Grand Forks, N.D. ? Jeff Boschee felt a lump the size of a basketball in his throat during pregame introductions on Saturday afternoon at Engelstad Arena.
The normally unflappable Kansas senior was overcome with emotion as the largest throng to watch a basketball game in North Dakota gave Boschee, a Valley City, N.D., native, a one-minute standing ovation after cheering a Boschee highlight reel on the center videoboard.
“I kind of got goose bumps a little bit and a little watery eyed, a little teary eyed,” the 6-foot-1 Boschee said after scoring 23 points one off a career high in KU’s 108-77 victory over North Dakota.
“Today is something I’ll look back on and always remember. I’ve never gotten a standing ovation before. It was pretty impressive and shocking to me.”
Boschee received three standing ovations on Saturday, the last coming after he exited for good with 3:39 left. At that point, he’d iced nine of 12 shots, including four of six threes, in 29 minutes.
Last year, Boschee did not attempt a three-pointer for the first and only time in his career, scoring just four points in a 92-61 victory over the NCAA Div. II Fighting Sioux at Allen Fieldhouse.
“I think this year I came out looking to shoot a lot more,” said Boschee, admittedly fired up seeing three busloads of fans arrive from Valley City and sit wearing Boschee sweat shirts in one corner of the building. “We had good movement and the guys got me some open shots.”
Indeed, the Jayhawks were intent on granting Boschee open looks and making him the featured attraction on Jeff Boschee Day.
He was the recipient of several crisp passes in canning seven of his first eight shots.
“We wanted to make sure he had bragging rights,” KU junior guard Kirk Hinrich said after scoring 14 points and dishing nine assists. “We didn’t want to have a slip up.”
The Jayhawks were amazed at the respect shown Boschee by 13,280 fans.
“They loved Jeff, that’s for sure,” Hinrich said. “I’ve never seen anything like that in a real game maybe in an exhibition game or a farewell game. It seemed like a farewell game or something.”
“We knew everybody would treat him like a celebrity but the way they treated him was like he was president,” KU freshman guard Keith Langford said after scoring 11 points. “We had to keep all the girls from going up to Boschee’s room at the hotel. Other than that it was a typical road game.”
The festivities started early for Boschee on Saturday.
He and KU coach Roy Williams watched from the visitor’s bench 10 minutes before the game as Boschee’s brother Mike, an assistant coach at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, was introduced along with other members of the 1989-90 UND team that reached the Elite Eight.
“Standing there waiting for my brother to be introduced, I told coach Williams I was starting to get nervous,” Boschee said.
He was OK during pregame warmups, then was almost paralyzed by the minute-long standing ovation he received before the game. The scoreboard was fixed on Boschee’s face with a “Boschee-Cam.”
“Jeff is a very low-key young man. We almost had to send word down to him that they were showing his face on the video board, to get him to wave. He did that,” Williams said.
“At the end, I tried to take him out individually so he would be the only guy to get the ovation. I don’t think the people realized at first he was going out. They cheered and he acknowledged them again. He is very proud of his home state.”
Williams was unaware Boschee was a point off his career-high scoring mark of 24 set against Kansas State on Dec. 12, 2000.
“I had no idea,” the coach said.
No matter Boschee said he cared only about the win, KU’s ninth in 10 games.
“I mean, it’d be nice to have something like that. I don’t feel bad about not getting that today,” Boschee said. “I don’t care about career highs.”
He does care about fellow Dakotans who showed to cheer him Saturday.
After fielding many media interview requests and being the last to depart the KU locker room, he was greeted by a two-deep throng of fans lining the tunnel to the court.
Boschee, who turned 22 on Friday, signed a hundred or more autographs before leaving the arena and driving to Valley City for Christmas with his parents.
“The whole town showed up. Having them here was special for me,” he said. “I think they had a great time.”
Boschee wasn’t the only guy to participate in the game, even though it seemed that way.
Nick Collison scored 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Hinrich’s 14 points came on 6-of-8 shooting. Gooden hit five of 12 shots and had 12 points and 10 boards. Simien, who tied a career high with 13 points, hit five of eight shots, as did Langford.
Freshman Aaron Miles set a career high in assists with nine as the Jayhawks beat a pesky Div. II team led by center Jerome Beasley (20 points) and guard Jeff Brandt (17).
“We wanted to try to improve as a team and wanted to make sure Jeff had bragging rights,” Williams said. “A lot of times kids make themselves so much tighter in that type scenario. Jeff stepped up and made shots and did some nice things. It was nice for him to come back to his home state and play well.
“Four of six from the three-point line, nine of 12 overall and the last shot he missed looked good, too.”
Boschee’s biggest thrill?
“I’d say winning the Big 12 championship my freshman year was bigger, but this is something I’ll always remember,” Boschee said.
The Jayhawks will take off several days for Christmas and return to Lawrence Thursday in preparation for Saturday’s 8 p.m. battle against Tulsa at Kemper Arena.