Aldrich tribute

A “Phantom of the Phog” tribute video to Cole Aldrich was played on the videoboard in the second half.

Kansas University freshman Quintrell Thomas recently nicknamed Aldrich “Phantom of the Phog” because of the sophomore center’s Phantom of the Opera-like protective facemask.

“I heard about it. I didn’t quite see it. If anybody wants to send me a copy, I’d love to see it,” Aldrich said, laughing when a media type said it’d surely be on youtube.com today.

Das boot

Aldrich has been wearing a protective boot in response to a minor lower-left-leg injury.

“It’s a little lingering in the leg, a little wear and tear on the body,” Aldrich said.

He said his mask to protect his broken nose could be discarded at any time.

“It’s day to day,” he said.

Run, fellas, run

Aldrich, on coach Bill Self making the players run at the pregame afternoon shootaround Wednesday because of lack of energy.

“Every once in a while when coach sees we are a little more comfortable he puts the pressure back on. It’s what makes him such a great coach. It’s why he’s won so many games here, the pressure he puts on guys to perform,” Aldrich said of Self making the players run “a few down and backs.”

Clock ticking again

The old Longines clock up in the center, west side rafters of the fieldhouse is working again. KU officials said they never considered taking the clock down because of historical reasons. Instead they ordered parts and had it repaired. It’d been out of order most of the season.

Hamburger game

KU signees Elijah Johnson and Thomas Robinson were not selected to play in the 2009 McDonald’s All-America game, set for April 1 in Miami. Lance Stephenson, a 6-6 forward from Brooklyn, N.Y., who will visit KU this weekend, is a member of the East team with Kenny Boynton, Dominic Cheek, DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors, Milton Jennings, Ryan Kelly, Alex Oriakhi, Peyton Siva, Dexter Strickland, Dante Taylor and Maalik Wayns.

The West team: Avery Bradley, Abdul Gaddy, Keith Gallon, Xavier Henry, John Henson, Wally Judge, Tommy Mason-Griffin, Mason Plumlee, Renardo Sidney, Michael Snaer, David Wear and Travis Wear. Judge, a 6-9 forward from Landover, Md., will attend Kansas State.

Award

Self will receive the Abe Lemons/Paul Hansen Award for Sports Excellence at the annual Oklahoma City University Sports Spectacular dinner and auction at 6 p.m., April 8, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in OKC.

Quips

Self on Aldrich cracking that KU had returned from what the NBA calls a West Coast swing.

“I guess Manhattan is West,” Self said of KU playing K-State on Saturday in Manhattan.

Stats, facts

KU has won 38 straight games in Allen Fieldhouse. … Brady Morningstar, who hit two of four threes, has made a league-best 47.2 percent from three. … Iowa State shot 32.1 percent in becoming the 65th consecutive team to shoot under 50 percent versus KU. … Morningstar tied a career high with four steals. … ISU is the fifth team to make 10 three-point field goals (in 26 tries) in a game against the Jayhawks, which ties the season high for an opponent. Kansas is 5-0 in all five contests.