Selby update
ESPN’s NBA draft expert, Chad Ford, watched former KU guard Josh Selby work out on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
“Josh Selby had an incredible workout today. Showing a lot more explosiveness than I saw at Kansas,” Ford wrote on Twitter. “Malcolm Lee and Selby really going at it. Both guys probably underrated,” Ford added in another tweet.
Twins update
Marcus and Markieff Morris are holding out hope one NBA team will select both of them in the June draft.
“I don’t want to think about that (being on different teams),” Marcus told ESPN’s Chad Ford, who watched them work out Friday in Florida. “Have twins ever been drafted by the same team? Maybe we could be the first,” Marcus added.
That in fact has never occurred. This year, Cleveland will pick second and eighth depending on the lottery outcome. Utah drafts sixth and 12th and Charlotte ninth and 19th.
“Maybe some team will see how we are together,” Marcus told Ford of upcoming individual workouts. “We’re not the same player. Maybe they’ll see how our game complements each other. How well we work together.”
Markieff told Ford: “We know we can play alone. But if a team were to draft both of us, I think they would be getting something special. We know each other so well. There’s chemistry there. Two is better than one.”
This, that
Jamari Traylor, a 6-8 senior forward from IMG Academies in Bradenton (Fla.), will likely make one final campus visit before the May 18 end of the spring signing period. “It is very, very likely that he will visit Texas Tech,” IMG coach Andy Borman told Zagsblog.com on Tuesday. Traylor has visited KU and Oklahoma State. … Bryce Jones, a 6-foot-5 freshman guard who left USC’s team after first semester, has KU on his list of transfer possibilities, the Las Vegas Sun reports. Jones, who is originally from Taft High in Los Angeles, has visited UNLV, San Diego State and Gonzaga. … Former KU forward Scot Pollard attended a pep rally in Sacramento, Calif., on Tuesday night. It’s in support of Pollard’s former NBA team, the Sacramento Kings, remaining in Sacramento. The Kings do not want to leave town, but will depart if plans for a new arena are not finalized.
Upset city
There already have been some crazy upsets in the Southwest Regional.
No. 13-seeded Morehead State defeated No. 4 Louisville, and No. 12 Richmond downed No. 5 Vanderbilt, meaning KU would play a 12 or 13 seed in the Sweet 16 if the Jayhawks win games in Tulsa today and Sunday.
“We’ve already seen today in the tournament … I mean, this is wild,” KU coach Bill Self said. “Expect the unexpected.”
Junior Tyshawn Taylor watched the end of the Louisville game on TV.
“It means nothing to us. I don’t know what it means to them,” Taylor said. “We have got to look at our own path and what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to play Boston University and after that however it plays out.”
Noted Brady Morningstar: “That’s the NCAA Tournament for you. Seeding is a big deal sometimes, but everyone in this tournament is very capable of winning games, and you can see that.”
The Jayhawks as a team watched the end of the Butler-Old Dominion game, won late by Butler.
“What a finish,” Self said. “We tell them all year long, our season will come down to one possession. I guarantee it will come down to the last possession or last couple possessions of a game. We saw firsthand one-tenth of a second was the difference in overtime in winning (by Butler). That gives the guys that extra juice, I believe, going into the game tomorrow watching others play.”
Presidential picks
Morningstar on President Obama picking KU to win the NCAA title:
“I think he picked us last year, also. So that shows how much he knows I guess, right?” Morningstar said with a laugh. “I guess he likes college sports and wants to pick his team that he thinks is going to win. More power to him.
“Just because he said that doesn’t mean he can make us win, so I don’t feel any added pressure from him. But I’d like to go and meet him in a couple weeks. That would be fun. I would love to go to the White House and see him. No pressure, though.”
Praise for Marcus
Self was asked if Marcus Morris is the best player he’s ever coached.
“He’s not the best player. I tell him that all the time,” Self said. “I’ve coached a guy who is arguably the best point guard in the world (Deron Williams) for a brief period of time. He’s not the best, but he’s the most complete player I’ve coached,” Self added of Marcus.
“He can do more things on the basketball court than anybody I’ve ever been around. He’s 6-8. He can post. He can score over the shoulder. He can face. He can drive it. He’s a great passer. He can stretch it. He can slide. He’s a complete basketball player.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s near as good as Wayne Simien at scoring or somebody else at rebounding, but he can do a lot of things.”
Tulsa talk
Self on returning to Tulsa for this weekend’s tournament. He coached at Oral Roberts four years and Tulsa for three.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever had more fun in my life than what I had the seven years I was here,” he said. “It was a great run, great kids, and I’ll never forget. A lot of people asked if I learned how to be a coach at Tulsa, and I would say the answer is probably yes in large part because at ORU our mistakes weren’t magnified, and I made a ton of them, and I was able to work through that, where I’d be fired in today’s time at an Illinois or a Kansas.
“I was able to kind of grow and cut my teeth there and move on to bigger and better things isn’t the right thing to say because that’s not what happened. I’ve had some opportunities, but I don’t know if I’ve ever had it better than what I had it here when I was at Tulsa.”
He insists he’s not distracted.
“It’s good to come home. It’s nice to see familiar faces, and I’ve seen a ton already today,” Self said. “But it doesn’t play into what’s going on at all. I even see some familiar Illinois faces out there, too.”
Philly fanatics
Philadelphia native Marcus Morris is well aware four Philly natives play for Boston University.
