Aldrich close to record
Cole Aldrich needs eight blocks to pass Greg Ostertag as KU’s single-season block leader.
“I’m just going to go out and play the same game I played all year, try to block shots, rebound, get opportunities to score,” said Aldrich, who has 90 blocks.
More on Collins, NBA
Sherron Collins tells ESPN’s Scott Powers he’ll trust KU coach Bill Self to make the call on whether he enters the 2009 NBA Draft.
“I think he has my best interest in mind,” Collins said of Self. “If I need to come back, I will. We’ll have another great team. If he tells me I need to go, I need to go. I’ve been with him for three years. I trust him because of the way he cares about you off court.”
Self said he’ll investigate for Collins, who said last week that financial concerns will not push him into the NBA Draft. Collins said his son is well taken care of by his son’s mother and other family members.
“I hope he trusts me, because I’ll get accurate information,” Self said. “It is my goal for him to make a living playing basketball in the United States. … I think going into the year, he probably thought this would be his last year, but I think now he’s thinking that if it is not right, I’ll come back, get my degree and have a chance to do some great things with what could be a special team.”
Today’s travel plans
The Jayhawks will depart Allen Fieldhouse at 1:30 p.m., fly out of Topeka’s Forbes Field at 2:30 p.m., and arrive at the Downtown Indianapolis Omni Severin Hotel at 5:30 p.m. KU will hold a shootaround from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. on Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Self’s daughter picks KU
KU coach Self is pleased to report his daughter, Lauren, has chosen to attend KU next year. She’s currently a senior at Free State High.
‘Big-boyed’
Self remembers KU’s 13-point loss to Michigan State well.
“I told our guys in the locker room, ‘We got ‘big-boyed’ tonight.’ They beat us by 11 on the boards. We didn’t handle the situation well.”
Stephenson favoring KU?
The recruiting world believes Lance Stephenson is KU bound. Stephenson, a 6-5 senior guard from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, N.Y., has said he’ll announce for either KU, St. John’s or Maryland on March 31 at the McDonald’s All-America game.
“Look for him to pick the Jayhawks,” says Adam Zagoria of zagsblog.net.
Minneapolis ? Flyers resemble familiar foes
Dayton’s basketball team is quick and athletic.
The Flyers of the Atlantic 10 Conference, who play pressure man-to-man defense, resemble three teams the Jayhawks have met this season: Tennessee, Missouri and Michigan State.
“It’s not our first time going against a pressure team. Tennessee is that way,” KU coach Bill Self said. “They are a little different than anybody in our league. Even Missouri is more trapping zone stuff. They come at you man-to-man.”
Dayton coach Brian Gregory worked for Tom Izzo at MSU.
“They run some of the same sets,” Self said. “Their defense to offense (transition) is fabulous. They have the same philosophy as Michigan State,” Self added of a team that beat the Jayhawks, 75-62, in KU’s final nonconference game in East Lansing, Mich.
“Defensive transition, rebounding, being able to guard, be sound handling pressure will all be important,” Self added.
The Wright stuff
Dayton is led by 6-foot-8, 226-pound sophomore forward Chris Wright, who exploded for 27 points in Friday’s 68-60 first-round victory over West Virginia.
“He’s quicker on his feet than normal big guys,” said KU freshman Marcus Morris, who figures to open defensively on Wright. “I think I’m going to have to slide a little more, but he’s very aggressive. So the technique I just have to use is just be aggressive with him and don’t let him overpower me going to the basket.”
Here’s coach Self’s take on Wright, who averages 13.4 points a game off 48.9 percent shooting:
“He’s so very active. Puts a lot of pressure on the defense. He’s one of those guys that can play so aggressive that there’s always going to be contact. If you’re not in the proper defensive positioning, you can pick up a lot of fouls.
“But on the flip side, if you are, maybe you can get a cheap one or two on him as well. But he is a fabulous player. And probably puts as much pressure on you defensively as anybody that we played this year from either posting it, rebounding it, or catching it and driving it. I mean, he’s a guy that can really drive the ball.”
No relation
KU junior Mario Little is not related to Dayton’s Charles Little.
“I’m not going to go up and ask him about his name unless I see him at a family reunion,” Mario Little quipped.
Aldrich attends alma mater’s prep game
KU sophomore Cole Aldrich watched his high school basketball team win a state sectional final basketball game on Friday night.
“I just went for a few minutes. It was fun,” Aldrich said of watching Bloomington Jefferson High advance to state.
Taylor pulls prank on teammates
Kansas freshman Tyshawn Taylor put on a show for the media on Saturday in a Metrodome hallway. He opened several plastic containers that held the lunch of his teammates. He grabbed a handful of Oreo cookies from each container and placed them in his pockets, certain to tease his teammates later about his thefts.
