SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22,1994
PAGE
Hawaiian trip to test Kansas confidence
By Jenni Carlson
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas women's basketball team is readying itself for a slate of games that may be similar to taking a test on the first day of class.
The Jayhawks open their season in the University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Basketball Classic in Honolulu. The Jayhawks play No. 7 Virginia on Friday.
They have the opportunity to face two other nationally ranked teams, No. 14 Florida and the defending national champions, No. 6 North Carolina, in the tournament.
"It's got to be in the strongest preseason tournament in the nation," Kansas women's basketball coach Marlan Washington said. "We're starting off with a bang, no question about it."
This will be Washington's third career trip to the tournament. Washington said she tried to get into the tournament every four years so that all her players would have a chance to travel to Hawaii. For senior forward Angela Aycock, Washington said the trip would serve as a reward for her contributions to the program.
"It's a nice trip for Angela or anyone else," Washington said. "It's a difficult tournament to get into. Everybody wants to go to Hawaii."
The strength of the tournament may help Kansas later in the season. The NCAA Women's Basketball Selection Committee will use the strength of a team's schedule in determining whether Kansas is selected for the national tournament. The Jayhawks' competition in the Rainbow Wahine Classic should give the committee something to examine. Washington said.
Even though Kansas will face some of its toughest competition of the season, the team is not going to back down. Washington said she did not think her team was going to stand in awe of anyone.
"It will turn out to strengthen our schedule a great deal" she said.
"I feel confident we're going to be able to compete in terms of the talent we have." Washington said.
The Jayhawks' first-round game against Virginia should challenge Washington's confidence. The Cavaliers will outsize Kansas, and Washington said the Jayhawks have to use their quickness and up-tempo style of play to be competitive.
"We have to learn what we can do to counter that size," she said.
Though the Jahaywaks may be lacking in size, they may well make up for it in heart.
Melissa Lacev / KANSAN
"They are pumped," Washington said. "They're ready to go."
Kansas senior forward Angela Aycock moves in for a layup as freshman center Koya Scott clears a path through the defense. The Jayhawks will start their season against No. 7 Virginia Friday in the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Basketball Classic in Honolulu.
Kansas basketball back in the House
Season opens with San Diego Torreros
By Chesley Dohl
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas coach Roy Williams and his wife will feed the Jayhawks a plentiful Thanksgiving dinner at the Williams' home on Thursday.
And Roy's Boys are ravenous to play.
But the players and coaching staff will be hungry for more come Saturday. Kansas tips off against the San Diego Toreros Saturday in Allen Field House to officially open the Jayhawks season.
"When you push and shove on the same guys everyday it kind of gets you upset," senior guard Greg Gurley said. "It makes you want to go out and push and shove on somebody else for a while."
The Kansas men's basketball team has been practicing for almost a month. Two exhibitions have given them a chance to put the Jayhawks' hard work to the test.
"Today we have our 31st practice." Williams said at yesterday's press conference. "Last year we had our 31st practice on Dec. 21 — and we'd already played 11 games."
Williams said he had purposely taken the preseason a little more relaxed. However, with only four more practices to go before the season opener, Williams said it was time to readjust his philosophy.
"I told the team the other night — no more Mr. Nice Guy," he said.
San Diego is a young team with only one senior on the roster, but still it is the choice of many to win the West Coast Conference title. Williams said the box score from San Diego's first exhibition was almost all he knew about the Torreros 'basketball team.
"I know one of their kids, who I'll know a lot more about by Saturday, had eight assists and no turnovers," Williams said. "And that kind of a thing catches your eye."
On Saturday, Kansas hopes to step
Men's basketball top 25
Kansas moved up two spots in the Associated Press poll after not playing a game. Oklahoma State also moved up to 19th.