“They are very solid. I mostly know Matty Griffin (5-10, junior, Narberth, Pa.). He’s a good shooter. He’s a crafty player.”
Practice, practice
The Jayhawks held a short practice at BOK Center before at least 5,000 fans Thursday afternoon. Elijah Johnson tried, and missed, a crazy dunk to conclude the proceedings. The Jayhawks cut the workout short 10 minutes and signed autographs for fans.
The Jayhawks not only held a shootaround at BOK Center on Thursday, but held an actual practice at Tulsa Union High.
McLemore decision nears
Ben McLemore, a 6-5 guard from St. Louis, will announce his college choice at the NeXt All-American Classic on April 3 at Sears Centre in suburban Chicago. McLemore, who recently enrolled at Christian Life Center near Houston, after leaving Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., will choose either KU or Missouri.
“The most important thing I was looking for during my recruitment process was the opportunity for the chance to play right away and being close to home so that my family can come watch me play again,” said McLemore.
“The reason it took me so long to decide was I had three really great schools (Missouri, Kansas, and Tennessee) to choose from and I needed my family’s help to decide which was the best fit for me. At the moment I’m down to UM or KU however I’m not leaning one way or the other.”
Prep Jones liked KU
Blue-chip basketball prospect Terrence Jones, who completed his official 48-hour recruiting trip to Kansas University on Tuesday afternoon, returned to his hometown of Portland, Ore., with positive feelings about KU.
“The support the players receive at Kansas is something that stands out,” Jones, the No. 13-rated player in the recruiting Class of 2010, told Rivals.com. “Everybody knows who those guys are, and there is a lot of support. Kansas is one of my options, and they are even with the other schools.”
Jones, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound senior from Jefferson High, will sign with either KU, Washington, Kentucky, Oklahoma, UCLA or Oregon at a yet-to-be-determined time Friday at his high school.
“The trip to Kansas was great. I got to see how the team interacts with each other and how it’s a family atmosphere,” said Jones, who told Rivals.com his host was sophomore Tyshawn Taylor and he also spent a lot of time with freshmen Thomas Robinson and Elijah Johnson.
Woolridge honored
Incoming KU freshman guard Royce Woolridge was named Phoenix Sunnyslope High’s Student of the Year at the school’s year-end awards ceremony.
Woolridge, a 6-foot-3 guard, has a 3.8333 grade-point average and a weighted-grade-point mark of 4.0658, according to an article on the Glendale Union High School District website.
“Royce is very respectful and willing to join in and help out any time. His smile, great attitude and drive will get him far in life. He is a team player on and off the basketball court,” Darrell Preston, Woolridge’s advanced marketing teacher, told the website.
Final Four
Former KU center Sasha Kaun’s CSKA Moscow team has reached the Euroleague Final Four for the second straight season.
CSKA will meet Regal FC Barcelona, the defending Euroleague champion, in the semifinals on May 7, in France. The other semifinal will match Partizan Belgrade versus Olympiacos Piraeus.
Former University of Missouri forward Linas Kleiza plays for Olympiacos.
Former Baylor forward Lawrence Roberts and former Nebraska center Aleks Maric play for Partizan.
Kaun, who was a reserve last season, is a starter this year.
He has made 72.7 percent of his shots, second best mark in the league.
“I just try to do what I do best — play defense, rebound, run the floor and try to help the team wherever it is needed. I don’t try to do too much or too little, I just try to do what I have always done,” Kaun said in a Q and A session with Euroleague.net.
Of his shooting percentage he said: “I don’t take any jumpers and try to take my shots close to the basket, do what I do well, so maybe this is why I had such a high percentage. There have been many dunks and layups, and that definitely helps it.”
Marcus Morris, Brackins chat
Kansas University’s Marcus Morris and Iowa State’s Craig Brackins had a running dialogue during the Jayhawks’ 84-61 victory over the Cyclones on Jan. 23 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
Will they chat it up again during today’s 7 p.m., rematch in Allen Fieldhouse?
“I probably will,” Morris said. “He’s a great guy. He has a good sense of humor. He’s a good competitor. Guarding him and talking to him will be fun.”
Morris scored 16 points off 8-of-16 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds, while Brackins had 13 points off 5-of-13 shooting with one board in the previous meeting.
Brackins — he averages 16.8 points a game to Morris’ 13.3 mark — has hit for 21.8 points and 11.5 rebounds in his last four games. ISU’s 6-foot-10 junior forward was peppered with questions about the NBA after his 29-point, 12-rebound effort against Kansas State last Saturday.
“I still don’t know what’s going to happen,” Brackins told the Ames Daily Tribune, when asked if he’d be turning pro and skipping his senior season. “I might just want to come back. (You) never know. I came back last year, and it was a 50-50 thing. It can still be a 50-50.”
The personable Palmdale, Calif., native said he and his mom had been avoiding talking to agents.
“We are hiding out in our Batcave, and they can’t sync us up,” Brackins cracked.
Meanwhile, Marquis Gilstrap, a 6-7 senior, who scored 18 versus KU and averages 14.8 ppg on the season, has applied for an NCAA medical redshirt season because injuries cost him parts of multiple seasons.
“If I get it back, yes, but I don’t know if I will get it back,” Gilstrap told the Daily Tribune, referring to an extra year. “I haven’t heard anything about that.”
Selby in town on visit
Josh Selby, a 6-foot-2 senior point guard from Lake Clifton High in Baltimore, will attend tonight’s game as part of his official recruiting visit to KU this weekend.
