Fifth-year senior Carey clips net first

By Staff     Feb 20, 2002

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo
Kansas' Drew Gooden, left, and Nick Collison sandwich Iowa State's Omar Bynum. The Jayhawks routed the Cyclones, 102-66, on Monday at Allen Fieldhouse to clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title.

The first Kansas basketball player to climb the ladder and clip the north end zone net Monday at Allen Fieldhouse was not Big 12 player of the year candidate Drew Gooden.

It was not Nick Collison or Kirk Hinrich.

Nor was it Jeff Boschee.

The initial scissors snip following KU’s Big 12 tie-clinching 102-66 victory over Iowa State was made by Jeff Carey, KU’s fifth-year senior center from Camdenton, Mo.

“Five years … you work your way up the ladder,” Carey said. “I remember I was one of the last ones to cut it the last time we cut the net my redshirt year in Kemper Arena (in 1998). I was one of the last that day; today the first. It’s a great feeling to work my way up to this.”

Carey was unanimous choice to earn the first snip. He’s been unselfish this season, not complaining about averaging 7.5 minutes per game 5.6 minutes in Big 12 games.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound team player has not been in the regular rotation with big men Gooden, Collison and Wayne Simien logging most of the playing time.

“Whenever Jeff is in the game I want him to do well. He is extremely, extremely important to our team,” KU coach Roy Williams said of Carey, who had hit 18 of 31 shots for 58.1 percent. He’s also grabbed 42 boards with nine blocks and 11 steals.

“I don’t ask him to step forward many times, but when I do he steps forward and does some nice things. I like to see him do well.”

Carey was elated following the game in which KU claimed a tie for the league title with three games to play.

“It’s a great feeling right now that we’ve accomplished so much,” Carey said of the Jayhawks, 24-2 overall and 13-0 in the league. “At the same time it’s not over. We still have three more games.

“We played extremely well tonight,” he said of the win over ISU. “Our defense was phenomenal. We played incredibly hard. Everybody gave great, great effort. I couldn’t be more pleased with the way we played. Even the guys at the end who got in, we played phenomenal.”

When Carey is in the game, his role is not necessarily to score.

“For me a three-guard offense is a little tough knowing I’m on the court with four better scorers than I am,” Carey said. “I am not looking to shoot as much as I am getting them (teammates) open and getting them the ball. When I am looking for a shot, I start to think somebody else might get a better shot.”

As far as overall playing time, he takes what he can get. “It’s pretty obvious if Nick gets in foul trouble I get a lot more minutes,” he said of Collison. “Whenever Wayne is healthy and Nick is not in foul trouble my minutes may be few. Other games they may be many … whenever coach wants me to come in.”

Zerbe OK: Senior Chris Zerbe survived that hard fall he took late in Monday’s game.

“I’ve got a good bruise starting to build, but it’ll be fine,” Zerbe said after the game.

X-rays on the hip proved negative, KU assistant Neil Dougherty said on Tuesday’s Hawk Talk radio show. He handled the guest duties with Williams on the road recruiting.

“Nothing was broken. It was one bad fall,” Dougherty said. “They (doctors) think he’ll be fine. He’ll be slowed up awhile. We looked at it on film this morning. That was a hard fall.”

So hard the coaches wondered if Zerbe could even remain in the game to shoot a free throw the one that gave KU 100 points for the game.

“He wanted it bad,” Dougherty said. “He’s been catching a lot from the players for fumbling that ball in Manhattan.”

Zerbe couldn’t handle a late pass wide open down low late as time was running out in KU’s 98-71 win on Feb. 4 at Manhattan.

“I let it slip out of my hands. That was 100 points right there,” he said. “I blew it.

“I figured the least I could do is step up and at least hit one of these,” he said of a pair of free throws with :49 left.

First points for Harrison: Senior guard Lewis Harrison scored four points on Monday his first points of the season.

He hit a jumper with 2:02 left and converted a fastbreak layup at :22.

“It’s something we all wanted. I was going to set up a play for him if we had to,” Williams said of Harrison, who had seven points his junior season. “Lewis has done a great job all year helping us get ready to play.”