rank team record pts. 1,621 pr
1. Arkansas (62) 0 1,621 1
2. UNC (1) 0 1,491 2
3. UMass 0 1,440 3
4. Kentucky (1) 0 1,384 4
5. Arizona 0 1,301 5
6. UCLA 0 1,256 6
7. Maryland (1) 0 1,180 7
8. Duke 0 1,146 8
9. Kansas 0·0 1,030 11
10. Florida 0·0 1,023 10
11. Indiana 0·0 999 9
12. Cincinnati 0·0 879 13
13. Michigan 0·0 722 16
14. Georgetown 0·0 711 15
15. Wisconsin 0·0 564 17
16. Connecticut 0·0 482 19
17. Michigan St. 0·0 468 20
18. Syracuse 0·1 395 12
19. Oklahoma St. 0·0 385 21
20. Virginia 1·1 352 14
21. Villanova 1·1 352 12
22. Georgia Tech 0·0 258 23
23. Ohio U. 2·0 258 1—
24. Wake Forest 0·0 196 24
25. Alabama 1·1 170 18
Others receiving votes: Memphis 160, George Washington 141, Illinois 114, New Mexico St. 130, Iowa St. 111, Tulane St. 61, Mississippi St. 59, Minnesota 45, Purdue 45, Louisville 37, Texas Tech 32, Texas 22, Temple 37, California 17, St. John's 14, Arizona St. 13, St. Young 13, LSU 12, W. Kentucky 12, Saint Louis 9, New Mexico 8, Florida St. 7, Penn 5, Utah 5, Marquette 4, N.C. Charlotte 4, Oklahoma 4, Coll. of Charleston 3, Coppin St. 3, Kansas St. 2.
Source: The Associated Press KANSAN
up their game another notch on the defensive end of the court. The defensive intensity always carries over into the offense, sophomore guard Jerod Haase said.
"When you go out and start making some good defensive plays you lose yourself in the game, "Haase. "The offense starts coming along too."
Kansas senior fullback takes pride in defeating Tigers
By Matt Irwin
Passed over by Missouri recruiters Powell says last game tasted sweet
Kansan sportswriter
For Kansas senior fullback Chris Powell, the victory was even more special.
The Kansas football team's 31-14 defeat of the Missouri Tigers not only brought the team's record to 6-5, it was healthy for the Jayhawks morale.
"I love beating Missouri more than anything because I'm from Missouri," Powell said. "And I remember when I was getting recruited, they thought I was too small to play here."
Powell's dislike for Missouri is not something that he hides.
"I don't like Missouri," Powell said. "My older brother graduated, my younger brother goes there now and all my friends go there. I don't like anything about Missouri at all."
Powell said that Missouri's attitude toward him when he was being recruited gave him even more reason to dislike the Tigers.
"In a humble way, I'm glad that they thought I was too small to play here because I am glad that Coach Mason had the confidence in me and gave me the opportunity to play college football," Powell said. "I thank him for that more than anything."
"Some people might be questioning Coach Mason, but I think he's a great coach because he gave me the opportunity to play college football. And it's been the best four and a half years of my life."
Powell has helped lead the Kansas tailbacks to over 2,000 yards this season. He also made key blocks on several of L.T. Levine's rushes against Missouri. Levine rushed for 221 yards on 25 carries.
Powell did not just stand out to Mason in high school. Mason has repeatedly called Powell the best blocking back in the Big Eight Conference and possibly the nation.
But his friends did not always place the same amount of faith in him as Mason. Powell said that his friends at Missouri never had faith in his decision to go to Kansas.
"When I first was recruited by Kansas, a lot of people told me, 'Why are you going there? You're never going to go to a bowl game,'." Powell said. "The way I look at it, we've had three winning seasons in my four years and I got to go to a bowl game."
Powell said that Missouri's Faurot Field was a place that he would not forget because it was also the site of his final high school game. He said that Rockhurst, his high school team, lost the state championship game to Hazelwood East, current teammate Ronnie Ward's high school team, at Faurot Field.
"It was really big of our seniors after all our expectations this year to finally come back and play against Missouri and come out on fire," Powell said. "As Coach Mason always says, 'You always remember your last game.'"
The victory against Missouri on Saturday gave the Kansas seniors their third winning season in four years, but Powell said that the game meant more to him.
Despite his successful 25-21 record at Kansas, winning has not been the most important part of Powell's football career.
"One thing about the four and a half years, I've learned so much about life," Powell said. "It's taught me that when you get knocked down how to get back up. We've had to deal with adversity a lot. I've learned more out of college football than I have in anything in life. Athletics teaches you so much more than just being competitive."
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
Kansas senior fullback Chris Powell barrels through the line of scrimmage to open up a running path for freshman tailback Eric Vann. Powell said he was especially pleased with Saturday's 31-14 victory against Missouri.
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