LAWRENCE, Kan. — On Tuesday, the University of Kansas Men’s Jayhawk basketball team makes their 2013 season hardwood premiere in an exhibition opener against Pittsburg State University. Tip off is scheduled at 7:00 p.m. at the Allen Fieldhouse on the KU campus in Lawrence.
Pittsburgh State is also making its season debut against the Jayhawks. The Gorillias had a record of 18 – 10 during last season. The team reached the second round of the MIAA Postseason tournament before being defeated by Central Missouri, 69 – 63, at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.
Pitt State junior guard Sam Pugh and sophomore guard Jake Bullard are the only two returning Gorillas who started 10 or more games last season.
The Kansas team posted a 31 – 6 record last season, including the Big 12 Championship for the ninth straight year in a row. The Jayhawks fell in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last March against Michigan, 87 – 85, in overtime.
Kansas begins the 2013 – 2014 season without any returning starters. However, you can bet that Jayhawk fans will be watching freshman Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins was the top college basketball recruit in 2013 and is considered the favorite to be selected among the top picks in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Wiggins has only been on the KU campus since June. He attended Vaughan Secondary School in Vaughan, Ontario for two years before transferring to Huntington Prep School in Huntington, West Virginia in 2011. Wiggins was named the 2013 Naismith Prep Player of the Year in February.
A month later, Wiggins was a named the 2013 Gatorade National Player of the Year, becoming the first Canadian player to garner that honor. He was ranked as the number one high school basketball player by SLAM Magazine.
Pittsburg State is coached by Kevin Muff, who enters his fourth season as head coach of the Gorillas. Kansas’ Bill Self begins his 11th year as the Jayhawks head coach.
This is the fifth time that the Jayhawks and Kansas have met for an exhibition game. The last time the two teams met was in 2011, when Kansas won 84 – 55.
For the complete Kansas 2013- 2014 men’s basketball schedule, click here.
