“It was kind of funny. The first thing I thought was, ‘It’s as empty as I’ve seen a banquet,”’ Langford said.

Just 300 fans showed for the Jayhawks’ postseason awards celebration in the building that seats 2,024.

Last year, 1,200 fans attended the awards show at Horejsi Center next to Allen Fieldhouse.

“The fans that came … I’m definitely very appreciative,”’ said Langford, second-leading scorer on a 23-7 team that won a share of the Big 12 Conference title, but bowed to Bucknell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo

“Those are the people that show their true colors, who are behind you regardless of the outcome on the floor, how you end up. The ones who didn’t show up can sit behind their desk, their computers or whatever and complain till next season.”

The fans who did show for the crisp hour-and-a-half program watched Wayne Simien take home the coveted MVP trophy and also the rebounding and Mr. Jayhawk (team leader) awards. Aaron Miles (assists), Michael Lee (free-throw percentage), Christian Moody (academics, field-goal percentage), Jeff Hawkins (defense) and Sasha Kaun (improvement) also earned hardware.

“No, man, I was not disappointed at all,” Simien said of the sparse crowd. “The ones who were there supporting us tonight were the true ones who support us through thick and thin. I’m sure some couldn’t make it tonight.”

KU coach Bill Self, who said he’d never forget this team for winning the league title despite battling injury and illness problems late, said he was “surprised” by the turnout.

“If you ask me, if the attendance was disappointing. I’d say it probably was for the guys. Certainly we’re not disappointed with the crowd (in attendance),” he said.

Self was asked if the fans were over the stunning loss to Bucknell.

“I am really not privy. I don’t listen to talk shows or read a lot of papers. If people are still disappointed at this juncture, I feel as a coach we have to move forward, and fans have to do the same thing,” he said. “We can’t get it back. We can’t change what happened.”

What can change is how the team plays next year, and Self thinks the returning players will shine.

“It’s been an interesting last few weeks, but it hasn’t been bad,” Self said. “It will make us hungrier, tougher and fight harder than we ever have. This is the only year I can remember the season ended, and I wanted to go to work the next day. These young kids are going to be terrific, and three more coming in will help us a lot.”

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Simien on being named MVP: “It’s one of the top honors I’ve received because it was voted by my teammates who care about me. You could have chopped it up. Anybody could have gotten the award.”

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New name for award: Self said the Cedric Hunter/Jacque Vaughn assists award would have a different name next season: “We won’t take Ced and Jacque’s name off there, (but) Aaron’s will be on there, too,” Self said of Miles, the school’s all-time assists leader.

6Sports video: Banquet bittersweet for Jayhawks Photo Gallery: Kansas Men’s Basketball Awards Ceremony Seniors bracing for final farewell (04-14-05)

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Galindo to visit FIU: KU freshman Alex Galindo, who has announced plans to transfer, said he planned to take up to five visits and would start this weekend by visiting Florida International in Miami.

He’s a good friend of FIU’s coach, Sergio Rouco, who brought Galindo to America to play high school ball in New Jersey.

“I’m thinking about playing closer to home, either my home in Puerto Rico or my other home, New Jersey,” he said. “He is a person out there I most trust and would feel most comfortable playing for him. I don’t have any regrets (in leaving). I will miss playing in the fieldhouse.”

Why is he leaving? “It was a lot of personal reasons. One of ’em was homesickness,” he said.

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Case excelling: Red-shirt sophomore Jeremy Case apparently has been KU’s most impressive player in offseason pick-up games.

“That’s what I’ve heard in passing,” Self said of the guard from McAlester, Okla.

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Class of ’06: Self will have three scholarships to give in recruiting next year. KU’s needs? “A big guy, a wing and the next best player available,” Self said.

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Explanation: Langford said he meant nothing sinister after the loss to Bucknell when he told reporters he now would be free to get things “off my chest.”

“The negativity the past couple of weeks … some of that was surrounding what I said,” Langford said. “I don’t have a negative feeling in my body whatsoever about anything. If I did have something to say, I wouldn’t put it out in the air like that. It’s not how you treat people you are close to. What I said … I meant no reference to coach or anything like that.”

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Draft hopes: Self said he had heard Miles would be a second-round pick in the NBA draft and Langford a high second-rounder, if not a first-rounder. He said a lot depended on how they play in one-on-one workouts with teams and at the Chicago draft camp.

“People tell me if Keith has an unbelievable spring, there’s still a need, depending on how many foreign kids and high school kids go,” Self said, adding that Miles needed to show teams he could score during workouts.

Langford, who has been working out with a personal trainer from Houston three times a week, will work out for the Houston Rockets next week.

Simien, a lock for the first round, hears he could go “between five and 15, but it’s still too way early to tell.”

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Travels: Self, North Carolina coach Roy Williams and LSU coach John Brady will be in New Orleans today to speak at a coaching clinic led by Xavier College coach Dannton Jackson. The clinic is a benefit for the New Orleans Jazz AAU team. Self and Brady are recruiting Jazz player Dwight Lewis, a 6-5 guard from Metairie, La., who is to visit KU on April 28. Williams and Brady are recruiting Jazz player D.J. Augustin.