No. 14/13 Kansas to Host Texas Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN
Feb. 14, 2013
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Kansas notes for Texas 
ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY
Kansas continues its two-game homestand when it plays host to Texas, Saturday, Feb. 16. For the fifth time, ESPN College GameDay will originate from Allen Fieldhouse. The event began in 2005 with KU being its second-ever stop. The Fieldhouse also hosted the fan-favorite event in 2007, 2008 and 2011.
Kansas and Texas are the two winningest programs in the 16-plus year history of the Big 12 Conference. KU is first in the conference in wins with a 225-44 record in Big 12 regular-season games. Texas is next at 179-90. Including the league postseason championship, KU is tops at 256-52, while Texas is second at 200-106.
For most of the 2012-13 season, Kansas and Texas have ranked first and second nationally in field goal percentage defense. In fact, both are at 36.1 heading into Saturday’s game. Carrying out the decimal, Kansas has the edge by 2/10,000th (.3611 to .3613).
ABOUT KANSAS
Kansas, ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press and No. 13 in the USA Today Coaches’ polls released Feb. 11, is 20-4 (8-3 Big 12) and tied for first with Kansas State (19-5, 8-3) and Oklahoma State (19-5, 8-3) in the 2013 Big 12 race. In his 10th season at Kansas, Bill Self holds a 289-57 record for an 83.5 winning percentage. Overall, Self is nearing his 500th career victory with a 496-162 record in his 20th season as a head coach. KU is 13-1 in Allen Fieldhouse, 5-2 in road games and 2-1 on neutral courts in 2012-13. KU averages 73.5 points per game and is giving up 60.6 for a Big 12-leading +12.9 scoring margin. KU also leads the Big 12 in rebound margin at +6.3, field goal percentage at 46.9, field goal percentage defense at 36.1 and blocked shots at 7.0.
Kansas starts four seniors, including three fifth-year seniors, and one freshman. Named to the Sporting News Mid-Season All-American team Jan. 15, redshirt freshman G Ben McLemore leads the team in scoring at 16.8 points per game after his 30-point effort against Kansas State Monday. McLemore leads all Big 12 freshmen in scoring and his 16.8 ppg ranks second overall in the conference. The Jan. 14 Big 12 Player of the Week and two-time conference Rookie of the Week, McLemore leads the league in free throw percentage (87.6) and is second in three-point field goal percentage (43.5). McLemore, who is listed on the USBWA Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Year Award Midseason list, has a team-high 47 three-pointers made and is second on the KU squad with 28 steals. All-America candidate senior C Jeff Withey leads Kansas in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and has eight double-doubles this season. Withey leads the league in blocked shots at 4.1 per game, which ranks third nationally. Withey is Kansas’ all-time blocked shots leader with 263 and is one shy of the Big 12 Conference career mark of 264 held by Chris Mihm of Texas (1998-2000). A USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Midseason and Wooden Award Mid-Season Top 25 honoree along with McLemore, Withey is scoring 13.2 points per outing. Senior G Travis Releford is second in the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 59.4 percent. The Nov. 26 Big 12 Player of the Week, Releford is scoring 11.8 points per contest. Senior G Elijah Johnson has a team-high 110 assists and is second on the team with 34 three-pointers made to complement his 9.1 scoring average. Senior F Kevin Young rounds out the KU starters; he is scoring 7.7 points per contest and is second on the team with 6.8 rebounds per outing. Other KU regulars include freshman F Perry Ellis (4.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), sophomore G Naadir Tharpe (5.6 ppg, 2.8 apg) and redshirt freshman F Jamari Traylor (2.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg).
ABOUT TEXAS
Located in Austin, Texas, with an enrollment of 52,213, Texas is 11-13 on the season, 3-8 in Big 12 play after its 89-86 double-overtime win against Iowa State Wednesday (2/13). Texas is coached by Rick Barnes who is 353-150 in his 15th season at UT and 555-284 in his 26th season overall. UT averages 64.5 points and gives up 63.3 for a +1.2 scoring margin. For most of the season, Texas leads the Big 12 in three-point field goal percentage defense at 26.1 percent while it is second in the league in field goal percentage defense at 36.1 and blocked shots at 5.2, behind KU’s 7.0 blocks per game.
