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LJW Video: Senior Speeches
KUAD Box Score, Recap, Quotes, Notes, Video
LJW Video and Audio pressers and post-game interviews
KUAD Box Score, Recap, Quotes, Notes, Video
LJW Video and Audio pressers and post-game interviews
Kevin Young reverse dunk!
ESPN Recap, Video
ESPN Photos
UDK Photos
KC Star Photos
LJW Photos
KUAD Photos
TCJ Photos
jayhawkslant.com photos ($)
Withey for 3!
Withey with the slam!
Sportscenter highlights!
KUAD Highlights
3/4/13, 6:51 PM
Couldn't choose a better seat for Andrew Wiggins' family... Right next to Wayne Simien
https://twitter.com/jbbauersfeld
3/4/13, 7:31 PM
Kansas is rolling on Senior Night- tune in to #KatzKorner tomorrow at 4pmET to hear @CoachBillSelf with @ESPNAndyKatz @KU_Hoops
https://twitter.com/espnu
Andrew Wiggins gave that Withey dunk the "Oh, man" seal of approval.
https://twitter.com/@rustindodd
3/4/13, 7:44 PM
No words for that dunk!!
https://twitter.com/jojo_embiid
3/4/13, 7:54 PM
s/o to them seniors man ..
https://twitter.com/tyshawntaylor
Bill Self called for an ovation for Ben McLemore - student section chanted one more year - Self "don't hold your breath"
https://twitter.com/joshklingler/
Kevin Young opens his senior speech: I had a speech prepared but I lost it in my hair!
https://twitter.com/JMarchiony
Self on Hudy: "It only took her four years to get Jeff Withey from 215 pounds to 220 pounds."
https://twitter.com/rustindodd/
Self calls Travis Releford "the rock of our team."
https://twitter.com/rustindodd/
3/4/13, 8:32 PM
#SeniorSalute
Releford windmills, Withey Block Party, Young Chest beat & fro pat, Elij 39! Great Memories!
https://twitter.com/waynesimien
3/4/13, 8:40 PM
Crazy to think the next game in Allen Fieldhouse I'll finally be able to play! Can't wait!
https://twitter.com/landenlucas33
3/4/13, 9:05 PM
“@Swishballer15: @J_mari31 no one cried tonight!! Nice win!! #KUCMB” behind the scenes, one sr did (he shall remain unnamed)
https://twitter.com/j_mari31
3/4/13, 9:35 PM
Congrats to all the seniors tonight.....such a special thing to do as a player. Fans are the #1 reason its a memorable night
https://twitter.com/treed14
3/4/13, 10:20 PM
I'm gonna miss the seniors. Crazy how time flies.
https://twitter.com/t_self11
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Senior Tribute Video from AFH
Here Come The Hawks!
Kansas vs Texas Tech Intro Video from AFH
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You might say that Jeff Withey had been plotting this moment for more than four years. Senior night. Allen Fieldhouse. A fast break with senior guard Elijah Johnson pitching the ball back to him in perfect rhythm as he trailed the play.
Withey, a 7-foot senior center, caught the ball at the top of the key.
"He had no choice," Elijah Johnson would say.
In the days leading up to Kansas' Senior Night on Monday, a day that would end with a 79-42 demolition of Texas Tech, Withey had let his teammates in on a little secret. In nearly five years at Kansas, including a redshirt campaign, Withey had never attempted a three-pointer.
Four years ago, when he arrived on campus, he would have never even dared. He was a skinny beanpole from the beaches of San Diego, a kid who was just trying to find out why Kansas coach Bill Self wouldn't stop yelling at him.
He also knew his history. Former KU center Scot Pollard, another San Diego native, had once drilled a three-pointer on Senior Night in 1997, finishing his career with a perfect one-for-one mark from downtown.
So here was the moment. Senior Night. Allen Fieldhouse. More than five minutes left in the first half. And the Jayhawks were in the middle of one of those mind-numbing zones that only seem to happen on nights like this.
