THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 10A
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Anthonyv Mattinniv/KANSAN
Freshman forward Juilan Wright drives to the basket hard during a fast break early in the second half against Nebraska on Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse. Wright went on to score a total of 12 points as the Jayhawks defeated the Cornhuskers 96-54.
Wright has right stuff
Upbeat freshman boosts morale
BY RYAN COLAIANNI rcolaianni@kansan.com KANSAN SENIOR SWITCHWRITER
Julian Wright sprinted down the floor and found a streaking Russell Robinson for two points. A few possessions later, Wright drove to the basket and threw down a thunderous dunk.
Those were just two instances in which the freshman forward shined in Saturday's thumping of Nebraska. He scored 12 points in 21 minutes.
Wright, the preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year, has displayed more awareness on the floor recently. Last week's passing and scoring display against Nebraska could be a sign that he is ready to help out a Kansas team that has lost two of its past three games.
"I am starting to get comfortable just trying to be active and using my length to my advantage by getting out in the passing lanes," Wright said.
the 6-foot-8 freshman scored 12 points against Nebraska and has shown signs of brilliance throughout the season. Kansas coach Bill Self said his teammates have reaped the benefits.
Wright, a Chicago Heights, Ill., native, has had to adjust to a new position, in the power forward spot. Wright came to Kansas playing on the wing, which is similar to the position that freshman guard Brandon Rush plays now. At his new position in the post, Wright is usually matched against taller and stronger players.
"Julian is growing up. He is starting to learn where he fits in at," Self said. "He is picking his spots pretty good. He is definitely an energy guy. He comes in and brings a lot of energy off the bench."
SEE WRIGHT ON PAGE 8A
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Jayhawks to depend on bench for victory
BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS
mphillips@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
When the women's basketball team plays Kansas State tomorrow night, the Jayhawks will see something they aren't used to: substitutions.
The Wildcats have nine players who average at least 10 minutes per game and they have only one senior.
In contrast, the Jayhawks have relied on four starters, three of whom are seniors—senior forward Crystal Kemp, senior guards Erica Hallman and Kaylee Brown, plus freshman guard ivana Catic. The fifth position has been split between sophomore forward Taylor McIntosh and freshman forward Marija Zinic.
Senior guard Kaylee Brown, left, junior guard Shaquina Mosley, center, and freshman guard Katie Smith look up from the bench at coach Bonnie Hennickson during Sunday's game against Oklahoma State. Brown is one of six players who has dominated playing time for the Jayhawks, but, in the coming weeks, Mosley is expected to see more minutes on the court.
Those six have played 83 percent of the minutes this season, and they won't spend much time resting to morrow night at 7 p.m. when the Jayhawks hope to snap an eight-game losing streak to the Wildcats.
Jared Gab/KANSAN
Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson has tried to develop her bench
SEE BENCH ON PAGE 8A
Who's up next?
Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson's recruiting class of six has netted only one starter in freshman guard Ivana Catic. Here's a look at who's sitting on the bench, and their prospects for the rest of the season:
KU HOOPS TRADING.CARDS
A TEXAN'S TAKE
Self should start Wright and Jackson over Giles and Kaun
The sophomore center missed class on Friday, which led Kansas coach Bill Self to bench him for the first half of the 96-54 blowout.
Kansas was up 32 points before CJ Giles entered the game against Nebraska on Saturday.
Missing the first day of class could end up costing Giles more than a courtside view from the bench for just one game.
If Saturday's game was any indication of who will start at the end of the year, Giles shouldn't be included. Self's impatience with Giles' classroom absence carried over to the court as well.
BY ERIC SORRENTINO
esorrentino@kansan.com
Giles was in the game for only 1:14 before Self put him back on the pine. Giles missed his only shot attempt of the game, in which he tried to make an immediate impact along the baseline. Instead of laying the ball in, he tried to emphatically dunk it. He shook the basket, but the ball went
Self's removal of Giles proved to be effective. Sophimore forward Darnell Jackson and freshman forward Julian Wright have outplayed the starting frontcourt of Giles and sophomore center Sasha Kaun.
Rain:
Wright's improvisational skills running the floor cannot go unnoticed. He creates shots on his own in an unorthodox but effective fashion. He scored 12 points and grabbed six boards in 21 minutes of action Saturday.
flying across the other side of the rim.
Jackson has proven himself on the court as well.
That's something Kaun just doesn't do. He has more trips to the free-throw line than any other KU player — 62 — but has consistently failed to convert these trips into points. He has made only 35 free throws.
Jackson bangs his right fist against his chest every time he makes a free throw. Whatever he's doing has worked — he's made 18-of-22 free throws, compared to Giles' 10-of-24. When Kansas looks inside, it needs to have players in the
The Oklahoma City native has been one of the only post men who has rewarded guards for feeding him the ball in the paint.
The energy from Wright and Jackson earned them a second-half start against Nebraska. With them in, Kansas did not surrender the huge lead it gained. Kansas actually extended the lead from 21 to 42.
Giles had four players Jackson, Wright, sophomore guard Jeremy Case and senior guard Jeff Hawkins
enter the game before him on Saturday. He received the opportunity to enter the game in the final 4 minutes, but that came only after Kansas was
frontcount who can convert free throws. Giles and Kaun haven't proven they can.
already up by 41 points.
The Jayhawks have found a backcourt that they can rely on, with freshman guard Mario Chalmers and sophomore guard Russell Robinson. Freshman guard Brandon Rush is an obvious starter playing the three position because of the impressive stats he puts up.
Kansas should complete the frontcourt the same way it started the second half against Nebraska — with Wright and Jackson.
+ Sorentino is a Plano, Texas, senior in journalism. He is Kansan sports editor.