Former Missouri coach Quin Snyder on a recent radio show indicated the Tigers couldn’t recruit KU’s Brandon Rush because of possible academic issues. The Tigers, Snyder said, were faced with strict standards in recruiting following NCAA probation.

Asked about the matter Monday, Rush said the Tigers recruited him hard.

“They were calling me up until a week or so before I decided to go to Kansas,” Rush said. “I even took an unofficial visit there.”

What he said: A Wichita TV station taped the exchange between Iowa State’s Curtis Stinson and KU’s Russell Robinson in the handshake line after Saturday’s KU victory over the Cyclones.

Stinson said he wanted to play Robinson one-on-one this summer in New York and blurted an obscenity at Robinson. Robinson laughed out loud when told the obscenity.

“He was mad because he lost. He was fired up,” Robinson said. Asked if he wanted to comment on the obscenity, Robinson said: “Hey, we won the game.”

Max on Eddie: Veteran KU broadcaster Max Falkenstien spoke to OSU coach Sutton by phone just after 5 p.m. Monday, shortly after Falkenstien arrived for work in Gallagher-Iba Arena.

“His voice was fine, (but) he’s not feeling well. He’s hurting. He got banged up all around the face (in car wreck),” Falkenstien said. “He said his back has been killing him all season. He’s been under a lot of stress, and it’s been harder for him to coach.”

Sutton on Sunday had told OSU assistant coach James Dickey one of his main regrets was not being able to work Monday’s KU-OSU game and give Falkenstien, who is retiring after this season, a hug. Hearing that story, Falkenstien asked if he could speak with Sutton.

Dickey picked up the phone and made it happen.

“I think the world of Eddie,” Falkenstien said.

Chalmers honored: KU freshman Mario Chalmers on Monday was named Big 12 player of the week. He was the second freshman in Big 12 history to earn the honor, joining Oklahoma’s Drew Lavender (2003).

Chalmers, a 6-foot-2 guard from Anchorage, Alaska, last week averaged 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals in victories over Nebraska and Iowa State. He is averaging 15.5 points a game in Big 12 play. Baylor’s Curtis Jerrells was named freshman of the week.

Arthur undecided: Darrell Arthur, a 6-foot-9 high school senior from Dallas’ South Oak Cliff High, tells Rivals.com he plans to take an unofficial visit to KU before choosing a college this spring. He’s not sure which of the three remaining KU home games he’ll be able to attend.

“If I had to decide right now, it would be between Kansas, Indiana and Baylor,” Arthur said. “I am not ready to make a decision now. I just want to finish out the season, and then I will be ready to make a decision.”

Arthur is averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds a game for 20-6 South Oak Cliff.

Self on Eddie: KU coach Bill Self on his former boss, Eddie Sutton, who is taking a leave of absence the rest of the season after suffering injuries in a car wreck Friday.

“The biggest thing is (that) he gets to feeling better,” said Self, who indicated he knew Sunday that Sutton “probably wouldn’t be there for the game” after talking to members of the OSU coaching staff.

Self, who assisted Sutton for two seasons at OSU, said he owed the veteran coach a lot.

“He influenced me in all areas,” Self said. “Game management and preparation : we still do drills identical to what we did at Oklahoma State. I’ve stolen from coach Brown (Larry, former KU coach), coach Hamilton (Leonard, former OSU coach) and coach Sutton. He’s impacted me a lot. He stood for class. He’s been a positive influence for me.”