Withey was never getting another chance. And this being Senior Night, the basketball gods obeyed.
"I knew it was gonna go in," Withey would say. "I was telling the guys before, how am I going to celebrate it?"
KC Star
“I wanted to shoot one. I think the fans wanted me to. I got a lot of Tweets from fans about shooting a three. My friends back home said, ‘Go ahead and shoot it. You’ll make it,’’’ said Withey, who swished a straight-on three with 5:18 left in the first half of Monday's 79-42 rout of Texas Tech.
He flashed a three-point sign to the fans after hitting the bucket that gave KU a commanding 32-12 lead.
…“Today has been kind of crazy,” Withey noted. “The game was fun and we played hard. For me personally (the thought of the last home game) hasn’t hit me. I don’t think it will for a little while. The fieldhouse has been good to us and the fans have been good to us. This is going to be a night that we will remember for a long time.”
LJW
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On a night that featured what could be remembered as the greatest senior day starting lineup in KU history — four seniors who played key roles as juniors in getting KU to the national-title game, plus the possible No. 1 pick in the NBA draft; not the usual mix of starters and walk-ons — it became more evident than ever that this Kansas team is getting better with age.
On the way to a 79-42 blowout of the overmatched Red Raiders, Kansas stormed to a 45-20 first-half lead that was more entertaining than it was one-sided.
If not for the uniforms giving them away, this easily could have passed for the Harlem Globetrotters abusing their favorite foils, the Washington Generals. A team full of Red Raiders impersonating Red Klotz.
The four lobs thrown by Elijah Johnson can’t possibly be as easy as he makes them look and sound when he responds to questions about them in ho-hum fashion.
On his way to nine first-half assists, Johnson completed six lob passes, two apiece flushed by Ben McLemore, Kevin Young (one with his back to the basket) and Jeff Withey.
LJW Keegan
“It's the most difficult situation probably in all of college basketball to come to Kansas on Senior Night,” Walker said. “But give Kansas all the credit in the world. Coach (Bill) Self's a great coach, and I just think they did a great job tonight.”
…Added TTU forward Jordan Tolbert: “It is hard to swallow, but it's Kansas. It's not just any regular team. They have great confidence, they have great fans, they have everything.”
All of that and more was on display Monday night, as the Jayhawks and 16,300 adoring fans said goodbye to four senior starters and may also have watched freshman phenom Ben McLemore play the final home game of his college career. With the game firmly in hand and the love-fest in full swing, Self pulled his starting five from the game with 4:45 to play. But even that did nothing to comfort Walker, who was asked if he took any joy from the fact that he would not have to face those five again in the coming seasons.
“They said that (a few) years ago and they won the national championship,” he said with a shrug. “Kansas is Kansas. I hope they get everybody. That's what we're here for. You want to play the Kansas and Dukes of the world. They're always gonna reload. ... They're trying to win a national championship, and we're trying to show every single night that we can come out and be competitive.”
LJW
LJW Rankings: KU's senior bigs take top spots
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Air-stepping through space as a Kansas basketball player in Allen Fieldhouse has got to add some spring to the step.
That is why, when the Jayhawks get on the kind of roll they did in the first half Monday, you wonder just how much of their exploits above the rim are powered by the noise they generate.
The wattage supplied on senior night was often deafening as Kansas destroyed Texas Tech, 79-42.
Especially when senior point guard Elijah Johnson, confidence fully restored, kept heaving perfect lobs teammates converted. Six times in the first half, Johnson successfully furnished lobs that were flushed twice each by Ben McLemore, Jeff Withey and Kevin Young.
“It was just open season,’’ Texas Tech coach Chris Walker said.
Just like any good high-wire act, the ease with which Kansas finished was amazing.
A sellout crowd can energize any player into jumping just a little bit higher. Or, looking just a little bit harder for a teammate breaking to to the basket.
Yet the alley-oop does require practice.
