Lee not hot to ‘Trot
Former Kansas University guard Michael Lee has declined an offer to play for the Harlem Globetrotters.
“It’s not a knock on the Globetrotters, but I want to play competitive basketball right now,” Lee said. “My plans now are to do the overseas thing. I’ve got people helping me out and looking for some spots.”
Jackson sits
KU sophomore Darnell Jackson did not play Wednesday.
“He wasn’t feeling very well. I don’t think he can eat very much,” said fellow sophomore Jeremy Case. “He’s really down right now (following death of his grandmother). We’ve just got to be there for him when he needs somebody to talk to, just being there for him. We’re going out with him to eat now and just talk.”
Thomas a free agent
Ex-Jayhawk Billy Thomas, who played half a season with the New Jersey Nets, is not under contract for next season.
“They were pleased with my effort and relayed that to my agent,” Thomas said. “Negotiations can’t start until July 1. It could be them; there could be five or six other teams. It was a dream come true playing there.”
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Woodberry’s future
Steve Woodberry, who played in Sweden last season, said he wasn’t sure if he’d retire or head overseas again next campaign.
Vaughn coaches
Jacque Vaughn, recovering from a broken foot he sustained last year with the Nets, was honorary coach for the veterans. He declined interview requests.
Simien update
Wayne Simien, who had a workout Wednesday in Phoenix and has another Friday in Minnesota, has decided to watch the NBA Draft at his Leavenworth home and will not attend the proceedings in New York. Simien made an appearance at camp on Tuesday so he wouldn’t miss his first KU camp in 14 years.
Sue Ogrocki/AP PhotoOKLAHOMA CITY ? No matter what Kansas University’s baseball team did Wednesday in the opening round of the Big 12 Conference tournament, it’d be facing a team today that it had a lot of success against during the regular season.
As it turns out, that team will be Texas in an elimination game at 10 a.m. today at SBC Bricktown Ballpark.
The Longhorns fell to Oklahoma State, 10-4, in an excruciatingly long game to start the day Wednesday. The UT offense left 12 runners on base, and the pitching wasn’t too hot either.
“We always get into situations like this in games like this,” Texas coach Augie Garrido said. “Whose fault is it? Is it good hitting or bad pitching? Is it good offense or is it bad defense? You get into those struggles. I think it was a combination of all those things.”
Kansas played Texas at Hoglund Ballpark earlier this month, winning two of three when the Jayhawks’ Big 12 tournament hopes hung in the balance.
Mike Zagurski threw in the second game of the series, allowing just one unearned run in 7 1/3 innings. He’ll take the mound today to try and keep KU’s season alive.
“Mike Zagurski and Kodiak Quick are the reason we’re here,” KU coach Ritch Price said of his top two starters. “(Zagurski) won his last four Big 12 Conference starts. He’s beaten Texas and Oklahoma State and some quality people the last month of the season.”
McCormick OK: Baylor starting pitcher Mark McCormick was knocked out of Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over KU after just 2/3 of an inning, after A.J. Van Slyke drilled him on the throwing hand with a hard-hit ground ball.
McCormick took two warmup pitches to see if he could go, but threw both of them way over the catcher’s head and off the screen. He started walking to the dugout before the second throw even hit the backstop.
“He left no doubt he couldn’t throw,” Baylor coach Steve Smith quipped.
McCormick was diagnosed with a bruised hand, and might be available near the end of the tournament if Baylor gets far enough.
Darn good defense: KU made no errors Wednesday, providing further evidence that the defensive woes from earlier this season are history.
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The most dazzling play of the day was in the ninth inning, when third baseman Erik Morrison snagged a sharp ground ball heading down the left-field line, then rocketed a throw to first in time to retire Kevin Russo.
“They’ve really matured and progressed as the season’s gone on,” Price said. “We’re not even the same team that played the opening week of the Big 12 Conference.”
Surprising bat: Through the first seven innings Wednesday, Quick threw 80 pitches and allowed just two hits.
Both of them were off the bat of right fielder Seth Fortenberry, who homered in the second and tripled down the right-field line in the fifth. He also flew out to the warning track in the eighth.
Sounds like a slugger, but Fortenberry entered the game with a .155 batting average (13-for-84) with nine RBIs in 47 games.
“It’s Big 12 ball. You can’t take anybody lightly in this conference,” Quick said. “He’s not a bad player, and he still has a good swing.”
