NOTE: Big12Hoops will be liveblogging the Memphis/Kansas game beginning tonight at 8:30 pm CST.

Check back here at 8:30pm CST when we go live. You'll also be able to watch the game live online right here for those not able to watch the game on ESPN. (Note: The game is also available online at ESPN360.com.

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Darron Cummings - AP

Kansas' Sherron Collins, left, and Cole Aldrich face their biggest test of the season against Josh Pastner's new-look Memphis team. The match-up will be televised on ESPN and Big12Hoops.com will be liveblogging the game beginning at 8:30pm CST.

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Note: Big12Hoops will be liveblogging the Memphis/Kansas game. You can log-in by visiting our KU section right now or here at Big12Hoops.com beginning at 8:30pm CST.

CJ Golightly
Big12Hoops Contributor
sports@big12hoops.com 

Two of the nation's top teams face their first big test of the season in a re-match of the 2008 NCAA Tournament Championship game.

Rookie head coach Josh Pastner leads a new-look Memphis team, headlined by youth and inexperience, into the post-John Calipari era following his exit to head the Kentucky program.

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LAWRENCE, Kan. - University of Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced Wednesday that Royce Woolridge has signed a national letter of intent to play at KU next season. 

A shooting guard from Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix, Ariz., Woolridge is 6-3, 175-pounds. As a junior at Sunnyslope, Woolridge averaged 28.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He made 50 percent of his field goals, shot 34 percent from behind the arc and 82 percent from the free-throw line. Additionally, Woolridge averaged 2.5 assists and 2.1 steals for the Vikings in 2008-09.

"We are very happy to add Royce to our basketball program," Self said. "He’s a terrific young man, great student and is going to be a heck of a basketball player. Right now he is a combo guard that is really good off the bounce and has become an excellent shooter.

"Royce and his mother, Victoria, have been very loyal to us considering they committed approximately two years ago," Self added.

In a recurring piece leading up to the start of the basketball season, we will examine the top 5 questions surrounding each Big 12 basketball team.

Today, the top 5 questions for the Kansas Jayhawks.

1)       Can the Jayhawks meet preseason expectations of being ranked #1 nationally in a lot of publications?

2)       Can Kansas put their offseason troubles behind them?

3)       Exactly how good is freshman Xavier Henry?

4)       Will Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins both perform at All Big 12 levels?

5)       Can anyone tell the Morris twins apart?

Check back tomorrow when we will ask Five Question For... Colorado basketball.
Also check out Five Questions For... Missouri

Follow Evan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MizzouHoops

Quotes from Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich after being named Big 12 Co-Players of the Year today in a poll conducted by the Big 12 head coaches.

Bill Self

"Both Sherron and Cole had great years last season and hopefully that will carry over into this season.They, and our entire team, have prepared very hard for this upcoming year. I am happy for both of them, but they will tell you that preseason honors do not make for a good season. My hope is for them to play at a high level in a league that will be very, very strong."

Sherron Collins

"There are a lot of great players in this league and to be selected for this is a nice honor. Our whole team has been working hard to get ready for the season and we can’t wait until next Friday (Late Night in the Phog) to get into Allen (Fieldhouse)."

Cole Aldrich

"This is a great honor for me and Sherron and even more special because it comes from the Big 12 coaches. All of the preseason honors and rankings are a reflection of our team and its potential. Now we need to live up to that potential. With Boot Camp ending, we have really come together as a team and are looking forward to Late Night next Friday (Oct. 16)."

(KU Sports Information)

www.KUAthletics.com

Is there any better way to describe the recruiting saga of Xavier Henry? There was his original commitment to Memphis, his decommitment from Memphis, his thoughts of choosing Kentucky or Kansas or staying with Memphis. There were rumors about pro ball in Europe. There was his commitment to Kansas. There was an article in the Kansas City Star questioning the reasons behind Xavier and his brother C.J.’s arrival at Kansas that led to both nearly reneging on their commitment to become Jayhawks for a couple days before — finally — the circus died down. Now all that’s left to see is if both Henry brothers can live up to the hype.

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A limited number of Kansas University men’s basketball season tickets are on sale, KU associate athletic director Jim Marchiony announced Wednesday.

Kansas guard Xavier Henry is the top-rated freshman in the Big 12.

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Fran Fraschilla wrote up an offseason report for each Big 12 basketball team. Here's a look at Coach Fran's analysis of the Jayhawks.

 

So the Jayhawks are going to be pretty good. If you don't know that, it's not likely you're reading this anyway. Only a hoops fan stranded in Alabama (or some other state where the moon looks mysteriously like a football all fall) or a person who doesn't know a box-and-one from Botox doesn't know that Kansas will be, and deserves to be, the national championship favorite when this season officially tips off.

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