Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self nodded approval Tuesday as he watched hard-hat workers assemble and elevate parts of the new Allen Fieldhouse scoreboard/videoboard.

“Certain pieces have been hung, and it looks awesome,” Self said of the 22-foot-wide by 20-foot-tall Daktronics board that will include 8-by-12-foot TV screens on each of the four sides.

“It looks to me like it will be consistent with the feel of the building,” Self said. “I think it’ll be something fans will love and will add to the atmosphere in the building in a positive way.”

The videoboard, which is being constructed alongside a new fieldhouse sound system, should be assembled completely by this weekend as part of $12 million worth of renovations to be completed before the start of the 2005-06 season. The scoreboard/sound system alone cost over $4 million.

It remains to be seen how KU will use the video portion of the board. In other arenas, videoboards have been used to jazz up player introductions and fire up crowds during timeouts.

“Introductions are great and all that, but (they’re) the smallest of reasons you get a new scoreboard,” Self said. “It could add to the noise level. All that stuff is good, (but) I am more concerned, does it help us win games and create an atmosphere that is entertaining for fans? I think it’ll do that.”

Workers assemble the new videoboard/scoreboard being installed at Allen Fieldhouse. The board, which measures 22 feet by 20 feet, is expected to be hung by this weekend.

A videoboard might help win recruiting battles.

“It’ll help bringing guys in and showing them things,” Self said. “Even though you can’t specialize anymore with recruits (in putting their names on the scoreboard), it can give them even more a feel of what we have here.”

The videoboard replaces a board that hung in the fieldhouse since the early 1990s. Pieces of that board were sold to fans in an online auction in June.

The new board will include a pair of strips – one near the top and one near the bottom – on which advertising will be flashed.

The name of a sponsor will be attached to the scoreboard’s bottom.

“It is top-of-the-line,” Brad Nachtigal, KU assistant athletic director/facilities and events, said of the board, which arrived Monday in pieces delivered by three semi trucks. “They (Daktronics) are one of the leaders in the videoboard industry.

“We wanted to make sure we had one of the most clear, crisp video presentations with one of the biggest screens we could fit in there. They (workers) have been going at it fast and furious, working 10 and 12 hour days.”

A new fieldhouse floor will be installed after the videoboard has been hung. The athletic department is shooting for Labor Day weekend for the court to be ready for use. Also, seats are being painted, and windows are being replaced.

“We have to have the building accessible for Late Night,” Nachtigal said.

¢ Late Night likely earlier: KU’s “Late Night in the Phog” could start as early as 7 or 8 p.m. Oct. 14.

New NCAA legislation will allow KU and all schools to open practice during prime time Friday, Oct. 14. In the past, teams practiced at the stroke of midnight on the first day of the season.

“We’ve not gotten together to discuss it yet,” Self said. “My personal opinion is I hope it’s a chance we could move it up earlier and attract more kids and families and it won’t ruin practice the next day. If I’m not mistaken we host OU (in football at Arrowhead Stadium) that afternoon (Oct. 15), so it could be an exciting weekend. It’s something we’ll talk about.”

¢ Injury updates: KU freshman guard/forward Julian Wright, who has returned to Chicago for a couple weeks before the start of school, continues to wear a boot on his sore left foot when not working out. He does not have a stress fracture.

“It’s a situation he should be ready to roll by the time school starts,” Self said.

Sophomore C.J. Giles has recovered from the recent hip pointer that prevented him from making USA Basketball’s Under 21 team.

¢ Recruiting: Alex Legion, a 6-3 junior from Detroit, tells rivals.com he will make an unofficial visit this fall to KU. He’s also considering UCLA, Illinois, Michigan and Michigan State.