Kansas opened the men’s basketball season against UC Santa Barbara on Friday night and Devonte’ Graham was the Jayhawks’ best player, lifting No. 5 KU to a 69-59 victory on college basketball’s opening night. He finished with a team-high 14 points and looked poised on both sides of the floor.

Kansas State beat Southern Utah 98-68 in its men’s basketball season opener Friday night at Bramlage Coliseum. 6-foot-11 Stephen Hurt was a big reason why, even though he didn’t lead his team in scoring like Nigel Johnson, who had 18 points, and he didn’t lead his team in rebounds like Thomas Gipson, who had 17 points and six rebounds.

Missouri has won eight straight on the road, including six in a row in SEC play, but Kyle Field is a tough place to play and site of the Tigers’ last road loss.

On Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium, Victor Simmons will join the rest of the KU senior class for their final home game, a 2 p.m. matchup against No. 5 TCU. Even amid the turmoil and change of the last four seasons, as many as 20 seniors will be honored on the field before the game.

Speaking as a special guest at the Kansas City Area Development Council’s annual meeting, Marcelo Claure said Kansas City “is building one of the greatest cities in the world.” He also acknowledged “turbulent” times at Sprint, which has announced 3,700 job cuts companywide.