Thinking big

Jayhawks target Big 12 opener

Kansas hopes to have center back in time for Biog 12 opener.

Kansas coach Bill Self is hopeful injured center Udoka Azubuike will be back on the floor by the time the second-ranked Jayhawks open Big 12 play against Oklahoma on Jan. 2.

The 7-footer sustained a severe high ankle sprain when he landed awkwardly on a Wofford player early in the Jayhawks’ 72-47 rout on Tuesday night.

Azubuike was still not putting much weight on the ankle Thursday, Self said, but he could be moving in a walking boot by the weekend. Azubuike is averaging 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds this season.

“He seems to have good spirits,” Self said. “I don’t think he’s excited about it. He’s not going to put any weight on it the next couple of days. But I don’t see any reason he can’t be up and at ‘em by the end of the weekend.”

Azubuike missed much of his freshman season after requiring wrist surgery, and he dealt with a sprained ligament in his left knee late last season and into the NCAA Tournament. Still, he managed to help Kansas roll to the Final Four.

Duke

Vernon Carey, perhaps the greatest basketball prospect South Florida has ever produced, is joining the Blue Devils. The five-star center from University School made his college choice Thursday in a ceremony televised live on ESPN. The senior picked Duke over the North Carolina Tar Heels and Michigan State Spartans, his other two finalists.

New Mexico

Head coach Paul Weir apologized for the actions of his players before Tuesday’s game against rival New Mexico State in Las Cruces. Weir said that he was extremely disappointed and wanted to apologize to everyone at New Mexico and at NMSU. Witnesses reported shoving and punches thrown between the teams.