If Wayne Simien had his way, he’d definitely play in tonight’s Kansas-Pittsburg State basketball game at Allen Fieldhouse.
Tip is 7:05 p.m. with a live telecast on channels 13 and 38.
“He wanted to play (in Maui). He wants to play against Pittsburg State, but I think this time of year it’s more important to be conservative,” Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams said on Tuesday, referring to Simien, KU’s 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman forward who had arthroscopic left knee surgery on Nov. 15.
“He is progressing. They had him walking the stairs yesterday in practice, trying to exercise the knee yet not put him in a situation where he could hurt it. He said it felt better today than yesterday.”
It remains to be seen whether Simien will be able to play in Saturday’s game at Arizona. Simien has been active during dummy drills (no contact) the last couple days at practice. He’s been fairly mobile while playing with the left knee heavily taped.
“He’s going in 5-on-zero drills, running plays with no defense and no chance of banging it,” Williams said. “When he hurt it in the first place, it was just a slight bump (at practice).”
Simien he was KU’s leading scorer in two exhibition games is mighty eager to play in a real game.
“It’s a helpless situation on the bench,” he said. “I try to cheer along as much as I can. I know if I was healthy I could contribute. Seeing some other guys go down (with cramps in Hawaii) was really a helpless feeling knowing I couldn’t help out. I’m going to have to suck it up like I have in the past to overcome this.”
Simien, who had shoulder surgery last April, re-habbed and was in tip-top shape in plenty of time for the start of basketball practice on Oct. 12. He also has battled back from knee surgery his freshman year in high school and a minor heart condition his junior season.
Meanwhile, red-shirt guard Jeff Hawkins, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 22, returned to practice on Tuesday for 10-12 plays in full contract drills.
Freshman shooting guard Keith Langford twisted an ankle at the end of Monday’s practice but did practice on Tuesday with his ankles taped.
“He twisted it at the end of practice during shooting drills. I’d already left and gone to the radio show,” Williams said of his Monday night show. “He sprained it.
“He was blaming it on Lewis (Harrison), but everybody else said one of the lines (on the court) got him,” Williams joked.
As far as tonight’s game, the Jayhawks (2-1) take on 3-1 Pittsburg State, an NCAA Div. II team.
“It’s something if I were at Pittsburg State I’d look forward to it a great deal,” Williams said. “A dream come true. It’d be a challenge but a challenge I’d welcome too.”
It’s an opportunity for the Jayhawks and their contributing freshmen to continue to learn.
“If you say that, it is sort of like you are slighting them. I don’t want it to be like that at all,” Williams said of tonight’s game being seen as a glorified practice or tune-up for Arizona. “We should be more gifted. We should be bigger. Looking at it in those scenarios (to work on some things) yes it has a chance to help you out.”
The Jayhawks definitely are still in the learning stage. Williams noted he has yet to implement his point zone defense.
“With Aaron (Miles), Wayne and Keith, that’s three of our top seven or so who are freshmen,” he said. “We have had to do things more slowly. We have had to go back and cover things a second, third, fourth time. I sort of like that. It’s part of the teaching process.
“We’ve had to address more things this year than in the past. Last year at this time if I put a number on it, I’d say we had 10 secondary break options. Now we have five. We’ve tried to do a much better job of teaching those five. We’ve held some things back. There’s only so much they can learn.”
Pitt State is led by senior forward Dan Stanley, who averages 16.8 points and 5.2 boards a game. Guard Cedric Brooks and forward Jai Pradia average 15 and 14 points respectively.
If Wayne Simien had his way, he’d definitely play in tonight’s Kansas-Pittsburg State basketball game at Allen Fieldhouse.
Tip is 7:05 p.m. with a live telecast on channels 13 and 38.
“He wanted to play (in Maui). He wants to play against Pittsburg State, but I think this time of year it’s more important to be conservative,” Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams said on Tuesday, referring to Simien, KU’s 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman forward who had arthroscopic left knee surgery on Nov. 15.
“He is progressing. They had him walking the stairs yesterday in practice, trying to exercise the knee yet not put him in a situation where he could hurt it. He said it felt better today than yesterday.”
It remains to be seen whether Simien will be able to play in Saturday’s game at Arizona. Simien has been active during dummy drills (no contact) the last couple days at practice. He’s been fairly mobile while playing with the left knee heavily taped.
“He’s going in 5-on-zero drills, running plays with no defense and no chance of banging it,” Williams said. “When he hurt it in the first place, it was just a slight bump (at practice).”
Simien he was KU’s leading scorer in two exhibition games is mighty eager to play in a real game.
