DAYTON, OHIO — Sick to his stomach on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jeff Boschee felt much better on Thursday.
That's good news for Kansas University's suddenly thin men's basketball team, which starts what it hopes will be a long NCAA Tournament run tonight against Cal State Northridge.
Kansas senior Kenny Gregory dominates a TV set as he answers questions during Thursday's press conference in Dayton, Ohio.
Tipoff for the first-round Midwest Regional battle is 6:40 p.m., Lawrence time, at University of Dayton Arena with a live telecast on CBS.
"I was dehydrated," explained Boschee, KU's junior shooting guard who has felt "faint, tired, exhausted" the past couple days as he's battled flu-like symptoms.
He didn't practice Wednesday, but did on Thursday.
"I didn't feel too good. But I'm close to 100 percent now and think I'll be 100 percent for the game. If my stomach starts to act up, there's some medication I can take that should settle it down."
That comes as good news for the No. 4-seeded Jayhawks (24-6), who face a guard-loaded Northridge team that boasts the country's assist leader in Markus Carr.
"They are quick, athletic and play the same way we do," Boschee said of up-tempo play. "Markus Carr looks pretty good on film. We'll have to contain him and the big guy (Brian Heinle, 20.4 scoring average) on the high-low (pass)."
Already without Luke Axtell (back), Bryant Nash (knee) and Mario Kinsey (academics) the Jayhawks are down to walk-on Brett Ballard for backup play at the guard slot.
Ballard started on the Blue team (first team) at Wednesday's practice. He still wore a blue jersey Thursday, but Boschee also shared time on the starting team.
"I guess I can tell my grandkids: 'One day at practice I started for Kansas,''' Ballard said. "I don't know if they'll believe me.
"It was a little weird after being on the Red team all year. I'm ready to play, but I knew Jeff would be back. I think he's OK."
Ballard was asked if he felt he could start for Cal State Northridge a 22-9 team that has not received a lot of national attention despite winning the Big Sky regular and postseason championships.
"I'd say, 'No,''' Ballard said. "I don't think I can start for many Div. I teams. They look like they have a really talented team. We've got to contain their point guard and also stop their big guys. If we make our big guys a big factor, it should be a big factor in the game."
KU big men Drew Gooden, Nick Collison and Eric Chenowith will tower over a Northridge team that pretty much plays four guards plus Heinle.
Just three players score in double figures Heinle, 6-3 John Burrell (14.5 ppg) and 6-5 Jeff Parris (13.9). Carr averages 8.6 points and 8.9 assists.
"Carr is the motor, the engine that makes the whole thing run for them," KU coach Roy Williams said. "He's sensational pushing the ball and getting it to the right people, to Heinle in areas he can score.
Kansas senior swingman Kenny Gregory keeps his eye on the ball.
"Heinle presents matchup problems. You don't want Eric chasing him around the three-point line."
The Jayhawks have viewed parts of three tapes on Northridge and everybody's impressed.
"I think it's going to be a fun game," KU point guard Kirk Hinrich said. "The tapes I saw they were pushing the ball and we push the ball. It definitely could be high scoring."
The Jayhawks are not worried about lack of depth because of injuries. Remember, CBS schedules eight TV timeouts (each 2:40) during the tourney.
"We are fine. We are 20-years-old," Chenowith said. "I think we'll find some energy to play with. I think guys will be fired up and step up. And like coach says, those timeouts are very long."
"At times you'd like to have more depth," senior Kenny Gregory noted. Nine Matadors average 8.5 or more minutes while the Jayhawks, with Boschee, have seven true scholarship players to use.
Kansas coach Roy Williams, left, chats with former Kentucky and Boston Celtics coach and Louisville coaching candidate Rick Pitino. The two coaches visited after KU's practice Thursday in Dayton, Ohio.
"Unfortunately we have some injuries. You've got to be prepared to play. This time of year you go out there and you play as long as need be."
The Jayhawks say they are hungry after a week of rigorous practices. On Thursday, KU worked out for about two hours at a high school gym then had a lazy shootaround for an hour before a handful of fans at Dayton Arena.
"You turn on TV: ESPN and College Basketball Tonight really don't talk about us much," soph forward Gooden said. "When the seedings were announced, you didn't hear anything about Kansas. I think we have something to prove to ourselves and society."
And a lot to prove after three straight years of winning one game, then losing the next in the NCAAs. The winner of tonight's game will meet either Syracuse or Hawaii at 11:10 a.m. Sunday for the right to travel to the Sweet 16 in San Antonio.
"I feel more hunger than pressure," Williams said. "I really do want this team to experience it. I want to experience it myself. It's a lot of fun to continue in this tournament, a lot of fun to practice another week, getting to know you play the following weekend."
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