Jared Soares/Journal-World PhotoKansas University’s basketball players nibbled on heaping helpings of roast beef, turkey, ribs, coleslaw, baked beans and potato salad Sunday afternoon as they watched the NCAA Tournament Selection Show in a suite at Memorial Stadium.
The food tasted a bit better after it was announced the Jayhawks had earned a No. 4 seed and trip to nearby Kansas City, Mo., for the first round of the 65-team postseason event.
“It wasn’t a gigantic celebration. It was like a sigh of relief, like, ‘Oh, we got it,'” KU junior Michael Lee said. “Everybody already had it figured in their heads it was the best possible situation we could come out with. We were clapping. Everybody was smiling. It was a good atmosphere.
“I had a big grin on my face, kind of like this,” Lee added, smiling ear-to-ear.
Lee had an idea of the Jayhawks’ fate after Saturday’s Big 12 Conference tournament semifinal loss to Texas. A wrong idea.
“I expected a 5 seed, maybe go to Wisconsin or something,” Lee said.
KU junior Keith Langford said he had a bad feeling early in the Selection Show.
“They said St. Joseph’s was in East Rutherford (N.J.),” Langford said. “I said, ‘Watch us end up in New York or New Jersey or somewhere.'”
Yet Langford wasn’t stunned when KU was awarded a No. 4 seed, Kemper Arena and first-round game against Illinois-Chicago.
“Everybody is talking like we’d be a 12 or 13 (seed) or something. Things weren’t that bad,” Langford said. “I was expecting a 4, 5 or 6, 6 being the absolute worst. I felt we’d be in good shape regardless. I just wanted to be in the tournament.”
After taking a peek at the brackets, Langford likes the Jayhawks’ chances of advancing.
“I feel with how we’re playing, the situation of how the bracket is set up, we have a real opportunity to make a nice run,” Langford said.
A win over Illinois-Chicago — tipoff is approximately 8:55 p.m. Friday at Kemper — would push the Jayhawks into a Sunday matchup against either Providence or Pacific.
The winner of that game would move on to St. Louis and a likely meeting with Kentucky. Gonzaga and Georgia Tech are the top teams in the bottom half of that bracket and likely would be KU’s foe in an Elite Eight game.
Right now, all that’s on KU’s mind is the first-round meeting in K.C.
“We’ll have fan support. That gives us energy. We can feed off energy. That’s good stuff there,” freshman J.R. Giddens said.
KU junior Wayne Simien, who hails from Leavenworth, is appreciative the Jayhawks are headed to K.C.
“I thought the loss yesterday would have knocked us out of Kansas City,” he said. “I guess the committee felt otherwise. … We’re pretty excited about staying close to home and being a four seed.”
KU coach Self was surprised the Big 12 had just four teams invited: KU, Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
“The Big 12 is a plenty good enough league to deserve at least five. I’m sure Ricardo (Patton, Colorado coach) is disappointed. He has every right to be,” Self said.
Of the fact KU can’t meet Illinois or North Carolina until the Final Four, Self, the former Illini coach said: “I didn’t wish it to happen, but certainly I’m not complaining that it did. I think that would tend to add to distractions if either one of those scenarios played out.”
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Lucky draw: KU is idle until Friday with Simien (groin), Langford (knee), Jeff Graves (knee), David Padgett (foot), J.R. Giddens (foot) and Jeff Hawkins (back) having aches and pains.
“I’m a little run-down,” Simien said. “It’s definitely a pick-me-up today — seeing the Selection Show, getting in the tournament atmosphere and getting your mind right for that.”
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More on Roberts, SMU: KU assistant Norm Roberts has talked to SMU officials about their head-coaching vacancy.
“It was no official interview or anything,” Roberts said. “I have spoken to people around the program in an informal-type situation. Would I have interest in that job? Yes. That’s a terrific job and unbelievable opportunity.
“The recruiting base is unbelievable in Texas. SMU has a very good basketball program and tradition of winning. SMU moving to Conference USA is exciting.
“They are going about it talking to people and seeing if they can get a feel if there is a connection.”
SMU officials are also reportedly interested in Oklahoma State assistant James Dickey, Stanford assistant Eric Reveno, Oklahoma assistant Jimmy Tubbs, Texas assistant Frank Haith, Indiana assistant John Treloar and others.
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Printable tournament bracket