KU’s basketball team now ticketed to play Boise State in opener of Wooden Legacy
Nothing is official yet, but it appears the plan is for Kansas’ basketball team to spend an extended period of time in Orlando, Florida for at least three games early in the 2020-21 season.
A source confirmed to The Star on Friday that KU is planning on playing Boise State with Seton Hall to meet UCLA in The Wooden Legacy tournament on Nov. 25 in Orlando, Florida. Championship and consolation games would be played Nov. 26.
Jon Rothstein, college basketball insider for CBS Sports, who has been posting numerous reports of games around the country as teams revise their schedules amid the pandemic, reported the news of that four-team tourney on Friday as did Matt Norlander, also of CBS..
Sources tell The Star that KU’s team, following the Wooden Legacy event, would remain in Orlando at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex for its Dec. 1 Champions Classic game against Kentucky. It’s possible the Jayhawks could play another team or two in Orlando, site of the NBA’s bubble, before returning to Lawrence.
The Wooden Legacy initially was set for Nov. 26-27 in Anaheim, California with a field of KU, UCLA, Virginia and Georgetown. The Hoyas, according to published reports, withdrew from the event because Florida is a state on Washington D.C.’s travel restriction list.
The Champions Classic initially was set for Nov. 10 in Chicago. That one-day doubleheader was to kick off the season and match KU versus Kentucky, and Duke against Michigan State.
According to Idahopress.com, Boise State originally was expected to play in the Orlando Invitational with Gonzaga, Michigan State and others, but two teams withdrew from the tournament.
According to reporter B.J. Rains, the matchup against KU gives Boise State “a rare national television game against one of the blue bloods of college basketball. It all adds up to be one of the biggest games in program history. Boise State has never beaten a top-10 team.”
Rains adds: “The Broncos bring back leading scorer Derrick Alston Jr., Oregon transfer Abu Kigab and starting point guard RayJ Dennis. They also add four Division I transfers including two from Arizona that were once top-100 recruits. It looks to be maybe the most talented team under (coach Leon) Rice — and in program history. Boise State will be either first or second in the preseason Mountain West poll, and many including the NCAA’s Andy Katz project the Broncos to make the NCAA Tournament.
“Rice has repeatedly said he wanted to challenge his team with a difficult schedule this year to put it in position to compete for an at-large bid to the tournament. The Broncos could have played Gonzaga or Michigan State in the original tournament in Orlando, but will gladly take Kansas and either UCLA or Seton Hall as replacements..”
Rothstein of CBS Sports recently reported that in addition to the Wooden Legacy and Champions Classic, the Jimmy V Classic, Preseason NIT, Orlando Invitational, Myrtle Beach Invitational, Charleston Classic and Diamond Head Classic will all be played in Orlando. KU could easily schedule a game from one of the teams in those events to make it four games in Florida in a span of a week or so. A source said this all remains tentative because ESPN is working diligently to place numerous teams in its early-season tournaments. Announcements are expected from ESPN in the near future.
The Big 12 has not yet released its 2020-21 schedule. Norlander recently reported that KU will open Big 12 play early this season — Dec. 17 at Texas Tech and Dec. 22 vs. West Virginia in Lawrence. A Star source said that indeed is a possibility, but the slate has not been finalized.
The NCAA is allowing a maximum of 25 regular-season games plus one multiple-team event that includes two games during the 2020-21 season with the start of the season Nov. 25. Normally, teams are allowed 31 games. However the season normally begins on Nov. 10 not the 25th.
No exhibition games or scrimmages against other NCAA teams will be allowed this season amid the pandemic.
KU ranked No. 6 in Vitale’s poll
ESPN’s Dick Vitale has ranked Kansas No. 6 in the country in his preseason top-40 poll. His top 10: Gonzaga, Villanova, Baylor, Virginia, Wisconsin, KU, Michigan State, Texas Tech, Duke and Tennessee.
Of KU, Vitale writes: “Rock Chalk Jayhawks fans will have plenty to cheer about, even without Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson. Bill Self has the nation’s top defender returning in Marcus Garrett. Ochai Agbaji is a consistent scorer who will have added responsibility. Look for major improvement up front from big man David McCormack. Diaper dandy Bryce Thompson is talented and will fill up the stat sheet. Juco transfer Tyon Grant-Foster is capable of impacting Kansas. There will be quite the battle between Baylor and Kansas in the Big 12.”
This story was originally published October 9, 2020 at 9:37 PM with the headline "KU’s basketball team now ticketed to play Boise State in opener of Wooden Legacy."
