Proud of Kansas UniversityâÂÂs basketball program, Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce puffed his chest and bragged on the Jayhawks before last MondayâÂÂs game against the Utah Jazz.

The fifth-year pro bragged so much, he may have provided Holy Cross some bulletin-board material for the Jayhawksâ NIT season-opener at 8 p.m. Tuesday against the Crusaders at Allen Fieldhouse.

âÂÂTheyâÂÂre going to wish they were at chapel,â Pierce said of the Crusaders. âÂÂTheyâÂÂre going to be there and be like, âÂÂ’So this is what college is like.âÂÂâÂÂâÂÂ

Holy Cross is located in Worcester, Mass., just 40 miles west of Boston, so you can bet the Crusaders were aware of the quotes in the Boston Globe bright and early Tuesday morning.

âÂÂYes I did (see PierceâÂÂs comments),â Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard said. âÂÂIâÂÂm sorry to hear he didnâÂÂt go to class. That kind of disappointed me.

âÂÂIâÂÂm only kidding,â he added, laughing.

Pierce, who grew up in balmy Inglewood, Calif., told the Globe there was a time KU coach Roy Williams had to make sure his prize player bundled up and headed to class on cold, winter mornings.

âÂÂI think PaulâÂÂs a loyal guy. Loyalty is a great thing. Obviously he is loyal to Kansas and to Roy,â Willard said, adding knows Pierce through his friendship with Celts coach Jim OâÂÂBrien.

âÂÂPaul is a great guy. I think anybody who looks at Kansas and looks at us are going to predict Kansas will win big. I donâÂÂt take offense to any of that.âÂÂ

KUâÂÂs Williams also has no problem with PierceâÂÂs boasts.

âÂÂSomebody told me about them, which is fine,â Williams said. âÂÂIâÂÂm glad he has the pride and cares enough about us to mention it like that. ItâÂÂll give them something to talk about, but I donâÂÂt think they need any extra motivation and I donâÂÂt think we do either. IâÂÂm glad Paul is that proud of us. Now we better do what he says.âÂÂ

The Jayhawks, who survived a major scare in nudging Holy Cross, 70-59, in a first-round NCAA Tournament game last March in St. Louis, arenâÂÂt upset at Pierce for speaking his mind.

âÂÂI think thatâÂÂs cool,â sophomore guard Keith Langford said. âÂÂIâÂÂve never met Paul. Obviously IâÂÂm a fan watching him on TV. I was reading the newspaper and he guaranteed victory … ItâÂÂs what we need. We need somebody to speak up and tell the truth.âÂÂ

PierceâÂÂs NBA nickname is âÂÂThe Truth.âÂÂ

Langford also has some bragging rights on the line Tuesday. Nate Lufkin, a 6-11 sophomore center from Austin, Texas, is a former AAU teammate of the Fort Worth, Texas, native.

âÂÂHe called my AAU coach and told him he was going to dunk on us,â Langford said. âÂÂIâÂÂll talk to him when he comes in Tuesday. IâÂÂll be sure to give him a few words. He needs to worry about Nick (Collison) dunking on him.

âÂÂHeâÂÂs good,â Langford said, seriously. âÂÂIn AAU ball heâÂÂs a lot taller than everybody. HeâÂÂs a skilled big man. With personal tension between former players and Paul Pierce guaranteeing victory, we have to come out and play and win is the bottom line.âÂÂ