Self on KU as favorite in today’s matchup:
“The villain, that’s kind of strong, isn’t it?” Self asked a questioner. “I think that we like the role that we have because usually when Kansas plays and it’s somebody else’s building, it is usually a pretty big game. But it’s that way with a lot of schools across America.
“And these guys don’t feel like they are defending the national championship. We never talked about it with our guys because there’s only really one guy (Sherron Collins) that played ample minutes that really played a big part of us winning it last year. Cole would be the second, and he averaged 2.8 points per game. Nobody else contributed on the court as far as the games go.
“So these are all new guys. We’re not trying to defend anything; we’re trying to go take what we want as opposed to defending.”
Minneapolis ? Collins vs. Woodside
Kansas University junior guard Sherron Collins today will be matched against N.D. State guard Ben Woodside, a 5-foot-11 senior who averages 22.8 points and 6.3 assists a game.
“He’s crafty, a good three-point shooter,” Collins said. “He knows how to use screens real well. It will be a tough matchup, but I think playing against a lot of great guards all season has prepared me for it.”
Like Collins, KU coach Bill Self respects Woodside.
“He would be the type of guy that every coach would want on his team,” Self said. “He’s very unselfish for a guy that averages 23 points. He has different gears. He does a terrific job at playing at three or four different speeds. He keeps his defender off balance.”
N.D. State coach Saul Phillips said Collins actually “reminds me of Woodside. They do have similar games in a lot of ways. It’s been a real thrill watching Kansas tape to watch him (Collins) evolve and take control of this team. He is the leader. You see that on tape.”
They play like Tigers
KU’s Cole Aldrich was asked if N.D. State resembled any team the Jayhawks have faced this season.
“Missouri,” he said. “They kind of run the same motion. They are not quite so large all around as a team, but they are really good. You take a good, hard-nosed Missouri team and you take the North Dakota State team and you know they will be really good.”
Self also said the Bison remind him of Texas Tech, a team that burned KU from beyond the three-point arc.
“They run the best motion of anybody we’ve played all year. They are a hard team to scout because their movement is dictated by what the defense does as opposed to what they have pre-set in their head to do,” Self said. “That’s much harder to do with a young team than a veteran team like theirs (four fifth-year senior starters).”
More on Obama ballot
Self was asked if he agreed with Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski that President Barack Obama should be more focused on the nation’s economy than filling out NCAA Tournament brackets.
“I think everybody needs a little release now and then. I think it’s OK for our president to spend five or seven minutes of his day getting away from all the things he has to deal with daily because I am sure his plate is more full than any of us could imagine,” Self said.
Obama picked KU to lose in the Sweet 16.
“I’m not disappointed at all,” Self said. “Last year we may have been a little bit of ‘flavor of the tournament’ type of pick because we had so many returning guys and so many obviously talented guys.
“We’re a little bit unknown ourselves. We have a good seed in being a 3 (to N.D. State’s 14), but there is still some unknown out there about us because we are so young.”
Quotable
Self on playing in the spacious Metrodome, which is configured to seat 32,000 fans:
“Even though that is huge, that’s not ‘Detroit big’ like we played in last year, where they seated up to 75,000,” he said of Ford Field. “We haven’t played in a venue this big. I don’t think North Dakota State has played in a venue this big.”
The Bison have not played in any huge domes this season.
“The original plan was to have our guys go out to a park outside where there is no background, but you can freeze your hands off this time of year in Fargo doing that, so we decided not to,” Phillips joked. “I go back to when I was a kid. I shot outside all the time. There’s a breeze outside, just like the Metrodome when you open up the door. That’s good. There’s nothing — even the Fargo Dome doesn’t begin to simulate the space behind the basket here.”
Rust may be evident
Self was asked if the Jayhawks might be rusty having not played since last Thursday.
“I guess there’s a chance, but a chance North Dakota State could be rusty too. They played last Tuesday (vs. Oakland). We played last Thursday (vs. Baylor). So we have that going for us. They will be rustier than us,” he cracked.
Self on playing at 11:30 a.m.:
“When we found out the game times this week, we’ve gotten up and eaten early breakfast as a group and practiced about the same time as game time, so that’s about the only thing that’s different.”
Lots of Bison on hand at Metrodome
North Dakota State is expected to have between 10,000 and 20,000 fans at the game.
It’s not known how many KU fans will make the drive from Lawrence and surrounding areas.
“It’s hard to imagine us having 20,000 fans here. With the home games, we draw about 4,000 to 5,000,” N.D. State’s Lucas Moormann said. “But I think the state is definitely behind us. It’s kind of the one team they have in the state, there are no pro teams or anything like that. So this is the one team they are always watching.”
