October 17, 2013

KU Men’s Basketball Hosts Fourth Annual Ladies Night Out

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas’ men’s basketball team partook in October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month by hosting the fourth annual “Ladies Night Out” in Allen Fieldhouse Thursday.

The event, which has been a sellout every year, benefitted Jayhawks for a Cure and all proceeds were donated to Lawrence Memorial Hospital and the KU Cancer Center in an effort to fund cancer research.

“The point of the event is to strictly raise money and awareness for breast cancer,” KU head coach Bill Self said. “We’ve got many breast cancer survivors here tonight and it’s touched everybody in some way shape or form. This is a great way for us to do a little to generate some funds and awareness.”

The 450 women in attendance were treated to an opening by Self who had each 2013-14 Jayhawk introduce himself. A special highlight video featuring the rich history of Kansas basketball preceded the introductions. Then the staff and players answered questions from the ladies followed by a raffle.

Then Self, the players and staff broke into individual stations where the ladies were taught skills such as dribbling, passing, shooting and post moves. The evening also featured an autograph and photo sessions at each stop with the KU players and coaches. Also included was a behind-the-scene tour of the men’s basketball locker room.

“My father passed away from lung cancer,” said junior guard Naadir Tharpe. “Anytime I hear the word cancer, I know it’s a horrible thing. For us to give back and help out is important.”

After the individual stations came to an end the ladies were treated to one last outing; a hors d’oeuvres hour with Self and men’s basketball staff inside the Booth Family Hall of Athletics.

Ladies Night Out is one of several Jayhawks for the Cure events that takes place throughout the 2013-14 athletic year as part of a campus-wide initiative to bring awareness to cancer research. Student-athletes, coaches and staff work together with the university and the community of Lawrence to raise funds for cancer research at Lawrence Memorial Hospital and the KU Cancer Center.

For more information, go to the “Jayhawks For a Cure” official website at http://kuathletics.com/sports/2013/6/21/GEN_0621131427.aspx?.

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