Kansas University sophomore basketball center Jeff Withey, who had surgery to repair a broken bone in his right foot in late September, has returned to practice.

“He’s practicing some in the halfcourt. He did go up and down a few (fullcourt) possessions today. He’s probably still a week away from full speed,” KU coach Bill Self said Sunday.

“I don’t think we’ll play him Tuesday,” Self added of the Jayhawks’ 7 p.m. exhibition game against Emporia State in Allen Fieldhouse. “I’d like to get him in a couple minutes. I don’t know if we’ll be able to.”

As he indicated he would last Tuesday, Self said he has been limiting freshman point guard Josh Selby’s repetitions with the first team in practice.

“He’s still out there the whole practice, getting (most of) the reps on the second team. We’re doing that because we don’t know exactly when he’ll be available,” Self said of Selby, who has not yet been cleared for participation in games by the NCAA.

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Former KU guard Brett Ballard’s head-coaching debut at Baker University was the lead story Saturday on the front page of yahoo.com.

Wildcat sophomore Sam Kenney stole a deep pass and threw in a one-handed halfcourt shot at the buzzer to give the Wildcats a 53-52 victory over Kansas Wesleyan on Thursday in Baldwin City.

“It’s unbelievable. I’m so happy for Brett. I wish I’d been there. What a way to win your first game and follow that up with a close win in their second game (63-59 at Tabor College),” Self said of the accomplishments of Ballard, his former director of basketball operations.

“That should be the best play on SportsCenter,” Self added of Kinney’s play. “There will not be a better play or more exciting play in the country. The other team throws up a long pass up by two, the kid steals it and throws it across his body 60 feet and it goes in. It was incredible.

“We’ve never had a game end like that. That was wild,” Self added.