Now is not an easy time to be a Kansas University men’s basketball player.
The Jayhawks this week not only must prepare for a test against UCLA at 4 p.m. Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, but also must prep for final exams in classrooms all over KU’s campus.
“It’ll be a tough week with finals,” coach Roy Williams said. “Hopefully they’ve done enough work they don’t have to cram and stay up all night.”
The Jayhawks practiced and lifted weights for two hours and 45 minutes Monday. The players will shoot around for an hour both today and Wednesday, with full practices set for Thursday and Friday.
Williams will be out of town recruiting until Thursday.
“We have a big game Saturday after the end of a week of finals,” Williams said of the battle between the 5-3 Jayhawks and 2-2 Bruins.
“Hopefully the guys will be focused again after practicing Thursday and Friday.”
The players have been balancing books and school all semester, this week a bit more difficult than most.
“Practice this week is very important, but at the same time you have to separate both and concentrate on final exams,” KU sophomore Keith Langford said, noting Spanish figures to be his most difficult final.
“It has a lot to do with being a student athlete – separating academics and basketball, doing well at both. If we can handle both, we’ll be fine.”
The Jayhawks can’t take the Bruins lightly, despite their slow start. UCLA returns several players – including starters Jason Kapono and Cedric Bozeman – from the team that waxed KU, 87-77, last season in Los Angeles.
“With finals coming up, it’s easy to get distracted,” senior guard Kirk Hinrich said. “We want to get some practices in and try to have some good practices and get ready for UCLA.”
Sophomore forward Wayne Simien concurred.
“With finals coming up we will not be practicing as much, so we have to get mentally ready for UCLA,” he indicated.
¢
Collison honored: KU senior Nick Collison has been named Big 12 Player of the Week for his effort in wins over Tulsa and Emporia State.
Collison nearly averaged a double-double with 22.5 points and 9.5 boards per game off 64.0 percent shooting, 66.7 percent from three-point land and 100 percent from the free throw line.
He scored 26 points in a career-high 37 minutes against No. 17 Tulsa on Wednesday night. He scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in Saturday’s win over ESU.
He won in a split vote over Missouri junior Rickey Paulding who averaged 23.5 points in two wins last week.
¢
Slam dunk revisited: Williams joked about Simien’s thunder dunk against Emporia State on Monday’s “Hawk Talk” radio show.
Simien accepted an alley-oop feed from Aaron Miles and put home a vicious slam in the second half of KU’s 113-61 victory.
“I tell him sometimes you don’t have to dunk it sooooo hard,” Williams said drawing out the word “so” for emphasis.
“I’m afraid he’s going to break the rim, and have the backboard or something come down on his head. Just put it through for two.”
Of the dunk, Simien said: “Any time I have a chance to finish with an exclamation mark when we’re up a little bit, I’ll do that. We were up in terms of the score and I had an opportunity to put a little more flair on it. Aaron did a great job. He didn’t score as much, but he had 13 assists, no turnovers, getting everybody else shots.”
¢
Happy holidays: KU’s players will be heading home for Christmas break after Saturday afternoon’s game.
“We have it set up now we think we can get everybody out on Saturday night,” Williams said. “Everybody has the Saturday the 21st, the 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th at home. We meet in Oakland the afternoon of the 26th at 4 p.m. We’ll practice the 26th and 27th before playing the 28th.”
KU will meet Cal-Berkeley in the Pete Newell Challenge at 2:30 p.m., CDT, Dec. 28 at the Arena in Oakland.
“I’m giving them one more day than I probably should do. At the same time I don’t want to be the old Grinch,” Williams said.
¢
Big 12-SEC Challenge?: ESPN.com’s Andy Katz reports the Big 12 and SEC are working on details for a challenge series, perhaps to start as early as next season. KU officials say they are unaware of such a possibility and the schedule is being worked out with no Challenge in mind.
Assistant sports editor Gary Bedore can be reached at 832-7186.
