Bill Self suspends freshman Billy Preston from opener for missing curfew, class

Kansas freshman Billy Preston was suspended for the season opener Friday night against Tennessee State for a violation of team rules, KU announced before the game.

Preston, a 6-foot-10 forward, missed curfew on Thursday night and also did not attend class Friday, according to a release on KU basketball’s official Twitter account. That left KU with only seven scholarship players available — and nine overall — for its first game.

Preston, a McDonald’s All-American and five-star recruit, averaged 11 points and 3.7 rebounds in the Jayhawks’ three exhibition games.

Guard Malik Newman did not start for KU because of a coach’s decision. He checked in for the Jayhawks at the 15:31 mark of the first half.

This story was originally published November 10, 2017 at 8:18 PM with the headline "Bill Self suspends freshman Billy Preston from opener for missing curfew, class."