“It’s a helpless situation on the bench,” he said. “I try to cheer along as much as I can. I know if I was healthy I could contribute. Seeing some other guys go down (with cramps in Hawaii) was really a helpless feeling knowing I couldn’t help out. I’m going to have to suck it up like I have in the past to overcome this.”
Simien, who had shoulder surgery last April, re-habbed and was in tip-top shape in plenty of time for the start of basketball practice on Oct. 12. He also has battled back from knee surgery his freshman year in high school and a minor heart condition his junior season.
Meanwhile, red-shirt guard Jeff Hawkins, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 22, returned to practice on Tuesday for 10-12 plays in full contract drills.
Freshman shooting guard Keith Langford twisted an ankle at the end of Monday’s practice but did practice on Tuesday with his ankles taped.
“He twisted it at the end of practice during shooting drills. I’d already left and gone to the radio show,” Williams said of his Monday night show. “He sprained it.
“He was blaming it on Lewis (Harrison), but everybody else said one of the lines (on the court) got him,” Williams joked.
As far as tonight’s game, the Jayhawks (2-1) take on 3-1 Pittsburg State, an NCAA Div. II team.
“It’s something if I were at Pittsburg State I’d look forward to it a great deal,” Williams said. “A dream come true. It’d be a challenge but a challenge I’d welcome too.”
It’s an opportunity for the Jayhawks and their contributing freshmen to continue to learn.
“If you say that, it is sort of like you are slighting them. I don’t want it to be like that at all,” Williams said of tonight’s game being seen as a glorified practice or tune-up for Arizona. “We should be more gifted. We should be bigger. Looking at it in those scenarios (to work on some things) yes it has a chance to help you out.”
The Jayhawks definitely are still in the learning stage. Williams noted he has yet to implement his point zone defense.
“With Aaron (Miles), Wayne and Keith, that’s three of our top seven or so who are freshmen,” he said. “We have had to do things more slowly. We have had to go back and cover things a second, third, fourth time. I sort of like that. It’s part of the teaching process.
“We’ve had to address more things this year than in the past. Last year at this time if I put a number on it, I’d say we had 10 secondary break options. Now we have five. We’ve tried to do a much better job of teaching those five. We’ve held some things back. There’s only so much they can learn.”
Pitt State is led by senior forward Dan Stanley, who averages 16.8 points and 5.2 boards a game. Guard Cedric Brooks and forward Jai Pradia average 15 and 14 points respectively.
If Wayne Simien had his way, he’d definitely play in tonight’s Kansas-Pittsburg State basketball game at Allen Fieldhouse.
Tip is 7:05 p.m. with a live telecast on channels 13 and 38.
“He wanted to play (in Maui). He wants to play against Pittsburg State, but I think this time of year it’s more important to be conservative,” Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams said on Tuesday, referring to Simien, KU’s 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman forward who had arthroscopic left knee surgery on Nov. 15.
“He is progressing. They had him walking the stairs yesterday in practice, trying to exercise the knee yet not put him in a situation where he could hurt it. He said it felt better today than yesterday.”
It remains to be seen whether Simien will be able to play in Saturday’s game at Arizona. Simien has been active during dummy drills (no contact) the last couple days at practice. He’s been fairly mobile while playing with the left knee heavily taped.
“He’s going in 5-on-zero drills, running plays with no defense and no chance of banging it,” Williams said. “When he hurt it in the first place, it was just a slight bump (at practice).”
Simien he was KU’s leading scorer in two exhibition games is mighty eager to play in a real game.
“It’s a helpless situation on the bench,” he said. “I try to cheer along as much as I can. I know if I was healthy I could contribute. Seeing some other guys go down (with cramps in Hawaii) was really a helpless feeling knowing I couldn’t help out. I’m going to have to suck it up like I have in the past to overcome this.”
Simien, who had shoulder surgery last April, re-habbed and was in tip-top shape in plenty of time for the start of basketball practice on Oct. 12. He also has battled back from knee surgery his freshman year in high school and a minor heart condition his junior season.
Meanwhile, red-shirt guard Jeff Hawkins, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 22, returned to practice on Tuesday for 10-12 plays in full contract drills.
Freshman shooting guard Keith Langford twisted an ankle at the end of Monday’s practice but did practice on Tuesday with his ankles taped.
“He twisted it at the end of practice during shooting drills. I’d already left and gone to the radio show,” Williams said of his Monday night show. “He sprained it.
“He was blaming it on Lewis (Harrison), but everybody else said one of the lines (on the court) got him,” Williams joked.
As far as tonight’s game, the Jayhawks (2-1) take on 3-1 Pittsburg State, an NCAA Div. II team.
“It’s something if I were at Pittsburg State I’d look forward to it a great deal,” Williams said. “A dream come true. It’d be a challenge but a challenge I’d welcome too.”
