UC Irvine at Kansas on National TV Dec. 29
August 25, 2015 | Men's Basketball
IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine's first meeting against Kansas will be televised Dec. 29 on ESPNU at 5:00 p.m. (PT) from Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., the network announced Tuesday.
UCI is coming off its first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance while the Jayhawks have competed in 44 NCAA tourneys, including 26 straight, the longest active streak in the nation.
Coach Russell Turner's Anteaters advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time in school history last March, narrowly losing to three-time national champion Louisville, 57-55, in the NCAA Second Round at Seattle.
UCI won the program's first Big West Conference Tournament title, defeating UC Riverside in the quarterfinals, UC Santa Barbara in the semifinals and Hawai'i, 67-58, in the championship game.
Three starters and 10 total players who saw game action return for the 'Eaters from last season. The returning starters are 7-6 junior center Mamadou Ndiaye, who averaged 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds last season, 6-3 junior guard Luke Nelson (10.5 ppg, 4.0 apg) and 6-2 senior guard Alex Young (9.4 ppg, 3.6 apg).
Coach Bill Self's Kansas program, which advanced to the NCAA Third Round last March, has won 11 consecutive Big 12 regular-season titles.
Kansas has recorded 18 undefeated seasons in Allen Fieldhouse, including last season
when the Jayhawks were 15-0 at home. (photo courtesy of Kansas Athletic Communications)
Kansas has sold out 227 straight regular-season games in Allen Fieldhouse (16,300), named in honor of the late Dr. F.C. "Phog" Allen, who was the Jayhawks' head coach for 39 seasons.
Over the past 25 seasons, Kansas is 353-26 in Allen Fieldhouse.
UCI is already guaranteed at least three other appearances on the ESPN platforms in the DIRECTV Wooden Legacy Nov. 26, 27 and 29.
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