Selby, who is rated No. 4 nationally by Rivals.com, made an unofficial visit to KU for Late Night in the Phog. He has a final list of KU, Kentucky, Arizona, UConn, Indiana and Syracuse. He is slated to visit Kentucky the weekend of March 7.
Selby’s mom, Maeshon Witherspoon, will also attend the game tonight.
This, that
KU junior Cole Aldrich, who has 90 blocks, needs seven today to tie, eight to pass Greg Ostertag as KU’s all-time single-season rejection leader. … UNC Wilmington figures to make a run at KU assistant coach Joe Dooley to fill its head coaching vacancy, the Wilmington Star-News reports. Wilmington AD Kelly Mehrtens is a former KU associate AD. …Former KU forward Darnell Jackson of the Cleveland Cavaliers has indicated he’ll be at today’s game. It’s NBA all-star break. … KU has won nine straight versus ISU and leads the all-time series 167-58. … KU holds an 85-15 record against ISU in games played in Lawrence, including a 44-9 edge in Allen Fieldhouse. … The Jayhawks have defeated the Cyclones four-straight times in Allen dating to 2006. … Since the inception of the Big 12, KU is 22-7 versus ISU with a 20-7 record in regular-season play and 2-0 mark in the Big 12 tournament. … Aldrich had 19 points and 11 rebounds in KU’s win over ISU in Ames.
Kansas University improved to 15-2 all-time against Baylor, 9-0 in Lawrence. This marks the fourth-straight year that KU has won its first three Big 12 games. KU extended its homecourt win streak to 53 games.
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KU has 200 all-time wins against Big 12 competition since the league’s inception in 1996-97. The Jayhawks are the first team in the league to amass 200 victories in conference play.
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Junior guard Brady Morningstar made his first start of the season, replacing Tyshawn Taylor. Taylor had five assists and no turnovers. Morningstar had five points, three assists and two steals.
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Freshman Xavier Henry had seven steals, most since Russell Robinson’s eight versus Yale on Dec. 29, 2007. It’s the most steals by a KU frosh since steals were recorded as stats during the 1988-89 season. KU had 15 steals, most by KU in a Big 12 game since 15 against Kansas State on March 1, 2008.
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Baylor shot 52.1 percent, marking the first time in 92 games that a Kansas opponent topped the 50 percent mark. The last Jayhawk opponent to hit more than half of its shots was Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 9, 2007 (51 percent).
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Marcus Morris had 22 points, one off a career high. He hit eight of 11 shots. In three Big 12 games this season, Morris has shot 22-for-29 (75.8 percent) and is averaging 20.3 points per game.
Taylor talking-to
As promised, Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self met with sophomore guard Tyshawn Taylor after Tuesday’s practice to discuss Taylor’s assertion to reporters that, at times, he’s unsure of his role on KU’s basketball team.
“Coach was a little upset,” Taylor said after scoring 11 points, with three rebounds, three turnovers and two assists in the Jayhawks’ 84-72 victory over Nebraska on Wednesday in Devaney Center.
“He was a little bit frustrated, just how it came out. It’s not what I meant to say. It came out a little wrong. We talked about it, and everything is cool.”
Here’s what Taylor said he meant to say:
“Being a point guard on this team, I think my role is going to change every now and then,” Taylor said. “Some nights it’s going to have to be guard their best player. Some nights X (Xavier Henry) is going to be hot, and I’m going to have to find him. Sherron (Collins) is going to be hot. I’m going to have to find him. My role is going to vary. I just think it came out wrong how I said it.”
Taylor admits he likes to talk in rapid-fire fashion.
“I think I was just going that day,” he said with a smile.
Self joked about the matter after Wednesday’s game.
“The guys really knew their roles tonight. I think they did a good job of that,” Self cracked.
Robinson starts
Thomas Robinson earned his first start in place of Marcus Morris.
“I may start Thomas again because I’ve not been happy with the twins’ energy or effort since Christmas,” Self said. “Tonight their effort was fabulous.”
Robinson was pulled early “after losing his man a couple times,” Self said.
Robinson finished with one turnover in eight minutes.
Morris said that teammate/buddy Brady Morningstar talked to him about the twins needing to be more aggressive. Also, Marcus said the team had a productive meeting at the hotel Tuesday night.
Stats, facts
Tyrel Reed scored 11 points, one off a season-high. His trey with 10:51 left, gave KU a 60-56 lead. His three late in the first half busted a 38-38 tie. … Morningstar, who had a big block, also kept alive an offensive board that ended up in Morris’ hands. Morris hit a shot to give KU a 10-point lead with 5:59 left. … KU hit 13 threes, tying the school mark for third-most threes in a conference game and most since sinking 14 versus Texas Tech on March 3, 2008.
Brady’s back
Kansas University junior guard Brady Morningstar, who today makes his season debut after serving a nine-game suspension, admits it was difficult to watch from the bench.
“I have a funny story. I was walking (out of huddle) after a timeout. Some little kid asked me, ‘How come you are not playing?”‘ Morningstar related. “I had a boot on my foot (because of stress fracture). I pointed to the boot. He (child) was, ‘Oh, all right.’ I guess he didn’t know (of Morningstar’s suspension for arrest on suspicion of DUI).
“Everyone knows what the deal was. I’m not trying to hide anything. Now I’m eligible.”
Being from Lawrence made coach Bill Self’s punishment even tougher to take.