Now is not an easy time to be a Kansas University men’s basketball player.
The Jayhawks this week not only must prepare for a test against UCLA at 4 p.m. Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, but also must prep for final exams in classrooms all over KU’s campus.
“It’ll be a tough week with finals,” coach Roy Williams said. “Hopefully they’ve done enough work they don’t have to cram and stay up all night.”
The Jayhawks practiced and lifted weights for two hours and 45 minutes Monday. The players will shoot around for an hour both today and Wednesday, with full practices set for Thursday and Friday.
Williams will be out of town recruiting until Thursday.
“We have a big game Saturday after the end of a week of finals,” Williams said of the battle between the 5-3 Jayhawks and 2-2 Bruins.
“Hopefully the guys will be focused again after practicing Thursday and Friday.”
The players have been balancing books and school all semester, this week a bit more difficult than most.
“Practice this week is very important, but at the same time you have to separate both and concentrate on final exams,” KU sophomore Keith Langford said, noting Spanish figures to be his most difficult final.
“It has a lot to do with being a student athlete – separating academics and basketball, doing well at both. If we can handle both, we’ll be fine.”
The Jayhawks can’t take the Bruins lightly, despite their slow start. UCLA returns several players – including starters Jason Kapono and Cedric Bozeman – from the team that waxed KU, 87-77, last season in Los Angeles.
“With finals coming up, it’s easy to get distracted,” senior guard Kirk Hinrich said. “We want to get some practices in and try to have some good practices and get ready for UCLA.”
Sophomore forward Wayne Simien concurred.
“With finals coming up we will not be practicing as much, so we have to get mentally ready for UCLA,” he indicated.
¢
Collison honored: KU senior Nick Collison has been named Big 12 Player of the Week for his effort in wins over Tulsa and Emporia State.
Collison nearly averaged a double-double with 22.5 points and 9.5 boards per game off 64.0 percent shooting, 66.7 percent from three-point land and 100 percent from the free throw line.
He scored 26 points in a career-high 37 minutes against No. 17 Tulsa on Wednesday night. He scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in Saturday’s win over ESU.
He won in a split vote over Missouri junior Rickey Paulding who averaged 23.5 points in two wins last week.
¢
Slam dunk revisited: Williams joked about Simien’s thunder dunk against Emporia State on Monday’s “Hawk Talk” radio show.
Simien accepted an alley-oop feed from Aaron Miles and put home a vicious slam in the second half of KU’s 113-61 victory.
“I tell him sometimes you don’t have to dunk it sooooo hard,” Williams said drawing out the word “so” for emphasis.
“I’m afraid he’s going to break the rim, and have the backboard or something come down on his head. Just put it through for two.”
Of the dunk, Simien said: “Any time I have a chance to finish with an exclamation mark when we’re up a little bit, I’ll do that. We were up in terms of the score and I had an opportunity to put a little more flair on it. Aaron did a great job. He didn’t score as much, but he had 13 assists, no turnovers, getting everybody else shots.”
¢
Happy holidays: KU’s players will be heading home for Christmas break after Saturday afternoon’s game.
“We have it set up now we think we can get everybody out on Saturday night,” Williams said. “Everybody has the Saturday the 21st, the 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th at home. We meet in Oakland the afternoon of the 26th at 4 p.m. We’ll practice the 26th and 27th before playing the 28th.”
KU will meet Cal-Berkeley in the Pete Newell Challenge at 2:30 p.m., CDT, Dec. 28 at the Arena in Oakland.
“I’m giving them one more day than I probably should do. At the same time I don’t want to be the old Grinch,” Williams said.
¢
Big 12-SEC Challenge?: ESPN.com’s Andy Katz reports the Big 12 and SEC are working on details for a challenge series, perhaps to start as early as next season. KU officials say they are unaware of such a possibility and the schedule is being worked out with no Challenge in mind.
Assistant sports editor Gary Bedore can be reached at 832-7186.
