LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Fifth-ranked Kansas will be without center Udoka Azubuike for the remainder of the season after an MRI exam Sunday revealed the 7-footer tore ligaments in his right hand during practice.

Jayhawks coach Bill Self said in a statement that X-rays taken after Friday’s practice did not show the severity of the injury. The MRI exam revealed the tendon tear, which is similar to a torn tendon Azubuike had in his opposite hand in December 2016 that sidelined him the remainder of his freshman season.

“The surgery date will be set early this week,” Self said. “The doctors expect a complete recovery and Udoka will be able to resume full basketball activities at some point this summer.”

The injury is a significant blow to the Jayhawks’ interior depth, not to mention their national title aspirations. The nation’s preseason No. 1 already has been playing without sophomore forward Silvio De Sousa, whose eligibility remains in question after his name surfaced in the FBI probe into apparel company adidas.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Former Kansas State men’s basketball player Keith Amerson, for whom the team’s Academic Award is named, recently passed away at the age of 50 (December 29).

 

A native of Los Angeles, California, Amerson played two seasons (1989-91) for the Wildcats for head coaches Lon Kruger and Dana Altman, helping the school to the 1990 NCAA Tournament. A captain and starter in all 28 games as a senior in 1990-91, he led the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg.) while ranking second in steals (1.3 spg.), third in assists (2.4 apg.) and fourth in scoring (8.5 ppg.).

 

Amerson played in all 57 games in his two-year career, including 32 starts, averaging 5.2 points on 45 percent shooting (118-of-262) with 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.8 steals in 19.1 minutes per game.

 

Amerson started his college career at Santa Monica Junior College (1987-89), where he led the school to a 59-12 overall record in two seasons and a No. 1 ranking for most of the 1988-89 season. He was selected the 1989 co-California Junior College Player of the Year by the California Community College Coaches Association and the Western State Conference’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

 

The Keith Amerson Academic Award was established by Altman in 1992 to honor Amerson for “his determination to reach his potential on and off the court and set the standard for future student-athletes.”

 

Men’s basketball players to receive the Keith Amerson Academic Award include four-time recipients Josh Reid (1997-2000), Clent Stewart (2005-08), Victor Ojeleye (2009-12), and Brian Rohleder(2012-15) as well as current player Pierson McAtee (2018).

 

Amerson appreciated his experience at K-State and frequently attended men’s basketball reunions, remarking “Kansas State gave me an opportunity. I’m so appreciative of my coaches… Lon Kruger, Greg Grensing and Dana Altman. They created an opportunity for me.”

 

Fans can pay tribute to Amerson by posting on his tribute wall, which can be found on the Dwyer and Michael’s Funeral Home website at www.dwyermichaelsfh.com/notices/Keith-Amerson.

 

—www.k-statesports.com –

 

TOM GILBERT
Director for Men’s Basketball Communications | K-State Athletics

 

 

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State served notice that it’s a Big 12 contender again after an ugly rebuild last season.

Marial Shayok scored 24 points, and the streaking Cyclones routed No. 5 Kansas 77-60 on Saturday for their most lopsided victory over the Jayhawks in 46 years.

Freshman Tyrese Haliburton made four 3-pointers and scored 14 points for Iowa State (12-2, 2-0), which opened Big 12 play with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2015. It was the Cyclones’ fifth consecutive victory overall.

Kansas (12-2, 1-1) committed a season-high 24 turnovers in its worst loss to Iowa State since an 89-65 blowout in Lawrence in 1973.

“They’re the standard in our league and the team we’re all trying to catch,” Cyclones coach Steve Prohm said. “It’s a great win. I loved the way they competed.”

Despite getting outrebounded 41-26, Iowa State — now one shy of matching its win total from a dismal 13-18 campaign a year ago — made surprisingly easy work of Kansas in part by shooting 9 of 13 on 3s in the second half.

“We were awful. But they were good,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “They manhandled us.”

The Cyclones opened their first double-digit lead when Haliburton made a corner 3-pointer with 9:59 to go. Lagerald Vick answered with a hasty 3-point try that bounced off the bottom of the backboard, and Lindell Wigginton connected from long range to make it 60-47 and force Self to burn his third timeout in 11 minutes.

Shayok’s 3 with just under seven minutes to go made it 65-49, and the rout was on.

“We came out playing careless,” said Kansas star Dedric Lawson, who had 13 points and 12 rebounds, but committed six turnovers. “I played terrible. … I didn’t get guys open shots. A lot of this falls back on me.”

Quentin Grimes scored 19 points for Kansas, including 14 straight for the Jayhawks in one stretch.

Kansas played without big man Udoka Azubuike, who was hit on the right wrist during Friday’s practice. Self said about an hour before tip-off that X-rays on Azubuike’s wrist were negative, but he was in too much pain to play.

