Illinois will play host to Kansas in a charity exhibition basketball recreation on Oct. 29 at State Farm Middle in Champaign, Illinois, that can increase cash for the continued aid efforts after the tragic wildfires in Maui, Hawaii. The preseason recreation was set to be a closed scrimmage between the 2 packages however it’s going to now be open to the general public for followers to attend.
The confirmed demise toll from the wildfires has surpassed 100, according to CBS News, with greater than 1,000 individuals unaccounted for as of earlier this week. The catastrophe has destroyed greater than 2,200 constructions.
“For many years, the Maui Invitational and the town of Lahaina have been essential to school basketball and our ideas and prayers go to that total neighborhood as they get well from such a tragic occasion,” Kansas coach Invoice Self said in a release announcing the event. “Brad (Underwood) and I mentioned how our non-public scrimmage might turn into an exhibition recreation to boost cash to learn the so many affected by the latest catastrophic fires in Maui. We each felt this might be an effective way for our packages to create consciousness to assist this trigger.”
Self can be returning to the sidelines for the primary time because the finish of the 2022-23 common season after lacking the Massive 12 and NCAA Event on account of well being points. Kansas assistant coach Norm Roberts served because the performing head coach and the Jayhawks fell to Arkansas within the second spherical to finish their season.
Self has been the coach at Kansas since 2003 however beforehand spent three seasons because the coach at Illinois earlier than he was employed by the Jayhawks.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the lack of life and devastation from the fires which have ravaged Lahaina,” Underwood said in another release. “The Maui Invitational is an integral a part of faculty basketball, and we’re considering of everybody on the island of Maui who’ve felt the influence of this tragedy. Invoice and I talked instantly about how we might come collectively to assist, and turning our closed scrimmage right into a charity exhibition is a method we are able to use our sport to make an influence. The highlight of this recreation, heightened by Invoice’s return to Champaign, ought to increase significant {dollars} that can go straight to assist the neighborhood of Lahaina.”
Kansas enters the season as one of many prime preseason groups within the nation. The Jayhawks added former Michigan star Hunter Dickinson through the switch portal and return Dajuan Harris, Kevin McCullar and KJ Adams Jr. As for Illinois, they return one of many oldest rosters within the nation, together with veteran starters Coleman Hawkins and Terrence Shannon Jr. from a staff that completed 20-13 and reached the NCAA Event.