Now is not an easy time to be a Kansas University men’s basketball player.
The Jayhawks this week not only must prepare for a test against UCLA at 4 p.m. Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, but also must prep for final exams in classrooms all over KU’s campus.
“It’ll be a tough week with finals,” coach Roy Williams said. “Hopefully they’ve done enough work they don’t have to cram and stay up all night.”
The Jayhawks practiced and lifted weights for two hours and 45 minutes Monday. The players will shoot around for an hour both today and Wednesday, with full practices set for Thursday and Friday.
Williams will be out of town recruiting until Thursday.
“We have a big game Saturday after the end of a week of finals,” Williams said of the battle between the 5-3 Jayhawks and 2-2 Bruins.
“Hopefully the guys will be focused again after practicing Thursday and Friday.”
The players have been balancing books and school all semester, this week a bit more difficult than most.
“Practice this week is very important, but at the same time you have to separate both and concentrate on final exams,” KU sophomore Keith Langford said, noting Spanish figures to be his most difficult final.
“It has a lot to do with being a student athlete – separating academics and basketball, doing well at both. If we can handle both, we’ll be fine.”
The Jayhawks can’t take the Bruins lightly, despite their slow start. UCLA returns several players – including starters Jason Kapono and Cedric Bozeman – from the team that waxed KU, 87-77, last season in Los Angeles.
“With finals coming up, it’s easy to get distracted,” senior guard Kirk Hinrich said. “We want to get some practices in and try to have some good practices and get ready for UCLA.”
Sophomore forward Wayne Simien concurred.
“With finals coming up we will not be practicing as much, so we have to get mentally ready for UCLA,” he indicated.
¢
Collison honored: KU senior Nick Collison has been named Big 12 Player of the Week for his effort in wins over Tulsa and Emporia State.
Collison nearly averaged a double-double with 22.5 points and 9.5 boards per game off 64.0 percent shooting, 66.7 percent from three-point land and 100 percent from the free throw line.
He scored 26 points in a career-high 37 minutes against No. 17 Tulsa on Wednesday night. He scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in Saturday’s win over ESU.
He won in a split vote over Missouri junior Rickey Paulding who averaged 23.5 points in two wins last week.
¢
Slam dunk revisited: Williams joked about Simien’s thunder dunk against Emporia State on Monday’s “Hawk Talk” radio show.
Simien accepted an alley-oop feed from Aaron Miles and put home a vicious slam in the second half of KU’s 113-61 victory.
“I tell him sometimes you don’t have to dunk it sooooo hard,” Williams said drawing out the word “so” for emphasis.
“I’m afraid he’s going to break the rim, and have the backboard or something come down on his head. Just put it through for two.”
Of the dunk, Simien said: “Any time I have a chance to finish with an exclamation mark when we’re up a little bit, I’ll do that. We were up in terms of the score and I had an opportunity to put a little more flair on it. Aaron did a great job. He didn’t score as much, but he had 13 assists, no turnovers, getting everybody else shots.”
¢
Happy holidays: KU’s players will be heading home for Christmas break after Saturday afternoon’s game.
“We have it set up now we think we can get everybody out on Saturday night,” Williams said. “Everybody has the Saturday the 21st, the 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th at home. We meet in Oakland the afternoon of the 26th at 4 p.m. We’ll practice the 26th and 27th before playing the 28th.”
KU will meet Cal-Berkeley in the Pete Newell Challenge at 2:30 p.m., CDT, Dec. 28 at the Arena in Oakland.
“I’m giving them one more day than I probably should do. At the same time I don’t want to be the old Grinch,” Williams said.
¢
Big 12-SEC Challenge?: ESPN.com’s Andy Katz reports the Big 12 and SEC are working on details for a challenge series, perhaps to start as early as next season. KU officials say they are unaware of such a possibility and the schedule is being worked out with no Challenge in mind.
Assistant sports editor Gary Bedore can be reached at 832-7186.
