Former KU big man Ernest Udeh ‘excited’ about his return to Allen Fieldhouse with TCU
Former Kansas basketball big man Ernest Udeh, who was cheered during 14 games in Allen Fieldhouse last season, now is about to find out what it’s like to be on the visiting team in the Jayhawks’ tradition-rich building.
“I am very excited — 1,000%” Udeh, TCU’s 6-foot-11, 260-pound sophomore transfer, said of starting and likely playing significant minutes in the unranked (11-2) Horned Frogs’ Big 12 opener against (12-1) No. 2-KU.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Allen, with a live telecast on CBS.
“Being there (at KU) for my first year of college, breaking that ice, experiencing everything that went on there, it’s just great to be going back now. It’s one thing to be a part of Allen’s history and everything. Now it’s, just go against it. I’m very excited for this game,” Udeh reiterated.
Udeh, who hails from Orlando, Florida, entered the transfer portal after averaging 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 8.3 minutes across 30 games (no starts) as a KU freshman during the 2022-23 season. At TCU, he’s averaged 4.4 points, 5.5 boards and 15.7 minutes a game (while starting 13 games) entering the KU game.
“Allen (Fieldhouse) is a special place. That’s something I can’t deny. Being a part of it last year … again to be on the other side of it going into this game, I’m very happy to be going back,” Udeh added.
He spoke to The Star in a phone interview Thursday afternoon after practice in Fort Worth, Texas.
Udeh has already chatted with his TCU teammates about what to expect from KU. Eight Horned Frogs return from a team that routed the Jayhawks 83-60 on Jan. 21, 2023 at Allen. It was TCU’s first-ever win in the fieldhouse against 10 losses. It also was the second-worst loss in a home game in the 21-year-Bill Self era.
“Playing with them last year, understanding the way Coach (Self) coaches his team, they aren’t going to make any selfish plays,” Udeh said of KU.
“My message to the guys (Horned Frogs teammates) today going into the game is understand we need to do the same thing on both sides of the ball, play solid defensively and solid offensively. We can’t get selfish on both sides of the ball. It’s going to be a 40-minute game, a long game. We’ve got to stay locked in,” Udeh added.
Despite switching schools, Udeh has remained close to current members of the 2023-24 KU team.
“The guys I played with last year, the relationships I built, the bonds with their families … I always talk to these guys. It’s always love,” Udeh said.
KU senior point guard Dajuan Harris said he’s continued to “talk to Ernest a lot. Actually we are still good friends. We made a connection when he was here that won’t go away. I’ll be happy to see him. We’ve got to take him down though. He’s coming back to our place. It’s going to be a fun game. He’s been with us. He chose that (heading elsewhere). We respect his decision. We’ll respect it and see him our next game,” Harris added.
KU junior forward KJ Adams practiced against Udeh daily as a member of KU’s group of bigs last season.
“It was good practicing against Ernest a year. Now I think since we practiced with him the whole year I know a lot of his things that he does,” Adams said. “It’ll be fun to see him. He’s a goofy, funny dude. It’ll be different playing against him this time.”
Udeh scored one point with two rebounds, two steals and one block in last year’s blowout loss to TCU in Lawrence. He played seven minutes. He had six points on 3-of-3 shooting, three steals, an assist and a block while playing 14 minutes in KU’s 63-58 win over the Horned Frogs on Feb. 20 in Fort Worth.
“What happened last year goes out the window,” Udeh said. “They both are different teams. Going into this game the only thing on my mind is winning it. The biggest thing to me is getting the win..”
KU coach Self said Udeh is capable of big things on any night.
“One thing Ernest is not good at, but great at, he can change directions and get out of a ball screen as good as anybody in America. He’s great at it and was when he was with us, too. That is one of the things that is very difficult from an athletic standpoint about him to match. That is a skill and he has it and obviously he’s good on the glass,” Self said.
Udeh scored 13 points and grabbed 18 rebounds while playing 20 minutes in TCU’s last game, a 77-42 win over Texas A&M Commerce. For the season, Udeh has made 18 of 30 shots for 60%. He’s made 21 of 40 free throws for 52.5%.
“I’d say it’s going well especially for what we’re trying to do here. Development is something that’s always going to be a constant upward thing for me,” Udeh said. He has six assists to 10 turnovers on the season with 12 blocks and 10 steals.
“After talking to different people through my basketball career that’s one of the things I try to do,” he said of rebounding. “I’m proud of playing solid on both ends of the ball.”
