Hard-working Jayhawks treated to bowling outing by Bill Self. One player rolled a 259
Pleased with his Kansas basketball players for their work on the court (8-1 record) and in the classroom (3.4 first-semester GPA) amid an ongoing pandemic, coach Bill Self treated the Jayhawks to dinner and bowling Wednesday.
“I definitely think there’s importance to it,” KU junior power forward David McCormack said of the No. 3-ranked Jayhawks having some fun as a team with the campus deserted until start of second-semester classes on Feb. 1.
“Usually our schedule is to practice and go back to the dorm. That’s kind of a routine thing,” McCormack added of campus life the past many months. “We were fortunate enough yesterday to go bowling with the team. We had some social distancing where we had two to a lane. We ate separately but we were able to get out and have some fun in the midst of everything going on, finish the the year on a fun note.”
The Jayhawks dined at Wayne and Larry’s Sports Bar and Grill which is connected to Royal Crest Lanes in Lawrence.
As far as how the players fared on the lanes?
“I did pretty well bowling. It was one of my best games. I haven’t bowled in a while. I was up in the 200 range, 180 something,” said the 6-foot-10, 250-pound McCormack.
“The best bowler? I’d probably say Chris Teahan for sure,” McCormack added of the senior guard.
Self, who didn’t stick around for post-dinner bowling — “sometimes I think the guys can get sick and tired of me being around,” he said — confirmed that the 6-4 Teahan ruled the proceedings.
“Teahan said he bowled a 259, which I still find very difficult to believe,” Self said with a smile during a Thursday Zoom call. “He said he had eight strikes, three spares, something like that. That’s pretty impressive if that’s actually true,” Self added.
Self had said recently he wanted his players to get out and do something fun as a group, perhaps embark on an outing to Top Golf.
“I don’t know if it helped or not. It was an off day so we couldn’t do anything basketball related. It was good for the guys to get out of the dormitory and for the guys to go eat a meal somewhere else even though it was in a private room,” Self said.
“And (for) guys to go bowling, even though it was private lanes and nobody else was really in there, I think it was good for them. I think that’s a good time if they are going to kick back and feel free to kind of cut up. I think sometimes it’s best when the head coach isn’t around, so I didn’t bowl.”
McCormack revealed that he didn’t travel to his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia for his Christmas holiday. The players were allowed to leave for their hometowns or hometowns of guardians or friends from Wednesday, Dec. 23 until Sunday the 27th.
“I talked to my family as far as my mother and grandfather. Her having existing conditions already, we felt it was best (for McCormack to stay in Lawrence). It’d be too hard to keep space in the household after flying commercial like that,” McCormack said.
“I actually stayed here. I got a lot of rest and recovery and slept a bunch. That was my Christmas break. It was actually nice, to be carefree and only concerned about myself of course while still touching base with family. It felt nice to have my own schedule and do whatever I felt, so to speak.”
Self said the Jayhawks made it through the first round of COVID-19 testing with nobody testing positive for the virus upon returning to town.
“As far as the COVID stuff goes we dodged a bullet the first round of tests. We are taking more tests, those will come back,” Self said. “I think every coach in America is probably a little bit nervous right now because if the Christmas vacation was negative for you from a COVID standpoint we’re probably going to find out in the next couple days or three to four days, something like that when there’s plenty of time for them (tests) to come back. We’re hopeful we’re good because right now everything is good to go.”
Self said freshman guard Bryce Thompson has been slowed by a back injury. Self said he hopes Thompson will be able to play Saturday against No. 8-ranked Texas (11 a.m., Allen Fieldhouse).
“Health wise we’re pretty good. Bryce dinged his back up a little bit. He’s been kind of half speed. They anticipate him being full go by tomorrow, but everything else is fine,” Self said.
This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Hard-working Jayhawks treated to bowling outing by Bill Self. One player rolled a 259."