It’s an opportunity for the Jayhawks and their contributing freshmen to continue to learn.
“If you say that, it is sort of like you are slighting them. I don’t want it to be like that at all,” Williams said of tonight’s game being seen as a glorified practice or tune-up for Arizona. “We should be more gifted. We should be bigger. Looking at it in those scenarios (to work on some things) yes it has a chance to help you out.”
The Jayhawks definitely are still in the learning stage. Williams noted he has yet to implement his point zone defense.
“With Aaron (Miles), Wayne and Keith, that’s three of our top seven or so who are freshmen,” he said. “We have had to do things more slowly. We have had to go back and cover things a second, third, fourth time. I sort of like that. It’s part of the teaching process.
“We’ve had to address more things this year than in the past. Last year at this time if I put a number on it, I’d say we had 10 secondary break options. Now we have five. We’ve tried to do a much better job of teaching those five. We’ve held some things back. There’s only so much they can learn.”
Pitt State is led by senior forward Dan Stanley, who averages 16.8 points and 5.2 boards a game. Guard Cedric Brooks and forward Jai Pradia average 15 and 14 points respectively.
If Wayne Simien had his way, he’d definitely play in tonight’s Kansas-Pittsburg State basketball game at Allen Fieldhouse.
Tip is 7:05 p.m. with a live telecast on channels 13 and 38.
“He wanted to play (in Maui). He wants to play against Pittsburg State, but I think this time of year it’s more important to be conservative,” Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams said on Tuesday, referring to Simien, KU’s 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman forward who had arthroscopic left knee surgery on Nov. 15.
“He is progressing. They had him walking the stairs yesterday in practice, trying to exercise the knee yet not put him in a situation where he could hurt it. He said it felt better today than yesterday.”
It remains to be seen whether Simien will be able to play in Saturday’s game at Arizona. Simien has been active during dummy drills (no contact) the last couple days at practice. He’s been fairly mobile while playing with the left knee heavily taped.
“He’s going in 5-on-zero drills, running plays with no defense and no chance of banging it,” Williams said. “When he hurt it in the first place, it was just a slight bump (at practice).”
Simien he was KU’s leading scorer in two exhibition games is mighty eager to play in a real game.
“It’s a helpless situation on the bench,” he said. “I try to cheer along as much as I can. I know if I was healthy I could contribute. Seeing some other guys go down (with cramps in Hawaii) was really a helpless feeling knowing I couldn’t help out. I’m going to have to suck it up like I have in the past to overcome this.”
Simien, who had shoulder surgery last April, re-habbed and was in tip-top shape in plenty of time for the start of basketball practice on Oct. 12. He also has battled back from knee surgery his freshman year in high school and a minor heart condition his junior season.
Meanwhile, red-shirt guard Jeff Hawkins, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 22, returned to practice on Tuesday for 10-12 plays in full contract drills.
Freshman shooting guard Keith Langford twisted an ankle at the end of Monday’s practice but did practice on Tuesday with his ankles taped.
“He twisted it at the end of practice during shooting drills. I’d already left and gone to the radio show,” Williams said of his Monday night show. “He sprained it.
“He was blaming it on Lewis (Harrison), but everybody else said one of the lines (on the court) got him,” Williams joked.
As far as tonight’s game, the Jayhawks (2-1) take on 3-1 Pittsburg State, an NCAA Div. II team.
“It’s something if I were at Pittsburg State I’d look forward to it a great deal,” Williams said. “A dream come true. It’d be a challenge but a challenge I’d welcome too.”
It’s an opportunity for the Jayhawks and their contributing freshmen to continue to learn.
“If you say that, it is sort of like you are slighting them. I don’t want it to be like that at all,” Williams said of tonight’s game being seen as a glorified practice or tune-up for Arizona. “We should be more gifted. We should be bigger. Looking at it in those scenarios (to work on some things) yes it has a chance to help you out.”
The Jayhawks definitely are still in the learning stage. Williams noted he has yet to implement his point zone defense.
“With Aaron (Miles), Wayne and Keith, that’s three of our top seven or so who are freshmen,” he said. “We have had to do things more slowly. We have had to go back and cover things a second, third, fourth time. I sort of like that. It’s part of the teaching process.
“We’ve had to address more things this year than in the past. Last year at this time if I put a number on it, I’d say we had 10 secondary break options. Now we have five. We’ve tried to do a much better job of teaching those five. We’ve held some things back. There’s only so much they can learn.”
Pitt State is led by senior forward Dan Stanley, who averages 16.8 points and 5.2 boards a game. Guard Cedric Brooks and forward Jai Pradia average 15 and 14 points respectively.