“We haven’t thrown as many this year as we did last year probably, but not too many teams throw as many lobs as we do,’’ KU coach Bill Self said. “We haven’t had as many opportunities this year, but we’re getting better at it.’’
TCJ
Withey finished with 22 points, his most in a Big 12 game this year, and made 8 of 9 shots from the floor. Johnson added seven points and a career-high 12 assists, while KU’s other two seniors, Kevin Young and Travis Releford, scored 14 and 13, respectively.
All in all, it was about as stress-free as a senior night can get.
“I think they saw big picture, and that’s what we talked about,” Self said. “In order for them to have a great night, we had to take care of business.”
The Jayhawks have won 29 straight senior night games, in part because they get to play teams like Texas Tech. The Red Raiders (10-18, 3-14) had as many turnovers as field goals and missed 14 of the 15 shots they attempted from behind the arc.
The problem, here, was that Texas Tech was basically powerless to stop the Jayhawks from throwing lobs. Johnson tossed five in the first half alone, including a line drive that became a reverse slam for Young and a sweeping hook to Withey.
“Once the crowd gets going like that, I want to throw more,” Johnson said. “I don’t remember how many lobs I threw in the first half, but I feel like I gave everybody two apiece except for Trav. I’m sorry, Trav.”
TCJ
In the Jayhawks’ 79-42 blowout home win over Texas Tech on Monday night, Johnson went for just seven points, but dished out 12 assists with only two turnovers and no fouls. The game comes after a 10-assist night in the team’s 91-65 rout of West Virginia on Saturday.
It’s Johnson’s first back-to-back assist games of the season and third overall this year.
The senior’s reputation has never been as a facilitator. Partly because he hasn’t had to be and partly because that’s not his game. But recently, albeit against two far inferior teams, Johnson has evolved into that role. He’s averaging 4.7 assists per game this year.
But even with that in perspective, it’s progress. With Jeff Withey proving to be one of the better low-post finishers in the nation and Ben McLemore cementing himself more and more as an NBA Draft Lottery pick in June, there’s room for Johnson to play the floor general role and defer the points to his teammates.
Looking back, Johnson is at his best in some big games when passing more this season. He had nine assists in wins over potential NCAA Tournament teams St. Louis, Temple and Belmont, along with a 10-assist game in a home overtime win over Iowa State.
So maybe he’s not Michael Carter-Williams, but Johnson doesn’t have to be. But heading into the Big Dance with Kansas as a prime candidate for a no. 1 seed, Johnson becoming somewhat of a distributor might be the role he best fits to keep the Jayhawks in line with their own expectations: A deep run into March and possibly April.
NBC Sports
With five minutes and 30 seconds left — well after the game’s fate had been decided — the student body in Allen Fieldhouse began to boisterously chant “Thank you seniors.”
Travis Releford took it as an opportunity to say, “You’re welcome.”
Just as the chant reached its peak, Releford became the last KU senior in the 2013 class to score in Allen Fieldhouse. He hit a 3-pointer, only KU’s second of the night, and added a free throw on the following possession. He ended his home career with 13 points.
In a sense, it was the perfect way for Releford to end his career at the Fieldhouse. There was nothing flashy about the way he played. He was smart, helpful and consistent, just as he’s been the last two years for the Jayhawks.
“It hasn’t really hit me, or hit any of us yet,” Releford said. “I really don’t know how to express that last moment walking off the court.”
…The pregame video that has become synonymous with Jayhawk hoops had a mechanical error that forced KU to show the same video from Saturday’s West Virginia game rather than the senior-filled montage prepared for Monday.
Not to worry though, as KU showed the correct version of the video just before the second half started. Toward its end, there was a clip labeled “The Legends,” and Travis Releford’s smiling face was on the screen.
Four years ago, when a sophomore Releford took a redshirt, that clip would’ve been hard to fathom for some. His mother, Venita Vann, would agree.
“He learned a lot from when he had to redshirt,” Vann said. “It grew him up. It made him a man.”