“You know a lot of people and they all have supported you. You let somebody down, you have to gain their trust back. I think I’ve done that for the most part,” Morningstar said. “The punishment … I never questioned it. He knows what he’s doing. It’s why he’s one of the best coaches in the country.”
Self admitted Morningstar’s punishment may have been excessively harsh because of the timing, coming right after a fight between the football and basketball teams.
“He’s taken his medicine and moved on,” Self said. “I think he’ll be a better man because of it. I think it’s helped him mature and grow up. If that plays out to be true, then it wasn’t wasted.”
Withey debut
Freshman center Jeff Withey is eligible to play in his first game today. He sat out first semester in accordance with NCAA transfer rules. Withey doesn’t figure to play major minutes.
“It’s not a knock to Jeff. He’s behind seven weeks because he wasn’t able to practice (because of stress fracture in knee). He just started this week and was not able to go every day.
“He’s still a month away from really impacting our team,” Self said.
Acquisitions
Self cracked a joke about Withey and Morningstar coming aboard. “Next to (Roy) Halladay going to the Phillies and (Cliff) Lee going to the Mariners, our acquisitions are about as good as anybody made,” Self said. “We didn’t have to give anybody up.”
Tidbits
New KU football coach Turner Gill will be introduced at halftime. … KU athletic director Lew Perkins will present former KU great John McLendon’s widow, Joanna, with a $10,000 check from Kansas Athletics to the McLendon Foundation. … Today’s game is billed as the “Green Game” with both teams wearing special warmups to show support for sustainability. … A “Wave Cam” will be placed above the court for use by ESPN.
Taylor to start
Tyshawn Taylor will start today after coming off the bench the last two games. “I feel I earned it back,” said Taylor, who had been replaced by freshman Elijah Johnson. “Coach took me out for the right reasons.”
Breakfast in Allen
The Jayhawks will be up bright and early for today’s 11 a.m. start: “The fun thing is the fieldhouse will be packed. It’ll be a warm morning, one of those fun ones you really look forward to waking up,” KU junior Cole Aldrich said.
Finals over
Senior Sherron Collins said he had just one final exam. “I’m a senior, baby,” Collins cracked. “It’s crazy. I remember when I first got here. It’s gone by fast. I wish it would have gone by slower.”
Collins: I’m fine
Sherron Collins sprained his right ankle early in the second half.
“It was painful. I thought I hurt it worse than I did. I got up, and it felt a lot better. I’m fine,” said Collins, who left for the trainer’s room and a few minutes later re-entered the game.
He finished with 12 points, three assists and three steals in 25 minutes.
Twins trade places
Marcus Morris started in place of his brother, Markieff, who had started KU’s two exhibition and regular-season games.
“To me, it gave us a chance to play Thomas (Robinson) more if Marcus started because in the first half we subbed him, but when Marcus came back in he played on the perimeter,” Kansas coach Bill Self said of Marcus, who started at power forward, then switched to small forward, with Robinson playing power forward. “I thought it’d be better for our group to get Thomas more minutes. I don’t know if we’ll stick with it. We’ll wait and see how it plays out. I could care less who starts. You guys (media) think it’s important. I could care less.”
Stats, facts
Tyshawn Taylor had no turnovers after suffering seven against Memphis. … KU wore red uniforms for the first time since Dec. 30 of last season versus Albany. … KU extended its homecourt win streak to 43 games. … KU outscored the Bears, 23-0, during a 12-minute span in the first half. During that stretch, Central Arkansas missed 15 straight shots. … UCA scored 15 points the first half, the lowest total by a KU foe in one half since Florida Gulf Coast’s 13 in the opening half on Nov. 16, 2008. … The 50-point margin of victory was largest since a 51-point win over Dartmouth on Nov. 28, 2007. … UCA hit 25.5 percent of its shots. KU has held 77 straight foes under 50 percent. It was the lowest percentage by a foe since Dartmouth in that 2007 game. … KU’s 87.5 three-point percentage (7-for-8 in second half) is the team’s best since making seven of eight against Texas on Jan. 10, 1998. … Chase Buford scored a career-high four points. … KU’s seven turnovers were fewest since it had seven versus Texas A&M on March 8, 2008. … Cole Aldrich had four blocks and Robinson three. … UCA’s 7.1 percent three-point shooting (1-14) was lowest by a foe since Albany went 0-for-15 on Dec. 30, 2008.
Dunk denial
In the second half, Robinson tried a spectacular one-handed slam in which he took off several strides from the goal, but was fouled.
“I tried to put one down. He (UCA player) grabbed me,” Robinson said.
Can he dunk from the free-throw line?
“I don’t know. I never tried it,” he said.
Thomas update
Former Kansas University power forward Quintrell Thomas, who recently announced plans to transfer, told Lasvegassun.com he will visit UNLV this weekend. He visited St. Joseph’s last weekend and will visit Siena in two weeks.
Brainwashing
KU coach Bill Self was asked Tuesday about signing Xavier Henry to a grant-in-aid five months after Rivals.com’s No. 8-rated player signed a letter of intent with Memphis. Xavier’s brother, C.J., will leave Memphis to also play at KU.
“I think Xavier’s always wanted to be a Jayhawk. I think he and his brother were brainwashed KU all throughout their childhood by his mother and father,” Self joked of father, Carl, and mom, Barbara, who played at KU. He was speaking at an awards ceremony in Oklahoma City.
