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MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SENIOR NIGHT
SALUTING SENIOR STARS
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
Travis Releford is one of the best, if not the best, glue guy during Bill Self's tenure at Kansas. He entered the starting lineup at the beginning of last season and his defense was one of the key reasons Kansas reached the national title game. This season he averages 12.2 points per game and leads the Big 12 conference with 59 percent shooting from the field. His improved outside shooting has helped compensate when other guards have struggled offensively.
ACCOLADES
- Scoreed a career-high 28 points at Oklahoma on Jan. 7, 2012; a 72-61 victory
- Started for USA Basketball's Men's U18 National Team in the summer of 2008. He averaged 7.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game for the silver-medalists at
the 2008 FIBE Americas U18 Championship.
the 2008 FIBA Americas Championship
*Joined Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson as the only Jayhawks to score in every game for Kansas last season.*
- Has fouled out only three times in his Kansas career.
BEFORE KANSAS
Releford attended Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, Kan., where he averaged 24.1 points and six rebounds per game as a senior. He earned high school All-American honors twice. He was named the Gatorade Kansas boys' basketball player of the year in 2008 and was the Eastern Kansas League player of the
year in 2007 and 2008.
DEFINING MOMENT
In the fifth game of the season this year against Saint Louis, Releford scored 21 points in the first half, finishing with 23 points as senior center Jeff Withey took over the offensive load in the second half. Releford's 23 points
are the second most in his career for a single game.
He made four of seven 3-pointers that day, helping to establish his rhythm behind the arc that has continued all season.
Geoffrey Calvert
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
Jeff Withey will go down as one of the best big men to come through Kansas. That's not easy in a program that boasts a top front court every year in college basketball. No other Jayhawk can claim to equal Withey's transformation. He came to Kansas a scrawny 7-footer that seemed afraid to touch the ball and leaves as the Jayhawks all-time shot blocker. It was once a struggle for Withey to get on the floor, now it's impossible to imagine him off it.
ACCOLADES:
impossible to imagine him off it.
- Kansas All-Time Leading Shot Blocker (281 and counting)
BEFORE KANSAS:
- NCAA Tournament Record For Blocks In A Single Tournament (31 in 2012)
- 2012 Big 12 Defensive Player Of The Year
* Four-Time Big 12 Player Of the Week
at the University of Arizona, but not under the regime he signed up for. WhenUA coach Lute Olsen retired, Withey was already committed to play for the Wildcats. After staying at Arizona for only one season, Withey transferred to Kansas where Bill Self was able
DEFINING MOMENT
After averaging 20 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks per game his senior season at Horizon High School in San Diego, Withey began his college career
to turn his career around.
There's no question Withey was still a work in progress during his junior year. He had only averaged 6.2 minutes per game before taking over the starting role at center. But all doubt seemed to wash away when Withey went to Manhattan and smacked around the Wildcats. His 11 rebounds, nine blocks and 18 points solidified him as a force for the Jayhawks and his confidence and playing ability was never again questioned.
Blake Schuster
Kevin Young will be remembered as one of the most liked players on the University's campus in recent memory. A member of the 2012 national championship title game team, Young made a name for himself this year as the starting power forward. He's averaged 7.7 points and 6.9 rebounds while helping Kansas as they move toward a ninth straight conference title.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
ACCOLADES
- Kevin Young scored his 1,000th point as a Division I player on Saturday.
- He scored 342 points at Kansas and 658 points at Loyola Marymount.
- Played on the Puerto Rico U19 World Championship team in 2009.
- Earned a spot on the Finish All-Star team at the Reebok All-American camp in 2008.
He scored 11 points in the All-Star game.
His career high for points was against Temple on
Jan. 6 when he 16 points.
His career high for rebounds is 12 points against Iowa state last Monday.
BEFORE KANSAS
As a senior at Perris High in Perris, Calif., in 2008, Young averaged 16.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks his senior season. His freshman year at Loyola Marymount, he broke the school freshman record for rebounds and rebounds per game. After a difficult sophomore season, Young transferred to Barstow and San Bernardino College before becoming a Jayhawk
in 2011.
DEFINING MOMENT
One of Young's biggest contributions during his Kansas career was Ohio State game on December 10, 2011. Taking advantage of an absent Jared Sullinger, Young found an open matchup against the Buckeyes and lofted up a season-high 14 points including a couple 3-pointers that brought Kansas fans to their feet. Young was not a big contributor to last season's team, but when they needed him to step up he did just so several times throughout this season and the last.
— Ryan McCarthy
Elijah Johnson has crafted a reputation as a clutch player for Kansas late in the year during the past two seasons. In the Round of 32 in the 2012
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
NCAA Tournament against Purdue, Johnson gave Kansas its first lead of the game with a 3-pointer with 3:04 left, and put Kansas up for good with a layup with 23 seconds left. He converted a layup against North Carolina State in the next round to put Kansas up by three points with 13 seconds left and secured the layhaw's spot in the Elite Eight. Despite struggling offensively during most of conference play this season, Johnson scored a career high 39 points, including 23 points in the final eight minutes of the game, to help
points in the final eight minutes of the game, to help Kansas defeat Iowa State 108-96 in overtime.
ACCOLADES
- Scores a career-high 39 points in an overtime victory at Iowa State last Monday.
- helping Kansas overcome a five-point deficit with 45 seconds left in regulation
- Came to Kansas as the No. 24 recruit nationally according to Rivals.com.
- Was named first-team all city, state and region during his sophomore.
junior and senior seasons of high school.
- Scored in double figures in all eight of Kansas' postseason games last season.
BEFORE KANSAS
Helped Cheyenne High School in Las Vegas finish 21-3 in his senior season while averaging 15.9 points, 4.8 assists and 4 rebounds per game. Cheyenne finished as the Nevada state runner-up during his junior season. Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPNU all rated Johnson as one of the nation's top 30 prospects coming
the nation's top 30 prospects coming out of high school.
DEFINING MOMENT
With Kansas trailing Iowa State 87-82 Feb. 25
With Kansas trailing Iowa State 87-82 Feb. 25, 2013 at Iowa State, Johnson buried a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left to close the margin to three points. After two Iowa State free throws, he hit a second 3-pointer and made the game-tying free throws on Kansas' next possession to send the game into overtime. He scored 12 of Kansas 18 points in overtime and finished with a career-high 39 points as Kansas defeated Iowa State
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108-96 to remain tied for first place in the Big 12.
- Geoffrey Calvert