At the point when the correct pregame video was blaring to open the second half, the Jayhawks held a 45-20 lead after a half full of alley-oops, Texas Tech airballs and even a Jeff Withey 3-pointer.
In other words, it was a typical senior night for KU basketball.
“We’ve had some senior nights where we won, but we didn’t play good because guys are too geeked up and everything,” Self said. “These guys were pretty focused. They kept it pretty well in check.”
Coming into the game, Releford also didn’t know how we wanted to express his thanks in that final senior speech. He told Vann, his mother, it would be the shortest speech KU’s ever had.
“I didn’t have anything prepared,” Releford said.
“I tried to keep it short, because last year we had a guy out there for 15 minutes. I just tried to get out of here and get home I guess.”
TCJ
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Kevin Young resembled a stand-up comedian as he took the microphone for the first of four Senior Night speeches following Monday’s 79-42 rout of Texas Tech in Allen Fieldhouse.
“I had a long speech prepared. It got lost in my hair,” senior forward Young said, patting his afro and drawing laughs from the 16,300 who stuck around for postgame senior speeches.
“I can touch my toes now,” he added in thanking trainer Andrea Hudy for her work with him the past two seasons.
All four seniors needed only three minutes apiece to thank God, their family members, coaches, teammates, managers, trainers and support staff members.
“Without her (Hudy) I couldn’t be, ‘Too Strong,’’’ Elijah Johnson said with a smile. “There’s no place to play like Kansas.”
To the fans, Travis Releford said: “You kept me going. I struggled early my red-shirt season and had thoughts of leaving like any normal kid would. To be here, running out of the tunnel and getting chills ... it’s the best place to be.”
Jeff Withey thanked the student section as well, concluding with “Rock Chalk.”
KU coach Bill Self opened the speech portion of the event by asking the fans to recognize freshman Ben McLemore, who likely played his final game in Allen.
“We’ve not talked about it. He may come back. He may not. He deserves one loud ovation from the fans in Allen Fieldhouse,” Self said.
The fans gave McLemore a standing ovation and chanted, “One More Year.”
“Don’t hold your breath on that,” Self told the fans.
LJW
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3/4/13, 8:29 PM
Deshaun Thomas said Assembly Hall was second loudest building he's been in besides Allen Fieldhouse at Kansas.
https://twitter.com/insidethehall
Allen Fieldhouse one of college basketball’s must-see venues
Was it crazy?
Yeah, probably.
Cramming five friends in a car, driving 2,000 miles and nearly 30 hours over the course of four days doesn’t exactly sound appealing.
But after opening the front doors of Allen Fieldhouse and taking a step inside, I knew it was worth every mile.
For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s some background information:
Thursday night, myself and four other media members decided to drive to Lawrence, Kan., to watch West Virginia take on No. 6 Kansas Saturday afternoon.
The Jayhawks are housed inside the most storied arena in college basketball, and it was a venue on all of our bucket lists.
We arrived in Lawrence Friday afternoon and made our first trek through the concourse of Allen Fieldhouse. We toured the arena home to Wilt Chamberlain’s jersey, the 2008 national championship trophy and a hall displaying information on the program’s 55 conference championships and 14 Final Four appearances.
Behind a glass display, there were the 13 original rules of basketball written by former Kansas head coach James Naismith – the inventor of the sport.
Only a couple hours had passed, and I was already blown away by the history and rich tradition of the 58-year-old arena.
When Saturday morning and gameday arrived, the experience became even more impressive.
After walking by the thousands of fans lined up outside more than two and a half hours before tipoff, I took a seat at midcourt and marveled at my surroundings.
I looked up at the banners decorating the rafters of the arena.
I walked out onto the court from the perspective of a visiting team, passing under the sign "Pay heed, all who enter: Beware of ‘The Phog’" (The Phog referencing former KU head coach Phog Allen, for whom the venue is named).
