Bill Self Issues Brief Statement on LaGerald Vick Situation
Kansas coach Bill Self issued a prepared
Kansas coach Bill Self issued a prepared
Kentucky is the new favorite to win the NCAA title, followed by Gonzaga, Kansas and UNC, per Bovada.
Odds to win the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship
1/6/17 Current Odds (2/1/17)
Kentucky 6/1 11/2
Gonzaga 20/1 15/2
Kansas 11/1 8/1
North Carolina 11/1 9/1
By DAVE SKRETTA
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The one place Kansas guard Frank Mason III and his teammates can find a reprieve these days seems to be the basketball court, where the third-ranked Jayhawks can be defined only by their play.
Off the floor, distractions and controversy abound.
News surfaced last week that police were investigating a reported rape at McCarthy Hall, where the basketball team and other students live. No suspects have been identified in connection with the alleged incident the night of Dec. 17, but five members of the team have been identified as witnesses. During the investigation, police discovered drug paraphernalia — two glass smoking devices with residue inside. Sophomore forward Carlton Bragg Jr. was suspended indefinitely last week, and on Monday he was formally charged with misdemeanor possession and ordered to appear in court March 3.
Trevon Duval will take his first official visit to Kansas beginning Tuesday and will be on campus for Wednesday’s Baylor-Kansas game on ESPN2.
Official visit to Kansas tomorrow!!!!!
— Trevon Duval (@DatGuy_Trey) January 30, 2017
Projected as the No. 6 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com, the 6-foot-3 Duval is down to five schools — Duke, Arizona, Kansas, Baylor and Seton Hall — and said he’s planning to take his official visits soon.
Kansas suspended 6-foot-10 sophomore forward Carlton Bragg Jr. for a violation of team rules ahead of Saturday’s matchup with No. 4 Kentucky.
Bragg is averaging 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds.
“This violation is not connected to the alleged incident in McCarthy Hall on Dec. 17th,” coach Bill Self said in a statement.
University of Kansas police are investigating an alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl at McCarthy Hall, which houses the Kansas men’s basketball team and other male students. Kansas players Frank Mason III, Mitch Lightfoot, Lagerald Vick, Tucker Vang and Josh Jackson were named as witnesses in the alleged incident.
When Kansas visits Kentucky on Saturday in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, the 38 credentialed NBA personnel are expected to focus on the matchups in the backcourt.
Between them, the two bluebloods have six players projected in the 2017 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com, with five of them being backcourt or wing players.
Kentucky freshmen guards De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk are projected as the Nos. 6 and 7 picks, while sophomore Isaiah Briscoe is currently listed at No. 50. Kentucky freshman center Bam Adebayo is the only big man in the game projected in the draft (No. 16).
For Kansas, freshman wing Josh Jackson is the projected No. 4 pick, while junior guard Devonte’ Graham is listed at No. 37. Kansas senior guard Frank Mason, a National Player of the Year candidate, should get a chance to prove he belongs in the NBA, too.
Kansas coach Bill Self says the fallout of an alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl at a school dorm housing the men’s basketball team is a “huge distraction” as his team heads into Saturday’s SEC/Big 12 game at Kentucky.
“It certainly is a distraction without question,” Self said Thursday on a conference call. “The Kentucky game is a big game. It’s probably as big a game for fans as it is for players, but certainly players. It’s a game that you circle and you look forward to playing whenever the season begins and whenever we start practicing.
“Sure, it’s a distraction, I mean how could it not be? But it’s not a distraction from our guys’ standpoint from a film standpoint. It’s a distraction because you have to hear about it and go through it.”