Fifth-year senior Carey clips net first

By Staff     Feb 20, 2002

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo
Kansas' Drew Gooden, left, and Nick Collison sandwich Iowa State's Omar Bynum. The Jayhawks routed the Cyclones, 102-66, on Monday at Allen Fieldhouse to clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title.

The first Kansas basketball player to climb the ladder and clip the north end zone net Monday at Allen Fieldhouse was not Big 12 player of the year candidate Drew Gooden.

It was not Nick Collison or Kirk Hinrich.

Nor was it Jeff Boschee.

The initial scissors snip following KU’s Big 12 tie-clinching 102-66 victory over Iowa State was made by Jeff Carey, KU’s fifth-year senior center from Camdenton, Mo.

“Five years … you work your way up the ladder,” Carey said. “I remember I was one of the last ones to cut it the last time we cut the net my redshirt year in Kemper Arena (in 1998). I was one of the last that day; today the first. It’s a great feeling to work my way up to this.”

Carey was unanimous choice to earn the first snip. He’s been unselfish this season, not complaining about averaging 7.5 minutes per game 5.6 minutes in Big 12 games.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound team player has not been in the regular rotation with big men Gooden, Collison and Wayne Simien logging most of the playing time.

“Whenever Jeff is in the game I want him to do well. He is extremely, extremely important to our team,” KU coach Roy Williams said of Carey, who had hit 18 of 31 shots for 58.1 percent. He’s also grabbed 42 boards with nine blocks and 11 steals.

“I don’t ask him to step forward many times, but when I do he steps forward and does some nice things. I like to see him do well.”

Carey was elated following the game in which KU claimed a tie for the league title with three games to play.

“It’s a great feeling right now that we’ve accomplished so much,” Carey said of the Jayhawks, 24-2 overall and 13-0 in the league. “At the same time it’s not over. We still have three more games.

“We played extremely well tonight,” he said of the win over ISU. “Our defense was phenomenal. We played incredibly hard. Everybody gave great, great effort. I couldn’t be more pleased with the way we played. Even the guys at the end who got in, we played phenomenal.”

When Carey is in the game, his role is not necessarily to score.

“For me a three-guard offense is a little tough knowing I’m on the court with four better scorers than I am,” Carey said. “I am not looking to shoot as much as I am getting them (teammates) open and getting them the ball. When I am looking for a shot, I start to think somebody else might get a better shot.”

As far as overall playing time, he takes what he can get. “It’s pretty obvious if Nick gets in foul trouble I get a lot more minutes,” he said of Collison. “Whenever Wayne is healthy and Nick is not in foul trouble my minutes may be few. Other games they may be many … whenever coach wants me to come in.”

Zerbe OK: Senior Chris Zerbe survived that hard fall he took late in Monday’s game.

“I’ve got a good bruise starting to build, but it’ll be fine,” Zerbe said after the game.

X-rays on the hip proved negative, KU assistant Neil Dougherty said on Tuesday’s Hawk Talk radio show. He handled the guest duties with Williams on the road recruiting.

“Nothing was broken. It was one bad fall,” Dougherty said. “They (doctors) think he’ll be fine. He’ll be slowed up awhile. We looked at it on film this morning. That was a hard fall.”

So hard the coaches wondered if Zerbe could even remain in the game to shoot a free throw the one that gave KU 100 points for the game.

“He wanted it bad,” Dougherty said. “He’s been catching a lot from the players for fumbling that ball in Manhattan.”

Zerbe couldn’t handle a late pass wide open down low late as time was running out in KU’s 98-71 win on Feb. 4 at Manhattan.

“I let it slip out of my hands. That was 100 points right there,” he said. “I blew it.

“I figured the least I could do is step up and at least hit one of these,” he said of a pair of free throws with :49 left.

First points for Harrison: Senior guard Lewis Harrison scored four points on Monday his first points of the season.

He hit a jumper with 2:02 left and converted a fastbreak layup at :22.

“It’s something we all wanted. I was going to set up a play for him if we had to,” Williams said of Harrison, who had seven points his junior season. “Lewis has done a great job all year helping us get ready to play.”