“When it didn’t work out and they picked Memphis, it wasn’t because of Kansas. It was because of extenuating circumstances (car accident involving Xavier), which was best for the family at that moment. Of course, it took a long time to get there, but I think it’s well worth the wait and he gives us a piece to the puzzle that we did not have last year,” Self added.
Jayhawk Invite update
The top two 17 and under players to compete in this weekend’s Jayhawk invitational are future KU player Royce Woolridge (Arizona Magic) and KU target Harrison Barnes (All-Iowa Attack Red), who will meet at 7:10 p.m. Friday at Haskell. An elite 16 and under player, Bradley Beal, 6-3 from Chaminade High in St. Louis, will be playing for the St. Louis Eagles at 8:20 p.m. Friday at Robinson; 9:10 a.m. Saturday at Robinson and 4:10 p.m. Saturday at Haskell. Beal is considering KU, Missouri, Illinois and others.
Memphis wanting out?
KU senior associate athletic director Larry Keating said Tuesday he had not heard any reports of Memphis possibly wanting to ask out of a proposed game against KU on Nov. 17 in St. Louis. Arkansas and Louisville are slated to play in the other game.
• Status of Collins, Aldrich: There’s a rumor going around that Collins and Aldrich definitely have decided to return to KU.
“That’s positively not true,” Self said. “I do think there’s a thought process (with both of them) initially (where they say), ‘I probably am coming back.’
“I’m not putting any pressure on them to give me an answer. They may be leaning a certain way.”
Self is in the process of talking to NBA front-office types about the duo’s draft stock.
“I owe it to them to get them information,” Self said. “I’d be very surprised if they do anything before getting the information. It’ll be sometime next week (that he gets them all the information).”
Aldrich’s dad, Walter, said last week that his son probably would be back to KU for a junior season. Collins said after KU’s season-ending loss that he’s coming back unless he’s advised otherwise by Self.
Various draft sites believe Aldrich would be a definite first-round pick if he declares, Collins a likely second-round pick.
• Orton update: Daniel Orton, a 6-10 senior forward from Oklahoma City McGuinness High, told the Lexington Herald-Leader he will consider Kansas as well as Kentucky, a school he signed with in November, but lost its coach, Billy Gillispie.
“Right now, my brother and my dad and I are going to sit down and talk about it,” Orton said at the Derby Festival Basketball Classic in Louisville.
“In my heart, I believe I truly want to go to Kentucky,” Orton added. “You want to make sure everything is right. You want to make a good decision, a very educated decision.”
Kentucky this week received a commitment from big man DeMarcus Cousins.
The Wildcats also have front-court players Patrick Patterson and Perry Stevenson.
“It does kind of affect it (decision),” Orton told the Herald-Leader, not mentioning KU’s frontcourt situation.
• More on Henrys: Former KU player Carl Henry told Rivals.com that Self was in Memphis on Thursday to visit with his son, Memphis freshman walk-on C.J. Henry, who has received a release from his letter of intent. C.J. would like to play on the same team as brother Xavier next season. Xavier Henry, who has received a release from his Memphis letter of intent, is in Portland this weekend for the Nike Hoops Summit.
• Other prospects: John Wall, 6-4, from Raleigh, N.C., tells Rivals.com he has a list of KU, Duke, North Carolina State, Baylor, Memphis, Miami and Kentucky. He said he also might consider North Carolina if UNC begins to recruit him actively. … Lance Stephenson, 6-6 from Brooklyn, N.Y., still has his list of KU, St. John’s and Maryland.
Shooting woes
Kansas University guard Brady Morningstar enters having hit nine of his last 35 shots over seven games, including six of 25 threes.
“Every shooter misses shots. I’ve missed some the last couple games,” Morningstar said. “I look for my shot. It’ll start falling. I’ve got to knock down open shots to help take the pressure off Cole (Aldrich) and Sherron (Collins).”
One key matchup
Morningstar, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 187 pounds, will guard Raymar Morgan, who is 6-8, 225.
“He’s good, strong, physical. He plays hard,” said Morningstar, who scored five points and had three rebounds in KU’s 75-62 loss to the Spartans on Jan. 10 in East Lansing, Mich. Morgan had 13 points and eight boards.
“I’m sure people will think he’ll dominate,” Morningstar added. “I guarded a lot of players his size this year, like Budinger (Chase, Arizona). I will not back down, neither will he.”
Rush in the house
Former KU guard Brandon Rush attended KU’s practice Thursday morning at the Indiana Pacers’ practice facility.
The Jayhawks were in the stands for the Pacers’ victory over former KU guard Mario Chalmers’ Miami Heat on Wednesday. They had seats halfcourt, about 20 rows up.
“I loved it. It’s the first time I’ve seen those two in the NBA,” Morningstar said. “Brandon watched practice today. He was going to lift (weights). Coach Self asked him if he had any advice for us. He said, ‘Go out there and play.’ He’s always been a man of few words,” Morningstar added, laughing.
Collins laughed when asked about Rush’s talk to the team.
“He said this is our time. He told us to ‘Do our thing,”’ Collins said.
1986 revisited
MSU coach Tom Izzo worked as a grad assistant on the Spartan squad that fell to KU, 98-86, in overtime in the 1986 Sweet 16.
That’s the game in which the Kemper Arena clock malfunctioned and stopped for about 10 seconds. That became critical when KU, which was down by six with 1:39 left, sent that game into OT on a bucket with about 10 seconds left.
“I can’t say I thought about that game, although I did when I was talking to Jud (Heathcote, former MSU coach) in between games the other night,” Izzo said.