Now is not an easy time to be a Kansas University men’s basketball player.
The Jayhawks this week not only must prepare for a test against UCLA at 4 p.m. Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, but also must prep for final exams in classrooms all over KU’s campus.
“It’ll be a tough week with finals,” coach Roy Williams said. “Hopefully they’ve done enough work they don’t have to cram and stay up all night.”
The Jayhawks practiced and lifted weights for two hours and 45 minutes Monday. The players will shoot around for an hour both today and Wednesday, with full practices set for Thursday and Friday.
Williams will be out of town recruiting until Thursday.
“We have a big game Saturday after the end of a week of finals,” Williams said of the battle between the 5-3 Jayhawks and 2-2 Bruins.
“Hopefully the guys will be focused again after practicing Thursday and Friday.”
The players have been balancing books and school all semester, this week a bit more difficult than most.
“Practice this week is very important, but at the same time you have to separate both and concentrate on final exams,” KU sophomore Keith Langford said, noting Spanish figures to be his most difficult final.
“It has a lot to do with being a student athlete – separating academics and basketball, doing well at both. If we can handle both, we’ll be fine.”
The Jayhawks can’t take the Bruins lightly, despite their slow start. UCLA returns several players – including starters Jason Kapono and Cedric Bozeman – from the team that waxed KU, 87-77, last season in Los Angeles.
“With finals coming up, it’s easy to get distracted,” senior guard Kirk Hinrich said. “We want to get some practices in and try to have some good practices and get ready for UCLA.”
Sophomore forward Wayne Simien concurred.
“With finals coming up we will not be practicing as much, so we have to get mentally ready for UCLA,” he indicated.
¢
Collison honored: KU senior Nick Collison has been named Big 12 Player of the Week for his effort in wins over Tulsa and Emporia State.
Collison nearly averaged a double-double with 22.5 points and 9.5 boards per game off 64.0 percent shooting, 66.7 percent from three-point land and 100 percent from the free throw line.
He scored 26 points in a career-high 37 minutes against No. 17 Tulsa on Wednesday night. He scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in Saturday’s win over ESU.
He won in a split vote over Missouri junior Rickey Paulding who averaged 23.5 points in two wins last week.
¢
Slam dunk revisited: Williams joked about Simien’s thunder dunk against Emporia State on Monday’s “Hawk Talk” radio show.
Simien accepted an alley-oop feed from Aaron Miles and put home a vicious slam in the second half of KU’s 113-61 victory.
“I tell him sometimes you don’t have to dunk it sooooo hard,” Williams said drawing out the word “so” for emphasis.
“I’m afraid he’s going to break the rim, and have the backboard or something come down on his head. Just put it through for two.”
Of the dunk, Simien said: “Any time I have a chance to finish with an exclamation mark when we’re up a little bit, I’ll do that. We were up in terms of the score and I had an opportunity to put a little more flair on it. Aaron did a great job. He didn’t score as much, but he had 13 assists, no turnovers, getting everybody else shots.”
¢
Happy holidays: KU’s players will be heading home for Christmas break after Saturday afternoon’s game.
“We have it set up now we think we can get everybody out on Saturday night,” Williams said. “Everybody has the Saturday the 21st, the 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th at home. We meet in Oakland the afternoon of the 26th at 4 p.m. We’ll practice the 26th and 27th before playing the 28th.”
KU will meet Cal-Berkeley in the Pete Newell Challenge at 2:30 p.m., CDT, Dec. 28 at the Arena in Oakland.
“I’m giving them one more day than I probably should do. At the same time I don’t want to be the old Grinch,” Williams said.
¢
Big 12-SEC Challenge?: ESPN.com’s Andy Katz reports the Big 12 and SEC are working on details for a challenge series, perhaps to start as early as next season. KU officials say they are unaware of such a possibility and the schedule is being worked out with no Challenge in mind.
Assistant sports editor Gary Bedore can be reached at 832-7186.