Azubuike, who is averaging 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds a game, is scheduled for an MRI on Sunday. Azubuike needed surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left wrist in 2017.

“It could be a one-game deal or it could be a season-ending deal. But there’s no indication that it’ll be the latter,” Self said.

LUBBOCK, Texas – A battle of two Top 10 defensive teams proved to be every bit as advertised, as Kansas State’s second-half rally fell short in a 63-57 loss to No. 11/11 Texas Tech before a packed house at United Supermarkets Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Down by as many as 16 points, K-State (10-4, 0-2 Big 12) closed to with 43-42 on a 3-pointer by senior Barry Brown, Jr., with 6:56 remaining. However, Texas Tech got a 3-pointer from leading scorer Davide Moretti on the next possession that ignited a 7-0 run that gave the Red Raider a cushion the rest of the way.

The Wildcats continued their struggles on the offensive end, missing their first 13 field goals and finishing with 57 points on 33.3 percent (19-of-57) shooting from the field, including 17.4 percent (4-of-23) against one of the nation’s toughest defenses. The team has now failed to eclipse 60 points in 3 consecutive games.

Brown was joined in double figures by sophomore Cartier Diarra (11) and junior Makol Mawien (10), who also finished with a career-best 11 rebounds to earn his first career double-double.

Moretti’s game-high 19 points led a balanced offensive attack by the Red Raiders, who have now won 26 of their last 27 games at United Supermarkets Arena, including 10 straight victories. In all, five different players scored at least 9 points, including 14 points from graduate transfer Matt Mooney.

Texas Tech connected on 44.7 percent (17-of-38), including 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from 3-point range.

The Red Raiders have now won 6 of the last 8 meetings in the series, including 5 straight victories at home.

The Wildcats were without senior Dean Wade for the fifth consecutive game, while senior Kamau Stokes did not start but came off the bench after missing Wednesday’s game with Texas due to injury. Stokes played 21 minutes, posting 7 points on 3-of-8 field goals, including 1-of-5 from long range.

The game was officiated with just 2 referees for most of the second half after an injury to Rick Crawford.

