First halfKey play: The Jayhawks led 11-6 after five minutes when Sherron Collins lost sight of Kalin Lucas, who nailed a three that started a 19-1 run for the Spartans.Key stat: 9 minutes, 27 seconds. The amount of time that KU went without a field goal during one stretch in the half.Second halfKey play: Sherron Collins hoisted a three-pointer in transition with 2:50 left that would have brought KU to within six, at 63-57, but the shot missed.Key stat: 2. The number of turnovers for KU in the second half after committing 12 in the first half.NotesKansas junior transfer Mario Little’s uncle, O’Keefe Little, drove 223 miles from Chicago with two of Mario’s cousins to watch his nephew. The drive took about five hours because of heavy snow.“I counted 12 cars in a ditch,” O’Keefe said.That’s how badly he wanted to see his nephew play. KU coach Bill Self was equally excited, but Mario played just seven minutes and picked up five fouls. He and his coach will have to decide quickly whether to ask for a medical hardship waiver or play the rest of the season.“I don’t think today really told me much concerning his future status,” Self said.If Mario plays in another KU game this season, he won’t have the option of a redshirt year. O’Keefe wasn’t impressed.“I didn’t like what I saw out there,” he said. “He has a swagger, but he didn’t have a swagger with him. You could tell he wasn’t feeling it.”O’Keefe said that Mario’s 82-year-old grandmother, Hazel, couldn’t make the trip because she is in the hospital. Hazel raised her grandson.“She took a turn for the worse while I was driving up here,” O’Keefe said.Mario asked why she couldn’t come, and his uncle had to tell him.“It was heartbreaking,” Mario said.•Travis Releford played 21 minutes, the most of his career. He contributed just one rebound.

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Posted on Sat, Jan. 10, 2009 10:15 PM

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Kansas-Michigan State notes

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First half

Key play: The Jayhawks led 11-6 after five minutes when Sherron Collins lost sight of Kalin Lucas, who nailed a three that started a 19-1 run for the Spartans.

Key stat: 9 minutes, 27 seconds. The amount of time that KU went without a field goal during one stretch in the half.

Second half

Key play: Sherron Collins hoisted a three-pointer in transition with 2:50 left that would have brought KU to within six, at 63-57, but the shot missed.

Key stat: 2. The number of turnovers for KU in the second half after committing 12 in the first half.

Notes

Kansas junior transfer Mario Little’s uncle, O’Keefe Little, drove 223 miles from Chicago with two of Mario’s cousins to watch his nephew. The drive took about five hours because of heavy snow.

“I counted 12 cars in a ditch,” O’Keefe said.

That’s how badly he wanted to see his nephew play. KU coach Bill Self was equally excited, but Mario played just seven minutes and picked up five fouls. He and his coach will have to decide quickly whether to ask for a medical hardship waiver or play the rest of the season.

“I don’t think today really told me much concerning his future status,” Self said.

If Mario plays in another KU game this season, he won’t have the option of a redshirt year. O’Keefe wasn’t impressed.

“I didn’t like what I saw out there,” he said. “He has a swagger, but he didn’t have a swagger with him. You could tell he wasn’t feeling it.”

O’Keefe said that Mario’s 82-year-old grandmother, Hazel, couldn’t make the trip because she is in the hospital. Hazel raised her grandson.

“She took a turn for the worse while I was driving up here,” O’Keefe said.

Mario asked why she couldn’t come, and his uncle had to tell him.

“It was heartbreaking,” Mario said.

•Travis Releford played 21 minutes, the most of his career. He contributed just one rebound.

| J. Brady McCollough, jmccollough@kcstar.com

Posted on Sat, Jan. 10, 2009 10:15 PM

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