Kareem Rush is slated to make his long-awaited comeback today against Kansas.
Rush, Missouri’s 6-foot-6, 215-pound shooting guard from Kansas City, Mo., has been sidelined since Feb. 5 a span of seven games after tearing ligaments in his left thumb against Oklahoma State.
He’s been practicing of late, however, and insists he’ll be ready for today’s 1:05 p.m. battle at Allen Fieldhouse.
Rush he averages a Big 12-leading 21.9 points in 21 games scored 27 points with 11 rebounds in MU’s 75-66 victory over KU at Hearnes Center in Columbia, Mo.
The Jayhawks realize Missouri will be at a fever pitch emotionally with Rush in the lineup again.
“Everyone knows he is a great player,” said KU senior Kenny Gregory. “I don’t expect him to struggle at all. Like with Drew (Gooden, 17 points against Kansas State after missing five straight games) the other night, he didn’t struggle after missing a couple of games. I expect him to be the same player. He will score a lot of points and do whatever he thinks he needs to do to get his team a win.”
Gregory may be assigned to Rush defensively. Or he could guard Clarence Gilbert, a 6-2 junior who averages 16.5 points a game. Gilbert scored 12 points on 5-of-16 shooting (one of five threes) against KU in Columbia.
“I like playing against Missouri. Clarence Gilbert is a good player. He talks a lot of trash. He brings a lot of excitement to the game,” Gregory said. “He’s a scorer and comes at you every time talking trash.”
Eric Chenowith’s high school coach, Kevin Reynolds, will attend today’s game. Chenowith’s parents, Bob and Janey, and his younger sister Amanda (eighth grade volleyball standout) flew commercially from Orange, Calif., to KCI on Saturday.
Chenowith’s older sister, Melissa, and her two daughters took the train from Fullerton, Calif., to Lawrence.
“It’s a straight shot 33 hours,” Janey Chenowith, said. “They were to leave Friday night at 8:30 and arrive in Lawrence Sunday at 5 a.m.”
Melissa dislikes flying. Earlier this year, she drove from California to Lawrence with her husband and two daughters for a KU game.
Of today’s postgame speeches, Chenowith said: “I expect Luke and Kenny to cry. I think we’re going in alphabetical order so I think Luke will cry first, then I will go and Kenny will cry last.
” I expect these two guys to cry and us to win hopefully.
” I am a communications major, so I have been thinking about what I am going to say. I think I need to do a good job so that my teachers can feel that they taught me something over the past couple of years,” he grinned.
KU senior Luke Axtell practiced again on Saturday and vows to play in today’s game. KU coach Roy Williams said Axtell would start with fellow seniors Gregory and Chenowith. The other two spots are up for grabs, but it’s likely KU will need two ballhandlers Jeff Boschee and Kirk Hinrich to go with the seniors.
0 Drew Gooden, F, 6-10, 230, Soph., Richmond, Calif. (El Cerrito HS).
3 Brett Ballard, G, 6-0, 175, Jr., Hutchinson (Hutchinson CC).
4 Nick Collison, F, 6-9 1/2, 250, Soph., Iowa Falls, Iowa (Iowa Falls HS).
10 Kirk Hinrich, G, 6-3 1/2, 180, Soph., Sioux City, Iowa (Sioux City West HS).
13 Jeff Boschee, G, 6-1, 185, Jr., Valley City, N.D. (Valley City HS).
15 Bryant Nash, F, 6-6 1/2, 200, Fr., Carrollton, Texas (Turner HS).
20 Kenny Gregory, G/F, 6-5, 208, Sr., Columbus, Ohio (Independence HS).
22 Jeff Carey, F/C, 6-11, 250, Jr., Camdenton, Mo. (Camdenton HS).
24 Lewis Harrison, G, 6-0, 165, Jr., Kansas City (Kansas City CC).
33 Luke Axtell, G/F, 6-10, 220, Sr., Austin, Texas (University of Texas).
34 Chris Zerbe, F, 6-5, 230, Jr., Andover (Hutchinson CC).
44 Eric Chenowith, C, 7-1, 270, Sr., Villa Park, Calif. (Villa Park HS).
50 Todd Kappelmann, F, 6-9, 230, Jr., Augusta (Butler County CC).
2 Wesley Stokes, G, 5-10, 171, Fr., Long Beach, Calif.
3 Kenge Stevenson, F, 6-5, 230, Jr., Ladue, Mo.
4 Clarence Gilbert, G, 6-2, 199, Jr., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
5 Travon Bryant, F, 6-9, 240, Fr., Long Beach, Calif.
10 Ryan Kieman, G, 6-0, 165, Soph., St. Charles, Mo.
11 Justin Gage, F, 6-5, 225, Soph., Jefferson City, Mo.
12 Brian Grawer, G, 6-0, 170, Sr., St. Louis.
15 Josh Kroenke, G, 6-4, 197, Soph., Columbia, Mo.
21 Kareem Rush, F, 6-6, 215, Soph., Kansas City, Mo.
23 Ricky Paulding, G, 6-5, 208, Fr., Detroit.
31 Johnny Parker, F, 6-6, 230, Sr., St. Louis.
33 Tajudeen Soyoye, F, 6-9, 240, Sr., Lagos, Nigeria.
35 Michael Griffin, G, 6-3, 175, Fr., Norcross, Ga.
50 Arthur Johnson, C, 6-9, 270, Fr., Detroit.
NOTES
Kansas leads the all-time series, 152-90. The teams have split the season series the past five years. Missouri beat KU, 75-66, on Jan. 29, at Hearnes Center.
KU is 77-33 all-time when playing in Lawrence and 31-14 in games at Allen Fieldhouse.
KU coach Roy Williams is 14-12 all-time versus Missouri and 1-2 versus Missouri under second-year head coach Quin Snyder. Williams is 8-4 versus MU at Allen Fieldhouse.
KU has won 17 straight games on Senior Day. Last loss in a home finale was a 60-58 setback to Nebraska on March 2, 1983.
