Kansas University’s basketball players don’t spend much time talking about “The Streak.”
You know: KU’s 24-game win streak against rival Kansas State. The last time the Wildcats won against Kansas was Jan. 17, 1994, when KSU pinned a 68-64 loss on the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse.
“I understand it’s big for the fans. It’s not as big for the players,” said KU senior Nick Collison, owner of an 8-0 record against the Wildcats, who meet KU at 7 tonight at Allen Fieldhouse.
“It seems everyone in Kansas is either a KU or K-State fan. It’s the same in Iowa with Iowa and Iowa State,” said the Iowa Falls, Iowa, native. “For us, we have guys on our team from Portland, from Iowa, all over. For us, it’s just another big game, a Big 12 game. That’s big enough.”
The 12th-ranked Jayhawks (12-3 overall, 2-0 Big 12) have a hard time working up hatred for the Wildcats (10-5, 1-1).
“No,” sophomore guard Keith Langford said, asked if tonight’s matchup seemed like a rivalry game.
“I don’t have any more incentive going into this game than the Wyoming game. It doesn’t mean as much as it does to some local people or guys who grew up in Kansas. I know it’s a rival just because it’s in-state schools, but I wish it was probably a little more competitive. I hope I don’t shoot myself in the foot if they come in here and beat us. I don’t think that will happen.”
KU freshman guard Jeff Hawkins, who grew up in Kansas City, Kan., said he has nothing against the Wildcats, but one of his family members does.
“Most of our fans hate K-State. My brother does, too,” Hawkins said of older brother Floyd, who played basketball at Langston University in Oklahoma. “My brother and my cousin were talking after the Wyoming game and he told me, ‘I hope you beat them. I don’t like ’em.’ He said it out of the blue. I kind of looked at him strange.
“I grew up following the KU-Missouri games more because they’ve been more competitive.”
KU coach Roy Williams has a 33-4 mark against K-State, while Wildcat coach Jim Wooldridge is 0-5 versus KU.
“It’s still Kansas and Kansas State. The names on the front of the jerseys are still pretty important,” Williams said. “You guys (media) get caught up in that stuff about streaks a heck of a lot more than I do. If it’s 24, I’m the only guy that’s been around all 24 of those. I hope we can delay their wins a little longer.”
Williams doesn’t expect a potential 25th win in a row to come easily.
The Wildcats, who have four starters averaging double-digit scoring, pounded Texas Tech, 68-44, Saturday in Manhattan before falling, 69-63, Wednesday at Colorado.
“They were really impressive against Tech,” Williams said of the Cats’ eighth win in a row. “It was a game they were in complete control. They lost by six at Colorado, where a lot of teams will lose.”
| When: 7:05 tonight.Where: Allen Fieldhouse.Television: Channels 13 and 38 (Sunflower Broadband Channel 15). Replay at 10:30 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.Records: Kansas State 10-5 overall, 1-1 Big 12; Kansas 12-3, 2-0.Series: Kansas leads 163-88.Last Meeting: Kansas won 103-68 on Feb. 27, 2002 at Lawrence. |
The Wildcats have hit 101 of 239 three-pointers for a conference-best 42.3 percent and have held foes to 61.5 points per game off 37.5 percent shooting. They likely will need to bury some long-distance shots and continue to play stifling defense to stand a chance tonight.
“We’re excited. It’s going to be a hard game,” said KSU senior guard Gilson DeJesus, who has averaged a team-leading 12.5 points a game while making 47 of 91 threes. “I think that’s what we’ve been waiting for, a good game against a great team. They are our rival, so we’re ready.”
First they hope they’re ready to halt KU’s 24-game win streak against KSU. Early next month, talk will be of Streak II, KU’s 19-game win streak in Manhattan, site of a Feb. 8 rematch between the schools.
“The obvious answer is it would be monumental,” Wooldridge said of a potential victory today. “We are a program trying to reach the level of the top programs in our league. They are an awfully good basketball team. I mean, (Kirk) Hinrich and Collison are NBA players.”
Woolridge is not yet convinced the Jayhawks are better than last year’s Final Four squad, which ripped KSU 103-68 in Lawrence and 97-71 at Bramlage Coliseum.
“This is not taking anything away from this team. This team is obviously a good team, too. But that was one of the best teams I had ever seen, ever, in all my years of basketball,” Wooldridge said.
