‘Svi didn’t travel’: Kansas Jayhawks’ Mitch Lightfoot recalls his 12 games vs. K-State
Mitch Lightfoot, Kansas’ 24-year-old, sixth-year super senior power forward from Gilbert, Arizona, is about to take part in his 13th and final Sunflower Showdown on Tuesday night at Allen Fieldhouse.
That is … unless the Jayhawks and Kansas State Wildcats meet in the Big 12 Tournament or the NCAAs.
Entering Tuesday’s 8 p.m. regular-season contest at Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks men’s basketball team is 11-1 in the series during the Lightfoot era.
“It’s been incredible. This has been six years of it … so you play a bunch of games against them and I’ve enjoyed every single one,” Lightfoot said Monday.
Lightfoot probably could have, but did not list this year’s thrilling 78-75 victory over Kansas State on Jan. 22 in Manhattan — one in which the Jayhawks battled back from a 17-point second-half deficit and survived a 35-point outing from Nijel Pack — as one of his favorite games against the Wildcats.
“There’s so many good ones. I would say my sophomore year playing K-State at home, that was really fun,” Lightfoot said, referring to KU’s 73-72 victory during the 2017-18 season at Allen Fieldhouse. That’s the game in which Malik Newman hit two free throws with 15 seconds left to give KU the lead. K-State’s Barry Brown missed a 23-footer as time expired.
Devonté Graham scored 23 points, while Udoka Azubuike had 18 points, eight boards and five blocks in that KU win.
“That was a good one. I enjoyed that one a lot. Svi didn’t travel either. That’s a good one (memory). That’s a really good one,” Lightfoot said, smiling.
Lightfoot — he averages 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds a game as a rotation player for the No. 5-ranked Jayhawks (22-4, 11-2 Big 12) — was referring to one of the most controversial finishes between KU and K-State throughout history.
KU’s Svi Mykhailiuk with the game deadlocked, drove the length of the court to convert a layup at the finish and give the Jayhawks a 90-88 win during the 2016-17 season at the fieldhouse. A travel might have been called but was not called on Mykhailiuk and KU emerged victorious.
“I don’t think our guys really give a crap nor do I about what’s happened in the past in a series,” said KU coach Bill Self, whose KU teams are 37-6 versus the Wildcats over 19 seasons with the last Wildcats victory on Feb. 5, 2019 in Manhattan, 74-67.
“I think with Mitch it’s been a 12- or 14-game series or 28-game series maybe with him. I know we’ve won our fair share of close games and they’ve lost their fair share of close games,” Self added noting the Wildcats (14-12, 6-8 Big 12) “could be 9-5 easily. Our guys will play hard not because of the rivalry but because they know they (Wildcats) are dangerous. We’ve got to play them to get to the finish line again. We know they could have very easily won the first game.”
As far as the health of the KU roster for Tuesday’s contest ... it sounds as if senior guard Remy Martin (knee bruise) will miss his seventh consecutive game. Also freshman guard Bobby Pettiford (abdominal strain) is questionable.
Self said Martin “practiced limited last Thursday and Friday. Limited means he was out there in full contact but only very few reps. I don’t know (his status). It’s almost to the point I don’t ask (because) I know he’ll get out there when he feels comfortable. We are preparing like we definitely do not have him. If something happens and we do it’d be a nice, pleasant bonus. I’m preparing like we do not.”
Pettiford did not play in KU’s 71-58 win over West Virginia on Saturday in Morgantown, West Virginia.
“I would have played him if we had to in Morgantown,” Self said. “He can’t hurt himself worse (by playing). We are not putting him in jeopardy. It’s one of those deals it’s (only if he’s needed) because if we play him and don’t need to, the next day or two or three he may not be able to practice. It’s one of those things he irritates it (abdomen) when he does (play).”
KU, which has a two-game lead over Baylor and Texas Tech in the league standings, will travel to Baylor on Saturday for a 7 p.m. tip.