Sophomore G Sheldon McClellan leads Texas with a 14.5 scoring average and a 80.6 free throw percentage. McClellan’s 25 three-pointers are second highest on the team behind sophomore G Julien Lewis’ 34. Lewis scores 11.1 points per game and is second on the team with 29 steals in 2012-13. Freshman F Ioannis Papapetrou averages 8.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and has 17 blocked shots. Freshman G Javan Felix is third in the Big 12 with 5.4 assists per game. He scores 8.4 points per contest and leads UT with 31 steals this season. Sophomore F Jonathan Holmes averages a team-best 6.8 rebounds per game, seventh in the Big 12, and Holmes scores 7.5 points per game. Freshman C Cameron Ridley leads the team with 44 blocked shots, scores 4.5 ppg and is third on the team with a 4.6 rebound average. Other UT regulars include freshman F Connor Lammert (4.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg), freshman G Demarcus Holland (3.5 ppg), and freshman F/C Prince Ibeh (1.9 ppg, 25 blocked shots). Sophomore G Myck Kabongo returned to the UT lineup against Iowa State after serving a 23-game suspension from the NCAA. He had 13 points, four rebounds and seven assists in the double OT victory.
THE SERIES
Year-in and year-out, the Kansas-Texas battles are some of the best in the Big 12 and nationally in a series that dates back to 1938. Kansas leads 21-7 and has won seven of the last eight meetings. These two teams have met in four of the last six Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship title games with KU claiming all four match-ups: 80-68 in Dallas in 2006, 88-84 in overtime in Oklahoma City in 2007, 84-74 in Kansas City in 2008 and 85-73 in Kansas City in 2011. Kansas is 10-1 against Texas in games played in Lawrence, including 8-1 in Allen Fieldhouse. On Jan. 22, 2011, UT ended KU’s 69-game home-court winning streak its lone win in Lawrence. Since the inception of the Big 12, Kansas holds a 17-6 record against Texas with a 13-5 mark in regular-season play and 4-1 record in the Big 12 Championship. Kansas head coach Bill Self is 11-7 all-time against Texas, including 11-5 while at KU. Texas head coach Rick Barnes is 6-15 all-time versus Kansas.
Earlier this season, Kansas redshirt freshman G Ben McLemore scored 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting to lead KU to a 64-59 win at Texas on Jan. 19. KU senior C Jeff Withey just missed a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds, while senior G Travis Releford scored 12 points. Texas led 28-26 at intermission and UT sophomore guard Sheldon McClellan led all scorers with 18 points.
KANSAS TEAM NOTABLES
–Kansas leads the NCAA Division I in field goal percentage defense at 36.1 percent and is third nationally in blocked shots at 7.0 per game. Both stats lead the Big 12 and KU also leads the conference in scoring margin (+12.9), field goal percentage (46.9) and rebound margin (+6.3). The Jayhawks also rank in the top four of the Big 12 in scoring (third, 73.5), free throw percentage (third, 72.2), rebounding (second, 39.0), rebound defense (second, 32.8), assists (fourth, 15.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio (fourth, 1.1).
–Kansas held a double-digit lead in all but five contests this season. KU has held the lead in all but one game in 2012-13.
–Out of its 24 games, Kansas has held 15 of its opponents to 60 points or less, including six of the last nine conference foes: 46 at Texas Tech, 44 vs. Baylor, 59 at Texas, 55 at Kansas State, 54 vs. Oklahoma and 56 at West Virginia.
–KU has outrebounded 20 of 24 opponents this season, including 16 of its last 18 foes. KU has had five games with 10-plus rebounds over its opponent, including a 41-23 advantage against Kansas State (2/11).
–Kansas has out shot all but four opponents in 2012-13. Additionally, KU has shot 50 percent or better in nine games this season, including eight of the last 17 contests. KU’s 54.1 percent at West Virginia (1/28) was its league best during 2012-13.
–Kansas has held a 40-plus point lead in four different games this season.
–Kansas had four players score in double figures in nine times this season, including five against Iowa State (1/9).
