âÂÂI could sense it in my teammates. We were starting to doubt our ability to win this game. Each time we gathered in the second half there were blank looks in our eyes, expressionless faces staring at one another. It was a scary moment and I couldnâÂÂt think of a thing to say that would snap us out of it.âÂÂ

– Former Kansas guard Jeff Boschee on last yearâÂÂs KU-Holy Cross first-round NCAA Tournament game in the book âÂÂLong Shot.âÂÂ

Holy Cross didnâÂÂt win, but the No. 16-seeded Crusaders did scare the heck out of the top-seeded Jayhawks before succumbing, 70-59, last March in St. Louis.

âÂÂWe definitely had a very difficult game against them,â KU senior forward Nick Collison said of a contest in which KU trailed by a basket at halftime.

âÂÂIt was because of what they did. They defended well, rebounded well. In the back of our minds we didnâÂÂt play as well last year. We want to show them we can play better. WeâÂÂre anxious to get out there and play well.âÂÂ

The two teams will tangle again at 8 tonight at Allen Fieldhouse in the Preseason NIT and season-openers for both teams.

Holy Cross returns four starters from its 18-15 squad, including the Patriot LeagueâÂÂs best player – Tim Szatko, a 6-foot-8 forward who scored 13 points versus KU off 4-of-19 shooting.

KU returns three starters: Collison, who had just five points against the Crusaders; Kirk Hinrich, who sprained his ankle late in the first half and missed the second; and Aaron Miles, who had five turnovers and just one assist.

âÂÂThey’re going to want to come out and beat us by 100 points,â Holy Cross senior guard Brian Wilson told the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. âÂÂWe have to be ready to counter that right away. ItâÂÂs a chance for us to show what weâÂÂre about.âÂÂ

Fourth-year Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard thinks thereâÂÂs just one way his Crusaders can keep it close again – by playing rugged defense.

âÂÂItâÂÂll be death if we go in without defensive focus,â Willard said. âÂÂItâÂÂs easier said than done. They are the best transition basketball team IâÂÂve seen in a long, long time.

âÂÂAny time you play great defense you have a chance. The one thing thatâÂÂs disturbing me now is weâÂÂve had two exhibition games (victories) where we played very poorly on the defensive end of the floor.âÂÂ

A year ago, KU hit 46.2 percent of its shots to Holy Crossâ miserable 33.3 mark.

âÂÂI was impressed at how much better I thought they played than we played. They really were effective defensively,â KU coach Roy Williams said. âÂÂWe didnâÂÂt do as good a job as we wanted and they had a lot to do with that. We didnâÂÂt shoot as high a percentage, we didnâÂÂt get as many shots, we didnâÂÂt dominate the backboards.

âÂÂOur double teams didnâÂÂt seem to bother them. There wasnâÂÂt really a lot we did that bothered them at all. I did go back and look (at film) and they had three guys in double figures that game who are all back. We had two guys in double figures and neither are here.âÂÂ

Drew Gooden (19 points) and Boschee (13) are gone, while the Crusaders do return Wilson (13 points), Szatko (13) and Patrick Whearty (12).

âÂÂReally itâÂÂs the kind of opener I like. WeâÂÂve really got to play,â Williams said. âÂÂIf we donâÂÂt really play then weâÂÂll have a long time to practice before our second game.âÂÂ

If KU wins, it meets the winner of tonightâÂÂs UNC Greensboro-Wagner game at 7 p.m. Friday at Allen Fieldhouse with the winner of that game heading to New York for the semifinals next Wednesday. A loss and KU would be idle until playing Central Missouri State on Dec. 4.