New Allen Fieldhouse floor ready for 2003-2004 season

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Non-conference matchups with Michigan State, Stanford, Oregon, Villanova and Richmond, as well as four conference games on ESPN's Big Monday, highlight the 2003-04 University of Kansas men's basketball schedule, released on Monday by KU officials.

A workman swept the edges of the Allen Fieldhouse floor after the court was sanded to bare wood in preparation for a completely new surface painting. The last complete court refurbishing was in 1998. Jeff Jacobsen/KUAC

Kansas once again boasts one of the nation's most difficult slates, taking on eight teams which participated in last season's NCAA Tournament (Colorado, Michigan State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Stanford and Texas) and four teams (Missouri, Oklahoma, Stanford and Texas) which ended last year ranked in the final Associated Press top-25 poll.

The Jayhawks open the year with a pair of exhibition games in Allen Fieldhouse -- against the EA Sports All-Stars on Nov. 4 and versus Pittsburg State on Nov. 11. KU has won 18 straight home exhibition games, dating back to a 93-82 loss to Australia on Nov. 29, 1993. The 'Hawks have beaten the All-Stars five straight years, while KU has a record of 4-0 against Pittsburg State in regular-season action.

Kansas opens its regular-season slate with two straight home games, starting with UT Chattanooga on Nov. 21 in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks lead the all-time series with UTC 1-0, with the teams' only meeting coming in 1994 in the NCAA Southeast Sub-Regional -- a 102-73 KU win in Lexington, Ky. Kansas has won 30 straight home-openers.

Next up, the national spotlight will shine on Lawrence, as the Jayhawks welcome national power Michigan State to the Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Nov. 25. In a likely battle of two top-10 teams, the all-time series is tied 3-3, with the Spartans claiming the last game, 66-54, on Dec. 7, 1999 in the Great Eight in Chicago, Ill.

After their game with the Spartans, the Jayhawks have a pair of challenging road games ahead. First, KU travels to Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 1 to take on the TCU Horned Frogs, led by former Kansas assistant coach Neil Dougherty. KU is 2-0 all-time against TCU, but this will mark the teams' first matchup in Fort Worth. Next is a trip out west to play Stanford in the Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif., on Dec. 6. Kansas leads the all-time series with Stanford 8-1, including a blowout 86-63 win in the second round of the 2002 NCAA Tournament.

Stencils outlining the new Kansas Jayhawk at center court and other court graphics lay in place as workers painted the edges of the James Naismith Court. Jeff Jacobsen/KUAC

Upon returning from Anaheim, KU plays host to in-state Division II school Fort Hays State on Dec. 10. The Jayhawks are 2-0 all-time against the Tigers, and the teams haven't met in regular-season action since 1998.

Kansas plays its first of three straight games away from Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 13, travelling to nearby Kansas City to play Oregon in the Feist Shootout in Kemper Arena. This marks the third straight year the Jayhawks and the Ducks have faced off, as KU routed Oregon, 104-86, in the 2002 NCAA Midwest Regional final, but Oregon got revenge last season in an 84-78 victory over KU in Portland's Rose Garden.

The 'Hawks continue their road swing by travelling to Reno, Nev. on Dec. 20-21 for the Wolfpack Holiday Classic. KU takes on UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, then faces off with Nevada on Sunday. KU has never previously met UCSB, while the Jayhawks lead the all-time series with Nevada 3-0. When KU gets back from its road trip, it plays host to Binghamton on Dec. 29, and Villanova on Jan. 2. KU is meeting Binghamton for the first time, while it leads the all-time series with Villanova 1-0.

The Jayhawks also have one home non-conference affair in the midst of conference play -- they host Richmond on Jan. 22. The Jayhawks and Spiders will be meeting for the first time on the hardwood.

Kansas opens conference play on Jan. 5 at Colorado on ESPN's Big Monday, and the Jayhawks are slated for three other appearances on Big Monday this season -- Feb. 2 at home against Missouri, Feb. 9 at Oklahoma State and Feb. 23 versus Texas in Austin.

With most of the tarp pulled back, the full impact of the new KU basketball court was revealed in Allen Fieldlhouse. Jeff Jacobsen/KUAC

Other notable conference games for the Jayhawks this season include a Feb. 29 game against Oklahoma on CBS and a date with Missouri on March 7 in Columbia to close out the regular season. Senior Day this season will be March 3 versus Nebraska.

"We are very excited about this year's schedule," said first-year KU head coach Bill Self. "When we arrived here, it was obvious that we inherited a very challenging schedule this season, especially with the number of tough games away from home. We wanted to fill our last two games with quality opponents that the fans would enjoy and that would bring national exposure to Lawrence, and we think we did that with the addition of Villanova and Richmond."

The Jayhawks are guaranteed to appear on national television at least 14 times in 2003-04 -- at least nine times on ESPN, at least two appearances on CBS, at least twice on ESPN2 and at least once on ABC. (link to shedule) (printer friendly .pdf version) (9/8/03)