**9:21 p.m.**: Just met Aleks Maric for the first time, and I’ve got to say I respect his decision on where to place his focus this Thursday evening.First, Maric danced around a question during the postgame press conference regarding playing KU again, saying he’d rather enjoy this tonight and worry about that tomorrow. The ‘this’ of course is a 61-56 win over Mizzou in the Sprint Center.Though he couldn’t avoid more questions about the impending matchup with the tournament’s second-seeded squad coming in less than 24 hours. Those were fired at him as he squatted in his locker minutes later.So, Aleks, what has KU done to you, especially in the past two seasons, to make things so tough?”They do everything,” he generalized. “They trap me, they double down, rotate bodies, they just keep coming, keep coming.”Well, yeah. Enough technical talk. How about an analogy?”Have you ever attacked an ants’ nest?,” he asked. “You kill one and what happens? How many more come? But they’re not ants. They’re a lot bigger than ants, that’s for sure.”The proof is on the paper. In KU’s 79-58 win in Lincoln to open up league play on Jan. 12, Marich had 19 points (most of which came very late in the game with the outcome decided) and could only grab four rebounds. Two weeks later, he had arguably the worst game of his collegiate career. The first team All-Big 12 selection went scoreless for the only time this season in an 84-49 pasting in Allen Fieldhouse.(P.S. If I had a vote, Maric’s spot would have gone to Mario Chalmers. One, you can’t have the league’s co-champs not represented on the first team, in my opinion. Second, Chalmers’ was a true do-it-all and was more consistent than both Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur. Nothing personal against Maric.)So can Nebraska pull off the somewhat-unthinkable Friday? Probably not. No shame in that, as the Huskers will probably see a nice run in the NIT starting next week.That’s because this team has come a long way since Jan. 26. Losing Cookie Miller for a few games down the stretch was a disguised blessing, as Steve Harley developed into a solid offensive option on the perimeter alongside Ryan Anderson.But, as Doc Sadler so lovingly put it in the postgame presser, his team would have to play near-perfect ball Friday to continue on to Saturday and enjoy the Power & Light District a bit longer.Factor in the way KU is playing over the past two weeks, **I’m predicting KU 87, Nebraska 70**.**-Also after the game, had a chance to catch up with KU assistant Kurtis Townsend**, who was scouting the MU-NU game alongside Danny Manning and Joe Dooley.He offered some insight on how KU has been successful – and will try to be successful again – on Maric: _”I don’t think it’s on the defensive end for us. I think when we’re on offense, we’ve got to make him run around and guard our guys and make him help on ball screens, and it kinda wears him out, takes away from his offense. So I think the big key on him is making him guard on the other end.”_That’s it for tonight in the bowels of the Sprint Center. Time to go whoop Wood’s behind in some pop-a-shot up in the College Basketball Experience. Seriously, check it out if you’re down here.Talk to you tomorrow.**7:44 p.m.**: From what we’ve seen in the first 35 minutes of tonight’s MU-NU game, I really have no reason to believe KU’s run in the Big 12 Tournament will end after tomorrow night. Both teams are much improved from when KU played them last (all four games were knocked out of the league schedule pretty early), but neither has shown too much offensive flow. With the way KU’s scoring of late, that’s your best hope to get the best of the Jayhawks if you’re an opponent.**During halftime, spotted in the Sprint Center:** KU assistants Danny Manning, Joe Dooley and Kurtis Townsend, here scouting Friday’s potential opponents, were jollying outside the media workroom with K-State head coach Frank Martin.**6:28 p.m.