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=

Altoona-Midway 37, Chetopa 31

Andale 60, Nickerson 42

Andover 66, Derby 65

Arkansas City 68, Salina South 56

Ashland 58, Pawnee Heights 52

Atchison County 30, Maur Hill – Mount Academy 13

Augusta 51, El Dorado 36

BV North 65, Olathe East 60

BV Randolph 50, Axtell 49

BV West 60, Blue Valley 51

Barstow, Mo. 64, Maranatha Academy 56

Basehor-Linwood 64, Lansing 41

Baxter Springs 87, Jasper, Mo. 41

Belle Plaine 63, Garden Plain 53

Beloit 62, Russell 28

Bennington 47, Sterling 46

Bishop Miege 65, Mill Valley 35

Bucklin 58, Ingalls 38

Buhler 54, Winfield 50

Caldwell 57, Pretty Prairie 25

Caney Valley 63, Nowata, Okla. 37

Canton-Galva 31, Wakefield 21

Central Heights 61, Chase County 51

Central Plains 59, Macksville 27

Centralia 54, Clifton-Clyde 44

Centre 57, Peabody-Burns 46

Chaparral 57, Douglass 45

Chapman 63, Clay Center 26

Coffeyville 57, Fort Scott 55

Concordia 75, Wamego 71, OT

Conway Springs 36, Medicine Lodge 34

Cornerstone Family 69, Wetmore 62

Dodge City 85, Cimarron 44

Doniphan West 43, Linn 34

Ellinwood 68, Fairfield 21

Ellis 53, Hays-TMP-Marian 49

Elyria Christian 51, Little River 23

Erie 63, Bluestem 42

Eudora 59, Louisburg 31

Frankfort 49, Washington County 48

Fredonia 48, Eureka 47

Girard 54, Columbus 39

Goddard-Eisenhower 73, Goddard 48

Golden Plains 48, Logan 47

Hanover 68, Troy 26

Haven 54, Pratt 42

Hays 68, Liberal 56

Hillsboro 67, Halstead 49

Hoisington 22, Hesston 21

Hugoton 72, Goodland 35

Imhotep Charter, Pa. 61, Wichita Sunrise 59

Inman 59, Marion 50

Jefferson West 53, Hiawatha 42

KC Bishop Ward 58, Lee’s Summit Community Christian, Mo. 52

KC Piper 79, Baldwin 36

Kingman 60, Cheney 57

Leavenworth 85, KC Turner 35

Lebo 32, Olpe 26

Lyons 71, Sedgwick 65

Maize South 79, Valley Center 77

Marysville 39, Abilene 38

McLouth 54, Pleasant Ridge 42

McPherson 71, Circle 60

Minneapolis 48, Southeast Saline 41, OT

Mission Valley 57, Council Grove 52

Moscow 57, Yarbrough, Okla. 47

Moundridge 57, Oxford 19

Newton 56, Hutchinson 42

Northern Valley 78, Cheylin 30

Norton 58, Stockton 55

Oakley 65, Smith Center 46

Olathe North 64, Lawrence Free State 40

Olathe South 58, SM South 52

Osawatomie 47, Iola 46

Osborne 62, Lincoln 36

Oskaloosa 64, Jackson Heights 49

Oswego 37, Jayhawk Linn 26

Ottawa 55, Tonganoxie 49

Perry-Lecompton 57, Riverside 25

Phillipsburg 73, Plainville 62

Pike Valley 47, Lakeside 43, OT

Pittsburg 75, Labette County 35

Pratt Skyline 89, Argonia 38

Remington 51, Ell-Saline 42

Republic County 68, Ellsworth 63

Riverton 44, Pittsburg Colgan 41

Rose Hill 58, Wichita Collegiate 35

Rural Vista 31, Goessel 30, OT

SM North 73, SM East 68

Sabetha 46, Royal Valley 34

Santa Fe Trail 46, Burlington 42

Scott City 49, Colby 43

Shawnee Heights 62, DeSoto 47

Silver Lake 56, Rock Creek 50

St. Francis 61, Idalia, Colo. 46

St. John 64, Ness City 56

St. John’s Beloit-Tipton 49, Hill City 39

St. Mary’s 56, Wabaunsee 43

Sublette 53, Elkhart 33

Topeka 53, Manhattan 32

Topeka West 67, Junction City 60

Udall 48, Burden Central 35

Victoria 51, Otis-Bison 48

Weskan 59, Palco 35

Western Plains-Healy 73, La Crosse 20

Wichita Bishop Carroll 52, Kapaun Mount Carmel 50

Wichita Campus 55, Salina Central 45

Wichita East 71, Wichita Northwest 58

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=

Abilene 55, Marysville 47

Argonia 52, Pratt Skyline 38

Augusta 54, El Dorado 28

BV Randolph 50, Axtell 49

Barstow, Mo. 42, Maranatha Academy 29

Baxter Springs 55, Jasper, Mo. 31

Beloit 40, Russell 36

Berean Academy 55, Hutchinson Trinity 33

Bishop Miege 72, Mill Valley 49

Bucklin 58, Ingalls 36

Burlington 53, Santa Fe Trail 22

Caldwell 69, Pretty Prairie 48

Caney Valley 38, Nowata, Okla. 20

Canton-Galva 35, Wakefield 18

Central Plains 98, Macksville 25

Centralia 35, Clifton-Clyde 26

Centre 46, Peabody-Burns 21

Chanute 51, Independence 48

Chaparral 35, Douglass 23

Cheney 53, Kingman 28

Cherryvale 63, Neodesha 45

Chetopa 55, Altoona-Midway 27

Cheylin 32, Northern Valley 22

Clay Center 46, Chapman 32

Conway Springs 69, Medicine Lodge 38

Council Grove 63, Mission Valley 39

DeSoto 57, Shawnee Heights 34

Derby 67, Andover Central 22

Dodge City 54, Cimarron 40

Doniphan West 43, Linn 34

Ellsworth 44, Republic County 27

Eudora 51, Louisburg 28

Eureka 52, Fredonia 22

Flinthills 54, Sedan 29

Fort Scott 46, Coffeyville 40