Then the students, who were let in two hours before the game, sprinted in an attempt to secure seats as close to the action as possible. The general public followed, though at a much slower pace, and Allen Fieldhouse was filled by 16,300 screaming Kansas fans for the 196th consecutive game.
Before the Jayhawks starting lineup was introduced, a pregame video was shown.
And not to take a poke a WVU, but it wasn’t exactly centered around the musical stylings of Sean Kingston.
Clips of Naismith, Danny Manning, Wilt Chamberlain, Paul Pierce and many other storied alumni were shown.
As an avid consumer of college basketball, goosebumps covered my arms and neck for the duration of the video.
The game began shortly after, and the capacity crowd was the loudest of any basketball crowd I’ve ever heard.
The Jayhawks blew out the Mountaineers on the court, and all in attendance stayed until the end, while the echoes of the "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk ... KU" chant reverberated off the ceiling of the Phog.
It is more than just basketball in Lawrence, Kan.; it’s a way of life.
For Jayhawk fans, a Saturday is completely centered around Kansas basketball.
You go early, you stay late and you stand and cheer on your hometown team for an entire 40 minutes ... No matter the score.
Driving halfway across the country to see a basketball team run away with a 91-65 win may not sound like something you have to experience.
But if that drive takes you to Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, it will be worth every second.
Add a Kansas home basketball game to your bucket list if you haven’t already.
WVU Daily Athenaeum
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KUAD: WBB hosts TCU on Senior Night
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VOTE FOR COACH SELF (West Region, for god's sake people vote! Weber is ahead of Self!)
VOTE for Kansas players, team, and moment in NCAA 75th Anniversary of March Madness (Vote for Wilt, Clyde, Danny, 51-52 Kansas, Mario's Miracle)
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But two decades after shaking up the sports broadcasting world for the first time by acquiring N.F.L. rights, Murdoch has plans to challenge ESPN head on and claim some of the lucrative revenue that the sports media giant has had largely to itself for more than three decades.
On Tuesday, Fox will announce its intention to start Fox Sports 1, an all-sports network, in August.
The channel will carry Nascar races, Major League Baseball games, college basketball and football, soccer and U.F.C. fights. It will also broadcast studio shows, including one that is to be hosted by Regis Philbin, a celebrated Notre Dame fan.
Murdoch’s effort is a long shot to topple ESPN, or at least take a huge bite out of it.
ESPN brings in more than $6 billion annually from its industry-high subscriber fees. It owns the rights to televise Major League Baseball; the N.F.L.; the N.B.A.; Nascar; tennis; myriad collegiate conferences; the Bowl Championship Series and its new playoffs; and a raft of other sports. Both ESPN and ESPN2 have 98.5 million subscribers.
It is a true empire, with eight domestic cable channels; the ESPN3 broadband network; the Web sites ESPN.com and Grantland.com; a radio network; digital properties like ESPNw, which focuses on women’s sports; a magazine; the WatchESPN app, which enables viewing of ESPN on computers, smartphones and tablets; and ownership of the Global X Games, college basketball tournaments and seven bowl games.
Fox Sports 1 will join a market that is far more crowded than it was when Murdoch first contemplated squaring off against ESPN. Not only will Fox face the dominance of ESPN, but NBC and CBS have their own sports channels, which are struggling for viewers and identities. The Big Ten and Pacific-12 conferences have created their own networks, and the Southeastern Conference is planning one. And in the past decade, M.L.B., the N.F.L., the N.B.A. and the N.H.L. have started their own channels.
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Recruiting
Julius Randle, a 6-9 senior forward from Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Texas, will announce his college decision on March 20, according to USA Today. He will announce live on ESPNU. Randle has a list of KU, Kentucky, Florida, Oklahoma, N.C. State and Texas.
…Andrew Wiggins, a 6-7 senior forward from Huntington (W. Va.) Prep High, attended Monday’s game with his parents. He waved to KU’s student section, who chanted, “We Want Wiggins.” He has a list of KU, Kentucky, North Carolina and Florida State.
LJW
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