No. 1 Kansas to Host Washburn Tuesday

LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 1 Kansas men's basketball will conclude its exhibition portion of the 2024-25 season when it plays host to the Washburn Ichabods on Tuesday, Oct. 29 in Allen Fieldhouse. The game will tip at 7 p.m. (Central) and will be televised on ESPN+.

Kansas is coming off an 85-69 loss at No. 16 Arkansas in exhibition play on Oct. 25. The Kansas-Arkansas contest was part of a series exhibition games sponsored by CareSource in which proceeds from ticket sales will benefit mental health providers and charities within each school's footprint. Kansas will donate its proceeds from the game to the Kansas City based Fore The Kids Foundation (forethekidskc.org).

Kansas leads the overall series with Washburn 40-3, including a 9-0 record in exhibition contests. The teams last met Dec. 3, 2020, a Kansas regular-season game and a Washburn exhibition contest during the COVID season. KU won the contest 89-54.

Washburn head coach Brett Ballard played at Kansas for two seasons (2000-01 and 2001-02) and was a member of the only team in Big 12 history to go undefeated in league play at 16-0 in 2001-02. Ballard would later spend seven seasons on the KU men's basketball staff under KU head coach Bill Self.

Kansas is coming off a 23-11 season where it advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 33rd time in the last 34 years, a run that started in 1990. KU returns three starters led by Dickinson, who is the 2024-25 Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, a 2024 Consensus All-America Second Team, All-Big 12 First Team and the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year selection. The center was the only player in the Big 12 to average a double-double (17.9 ppg, 10.9 rpg) last year.

Harris has been the starter each of the last three seasons and was the 2023 Big 12 Defensive player of the Year. A three-time all-league honoree, Harris has led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio two of the last three seasons and has ranked in the top five in the conference in assists per game each of the last three years. Two-time All-Big 12 selection and the 2023 Big 12 Most Improved player, KJ Adams, Jr. is also back as a returning starter.

Other Kansas returning letterwinners include redshirt-junior forward Zach Clemence and sophomore guard Jamari McDowell. Clemence was a redshirt last season and has played in 44 games during his two seasons at Kansas. McDowell played in 31 games and averaged 7.2 minutes per contest in 2023-24.

Kansas welcomes nine newcomers that include six upperclassmen transfers. Those include redshirt-senior guard Moore (Mississippi State), junior guard AJ Storr (Wisconsin), senior guard Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State), junior guard Rylan Griffen (Alabama), junior guard Noah Shelby (Rice) and senior guard David Coit (Northern Illinois). Freshman center Flory Bidunga, a McDonald's All-American last season, and freshman guard Rakease Passmore will both be looked to provide an immediate impact in 2024-25.

Historically, Kansas is 95-12 in exhibition play. KU has won the last 55 exhibition games in Allen Fieldhouse beginning in 1994. With the 106-71 win versus Puerto Rico Select Team on Aug. 3, 2023, Kansas has scored 100-plus points in 31 exhibition games, including 15 under head coach Bill Self. The Jayhawks are 63-5 in exhibition play in Self's 21 seasons at KU.

KANSAS HOOPS RADIO BROADCASTS SHIFTING FROM 105.9 TO 92.9 "THE BULL"
Announced Oct. 25, all Kansas men's basketball radio broadcasts will be moving from 105.9 FM to 92.9 FM "The Bull" in Lawrence. Fans can now tune in to 92.9 FM for all play-by-play coverage of the upcoming Kansas men's basketball season. The decision to move stations comes following the recent sale of 105.9 FM by its parent company, Great Plains Media (GPM), to Reyes Media out of Kansas City. While the format change to a Spanish-language station on 105.9 FM is not expected until January 1, 2025, the proactive move to 92.9 FM ensures continuity throughout the basketball season without mid-season disruptions.

UP NEXT
Kansas will open the 2024-25 regular season against Howard on Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. CT in Allen Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast via ESPN+.

The Howard game will mark the second annual McLendon Classic as KU begins the season hosting an HBCU opponent. The contest celebrates University of Kansas alum and legendary coach John McLendon and the McLendon Leadership Initiative.

University of Kansas Athletics

No. 1 Kansas to Host Washburn Tuesday

Players Mentioned

Flory Bidunga

Zach Clemence

David Coit

Rylan Griffen

Zeke Mayo

Jamari McDowell

Rakease Passmore

Noah Shelby

AJ Storr

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