Kansas Announces 2005-06 Men's Basketball Schedule
Aug. 4, 2005
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
2005-06 Kansas men’s basketball schedule
Eleven 2005 postseason tournament teams highlight the 2005-06 University of Kansas men’s basketball schedule, released by athletic department officials Thursday.
Kansas once again boasts one of the nation’s most difficult schedules, including non-conference games against NCAA Tournament teams such as Arizona, Kentucky and Nevada. In addition, Kansas will play home games against Big 12 Conference 2005 postseason teams Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Iowa State.
Entering 2005-06 as defending co-Big 12 champions, the Jayhawks open their 2005-06 slate with a pair of exhibition games in Allen Fieldhouse — against Division II in-state opponents Fort Hays State (Nov. 9) and Pittsburg State (Nov. 14). KU has won 26 straight home exhibition contests, dating back to 1993.
“Last year’s schedule was supposedly games you should win against teams that went to the NCAA Tournament. It was a very difficult schedule last year,” head coach Bill Self said. “With St. Joe’s, Kentucky, Cal and the Maui field – we probably will play more high-profile teams this year than we did last year. Once again this will play out to be one of the best schedules in the country.”
Kansas looks to win its 33rd straight regular-season home opener Nov. 18 against Idaho State. KU then will play three games in one of the best-ever in-season tournaments — the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational in Maui, Hawaii. Six former national champions – Arizona, Michigan State, Connecticut, Maryland, Arkansas and Kansas, plus consistent power Gonzaga and host Chaminade – grace the Maui field. The Jayhawks will open against Arizona Nov. 21, and will play either Connecticut or Arkansas Nov. 22. The other half of the Maui Invitational bracket includes Gonzaga, Maryland, Michigan State and host Chaminade. The tournament concludes Nov. 23.
Following its Thanksgiving trip to Maui, KU will play host to 2005 NCAA Tournament team Nevada (Dec. 1) and Western Illinois (Dec. 3). The Jayhawks defeated Nevada 85-52 last season in Lawrence. Next KU will travel to New York to play Saint Joseph’s in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 6. KU then returns home to play California in the Kansas City Shootout at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 10.
Kansas returns to Allen Fieldhouse for a four-game stretch against Pepperdine (Dec. 19), Northern Colorado (Dec. 22), Northern Arizona (Dec. 31) and national power Kentucky (Jan 7). Last season KU snapped a three-game losing streak against Kentucky with a 65-59 win, its first ever in Lexington, Ky.
KU then opens Big 12 play at Colorado on Jan. 11. The game will mark the second time in the past three seasons the Jayhawks have opened Big 12 play at Colorado. Last year KU opened league play 7-0 and eventually tied Oklahoma for its fifth Big 12 and 48th overall league title with a 12-4 mark. Home league contests for KU include Nebraska (Jan. 21), Texas Tech (Jan. 30), Oklahoma (Feb. 5), Iowa State (Feb. 11), Missouri (Feb. 18), Baylor (Feb. 21) and Colorado (March 1). Kansas will appear on ESPN’s Big Monday three times in 2005-06, with games at Missouri (Jan. 16), against Texas Tech and at Oklahoma State (Feb. 13).
The 2005-06 season marks the 10th anniversary of Big 12 Conference competition. This season’s Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship will be played March 9-12 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. KU won the first three Big 12 tourneys (1997, 1998 and 1999), and has advanced to the semifinals in all but one of the previous nine events. Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament will be March 12; the Final Four will take place in Indianapolis April 1 & 3.
Kansas will add another non-conference home game, to be played some time in December. The athletics department will release those details, in addition to television information and game times, as soon as they are confirmed.
