Toledo of the Mid-American Conference is 2-4 following a 98-93 overtime loss to Vanderbilt on Dec. 2 in Nashville, Tenn. Toledo has victories over Middle Tennessee State and Virginia Commonwealth and losses to Missouri State, Iowa, Drexel and Vandy.

The Rockets’ first seven games are away from home. Their first home game will be Dec. 16 versus UNC Wilmington.

Senior guard Keonta Howell leads the team with a 19.8 scoring average. He is hitting 46 percent of his threes. Junior guard Justin Ingram averages 17.2 ppg. Senior Florentino Valencia, who along with Tyrone Kent was a teammate of KU’s Sherron Collins at Chicago Crane High, averages 13.8 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Toledo has no player taller than 6-foot-7 on the roster.

“They play with an undersized post and 4-man, which creates mismatches,” KU coach Bill Self said. “They are very unconventional, but very good offensive team. They run a ton of ball screens. They play with four guards and a 4-man. We have a serious size advantage. They have an opportunity to move guys away from the basket.”

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School facts: Toledo, enrollment 21,000, is located in Toledo, Ohio. Nickname is Rockets. School colors are Midnight Blue and Gold. The squad plays in the Mid-American Conference. Toledo beat KU in football this past season, 37-31, in double overtime, in Toledo.

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It’s been awhile: KU guard Russell Robinson was 2 years old when KU beat OU for the national title in Kemper.

“That was played at Kemper? I didn’t know that,” Robinson said.

As a follow-up question he was asked if Kemper was “just another building?”

“I guess not,” he exclaimed, acknowledging the importance of the title win.

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KU in house: The Jayhawks practiced in Allen and also held a shootaround in Kemper on Friday. Temperature at the building at noon, by the way, was 70.1 degrees, KU officials indicated.

“I like the court and the backdrop is pretty nice,” KU’s Julian Wright said. “It’s a pretty nice venue and good for us to play in again.”

Tickets remained available as of Friday and should be on sale at the arena today.

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Sprint Center lid lifter: As of now, it does not appear KU will play the first game in the new Sprint Center next season. The Jayhawks are not entered in the College Basketball Experience tournament, which currently is ticketed to be the first set of games in the building.

“The only scenario is if the opening of the building is delayed until December (when KU will play a yet to be determined foe in Kemper),” KU senior associate AD Larry Keating said. “Everything we’ve been told is it’s on schedule to be finished in early fall.”

KU will play in the College Basketball Experience during the 2008-09 season.