Kansas University’s volleyball team will not be the opening act at “Late Night With Bill Self.”

The Jayhawks, who had considered moving their Oct. 17 match against Iowa State from Horejsi Center to Allen Fieldhouse, will stay put before the men’s basketball festivities.

“We’ll probably play in Horejsi. That’s my guess. That’s the way we’re leaning. We talked to the team last night about it,” KU volleyball coach Ray Bechard said Tuesday.

“We still want to be part of Late Night. That’s very important to us, but to give up our home-court facility … I don’t know if that would be in our best interest. Maybe we can work a deal with Late Night that they’ll save a few seats for those fans who come over and watch the ‘Hawks at Horejsi and join the Late Night festivities.”

Bechard’s Jayhawks, who take a 7-3 record into tonight’s Big 12 Conference opener at Kansas State, have a loyal following in cozy Horejsi, which seats 1,300 fans. Allen Fieldhouse seats 16,300.

“I think there would be some people interested in the match in Allen, but there would be more people waiting around for what’s going to happen after that,” said Bechard, whose Jayhawks have participated at Late Night twice — defeating Iowa State, 3-0, in 1998 and losing to Texas A&M, 3-1, in 2000, before less-than-attentive crowds at Late Night.

“In my mind, our team deserves its home court,” Bechard said. “It deserves a crowd that’s really into what’s happening with the volleyball team. I think as we talked about it, it had some merit to it to expose more people to what we’re trying to do. But if we can fill Horejsi, maybe we’ll get a few new fans over there if they know they can still be part of the Late Night activities.”

Bechard said staying in Horejsi would be the smart choice.

“It’s a matter of us probably only having one opportunity to practice in Allen Fieldhouse and acclimate ourselves,” Bechard said. “We have a Wednesday night match (Oct. 15 at Texas A&M), so it’s going to be a light practice on that Thursday.”

¢

It’s Duke or KU for Kaun: Alexander “Sasha” Kaun, a 6-foot-11 high school senior center from Melbourne, Fla., has narrowed his college choices to KU and Duke, Kaun’s high school coach told theinsiders.com. Kaun, who visited Michigan State last weekend, has eliminated the Spartans. Kaun will visit Duke Sept. 26-27 and come to a decision sometime after the trip.

Meanwhile, A.J. Price, 6-1 from Amityville, N.Y., who visited KU with Kaun, is no longer being recruited by Syracuse, rivals.com reports. Price will visit UConn this weekend and St. John’s in coming weeks.

¢

Recruiting tidbits: Al Horford, a 6-8 high school senior forward from Grand Ledge, Mich., Tuesday committed to Michigan. He canceled both Tuesday’s in-home visit with KU coach Self and an official trip to KU.

Self had an in-home visit Tuesday with Malik Hairston, a 6-6 guard/forward from Detroit’s Renaissance High. Hairston, who has visited Ohio State and UCLA, will visit KU this weekend.

Josh McRoberts, a 6-10 junior from Carmel, Ind., Tuesday orally committed to Duke over KU, Indiana, Notre Dame, North Carolina and others.

At least two juniors will attend Late Night — one month from today — as part of unofficial visits. They are: Tyler Hansbrough, 6-8, from Poplar Bluff, Mo.; and Leo Criswell, 6-8, from Kansas City Piper.

¢

Clinic set: Self will conduct KU’s annual coaches clinic Nov. 8 at Allen Fieldhouse. The clinic will include presentations from Self and KU assistants Joe Dooley, Tim Jankovich and Norm Roberts. A ticket to the KU-Nebraska football game is included in the camp price of $60 in advance or $65 at the gate. For information, go to kuathletics.com.