“One of my jobs at the end was to watch the clock. When it wasn’t moving and I told Jud, he more or less told me where to go because I don’t think he believed me. When he found out it really wasn’t moving, he went down and very quietly informed the scorekeeper that the clock wasn’t moving,” Izzo added, smiling.
“I always talk to Larry Brown (former KU coach) when he was with the (Detroit) Pistons about that. We kind of laughed. I told Danny Manning when he was at our place (on Jan. 10) that we got ripped off. I was really just kidding.
“I learned a good lesson that game. … every play of every game does matter, does have a purpose, whether it’s a missed free throw, rebound, all the things that happen. Because we were this far from moving on and didn’t. As I look back, Jud never got farther than that the rest of the years I was an assistant.”
KU coach Bill Self also was a grad assistant — for Brown at KU — in ’86.
“I was probably sitting 20 rows up worrying about the concession stand or whatever,” Self said. “I do remember the clock malfunction, whatever it was. I remember coach Heathcote not being very pleased during that stretch. The thing about Michigan State I remember is they had a guy (Scott) Skiles that was unbelievable, hard to guard. We were very fortunate to win that game. They were really good.”
Rematches
Self has compiled a 16-4 record (at KU and Illinois) in games his teams played after suffering a loss earlier in the season.
“I’ve never thought about that,” Self said. “Usually if you lost to a team that you are going to play twice, it’s happened because you played in their building and the return game is in your building, so you should have an advantage.”
On Billy G
Self on rumors that his buddy, Billy Gillispie, may be fired after two seasons at Kentucky.
“I don’t think it’s fair. Nobody cares what I think,” Self said. “You’ve had a lot of coaches out there over time that struggled in their first few years on a job. One of them lives and resides in Durham, N.C.,” Self added of Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski.
“Ten Final Fours later and three national championships later they’re probably glad they didn’t move on that (firing him). I think Billy is the same way. Given time, Billy will have Kentucky competing for championships again.
“Obviously in today’s time, patience is not one of society’s virtues,” Self added. “It’s win and win now. It’s a quick fix on everything. Sometimes I think you have to step back and think big picture, what would be best over time? There’s no doubt in my mind they’ve got the right guy at the helm. But he’s going to need a little bit of time.”
Taylor will be OK
KU guard Collins said he hasn’t had many one-on-one chat sessions with freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor this week.
Taylor struggled a bit in wins over North Dakota State and Dayton last weekend.
“I haven’t talked to him as much this week as last week,” Collins said. “He understands what is expected, to calm down, don’t think as much. He’s getting a feel for it (tournament play).”
Collins said he could tell early on how Taylor would fare in a game.
“Probably the first three minutes, five minutes,” Collins said. “The biggest thing with him is being consistent.”
“I want to help the team the best way I can, by playing hard,” Taylor said. “That’s what I’m going to do.”
Stephenson appears to be KU-bound
The recruiting world believes Lance Stephenson, a 6-foot-5 senior guard from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, N.Y., will play college basketball at Kansas University next season.
“He really wants to play for Bill Self,” a source told Zach Smart of the NBE Basketball Report. “He had a great visit (to KU), and they essentially sent Danny Manning as the Mariano Rivera in this situation to close the deal.
“Lance understood the magnitude of this decision,” NBE Basketball’s source added. “He flirted with the idea of revitalizing the St. John’s program and sort of sprouting into a New York City icon by putting SJU and New York City back on the map. But realistically, he wants to win at a big-time program, and Kansas is a perfect fit for him.”
‘Born Ready’ in town
Lance Stephenson, a 6-foot-5 senior shooting guard from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, N.Y., is expected to attend today’s KU-Nebraska game as part of his official recruiting visit.
Stephenson, Rivals.com’s No. 7-ranked prospect, is considering KU, St. John’s, Maryland, USC and UCLA.
“There is absolutely no doubt that Lance Stephenson is one of the truly elite prospects in the class of 2009,” Rivals.com analyst Shay Wildeboor said. “He is one of the most explosive scorers in the class as well. During the regular season, he averaged 32 points per game. During the playoffs, Lance has averaged 48 points per game.
“Lance, without question, is a difference maker. He has the ability to get to the cup, hit the midrange jumper or do damage from the outside,” Wildeboor added of the McDonald’s All-American.
KU’s student campers are so pumped up over Stephenson’s visit, they have had a flier made for all camping groups to read.
“Lance is a big-time player and we need him at Kansas. If we get this kid, we could cut down the nets in 2010,” the campers’ flier read, asking everybody to chant his name and bring posters to the game.
Stephenson’s nickname is “Born Ready,” as in “born ready to play in the NBA.”
Dime Magazine had a cover story on Stephenson with the headline: “Lance Stephenson, Born Ready. This 17-year-old would be an NBA star right now.”
The magazine deemed him as a “player to watch” way back in the eighth grade.
“Ever since he first burst onto the scene as a 14-year-old, stories have come in from the playgrounds of NYC of Lance giving legit pros and ex-pros the business, everyone from Jamal Crawford to Joe Forte,” Dime Magazine wrote.
Stephenson told Zagsblog.net he could announce his college choice March 21 after the PSAL championship game at Madison Square Garden, assuming Lincoln gets there.
Little working 2 positions
KU junior power forward Mario Little said it’s been a challenge learning the small forward position the past couple weeks.