Kansas University’s basketball players don’t spend much time talking about “The Streak.”
You know: KU’s 24-game win streak against rival Kansas State. The last time the Wildcats won against Kansas was Jan. 17, 1994, when KSU pinned a 68-64 loss on the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse.
“I understand it’s big for the fans. It’s not as big for the players,” said KU senior Nick Collison, owner of an 8-0 record against the Wildcats, who meet KU at 7 tonight at Allen Fieldhouse.
“It seems everyone in Kansas is either a KU or K-State fan. It’s the same in Iowa with Iowa and Iowa State,” said the Iowa Falls, Iowa, native. “For us, we have guys on our team from Portland, from Iowa, all over. For us, it’s just another big game, a Big 12 game. That’s big enough.”
The 12th-ranked Jayhawks (12-3 overall, 2-0 Big 12) have a hard time working up hatred for the Wildcats (10-5, 1-1).
“No,” sophomore guard Keith Langford said, asked if tonight’s matchup seemed like a rivalry game.
“I don’t have any more incentive going into this game than the Wyoming game. It doesn’t mean as much as it does to some local people or guys who grew up in Kansas. I know it’s a rival just because it’s in-state schools, but I wish it was probably a little more competitive. I hope I don’t shoot myself in the foot if they come in here and beat us. I don’t think that will happen.”
KU freshman guard Jeff Hawkins, who grew up in Kansas City, Kan., said he has nothing against the Wildcats, but one of his family members does.
“Most of our fans hate K-State. My brother does, too,” Hawkins said of older brother Floyd, who played basketball at Langston University in Oklahoma. “My brother and my cousin were talking after the Wyoming game and he told me, ‘I hope you beat them. I don’t like ’em.’ He said it out of the blue. I kind of looked at him strange.
“I grew up following the KU-Missouri games more because they’ve been more competitive.”
KU coach Roy Williams has a 33-4 mark against K-State, while Wildcat coach Jim Wooldridge is 0-5 versus KU.
| When: 7:05 tonight.Where: Allen Fieldhouse.Television: Channels 13 and 38 (Sunflower Broadband Channel 15). Replay at 10:30 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.Records: Kansas State 10-5 overall, 1-1 Big 12; Kansas 12-3, 2-0.Series: Kansas leads 163-88.Last Meeting: Kansas won 103-68 on Feb. 27, 2002 at Lawrence. |
“It’s still Kansas and Kansas State. The names on the front of the jerseys are still pretty important,” Williams said. “You guys (media) get caught up in that stuff about streaks a heck of a lot more than I do. If it’s 24, I’m the only guy that’s been around all 24 of those. I hope we can delay their wins a little longer.”
Williams doesn’t expect a potential 25th win in a row to come easily.
The Wildcats, who have four starters averaging double-digit scoring, pounded Texas Tech, 68-44, Saturday in Manhattan before falling, 69-63, Wednesday at Colorado.
“They were really impressive against Tech,” Williams said of the Cats’ eighth win in a row. “It was a game they were in complete control. They lost by six at Colorado, where a lot of teams will lose.”
The Wildcats have hit 101 of 239 three-pointers for a conference-best 42.3 percent and have held foes to 61.5 points per game off 37.5 percent shooting. They likely will need to bury some long-distance shots and continue to play stifling defense to stand a chance tonight.
“We’re excited. It’s going to be a hard game,” said KSU senior guard Gilson DeJesus, who has averaged a team-leading 12.5 points a game while making 47 of 91 threes. “I think that’s what we’ve been waiting for, a good game against a great team. They are our rival, so we’re ready.”
First they hope they’re ready to halt KU’s 24-game win streak against KSU. Early next month, talk will be of Streak II, KU’s 19-game win streak in Manhattan, site of a Feb. 8 rematch between the schools.
“The obvious answer is it would be monumental,” Wooldridge said of a potential victory today. “We are a program trying to reach the level of the top programs in our league. They are an awfully good basketball team. I mean, (Kirk) Hinrich and Collison are NBA players.”
Woolridge is not yet convinced the Jayhawks are better than last year’s Final Four squad, which ripped KSU 103-68 in Lawrence and 97-71 at Bramlage Coliseum.
“This is not taking anything away from this team. This team is obviously a good team, too. But that was one of the best teams I had ever seen, ever, in all my years of basketball,” Wooldridge said.
6Sports video: KU men hoping to extend streaks