Kansas will be without forward Cliff Alexander in Big Dance

Fresh off a Big 12 Tournament championship game loss 70-66 to Iowa State on Saturday the news for University of Kansas basketball fans did not get any better on Monday. Jayhawks’ men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced star freshman forward Cliff Alexander would not play in the NCAA Tournament.

Alexander has missed the last six KU games after eligibility concerns were raised surrounding his mother reportedly taking out a loan based on her son’s future NBA earnings. The 6’8”, 240 pound, Chicago area native has turned over all information requested by the NCAA but the collegiate governing body has not interviewed him sighting a lack of documents not turned in by his mother.

Alexander’s attorney released a statement on March 12 reading in-part, “Mr. Alexander has completely and expeditiously complied with the NCAA’s requests. Through his attorneys, Mr. Alexander has provided his telephone records, text records, and bank statements.

“Mr. Alexander has been ready, willing, and able to be interviewed since March 2nd, yet he has been informed that the NCAA will not interview him until they receive additional documents that are not his documents, the content of which he has no knowledge, and documents which have never been in his control or possession.”

Kansas (26-8) won the Big 12 regular season title behind the solid play of Perry Ellis, Frank Mason III, and Wayne Selden Jr. Alexander, a McDonald’s All-American last season, averaged 7.1 points per game along with 5.3 rebounds while leading the team with a field goal percentage of 56.6 for the season as a second-team key contributor.

The Jayhawks are 6-4 over their last 10 games seemingly limping into the NCAA Tournament despite a solid 62-52 win over Baylor in the conference tournament.

Kansas opens first round NCAA Tournament action as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region tipping off against New Mexico State on Friday at 12: 15 p.m. with CBS providing the coverage.

 

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: isportsweb.com; No. 2 Cliff Alexander.