“It’s tiring a little bit. Trying to do both, not making the plays, getting yelled at a little bit,” Little said, adding, “It’s not real hard. The hardest part is defending. I’m not too worried about the offensive end. Defending up and getting beat is the main part, not offensively.”
KU coach Bill Self said there’s not a great difference between small forward and power forward.
“I get a little frustrated sometimes with our guys. They think they are locked into a certain position. If you pick and pop you are a perimeter player. If you play the post you are a perimeter player. He has numerous opportunities to play the perimeter, not as many if he was at the so-called small forward position,” Self said.
Huskers red hot
Nebraska, which plays four, sometimes five guards at a time, has won four of five games since a 68-62 loss to KU on Jan. 28 in Lincoln.
“They are hard to guard. It seems they have seven people on the court every time,” KU freshman Marcus Morris said.
“It always is,” Self said, asked if it was tough playing against a smaller team. “You always worry about that in the NBA or wherever. It creates problems when big guys aren’t used to defending on the perimeter. To me it’s always harder to guard small than big but on the flip side there are advantages (to being taller team). If you control the glass, isolate the post and get the ball inside. But chasing those little guys around, if they are making threes, it makes them pretty hard to guard.”
Facts
KU has won 38 straight games in Allen. … KU leads the all-time series against NU, 165-71. KU is 48-7 versus NU in Allen Fieldhouse matchups. The Jayhawks have won 12 in a row versus the Huskers and 21 of 22. NU’s last win in the series was a 74-55 decision on Feb. 15, 2004 in Lincoln. … KU trailed 34-29 at halftime in the last meeting, the Jayhawks’ 68-62 win on Jan. 28 in Lincoln. Sherron Collins scored 17 and Brady Morningstar 11. Ade Dagunduro had 24 for NU.
New start for Marcus
A trip to the barber shop is on Marcus Morris’ to-do list this week.
“I’m trying to get a new start, probably cut my hair, cut my facial hair off, something like that,” Morris, KU’s freshman forward from Philadelphia, said Thursday.
He’s still stinging from the embarrassment of being whistled for a technical foul for inadvertently bumping into ref Scott Thornley in Monday’s loss at Missouri.
“(I want to) look like a young man and not like somebody that likes to argue and have a bad attitude, because everybody is looking at me now like I’ve got a bad attitude because I got a technical foul and argued with the ref,” Morris said.
“I’m going to try to avoid all situations like that and walk away from everything and always smile at the ref and smack ’em on the butt and say, ‘Good call,”‘ he added of his future demeanor in games.
Morris wasn’t ejected after bumping Thornley, but coach Bill Self sat him the rest of the game when Thornley told Self the bump was intentional.
“Coach was upset about it. He told me I could have avoided it,” Morris said. “Going over the tape, he said he thinks he should have played me and not sat me out (because tape showed it was unintentional).
“It was all my fault,” Morris added. “I didn’t intentionally do anything. I should have apologized (to ref). But I was thinking about the call and just going to the bench.”
Arthur’s grandma dies
KU coach Self, assistant Kurtis Townsend and graduate student manager Jeremy Case attended the funeral of former Jayhawk Darrell Arthur’s grandmother, Ruby, on Wednesday in Dallas. Arthur, a rookie with the Memphis Grizzlies who helped KU claim the 2008 national title, was extremely close to his grandmom.
He has her name inscribed on his wrist.
School days
KU junior Mario Little, who has an effective turnaround jumper in his repertoire, was asked Thursday if his game was “old school.”
“I don’t like saying, ‘old school.’ I think of old guys with bad knees or something like that,” Little said.
So what should his game be called: “New school?”
“No, you can’t call it new-school. Just call it ‘Mario-game,”‘ he cracked.
Jayhawks in the house?
There’s the possibility NBA rookies Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush and Darnell Jackson will attend Saturday’s KU-Kansas State game (2:30 p.m., Bramlage Coliseum) and sit behind KU’s bench. Former KU players yearly tend to gravitate to Lawrence during all-star break. There are reports former K-State standout Michael Beasley of the Miami Heat — and a teammate of Chalmers — also will be at the game.
Rivals on road
It is believed this 2008-09 season marks the seventh season in KU history the Jayhawks have played consecutive road games against conference rivals Kansas State and Missouri. The Jayhawks are 5-8 in those games, getting swept just once — during the 1981-82 season. KU last played consecutive road games against MU and KSU during the 1989-90 season. KU beat KSU and lost to MU in those games.
Stopping Sherron
K-State coach Frank Martin was asked Thursday how to stop Sherron Collins.
“We’re going to infect him with the flu bug, get him a little sick, get his body temperature to 103, so he’s not in trouble but he’s not healthy enough to play,” Martin joked. “Guarding Sherron … he sees purple and he just loves it. His eyes open up. He’s had great games against us.”
Stephenson to visit
Lance Stephenson, a 6-foot-5 senior guard from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, N.Y., will visit KU for the KU-Nebraska game a week from Saturday, Zagsblog.net reports. Stephenson is Rivals.com’s No. 9-rated player considering KU, St. John’s, Memphis, Southern Cal, UCLA and others.
Barnes update
Harrison Barnes, a 6-6 junior guard from Ames (Iowa) Senior High, sat behind the Duke bench during Wednesday’s loss to rival North Carolina in Durham, N.C.. Barnes, Rivals.com’s No. 4-rated prospect in the Class of 2010, is considering KU, Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Iowa, Iowa State and others.
“Harrison Barnes, come to Duke,” the Duke student section chanted at Barnes an hour before the game.
