Russell Robinson, who often wears a New York Yankee hat proudly on Kansas University’s campus, was able to cheer for his favorite team back home in the Bronx earlier this month.

Robinson’s two-week vacation – which followed the second session of summer school – was highlighted by a trip to “The House That Ruth Built” for a Friday, Aug. 3, game between the Yankees and Kansas City Royals.

The Bronx Bombers won, 7-1, on a night Alex Rodriguez – who entered with 499 career home runs – was foiled in his bid for 500 for the eighth straight day.

The third baseman went 1-for-3 with a double and sacrifice fly in the blowout victory.

“I was hoping. I was praying for it. It would have made my day if he would have hit it,” said Robinson, KU’s senior point guard, who had good seats behind first base.

“The game was sold out. Every time ‘A-Rod’ got up to bat the whole crowd stood up. I had no luck in getting to see his home run. He hit it the next day.”

Indeed, Rodriguez rapped No. 500 on Saturday, Aug. 4, against Kansas City’s Kyle Davies.

Still, Robinson cherished watching a game in the tradition-rich stadium that will be used just one more season. The Yankees are scheduled to move into their new home for the 2009 campaign.

Other highlights of Robinson’s short summer vacation?

“I went down to Virginia Beach with my mother to visit some family and Busch Gardens for the weekend,” he said.

“I got back (to New York) and played basketball with some high school friends, visited my old AAU team at the Gauchos’ gym. I played pickup with a lot of overseas guys throughout my old stomping grounds.”

Robinson was not about to forget about basketball during one of his rare trips home the past four years.

“You never get sick of working out every day,” Robinson said. “I saw it as an opportunity to stay in shape and keep busy – stay on top of my game as much as I could.”

The two-time winner of KU’s “Danny Manning Mr. Jayhawk Award,” which annually is presented to the one player who best exemplifies what it means to be a Jayhawk, also worked on some intangibles while out of town.

Quiet by nature, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Robinson intends to speak up some during his senior season.

“I did read a leadership book, actually listened to it on my I-Pod. I forgot the name of it,” Robinson said. “It’s about leadership, positive reinforcement, stuff like that. It was good.”

Robinson, who averaged 7.2 points a game, the sixth-best mark on the squad, while ranking first in assists (161) and second in steals (73) last season for 33-5 KU, is a Communication Studies major who will graduate in May.

He’s not necessarily eager to put his degree to use. Robinson isn’t discounting the possibility of a career in the NBA.

There’s another Big 12 player in recent history, Acie Law IV, who vaulted in the eyes of NBA scouts greatly his senior year. Law who was lightly recruited out of high school, wound up a first-round selection of the Atlanta Hawks after a monster senior campaign.

“It’s not etched in stone,” Robinson said of staying under the radar. “I get to come out and play and see what happens. I might not be on any preseason (all-league teams). I definitely can come out and prove myself. That’s what you want to do every year.

“I do look at it that way,” he said of having a Law-type season. “He worked very hard and it paid off for him. I’m at Kansas. I’m on a bigger stage than he was. There definitely will be the looks (from scouts). I’ve just got to come out, beat the system, make sure my team wins.”

Winning is what’s always been on Robinson’s mind.

KU has gone 23-7, 25-8 and 33-5 in his three seasons, the squad claiming at least a share of first in the conference each campaign.

“The ultimate goal this year is definitely the Final Four,” he said. “Final Four any way we can and hopefully the national championship.”

¢ Reunion talk: Yes, there will be a 110 Years of Kansas basketball reunion this winter. KU associate AD Jim Marchiony confirms plans are in the works for the return of all former KU basketball players and coaches – continuing the tradition of having a reunion every five seasons. No date has yet been set. A possibility is the Colorado game on Feb. 16.

¢ Recruiting: J’Mison Morgan, a 6-10 senior center from South Oak Cliff High in Dallas, tells Rivals.com KU will be awarded an in-home visit on Sept. 10. He’s also considering Kentucky, Alabama, LSU, UCLA and Louisville. … KU is on the list of Garrett Stutz, a 6-10, 225-pound senior from North Kansas City High, who tells the Louisville Courier Journal he’ll visit Kentucky’s Midnight Madness. He’s also considering Marquette, SMU, Iowa State, Nebraska, Kansas State, Wichita State, Missouri State and St. Louis.