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KU junior Mitch Lightfoot protects rim, abides by team motto: ‘No easy baskets’

Rim protector Mitch Lightfoot’s popularity with Kansas basketball fans has been soaring during the Jayhawks’ current three-game winning streak.

Twitter accounts calling themselves “The Mitch Lightfoot Fan Club” and “Prison Mitch” have been active in response to the 6-foot-8 junior power forward’s five crowd-pleasing blocks the past two home games against Oklahoma State and West Virginia and three rejections in another win — at TCU.

“It’s, ‘No easy baskets’ around here. I think they appreciate that,” Lightfoot said of fans embracing the team motto crafted around defending in the paint.

“Jayhawk fans understand basketball. They understand the opportunity for us to take points away from the other team is big for us, not only from the score on the scoreboard but the mental game we are playing.