KU Hoops Returns From Robinson Funeral

((HT: NBCActionNews/KSHB-TV))

Back on Friday, 43-year-old Lisa Robinson, mother of Kansas Jayhawk Thomas Robinson, died of a heart attack.

Thomas’ 9-year-old sister Jayla broke the news to her brother over the phone, and Thomas chose to play in Saturday’s game against Texas. Head Coach Bill Self then sent Robinson home to Washington D.C. to attend to family matters.

The team’s trip to D.C. was covered by Kansas Athletics.
Lisa Robinson’s funeral was paid for out of the same fund.

Beth Vaughn has the story...


But there are larger issues the HQ has to talk about here...

Robinson is now left to take care of his 9-year-old sister. The NCAA has granted a number of waivers from its bylaws, clearing Kansas Athletics to help Robinson, according to ESPN . Under NCAA rules, Kansas Athletics is allowed to pay for the funeral of Lisa Robinson and pay for Jayla to travel back to Kansas to be with her brother in Lawrence.

But, instead of the NCAA granting verbal okey-dokeys and getting the process moving along at the pace it needed to for the sake of a mourning family, the folks in Indianapolis required a boatload of paperwork and hoops for Robinson and the school to jump through before granting said waivers.

Bill Self, however, took the high road in the Kansas City Star:

“The NCAA has been unbelievable,” Self said. “They are trying to make as many allowances with the rules as they possibly can.

“In this situation, when there is as much hardship as there is, I think the NCAA is definitely looking out for the student-athlete welfare.”

A scholarship fund has been set up for Robinson's younger sister.

Send donations to:
Lisa Robinson Scholarship Fund
c/o SNR Denton
1301 K Street NW; Ste. 600 East Tower
Washington DC 20005-3364

Texas Stops Kansas Home Win Streak At 69

((HT: CBS/Youtube))

J'Covan Brown scored 23 points and helped reverse a 15-point first half deficit, giving 10th-ranked Texas a 74-63 victory over second-ranked Kansas.

Kansas scored the game's first 10 points, but Texas ((now 16-3, 4-0 in the Big 12)) outscored the Jayhawks 36-13 while turning a 12-point halftime deficit into a 59-48 lead on a second-half three by Cory Joseph.

Here's your recap...


The Jayhawks ((now 18-1, and 3-1 in the Big 12)) had not lost at home since February 3rd, 2007. They were 7-0 at home against Texas since the inception of the Big 12 back in 1996.

In the second half, Kansas hit only 8 of 30 shots from the floor...
Oops...

Nebraska To Big 10 By End Of The Week? Coach Os Speaks, KU's Self/Gill Want NU To Stay,

Lee Barfknecht of the Omaha World-Herald is reporting that an executive at the university expects Nebraska to become a member of the Big 10 conference Friday.

University of Nebraska Chancellor Harvey Perlman is expected the topic with the NU Board of Regents Friday. Click on the link below for the full article.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20100608/NEWS01/100609687#nu-to-big-10-as-early-as-friday

Tuesday during his monthly appearance on the Husker Sports Network Nebraska athletic director Tom Osbourne said, “I think before too long — I don't know exactly what that time frame is — we'll be able to put this to bed, because I'm getting tired of it.''

Here's Tom Osbourne's comments from the Husker Sports Network

((HT: KOLN/KGIN Lincoln))




Meanwhile Kansas is begging and pleading Nebraska to stay in the Big 12. Kanas head men's basketball coach Bill Self adds his take.





Big 12 commissioner Don Beebe would like to have a commitment to 2016 from Nebraska and Missouri by Friday. That "line in the sand" might have some flexibility though.

Texas has been the object of the affections of the Big 10 and it appears the Pac-10 conference as well. The powers that be that bleed burnt orange would rather stay put though. Longhorn head football coach Mack Brown agrees.