KANSAS SHOOTING
Kansas has out shot all but four opponents in 2012-13 and has shot 50 percent or better from the field in nine games. KU leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 46.9 percent, is third in three-point field goal percentage at 35.5 percent and third in free throw percentage at 72.2. Individually, senior G Travis Releford leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 59.4 and is 58-for-94 (61.7 percent) from the field in his last 15 games. Redshirt freshman G Ben McLemore’s 9-for-13 (69.2 percent) shooting effort against Kansas State (2/11) was his sixth 60 percent performance of the season. He has shot 50 percent or better from three-point range in seven conference games. Senior C Jeff Withey has shot 50 percent or better in 20 of 24 games this season, including 11 games of 62.5 percent or better. Senior F Kevin Young has nine games of shooting 60.0 percent or better, including four in conference play: 7-of-9 at Texas Tech (1/12), 2-of-3 at Texas (1/19), 3-of-5 vs. Oklahoma State (2/2) and 6-of-9 vs. Kansas State (2/11).
IN THE POLLS
Kansas is ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press and No. 13 USA Today Coaches’ polls released Feb. 11. Kansas’ No. 1 ranking in the Jan. 28, 2013, coaches’ poll was its first since Feb. 14, 2011, and KU has been the nation’s top team 38 times, including 20 weeks in the Bill Self era. Also in the coaches’ polls, Kansas has been ranked in each of the last 77 week, including 63 times in the Top 10. In the Associated Press poll and dating back to the final three polls of the 2008-09 season, this marks the 72nd-straight poll in which the Jayhawks have been ranked in the AP poll, including 61 times in the Top 10.
WITHEYBLOCKPARTY.COM
Here are some block party notables for Kansas All-American candidate Jeff Withey:
–Withey leads the Big 12 and is third nationally with 4.1 blocked shots per game. KU’s record for single-season blocked shot average is 3.6 set by Withey in 2012.
–The 2012 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Withey set the KU and Big 12 single-game record with 12 blocked shots versus San Jose State (11/26).
–Withey’s 98 blocks in 2012-13 are more than six Big 12 teams this season and rank third on the KU single-season list.
–Withey broke the Kansas career blocked shots record against Kansas State (2/11), currently at 263. He passed Greg Ostertag who had 258 blocks from 1992-95. Withey is one blocked shot from the Big 12 career record of 264 (Chris Mihm, Texas, 1998-2000).
–For his career, Withey has had 10 games with seven or more blocked shots, including three in 2012-13.
–Withey broke the NCAA Tournament record for blocked shots with 31 in the 2012 event.
–Withey broke the Kansas and Big 12 single-season blocked shots record with 140 last year (3.6 per game). He became only the second Jayhawk to pass 100 blocked shots for a single season (125, Cole Aldrich in 2009-10).
AIRMCLEMORE.COM
Kansas guard Ben McLemore leads the Big 12 freshman class with a 16.8 scoring average, which is second overall in the conference. He leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage at 87.6 and is second in three-point field goal percentage at 43.5 percent. KU’s leading scorer as well, McLemore has seven games with 20 points or more this season, including a 30-point effort against Kansas State (2/11) and 33-point performance against Iowa State (1/9) in the Big 12 opener. He is the only freshman in KU history to have two 30-point games in conference play.
Kansas freshman record-wise, McLemore’s:
…16.8 ppg would surpass the KU freshman record of 14.6 ppg held by by Danny Manning in 1985.
…5.5 rebound average would rank eighth on the KU freshman list.
…47 three-pointers made in 2012-13 are tied for seventh on the KU freshman list (Sherron Collins, 2007).
…41.8 three-point field goal percentage is fifth on the KU freshman list.
McLemore’s 33 points against Iowa State (1/9):
–Were the most by a Jayhawk since Marcus Morris tallied 33 points against Iowa State on Jan. 12, 2011.
–Are the most points scored in a game this season in the Big 12 Conference for all players.
–Were the most by a Kansas freshman since Danny Manning scored 35 points against Oklahoma State on March 2, 1985.