Frankfort 64, Washington County 51

Frontenac 60, Galena 44

Garden City 47, Great Bend 29

Garden Plain 50, Belle Plaine 11

Girard 46, Columbus 39

Goddard 55, Goddard-Eisenhower 31

Golden Plains 47, Logan 25

Halstead 52, Hillsboro 26

Hanover 68, Troy 26

Haven 57, Pratt 23

Hays-TMP-Marian 63, Ellis 38

Hesston 51, Hoisington 31

Hoxie 59, Greeley County 22

Hugoton 52, Goodland 47

Inman 53, Marion 27

Iola 53, Osawatomie 44

Jackson Heights 70, Oskaloosa 42

Jefferson North 44, Valley Falls 43

Jefferson West 49, Hiawatha 33

KC Piper 63, Baldwin 48

Kapaun Mount Carmel 32, Wichita Bishop Carroll 31

La Crosse 57, Western Plains-Healy 43

Labette County 44, Pittsburg 39

Lakeside 37, Pike Valley 23

Lakin 37, Larned 36

Lansing 62, Basehor-Linwood 40

Lawrence 57, Gardner-Edgerton 30

Leavenworth 72, KC Turner 10

Lee’s Summit Community Christian, Mo. 26, KC Bishop Ward 25

Liberal 61, Hays 42

Little River 44, Elyria Christian 13

Maize South 50, Valley Center 30

McPherson 37, Circle 30

Meade 32, Syracuse 31

Moundridge 53, Oxford 25

Nemaha Central 45, Holton 28

Newton 42, Hutchinson 34

Nickerson 48, Andale 43

Northern Heights 65, Lyndon 29

Norton 67, Stockton 36

Oakley 31, Smith Center 26

Olathe North 64, Lawrence Free State 40

Olathe Northwest 54, SM West 31

Olathe South 64, SM South 35

Olpe 63, Lebo 11

Osage City 27, West Franklin 24

Osborne 34, Lincoln 21

Oswego 53, Jayhawk Linn 46

Otis-Bison 50, Victoria 25

Paola 55, Bonner Springs 33

Pawnee Heights 41, Ashland 15

Perry-Lecompton 62, Riverside 34

Phillipsburg 45, Plainville 43

Pittsburg Colgan 51, Riverton 32

Pleasant Ridge 57, McLouth 47

Remington 40, Ell-Saline 31

Riley County 56, Rossville 36

Rock Creek 39, Silver Lake 31

Rock Creek, Okla. 39, Silver Lake 31

Rose Hill 58, Wichita Collegiate 35

Royal Valley 48, Sabetha 43

Rural Vista 53, Goessel 24

SM East 45, SM North 18

SM Northwest 59, Olathe West 47

Salina Central 65, Wichita Campus 41

Salina Sacred Heart 69, Cair Paravel 56

Salina South 59, Arkansas City 17

Scott City 41, Colby 26

Sedgwick 45, Lyons 40

Southeast 60, Northeast-Arma 20

Southeast Saline 53, Minneapolis 32

Spearville 54, Kiowa County 48

St. Francis 43, Idalia, Colo. 33

St. John 42, Ness City 20

St. John’s Beloit-Tipton 47, Hill City 12

Sterling 52, Bennington 22

Sublette 53, Elkhart 33

Sylvan-Lucas 43, Tescott 21

Tonganoxie 30, Ottawa 27

Topeka 50, Manhattan 48

Topeka Seaman 51, Emporia 39

Udall 43, Burden Central 31

Ulysses 48, Holcomb 36

Wabaunsee 47, St. Mary’s 21

Wamego 52, Concordia 42

Washburn Rural 67, Highland Park 52

Waverly 43, Burlingame 33

Wellington 50, Clearwater 40

Weskan 54, Palco 26

West Elk 51, Yates Center 25

Wichita East 35, Wichita Northwest 33

Wichita Heights 64, Wichita Southeast 45

Wichita Home School 38, Wichita Classical 27

Wichita South 44, Wichita North 20

Winfield 32, Buhler 31

Yarbrough, Okla. 50, Moscow 37

The Chapman boys basketball team picked up a 63-26 win over Clay Center Friday night.

Chapman jumped out to a 15-7 first quarter lead enroute to the win. Brandon Colston led the Irish with 21 points. He hit five 3-point shots in the ballgame. Izek jackson had 15 points for Chapman and Anthony Wasylk 11 points.

In the girls varsity game Clay Center defeated Chapman 46-32. McKenna Kirkpatrick scored 10 points to lead Chapman in scoring while Peyton Suther had 8 points.

Otis-Bison 50, Victoria 25

Paola 55, Bonner Springs 33

Perry-Lecompton 62, Riverside 34

Phillipsburg 45, Plainville 43

Pleasant Ridge 57, McLouth 47

Remington 40, Ell-Saline 31

Riley County 56, Rossville 36

Rock Creek 39, Silver Lake 31

Rock Creek, Okla. 39, Silver Lake 31

Rose Hill 58, Wichita Collegiate 35

Royal Valley 48, Sabetha 43

Rural Vista 53, Goessel 24

Salina Central 65, Wichita Campus 41

Salina Sacred Heart 69, Cair Paravel 56

Salina South 59, Arkansas City 17

Scott City 41, Colby 26

Sedgwick 45, Lyons 40

Southeast 60, Northeast-Arma 20

Southeast Saline 53, Minneapolis 32

St. Francis 43, Idalia, Colo. 33

St. John’s Beloit-Tipton 47, Hill City 12

Sylvan-Lucas 43, Tescott 21

Topeka 50, Manhattan 48

Topeka Seaman 51, Emporia 39

Wabaunsee 47, St. Mary’s 21

Wamego 52, Concordia 42

Washburn Rural 67, Highland Park 52

Waverly 43, Burlingame 33

Wellington 50, Clearwater 40

Weskan 54, Palco 26

West Elk 51, Yates Center 25

Wichita East 35, Wichita Northwest 33

Wichita Home School 38, Wichita Classical 27

Wichita South 44, Wichita North 20