Sasha Kaun
Overview: A two-year starter who has a defensive presence with shot blocking abilities… A two-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2005-06 and 2006-07 who is effective from the low post… Is shooting a career 54.5 percent from the field… Recipient of the Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award as a freshman, as voted by his teammates. Senior Season (2007-08): Tied a career-high with three steals vs. Nebraska (Jan. 26)… Had a season-high tying six makes from the free throw line against Loyola (Md.) (Jan. 8)… Also had a season-high eight rebounds against Loyola (Md.)… Had 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting (all season highs) in 15 minutes of action against DePaul (Dec. 8)… Took away a career-high three steals against Arizona (Nov. 25)… His 13 trips to the free throw line versus UMKC (Nov. 11) were a career high… He tied his career-high with four blocks against UMKC. Junior Season (2006-07): An Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection who started the final 28 games of the season with a 5.9 scoring avaerage and 3.8 rebound average for the year… Was third on the team with 48 blocked shots…. Shot 53 percent from the field… Averaged 7.4 points and 4.3 rebounds and tied for the team high with 23 blocked shots in Big 12 play… Ranked seventh in the Big 12 in blocked shots per game at 1.37 and tied for third in league contests at 1.44 with teammate Julian Wright… A steady player as he led KU in rebounding three times… Paced the Jayhawks in blocked shots in 11 contests… Scored in double figures in seven games, including a season-high 16 points versus Oklahoma State (Jan. 10) in the Jayhawks[apos] Big 12 opener… Had six or more rebounds in seven games… Twice had a season-high nine rebounds – at Colorado (Feb. 14) and at Oklahoma (Feb. 26)… Registered 11 multi-blocked shots games, including four games with a career-high-tying four swats, last at Colorado… Led KU in scoring with 13 points at Iowa State (Jan. 13). Sophomore Season (2005-06): An Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection who started 29 of 33 games, averaged 8.2 points and was second on the team with a 5.3 rebound average… His 5.3 rpg ranked 20th in the Big 12 and his 1.09 blocked shots per game were 10th in the league… Led KU in rebounding 11 times and registered 19 games with five or more rebounds… Led Kansas in scoring four times… Made 56.2 of his field goals, which was just behind Julian Wright[apos]s team-leading 56.4… Scored six points and pulled down eight rebounds against Bradley in the NCAA Tournament… Scored 31 points and had six blocks over the three-game Big 12 Championship, including a 16-point effort against Oklahoma State… Blocked a career-high four shots against Missouri (Feb. 18) to go with six points and seven rebounds… Had seven points and seven rebounds against Oklahoma (Feb. 5)… Played 20 minutes against Texas Tech (Jan. 30), scoring 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds… Led Kansas in rebounds with nine against Kansas State (Jan. 14)… Tied a career high in field goal attempts (15) against Pepperdine (Dec. 19)… Had a career high in steals (three) against Western Illinois (Dec. 3)… Opened the 2005-06 season setting career highs in points (25), rebounds (16), field goals (nine), field goals attempted (15), free throws (seven), and free throws attempted (11) against Idaho State (Nov. 18). Freshman Season (2004-05): Earned the Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award as voted on by his teammates… Played in 27 games with starts against Iowa State (Feb. 19) and Oklahoma (Feb. 21)… Scored the first points of his career with a four-point, six-rebound effort against Saint Joseph[apos]s on Nov. 23… Logged 14 minutes with three points and five rebounds against Nevada (Nov. 29)… Logged seven minutes and grabbed two rebounds in the Jayhawks[apos] win over Pacific (Dec. 4)… Grabbed three rebounds in 13 minutes against Louisiana-Lafayette (Dec. 11)… Scored two points and grabbed two rebounds in 10 minutes against Georgia Tech (Jan. 1)… Had seven points in 12 minutes at Kentucky (Jan. 9)… Scored eight points at Colorado (Jan. 15)… Scored two points and grabbed four rebounds in 18 minutes against Nebraska (Jan. 19)… Also tied a career high with three blocks against the Cornhuskers… Poured in a career-high 11 points with five rebounds at Villanova (Jan. 22)… Scored four points in a season-high 26 minutes at Kansas State (Feb. 9)… Had seven points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes vs. Iowa State (Feb. 19). Canada Exhibition (Fall 2004): Averaged 7.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in four games on the Kansas tour of British Columbia, Canada… Led all scorers with 20 points in the 101-46 win against Langara College. High School: Florida Air Academy (2004)… Coached by Aubin Goporo… Led his team to a 29-0 record and a state championship in 2003… Posted 15.3 points and 12.6 boards per game as a senior… Averaged 13.0 points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game as a junior… Once scored 29 points to go with 20 rebounds in a single game… Ranked as the fifth-best center and 23rd-best player in the nation by Rivals.com. Off The Court: Full name is Alexander Kaun… Born May 8, 1985, in Tomsk, Russia… Moved to Florida to attend high school… Computer science major… Mother is Olga Kaun… Olga has visited Sasha twice during his career, during his freshman and junior seasons… Was Academic Cadet of the Year at Florida Air Academy… Did not begin playing basketball until 10th grade. Career Honors: 2007-08: Big 12 All-Reserve Team (media)… Academic All-Big 12 First Team… ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District 9 First Team… Athletic Director[apos]s and Big 12 Commissioner[apos]s honor rolls (fall 2007)… Academic Lowe[apos]s Senior CLASS Award preseason candidate. 2006-07: Academic All-Big 12 First Team… Athletic Director[apos]s and Big 12 Commissioner[apos]s honor rolls (spring 2007). 2005-06: Academic All-Big 12 First Team… Athletic Director[apos]s and Big 12 Commissioner[apos]s honor rolls (fall 2005)… Dick Harp Field Goal Percentage Award (co-with Julian Wright). 2004-05: Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award (as voted on by teammates)… Athletic Director[apos]s and Big 12 Commissioner[apos]s honor rolls (fall 2004, spring 2005).