“I got a lot of e-mails this past week saying, ‘Good luck,’ and, ‘We’ll be there supporting you,”’ said Bison player Brett Winkelman, who hails from Morris, Minn. “Some of my friends from high school and around the community I haven’t seen for four or five years are excited about it and will come down and support us.”
Juenemann dunk alert
Kansas coaches didn’t have plans to let Jayhawk players dunk for the fans in practice because of what happened at last year’s Final Four when Rodrick Stewart suffered a season-ending knee injury when he went up for a dunk to try and please the fans.
However, walk-on Jordan Juenemann threw one down on Thursday in drills to the delight of the Metrodome fans onhand.
Latest ankle update
KU coach Bill Self said sophomore Cole Aldrich (stress reaction left ankle) practiced full speed Monday and Tuesday and will practice again today in preparation for the N.D. State game.
“I gave him off Saturday and Sunday,” Self said, indicating Aldrich otherwise has practiced “every day.”
Aldrich said the ankle does not bother him when he’s on the court.
“It’s very minor,” he said. “The boot (he wears off the court) is there to keep stress off my ankle. I’m feeling good.”
Scheduling update
The Jayhawks are scheduled to leave Allen Fieldhouse for Topeka’s Forbes Field at 2 p.m. today. KU will hold a shootaround from 1:30 to 2:10 p.m., Thursday at the Metrodome. It is open to the public. The Bison will practice from noon to 12:40 p.m. Thursday at the dome.
Academic tourney report
KU’s basketball team won four games and advanced to the Final Four of the 2009 Inside Higher Ed Academic Performance Tournament, sponsored by Inside Higher Ed Magazine.
Teams were matched against each other based on the NCAA’s Academic Progress rate.
KU defeated North Dakota State in the classroom in a first-round APR matchup, then stopped Dayton in the second round.
The Jayhawks toppled Michigan State in the Sweet 16 classroom battle, then upended Wake Forest in the Elite Eight. KU fell in a Final Four semifinal to Brigham Young.
North Carolina tripped Villanova in the other Final Four semifinal and stopped BYU to win the mythical national title.
To view the bracket, check out insidehighered.com.
Tourney favorites
Self said a handful of teams enter the NCAA Tournament as favorites.
“I think the one seeds (Louisville, North Carolina, Pitt, UConn), plus Memphis over the course of the season, have proven to be a little bit better than the rest of the field,” Self said. “When I say ‘little bit’ it’s just a little bit.
“West Virginia beats Pitt by 12. Syracuse knocks off UConn. Florida State just beat North Carolina. Louisville to me is the most impressive team the last two to three weeks. They won the (Big East) outright and the league tournament.”
Stephenson update
Lance Stephenson, a 6-5 senior guard from Brooklyn, N.Y.’s Lincoln High, will announce his college choice April 1 at the McDonald’s All-America game in Miami, Zagsblog.net reports.
Zagsblog indicated he would likely choose between KU and St. John’s. Zagsblog believes Maryland is “out of the picture.” The Web site reported that KU assistant Danny Manning and St. John’s coach Norm Roberts “have been tracking Stephenson in recent weeks.”
Clemente suspended
Kansas State guard Denis Clemente was suspended one game by coach Frank Martin for Clemente’s actions against Kansas University in Saturday’s game in Manhattan.
Clemente served his suspension during Tuesday’s 95-49 win over North Carolina Central.
“Denis is a very passionate and competitive young man who knows he made a mistake,” Martin said. “His actions on Saturday are not acceptable and he has to do a better job of maintaining his composure.”
Video replays showed Clemente struck KU’s Tyrel Reed in the head while Reed was boxing him out after a free throw with 31 seconds left.
“I am very sorry for my actions on Saturday,” Clemente said. “I understand that I let my emotions get the best of me and, more importantly, I let my team down.”
According to K-State, “Clemente committed a fighting act as defined by Section 4 of the NCAA Basketball Rules and must serve a suspension for the next contest.”
“The Conference accepts this action and I commend coach Martin for taking the initiative and implementing action that demonstrates his continued commitment to conduct his program with sportsmanship,” Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe said. “I also appreciate Mr. Clemente’s acknowledgment of his mistake.”
KU coach Bill Self said: “Denis is a heck of a player. He played well against us in a hard-fought game. By no means did we pursue this situation at all.”
Recruiting update
Lance Stephenson, a 6-5 senior from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, N.Y., who will visit KU this weekend, tells Rivals.com he also wants to visit UCLA and Wake Forest. He is also considering St. John’s, Maryland and Southern California. … Bradley Beal, a 6-3 sophomore from Chaminade College Prep School in St. Louis, will visit KU for the Missouri game on March 1, according to Rivals.com.