Those of us at the OSG HQ tend to think this is a battle between the old school "Big Eight" schools and the Texas schools, who have become the power brokers in the Big 12. Specifically it's become a turf war between Nebraska and Texas. Though Tom Osbourne said Tuesday he has nothing against Texas or another other Big 12 school, Osbourne's and Nebraska influence toward conference matters decreased to the point of irrelevance. The Huskers were used to getting their way back in the day, not anymore. Therefore, it appears Nebraska is searching for a new home.

Brady Morningstar's Double-Clutch

On the foul line...

Brent Musburger can't believe what he just saw...
The ball slipped out of the Kansas player's hands during a foul shot Monday night.

Coach Bill Self even tweeted about it when the team got home...

"Guys feel pretty good abt themselves. Different guys stepping up. Fun nite.how abt bradys ft. Never seen that."

Uh, yeah...

((HT: ESPN))

Kansas Survives Against Memphis

((HT: MyFoxMemphis))

Survive and advance already...???
First, Cal State-Fullerton takes out UCLA. Miami of Ohio almost got Kentucky.
Now, it takes a contested shot at the buzzer for Kansas to leave a game with the Tigers with a win...

See what happens when you play hoops around the clock...???
Here's your highlights...

Henrys Heading To UK...???

((HT: ESPN/Andy Katz))

Xavier Henry, who first committed to Memphis and then changed to Kansas, may be changing his commitment again. And he may be taking his brother, C.J., with him ((both pictured, thanks Brett Deering/KC Star)).

According to multiple media reports and a radio interview their father gave Tuesday, the Henrys may end up at Kentucky -- with John Calipari, who originally recruited Xavier Henry to Memphis.

The Henrys started to waiver on the commitment to Kansas over the last two weeks. Players can't sign two national letter of intents, so nothing is binding.

A decision was expected some time late Tuesday or Wednesday, according to reports. Xavier Henry is the No. 2 shooting guard and No. 3 overall player in the 2009 ESPNU Top 100.

Kansas coach Bill Self told ESPN.com he doesn't know what is going to occur. No one seems to know just yet. Attempts to reach Kentucky coach John Calipari were unsuccessful.

The decision is likely to significantly impact the battle for No. 1 to start the 2009-10 college basketball season. When Henry decided to sign with the Tigers and join C.J., who was sitting out the season after coming out of the New York Yankees minor league system, it pushed the Tigers toward a possible No. 1 recruiting class.

But after the season, Calipari bolted to Kentucky and the Memphis class of DeMarcus Cousins, Darnell Dodson and likely Memphis signee John Wall came with him to Lexington. All except for Henry, who went West of his Oklahoma City home to Kansas. C.J., who is 23 and hasn't played organized basketball in four years, went with him.

That made the Jayhawks a consensus No. 1 pick next season. The core of the Jayhawks returned with Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins.

Now, it's up in the air again. The Kansas City Star reported that the Henrys are waffling. Their father, Carl Henry, did an interview 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City on Tuesday and indicated that Kentucky would be the eventual landing spot for his sons.

The interview with Chris and Cowboy is here, thanks to 610Sports...
And it's here as well, thanks to the Kansas City Star...

If the 6-6 Xavier Henry isn't at Kansas and instead attends Kentucky, the Wildcats could make a claim for the top spot. Kentucky lost shooting guard Jodie Meeks to the NBA draft last week. The Wildcats just cut lose two players -- Kevin Galloway and Matt Pilgrim -- to get down under the maximum 13 scholarships to 12.

Adding Xavier (C.J. can be a walk-on with his Yankees money) would mean Kentucky would be at the limit.

But Xavier Henry would give the Wildcats the No. 3, 4 and 5 players on the ESPNU top 100 with Henry, Cousins and Wall. They would join newcomers Eric Bledsoe at point guard and Dodson at shooting guard, along with returning forwards Patrick Patterson (a potential SEC player of the year candidate) and Darius Miller (on the U-19 USA team in New Zealand).

Self is expected to make a pitch to keep the Henrys with Kansas. The Kansas City Star reported a family meeting is expected Tuesday night.

“Now all of this stuff has been said, his mom doesn’t care where he goes,” Carl Henry said. “So guess what? Kid might have a change of mind. That’s what I told Coach Self.”