Fifth-year senior Carey clips net first

By Staff     Feb 20, 2002

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo
Kansas' Drew Gooden, left, and Nick Collison sandwich Iowa State's Omar Bynum. The Jayhawks routed the Cyclones, 102-66, on Monday at Allen Fieldhouse to clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title.

The first Kansas basketball player to climb the ladder and clip the north end zone net Monday at Allen Fieldhouse was not Big 12 player of the year candidate Drew Gooden.

It was not Nick Collison or Kirk Hinrich.

Nor was it Jeff Boschee.

The initial scissors snip following KU’s Big 12 tie-clinching 102-66 victory over Iowa State was made by Jeff Carey, KU’s fifth-year senior center from Camdenton, Mo.

“Five years … you work your way up the ladder,” Carey said. “I remember I was one of the last ones to cut it the last time we cut the net my redshirt year in Kemper Arena (in 1998). I was one of the last that day; today the first. It’s a great feeling to work my way up to this.”

Carey was unanimous choice to earn the first snip. He’s been unselfish this season, not complaining about averaging 7.5 minutes per game 5.6 minutes in Big 12 games.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound team player has not been in the regular rotation with big men Gooden, Collison and Wayne Simien logging most of the playing time.

“Whenever Jeff is in the game I want him to do well. He is extremely, extremely important to our team,” KU coach Roy Williams said of Carey, who had hit 18 of 31 shots for 58.1 percent. He’s also grabbed 42 boards with nine blocks and 11 steals.

“I don’t ask him to step forward many times, but when I do he steps forward and does some nice things. I like to see him do well.”

Carey was elated following the game in which KU claimed a tie for the league title with three games to play.

“It’s a great feeling right now that we’ve accomplished so much,” Carey said of the Jayhawks, 24-2 overall and 13-0 in the league. “At the same time it’s not over. We still have three more games.

“We played extremely well tonight,” he said of the win over ISU. “Our defense was phenomenal. We played incredibly hard. Everybody gave great, great effort. I couldn’t be more pleased with the way we played. Even the guys at the end who got in, we played phenomenal.”

When Carey is in the game, his role is not necessarily to score.

“For me a three-guard offense is a little tough knowing I’m on the court with four better scorers than I am,” Carey said. “I am not looking to shoot as much as I am getting them (teammates) open and getting them the ball. When I am looking for a shot, I start to think somebody else might get a better shot.”

As far as overall playing time, he takes what he can get. “It’s pretty obvious if Nick gets in foul trouble I get a lot more minutes,” he said of Collison. “Whenever Wayne is healthy and Nick is not in foul trouble my minutes may be few. Other games they may be many … whenever coach wants me to come in.”

Zerbe OK: Senior Chris Zerbe survived that hard fall he took late in Monday’s game.

“I’ve got a good bruise starting to build, but it’ll be fine,” Zerbe said after the game.

X-rays on the hip proved negative, KU assistant Neil Dougherty said on Tuesday’s Hawk Talk radio show. He handled the guest duties with Williams on the road recruiting.

“Nothing was broken. It was one bad fall,” Dougherty said. “They (doctors) think he’ll be fine. He’ll be slowed up awhile. We looked at it on film this morning. That was a hard fall.”

So hard the coaches wondered if Zerbe could even remain in the game to shoot a free throw the one that gave KU 100 points for the game.

“He wanted it bad,” Dougherty said. “He’s been catching a lot from the players for fumbling that ball in Manhattan.”

Zerbe couldn’t handle a late pass wide open down low late as time was running out in KU’s 98-71 win on Feb. 4 at Manhattan.

“I let it slip out of my hands. That was 100 points right there,” he said. “I blew it.

“I figured the least I could do is step up and at least hit one of these,” he said of a pair of free throws with :49 left.

First points for Harrison: Senior guard Lewis Harrison scored four points on Monday his first points of the season.

He hit a jumper with 2:02 left and converted a fastbreak layup at :22.

“It’s something we all wanted. I was going to set up a play for him if we had to,” Williams said of Harrison, who had seven points his junior season. “Lewis has done a great job all year helping us get ready to play.”

