Times announced for Saturday’s KU basketball game, pep rally in Des Moines; KU band saves the day; How’d Baby Jay do that?
photo by: Mike Yoder
The Kansas University Jayhawks handily beat — or, as KUSports.com cleverly put it, “impeached” — the Governors of Austin Peay State University in Round 1 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Thursday in Des Moines.
With that, the Jayhawks are gearing up for another game, and the KU Alumni Association is gearing up for another party.
On Saturday, Indiana v. Kentucky tips off at 4:15 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Arena at the Iowa Events Center, 730 Third St. in Des Moines. KU v. UConn follows at approximately 6:45 p.m. (or 30 minutes after the first game ends, according to KUSports.com).
Saturday’s KU Alumni Association pre-game party and pep rally will be in the same place it was Thursday, according to Jennifer Sanner, the Alumni Association’s senior vice president for communications. Doors for the party open at 1 p.m. and the rally starts at 3:30 p.m. in meeting rooms 313-318 of the Iowa Events Center. Members of the KU band and spirit squad will be there, and there will be a cash bar and light snacks.
photo by: Mike Yoder
About 750 alumni and fans attended Thursday’s rally, and the Alumni Association is planning for more than 1,000 Saturday.
“We have talked with many alumni who plan to drive in for the Saturday afternoon rally and evening game, so we expect our attendance to grow,” Heath Peterson, Alumni Association president, said in an email. “Des Moines is a great city, and it’s an easy trip for Jayhawks from Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City, Lawrence and other nearby cities. We will definitely have an even stronger KU contingent tomorrow.”
This story from Monday includes a few ideas for what to do in Des Moines if you’re staying for the weekend (their St. Patrick’s parade is today, for one).
Not in Des Moines? Find a list of other alumni watch sites around the country at kualumni.org.
I attended a watch party Thursday afternoon — in the Journal-World newsroom. Me, my computer, a couple editors, reporters and, for snacks, a stale doughnut with green shamrock sprinkles I found in the break room. Maybe I can do better Saturday night.
photo by: Nick Krug
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KU pep band saves the day … for Drake
The basketball team wasn’t the only KU club that impressed on Thursday. The KU pep band snared some fans of its own after doing this:
ICYMI: The #Kansas pep band filled in for Drake students during the WNIT game last night. https://t.co/MQLkBAwJrT #kubball
— Nathan Groepper (@ngroepper) March 18, 2016
The Des Moines Register reported: “After noting the women’s team wouldn’t have a pep band earlier this week, Sandy Hatfield Clubb, Drake’s athletic director, began to reach out to the band leaders of the teams in town for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Late Wednesday, the University of Kansas pep band said they would lend a hand … or a trumpet.”
Drake women’s coach Jennie Baranczyk told espn.com the KU band even learned the Bulldogs’ fight song. “I’ll be cheering for Kansas men to win,” she said.
Thank you @kubballband for stepping in for our band tonight! We
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Baby Jay’s double life?
With opening day of the NCAA tournament in Des Moines and the Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day parade both Thursday afternoon, what’s a Jayhawk mascot to do?
Shouldn't they be in Des Moines right now? #LFK pic.twitter.com/0EQlJixnov
— LarryvilleLife (@larryvillelife) March 17, 2016
While Big Jay stayed in Lawrence for the parade, Baby Jay managed to make both events. Exactly how Baby Jay pulled this off is a little mysterious. But associate athletics director Jim Marchiony said never underestimate Jayhawks’ “amazing powers.”
“Even mythical birds can fly…and they fly fast!” he assures me.
That said we’re sure Big Jay could’ve made it to Des Moines, too, if he wanted to. But NCAA allows only one mascot at the tournament, Marchiony said, and Baby Jay is on duty this weekend.
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• I’m the Journal-World’s KU and higher ed reporter. See all the newspaper’s KU coverage here. Reach me by email at sshepherd@ljworld.com, by phone at 832-7187, on Twitter @saramarieshep or via Facebook at Facebook.com/SaraShepherdNews.