Self in Dallas
Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self was in Dallas on Thursday night watching blue-chip high school senior guard Lance Stephenson play in the Old Spice Classic.
Stephenson, 6-5, 195 pounds from Lincoln High in Brooklyn, N.Y., scored a game-high 32 points in Lincoln’s 77-57 loss to Duncanville (Texas) High.
Stephenson, who is averaging 34.3 points a game according to Zagsblog.net, hit 13 of 21 shots.
Stephenson, who has talked about playing in Europe one year before heading to the NBA, told ESPN he was planning on attending college a year. He’s considering KU, St. John’s, Memphis, Indiana, Pitt, Seton Hall, USC, UCLA and others.
Julian Washburn, a 6-foot-7 junior, plays for Duncanville High and is the No. 70-rated player in the Class of 2010.
Zagsblog: Looks like Cheek to Villanova
Dominic Cheek, a 6-5 senior guard from St. Anthony High in Jersey City, N.J., is expected to announce for Villanova over runnerup Kansas today, according to Zagsblog.net. Cheek will hold a news conference after practice today, likely at 4:30 p.m. ESPN apparently will be on hand but not be televising the announcement live. Zagsblog reports multiple sources close to the situation as saying Cheek will play at ‘Nova.
Johnson back from injury
KU signee Elijah Johnson, who suffered minor injuries to both knees in a game last week, scored 12 points in Las Vegas Cheyenne High’s 59-48 victory over Silverado on Tuesday.
Johnson, who had foul problems and missed most of the second half, scored the game’s first eight points including the first two on an alley oop dunk.
“Both of my knees were bad, but I’m all right,” Johnson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Beal update
Bradley Beal, a 6-3 sophomore from Chaminade High in St. Louis, may announce his college choice sometime in January, his high school coach told Rivals.com. Beal is averaging 29 points a game. KU, Florida, North Carolina, Illinois, Missouri and Purdue are in the running for Beal, who attended Late Night in the Phog on an unofficial visit.
Aggies lost last game
Tonight’s KU foe — New Mexico State — fell to Long Beach State, 82-77, on Sunday.
The Aggies (2-2) were without junior guard Jonathan Gibson and freshman center Chris Gabriel, who were suspended by coach Marvin Menzies for missing practice. Gibson is the only returning starter off last year’s 21-14 team, which went 12-4 in the Western Athletic Conference.
“Both missed practice and that was their punishment,” Menzies told the Las Cruces Sun-News. “They let their teammates down by not handling their business. I know nobody feels worse about it than they do.”
The Sun-News indicated both are likely to play in today’s 7 p.m. tip in Allen Fieldhouse.
Even without the duo, the Aggies led Long Beach by five points with just under two minutes remaining. N.M. State has also lost at Southern Cal, 70-63, and defeated UC Riverside (79-52) and Pepperdine (90-66) at home.
“They are very athletic, big on the wings,” KU coach Bill Self said. “The Long Beach State game was a one-possession game late without two of their best players. They are very capable, very athletic.”
Coach Menzies’ first New Mexico State team suffered a triple overtime loss to Boise State in the finals of the 2008 WAC Tournament. The 2008-09 Aggies were hit hard by the early-September transfer of standout Herb Pope to Seton Hall.
Aggies at a glance
New Mexico State averages 76.5 points per game off 48.1 percent shooting while allowing 68.5 points. The Aggies force 18.3 turnovers. … Sophomore guard Jahmar Young averages a team-leading 18.0 ppg. He’s made a team-best 10 threes. Freshman forward Troy Gillenwater averages 15.5 ppg. Gibson averages 15.3 ppg. Sophomore forward Wendell McKines averages 7.8 rebounds per game.
Inside misses
KU freshman Tyshawn Taylor, who drew praise for his solid defensive work on Kent State’s Al Fisher in Monday’s 87-60 victory, still can’t believe he missed nine of 14 shots. Most of the misses were on layups. Taylor also missed a first-half dunk try.
“I started to get frustrated toward the end because I kept getting to the bucket, kept getting wide open layups. I just couldn’t buy one,” Taylor said. “I was like, ‘dang,’ but I looked over to the bench and coach kept telling me to keep shooting.”
Of his missed dunk, Taylor said: “I feel my legs are not with me as much as they used to be. If that was last year, I would have gotten up a little bit higher. I feel I’ve got to get more bounce. I’ve got to get my bounce back.”
He’s getting used to the rigors of college ball.
“We practice every day. We weightlift before practice sometimes and we play a lot. It definitely is wearing on me,” he said. “It wasn’t like that in high school. I’ve just got to get used to that.”
Frosh Quintrell Thomas knows what Taylor is talking about.
“It’s weird. When I first came to college I was expecting to dunk everything because that’s what I did in high school,” Thomas said. “After the first couple workouts I started losing it and then I guess you lose the mentality of ‘I’ve got to dunk everything,’ because your legs are always tired. Most of us have our legs back now, but because you stopped (dunking) so long ago, I guess it doesn’t come as easy anymore.”
Self’s thoughts
Self on KU’s barrage of inside misses: “The offense isn’t crisp but we are somewhat efficient considering how many missed bunnies we have. This team misses more layups than any team of all time.”
Self was asked about the freshmen maybe having tired legs.
“I think everybody goes through periods of time they don’t have their legs as much, (but) don’t read into any of that stuff those guys tell you,” he said with a laugh, as always, entertained at some things the players say in interviews.