At times, especially when he’s watching MTV, Drew Gooden lets his mind wander to what Spring Break 2002 might be like without all these basketball responsibilities.

“Sometimes I wish I kick back and wish I was in Cancun with my shirt off with all the girls dancing at ‘Spring Break With Jerry Springer’ and all that,” Gooden, Kansas University’s junior forward, said Tuesday.

KU junior forward drew gooden says he's been catching up on sleep during spring break. It will be back to work for the Jayhawks when they meet Illinois on Friday night in Madison, Wis.

“I think this is a lot more fun, winning games in the tournament than being out there on ‘Springer Break’ or whatever,” he added.

While talk show host Jerry Springer and thousands of KU students are off to warm climates for Spring Break, Gooden and his teammates tonight will fly a charter to chilly Madison, Wis., site of Friday night’s Sweet 16 contest against Illinois (9:25 p.m., Kohl Center).

One benefit of being one of the few students left in town is the fact Gooden can “kick back” when he’s not practicing or getting treatment for bumps, bruises and knee tendinitis accumulated during a long 31-3 season.

“I’ve been catching up on my sleep. I got up 30 minutes ago,” Gooden said at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday. “This is my second day in a row sleeping in, in like two weeks, starting with the Big 12 tournament. I’m taking care of my body, eating right, getting rest.”

And having a lot of fun relishing in March Madness.

“No person in their right mind would not be having fun right now, especially playing on this team,” Gooden said. “We made it to the Sweet 16. We got there last year, too.

“I want to advance. I want to see what the Elite Eight is like. I want to see what the Final Four is like. It’s hard to sleep at night. You want to hurry and play the game. These cushions between games are nailbiting. I wish we could play the games back to back, hurry up to see where we are going.”

Gooden he leads the Big 12 in scoring (20.2 ppg) and rebounding (11.2 rpg) has relished every moment in what he’s said before is probably his final year at KU.

“This whole season has been fun. Even when we lost to Ball State (in opener) we got over the loss quick,” Gooden said. “Practices have been fun. It’s why this season has gone by in a heartbeat, in a blink of an eye. My freshman year seemed like an eternity, I don’t know if it’s because I was a freshman or what.

“My freshman year we had bad practices. We were playing bad. Coach (Roy Williams) was on us all the time. Basketball was not a fun time for me. Last year we had fun at times. When we made it to the Sweet 16 we were a happier team.”

But this year has been nirvana.

“We have smooth practices, guys taking care of business and leaving (the court), guys taking care of business in the classroom. All these things add up,” Gooden said. “Coach trusts us and gives us leeway.

“All he has to do is have a ball available for us at practice and every once in a while if somebody steps out of line put ’em back in line. It makes it a lot more fun and a lot easier.”

Gooden, of course, wants the season to continue past Friday’s battle against Illinois. He doesn’t necessarily agree for that to happen he must carry the scoring load.

He scored 15 in a second-round win over Stanford after tallying 19 in a first-round win over Holy Cross.

“If we go to the Final Four and win the national championship and I average two points here on out I’ll be the happiest man in the world,” Gooden said. “The happiest man in the world. It’s something that’s possible. This team could do that.

“It would be good to score 30 from here on out every game to the national championship, but it’d be just as good to score two points every game to win the national championship. Every game I want to play my best and leave it on the court.”

Gooden scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds in last year’s 80-64 Sweet 16 loss to Illinois in San Antonio. It’s a game in which KU was outrebounded, 45-30.

“It’s a new year, two different teams,” Gooden said. “I’d say both have better players. We didn’t come ready to play last year. This team now … it’s like night and day compared to last year in terms of heart and competitiveness.”

Some are saying Illinois, which manhandled KU last year, might do so again this season.

“I don’t know how many physical games we’ve got to win this year to prove we are a physical team,” Gooden said. “Ask Stanford if we are a physical team. They’ll tell you. Ask Oklahoma if we are a physical team. They’ll tell you. Ask Texas. They’ll tell you. All the teams … they know.

“We have versatile guys. I’m talking about me and Nick (Collison). We can step out on the floor and do some things. It doesn’t mean we are soft. When we need to bang we’ll bang.

“We know Illinois has a great team. Frank Williams (junior point guard) is a good ballhandler and will try to create things for his teammates. They’ll have guys hitting the backboards all day and all night. It’s something we’ll have to deal with. What it’s going to be is two good teams battling it out.”