansas University basketball awards ceremony with his right arm in a sling.
Collison, KU’s 6-foot-9 sophomore forward from Iowa Falls, Iowa, will undergo surgery this morning to alleviate bursitis in his right elbow. He’ll have fluid drained from the elbow and will wear a sling for one or two days. Collison will be kept out of offseason pickup basketball games for two weeks.
The bursitis was caused by constant contact during his first two seasons at KU.
“It will be nice to have it over with,” said Collison, who averaged 14.0 points and 6.7 boards for the 26-7 Jayhawks. “It’s just a minor surgery and it should get rid of the swelling in my elbow by draining the fluid that built up during the season.”
Collison wore a protective pad at times last season.
Ceremony starts at 7 p.m.
KU’s awards ceremony starts at 7 tonight at Allen Fieldhouse. Doors open at 6 p.m. with open seating for viewing of a highlight video from the season, presentation of team awards and senior speeches.
No dinner will be served to fans this year in an attempt to keep the cost down for families. Cost is $5. Concession stands at the fieldhouse will be open from 6 to 7 p.m.
An evergreen bush went up in flames Saturday afternoon outside the southeast corner of Allen Fieldhouse.
The fire, believed to be caused by a cigarette tossed into the bush, set off the fire alarm at the fieldhouse. The fire was promptly extinguished by the fire department with no damage caused to Allen Fieldhouse.
“The evergreens are far enough away from the building to not damage anything,” KU facilities director Darren Cook said. “There was never any danger of Allen Fieldhouse burning down. The inside of the limestone wall is brick. We need to get with the university because the evergreen is charred badly. I’m sure they’ll cut it out or plant.”
Former-Jayhawk Kevin Pritchard’s high school coach, John Phillips, was named Tulsa’s head coach on Monday.
Phillips, a TU assistant the past four years, beat out three others who interviewed for the job Kansas assistant Neil Dougherty, Arkansas assistant Mike Anderson and Stanford assistant Blaine Taylor.
Pritchard, the first-year coach of the ABA 2000’s Kansas City Knights, played for Phillips at Tulsa’s Edison High. Phillips also coached former KU forward Archie Marshall.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said Pritchard. “He is kind of a big name in that Tulsa area. He’s been there so long. Everybody knows him. He’s been on the (Tulsa) staffs of Bill Self and Buzz Peterson. He’s one of the greatest guys I’ve been around and will be fantastic for them. He won’t leave there very quickly. He’s looking to stay and be part of that program and community a long time.”
Pritchard had no comment when asked if he might consider joining Phillips’ first TU staff.
“We’ve got a season to finish here. I’m trying my best to get this team ready for the (ABA) playoffs,” Pritchard said.
Hoops analyst Greg Swaim of www.gregswaim.com says former TU players Kwanza Johnson and Pooh Williamson might join Phillips’ staff. Johnson is an assistant at Arkansas-Little Rock and Williamson at Illinois State. Swaim says Terry Evans of Midwest City (Okla.) High and Steve Cooper of Sand Springs (Okla.) High also are prime candidates to join the Hurricane staff.
Pritchard, 33, has activated himself for tonight’s ABA 2000 Western Divisional semifinal between Kansas City and Los Angeles (8:30 p.m., Kemper Arena). He said he will definitely not suit up for tonight’s game, but still could play in Friday’s division finals or Saturday’s title game if the Knights go that far.
“It’s more of a strategic move than anything else,” said Pritchard, who played on KU’s 1988 national championship team. “We are only allowed 10 players right now so if there are any injuries we’d be in real trouble. I wanted to make sure we had someone available that knew the offense and defense.”