–Consisted of him connecting on 6-of-6 three-point field goal attempts, marking the best three-point field goal percentage since Rex Walters went 6-for-6 from beyond the arc against Ball State in 2003.
ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY COMING TO ALLEN FIELDHOUSE
ESPN’s College GameDay Driven by State Farm® will be televised live Saturday, Feb. 16th from Allen Fieldhouse. The historic venue is hosting College GameDay for the fifth time since 2005. Doors to Allen Fieldhouse will open at 7 a.m. that day. The morning telecast begins at 9 a.m. on ESPNU and continues on ESPN from 10-11 a.m. The event is free to the public and tickets are not required. Allen Fieldhouse concessions will be open and interpreter services will be provided. In addition to the two hours in the morning, ESPN will televise a show from 7-8 p.m. from the Allen Fieldhouse floor. A Kansas-Texas men’s basketball game ticket will be required to watch that segment of the show in person.
KANSAS TO RETIRE MARIO CHALMERS’ JERSEY
Former KU basketball standout Mario Chalmers will have his No. 15 jersey retired at halftime of the ESPN College Gameday Texas at Kansas men’s basketball game Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013. The Anchorage, Alaska, guard was the 2008 Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player on Kansas’ NCAA National Championship team, but is most widely known for his game-tying three-pointer in the title game in KU’s 75-68 overtime win against Memphis. Chalmers was the 2007 co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore and an All-Big 12 Second Team selection during his junior year. He appeared on the league’s all-conference teams all three seasons he was a Jayhawk, including every Big 12 All-Defensive squad. Besides his 2008 Final Four MOP, he was named to the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament team in 2007 and 2008, the second of which was bestowed on him after he scored a career-high 30 points against Texas in the title game. During Chalmers’ three seasons at Kansas, the Jayhawks were 95-16 (85.6 percent) with three Big 12 regular-season titles, three Big 12 postseason championships, two NCAA Elite Eight appearances, one Final Four and one NCAA National Championship.
HOME SWEET HOME
Since his arrival at KU, Bill Self is 157-8 in games played at Allen Fieldhouse for a 95.2 winning percentage. Self’s Big 12 conference titles (eight) equal his home losses while at Kansas. Included was a school-record 69-game home-court winning streak which led the nation for more than two seasons and ranks 11th all-time in the NCAA records book as well as a 33-game home-court winning streak, that ended Feb. 2, tied for fourth most in KU history. Kansas is 103-2 in Allen Fieldhouse in its last 104 games. Additionally, Kansas has won 63-consecutive games in Allen Fieldhouse against non-conference foes.
CONFERENCE DOMINANCE
Kansas has won 12 of the 16 Big 12 regular-season titles (includes ties), including the last eight. Kansas’ 55 conference titles are the most in NCAA Division I. Kentucky is second with 51 and Penn third at 37. Kansas’ eight-straight league titles is the longest active streak in NCAA Division I and the longest streak in school history. Ohio State (Big Ten), Belmont (Atlantic Sun) and Murray State (Ohio Valley) are next at three on the active league title list.
STUDENT SECTION OF THE YEAR VOTING NOW OPEN; KU Looks to Repeat
Kansas claimed the inaugural Naismith Student Section of the Year Award in 2012, an honor once again up for grabs and the athletics department is turning to the fans to defend the title. By visiting www.facebook.com/ILoveCollegeHoops, Kansas fans can vote once per day for the KU student section as the top student section in college basketball. The Naismith Student Section of the Year Award is dedicated to celebrating fans that love college hoops and provide support to their college basketball team with devotion and passion. The Naismith Student Section of the Year Award will be determined through two rounds of public votes, combined with a scoring of finalists by the Naismith Awards Board of Selectors. The winning student section gets bragging rights, while the winning school will receive $10,000 to be used in its general scholarship fund.
UP NEXT
Kansas will travel to Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. on ESPN2 and returns home to play TCU on Saturday, Feb. 23. The TCU contest, scheduled for a 3 p.m. tip-off, will also be KU’s celebration of 115 years of men’s basketball. Kansas will then play at Iowa State on ESPN Big Monday, Feb. 25 at 8 p.m.