Fifth-year senior Carey clips net first

By Staff     Feb 20, 2002

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo
Kansas' Drew Gooden, left, and Nick Collison sandwich Iowa State's Omar Bynum. The Jayhawks routed the Cyclones, 102-66, on Monday at Allen Fieldhouse to clinch at least a share of the Big 12 title.

The first Kansas basketball player to climb the ladder and clip the north end zone net Monday at Allen Fieldhouse was not Big 12 player of the year candidate Drew Gooden.

It was not Nick Collison or Kirk Hinrich.

Nor was it Jeff Boschee.

The initial scissors snip following KU’s Big 12 tie-clinching 102-66 victory over Iowa State was made by Jeff Carey, KU’s fifth-year senior center from Camdenton, Mo.

“Five years … you work your way up the ladder,” Carey said. “I remember I was one of the last ones to cut it the last time we cut the net my redshirt year in Kemper Arena (in 1998). I was one of the last that day; today the first. It’s a great feeling to work my way up to this.”

Carey was unanimous choice to earn the first snip. He’s been unselfish this season, not complaining about averaging 7.5 minutes per game 5.6 minutes in Big 12 games.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound team player has not been in the regular rotation with big men Gooden, Collison and Wayne Simien logging most of the playing time.

“Whenever Jeff is in the game I want him to do well. He is extremely, extremely important to our team,” KU coach Roy Williams said of Carey, who had hit 18 of 31 shots for 58.1 percent. He’s also grabbed 42 boards with nine blocks and 11 steals.

“I don’t ask him to step forward many times, but when I do he steps forward and does some nice things. I like to see him do well.”

Carey was elated following the game in which KU claimed a tie for the league title with three games to play.

“It’s a great feeling right now that we’ve accomplished so much,” Carey said of the Jayhawks, 24-2 overall and 13-0 in the league. “At the same time it’s not over. We still have three more games.

“We played extremely well tonight,” he said of the win over ISU. “Our defense was phenomenal. We played incredibly hard. Everybody gave great, great effort. I couldn’t be more pleased with the way we played. Even the guys at the end who got in, we played phenomenal.”

When Carey is in the game, his role is not necessarily to score.

“For me a three-guard offense is a little tough knowing I’m on the court with four better scorers than I am,” Carey said. “I am not looking to shoot as much as I am getting them (teammates) open and getting them the ball. When I am looking for a shot, I start to think somebody else might get a better shot.”

As far as overall playing time, he takes what he can get. “It’s pretty obvious if Nick gets in foul trouble I get a lot more minutes,” he said of Collison. “Whenever Wayne is healthy and Nick is not in foul trouble my minutes may be few. Other games they may be many … whenever coach wants me to come in.”

Zerbe OK: Senior Chris Zerbe survived that hard fall he took late in Monday’s game.

“I’ve got a good bruise starting to build, but it’ll be fine,” Zerbe said after the game.

X-rays on the hip proved negative, KU assistant Neil Dougherty said on Tuesday’s Hawk Talk radio show. He handled the guest duties with Williams on the road recruiting.

“Nothing was broken. It was one bad fall,” Dougherty said. “They (doctors) think he’ll be fine. He’ll be slowed up awhile. We looked at it on film this morning. That was a hard fall.”

So hard the coaches wondered if Zerbe could even remain in the game to shoot a free throw the one that gave KU 100 points for the game.

“He wanted it bad,” Dougherty said. “He’s been catching a lot from the players for fumbling that ball in Manhattan.”

Zerbe couldn’t handle a late pass wide open down low late as time was running out in KU’s 98-71 win on Feb. 4 at Manhattan.

“I let it slip out of my hands. That was 100 points right there,” he said. “I blew it.

“I figured the least I could do is step up and at least hit one of these,” he said of a pair of free throws with :49 left.

First points for Harrison: Senior guard Lewis Harrison scored four points on Monday his first points of the season.

He hit a jumper with 2:02 left and converted a fastbreak layup at :22.

“It’s something we all wanted. I was going to set up a play for him if we had to,” Williams said of Harrison, who had seven points his junior season. “Lewis has done a great job all year helping us get ready to play.”

PREV POST

World Online video report: Gene Budig speaks at KU (part 7)

NEXT POST

12012Fifth-year senior Carey clips net first