Bumps, bruises
KU’s Brady Morningstar and Cole Aldrich have each worn a protective boot this week in response to minor foot/lower leg bruises. Self said both have practiced and are expected to play tonight against Iowa State (7 p.m., Allen Fieldhouse).
‘It’s Kansas’
Sherron Collins was asked if he’s surprised the Jayhawks are 20-5 overall and 9-1 in the league.
“I’m a little surprised, but it’s what we’re supposed to do. It’s Kansas.”
McDonald’s update
The McDonald’s All-America game rosters will be announced at 5 p.m., today on ESPNU. KU signees Thomas Robinson and Elijah Johnson are candidates for the game.
‘Phantom’ speaks about nickname
Sophomore Cole Aldrich revealed the teammate who nicknamed him, “Phantom of the Phog” for his face mask, which looks like the one worn in “Phantom of the Opera.”
“Quintrell did,” the man with the broken nose said of frosh forward Quintrell Thomas.
“They (teammates) were talking jokes the day I got the mask. Quintrell said, ‘Phantom of the Phog.’ I thought it was pretty cool.”
Aldrich said he’ll continue to wear his face mask “until my nose gets healthier and feels a lot better. Every once in a while I’ll see a ball and say, ‘Where did that go?’ But for the most part it’s been pretty good.”
Collins a Cousy finalist
KU junior Sherron Collins is one of 17 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, which is presented annually to the country’s top point guard. The last Jayhawk to be chosen as a finalist was Russell Robinson in 2006-07. Fans can vote for finalists at www.cousyaward.com.
Other finalists: Darren Collison, UCLA; Stephen Curry, Davidson; Toney Douglas, Florida State; Levance Fields, Pittsburgh; Jonny Flynn, Syracuse; Dominic James, Marquette; Ty Lawson, North Carolina; Eric Maynor, VCU; Patrick Mills, St. Mary’s; Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga; A.J. Price, UConn; Jeff Teague, Wake Forest; Virgil Buensuceso, BYU-Hawaii; Darren Duncan, Merrimack; David Arseneault, Grinnell; Sean Wallis, Washington U.
Self, GM Buford catch up
KU coach Bill Self chatted with San Antonio Spurs general manager R.C. Buford after Tuesday’s win in Waco.
“I said, ‘Bufe’ we are not far off from having a really good record.’ He said, ‘If you won those games (Syracuse, UMass) you wouldn’t have won where you are now (at Baylor) because young teams don’t get it yet,” Self said.
“Hopefully we are done learning those types of lessons (from losses), but we would not have won a national championship last year had we not lost to Oklahoma State in Stillwater. I am convinced of that,” Self added.
KU won 13 straight to close the 2007-08 season following a 61-60 loss to OSU last Feb. 23 at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Collins carries streak
KU guard Sherron Collins has made 27 consecutive free throws entering today’s game. Only two Jayhawks have had longer streaks — Calvin Thompson (33 in 1984-84) and Wayne Simien (34 in 2004-05).
“They (teammates) talk about it. I try to avoid it. I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t even know what it is,” Collins said. “If I get it I get it. If I don’t I don’t.”
Freshman Markieff Morris has marveled at the streak:
“I think he’s going to make every single free throw. I don’t think he’s going to stop unless he hits 100 or something.”
Streak tops in nation
KU has won 35 straight home games — the longest current home streak in the country. Utah State has won 29 in a row and Davidson 26.
“It’s a nice thing to have. It’s not going to be a burden on us. We will not think about it from that standpoint,” guard Tyrel Reed said of the third-longest streak in KU history. KU won 55 in a row from March 1984 to January ’88 and 62 straight from February of ’93 to December’ of ’98.
“We want to defend that. We feel when we play in the fieldhouse we have that edge, the fans,” Reed said.
Thorne II heating up
CU guard Dwight Thorne II scored a career-high 30 points with five threes in a 77-75 overtime loss to Kansas State on Jan. 24 in Boulder.
Thorne scored 10 in the Buffs’ 73-56 loss to KU on Jan. 17 in Boulder.
Last time…
KU beat the Buffs, 73-56, on Jan. 17 in Boulder. Collins scored 15 of his 18 points the first half. Cole Aldrich had 15 points and 10 boards. CU’s Cory Higgins scored 20 points. He was 12-for-12 from the line.
“He shot 10 the first half. It was out of us not being able to guard the ball,” KU coach Bill Self said. “We have to do a much better job of not putting hands on people when they drive it.”
The series
Overall, KU is 116-39 versus CU and 49-5 in Allen Fieldhouse. KU has won 12 straight and 39 of 40 versus CU dating to 1991. KU has won 25 straight versus CU in Allen dating to 1983. … Perry Ellis, a 6-8 freshman forward from Wichita Heights High, will attend today’s game. He’ll visit Oklahoma for a game next weekend.