**: Just sat down in our spot for the MU-NU first round matchup, in time to watch the Huskers rip off a 10-0 run and take an 18-12 advantage on the Tigers with 7:54 left before the half.Nebraska definitely looks improved from when KU slugged Doc Sadler’s club twice early on in league play. Steve Harley’s progress on the offensive end probably has plenty to do with that, and the Huskers are much more athletic than many probably give them credit for.But the reason for missing the first half of, well, the first half is legit. I was taking in the College Basketball Experience for the first time. And after sitting back down to work, with a hint of sweat forming on the back of my neck, I can say that place will make anyone feel like a little kid.The highlight for me was the huge shot of the Fab Five huddling up before the 1993 title game on the wall once the elevator opens.But for real, I could have spent the rest of the night in there. That’ll happen later, I promise, because it’s open until midnight. But I can proudly say that in a 15-minute span, I cashed a free throw with the North Carolina student section going bananas behind the goal, I one-handed a Chalmers-like throwdown on a nine-foot hoop and then got outdone by a ten-year-old at pop-a-shot.But a note to visitors looking to play around: Don’t spend too much time at KC Live! beforehand. That could be trouble.**4:48 p.m.**: Today’s initial blog entry is in honor of Chuck Woodling, whose ‘Notes and Quotes’ columns I’ve read on microfilm lately are otherworldly.So without further hesitation…**Notes and Quotes** while rejoicing in the landing of a parking pass for downtown Kansas City this weekend…**-Kansas City has it’s version** of an adult playground now. A trip through KC Live! this afternoon before watching Baylor and Colorado play confirmed that. The canopy-covered courtyard across the street from the Sprint Center in downtown KCMO makes any 20-something salivate. The open area, filled with benches, couch cushions and heating posts among the greenery, is lined with bars and restaurant. One-upping that is the walk-up windows at each bar, which allows you to purchase beverages and tote them into the courtyard, mingling to your delight. Essentially, it’s what heaven would look like if it were run by John Daly.**-Colorado…really?** If there was one game coming into today that I thought would have no upset potential, it was Baylor-CU. There were three teams coming into today I really thought had anything to play for in Kansas City – Texas A&M (for a tourney berth), Kansas (for the No. 2 seed in the South/Houston regional) and Texas (same as Kansas). Add the Bears to that mix. With the loss to CU, Baylor might be out of the field now, especially if the Aggies win in Thursday’s nightcap against Iowa State. Not too often that a team plays its way _out_ after being a virtual lock heading into the Big 12 Tournament. That just might be the case.**-Speaking of the CU win**, the Buffs did everything in their power to lose that game, it looked like at times late. They led by four in the first overtime and seven in the second overtime, nearly salting away both advantages. What was more puzzling is that with a shot to win the game at the end of regulation and the first OT, CU ran a clear-out play…for Marcus Hall. That makes about as much sense as the four Colorado fans I spotted in stands (the _only_ four) paying to get into the Sprint Center.**-My rationale on which would be better for the Sprint Center between on NBA or NHL resident**. Either one would get great support right off the bat. But if an NHL team slumped badly four years into playing in KC, winning fan support back would be brutally tough. The NBA, though? It’d be easier in that situation. I think this because of the youth population here. Kids grow up playing hoops and do so down the road from two major Division-I programs. No one here plays hockey at a young age. A losing hockey team would fade irreversibly from memory. Just my opinion.**-Did I mention** I love KC Live!? (No, the exclamation point-question mark combo is not my effort to make it look like a text message from a teenage girl. The exclamation point is the proper style for KC Live!. Swear)**-Parking tip for the weekend**: Park in the underground lot behind Municipal Auditorium for $10. It’s only a four-block walk to the Sprint Center. It’s great, but keep in mind you’ll have to turn down 475 offers to buy tickets on the corners. If you’re a people-pleaser, might not be for you.**-As for that walk** from Municipal, my favorite was the guy hawking free cans of Pepsi Max. Here was the sales pitch which came from the faux-hawk crusader: “IT’S JUST LIKE DIET PEPSI! BUT IT’S PEPSI MAX!!!” I’m sold. Got any Pepsi Clear with you, too?**-For some reason, there’s a ton of** Iowa State fans here.**-It drives me nuts that** the Big 12 runs tons of advertisements for Chick-Fil-A on the video board during the games, but the only location I know of in the KC area is at 119th and Black Bob. It’s like dangling Pat Knight’s mythical ‘meat necklace’ in front of a pack of wolves.Be back during the Nebraska-Mizzou game. I’m **predicting MU 78, Nebraska 74**. While NU has shown plenty of improvement of late, I feel like the Tigers are traditionally strong on neutral floors.