4B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2008
ARTHUR (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
He leads the team in scoring at 13.3 points a game and is second in rebounding but also averaging almost three fouls per game. He had the same problem last season, and those fouls cost him minutes.
Monday night against Missouri,
Arthur had three fouls by the mid-
way point of the first half. He didn't
get into the second half until there was
about 12 minutes left, and the
game was no longer in doubt.
"I caught some bad breaks trying to help over and take a charge and got another early," Arthur said. "It was just bad. I can't catch a break for nothing."
He has to hope the guards don't leave him out to dry. Arthur's frogs aren't always his fault. When a guard gets beat on the dribble. Arthur has to come over and help. He's vulnerable for a blocking foul when he does that.
Sometimes, Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson try too hard to get steals. They overcompensate, don't get the ball and leave their man with a wide open lane. Guess
whose job it is to stop that man? Yep, Arthur's.
Self said that's not fair to the big man.
"Our guards don't understand that when they don't guard the big guys foul more because the guards get in the paint," Self said. "Certainly we have to do a better job of guarding the ball."
Kansas is still doing OK with Arthur in foul trouble. The Jayhawks may play their best when he's the focal point of the offense, but centers Cole Aldrich and Sasha Kaun have been good replacements. They combined for 18 points and 13 rebounds against Missouri.
Arthur acknowledged it was good for them to get more playing time, but he wanted the minutes, too. To get them, he's going to have to play smarter. And when he does that, the Arthur who can score and rebound consistently will likely appear.
He'll finally be the real Slim Shady.
Edited by Jeff Briscoe
Sprinting towards the Big Apple
>> TRACK AND FIELD
Track and Field hopeful about NYC Invitational after success in Nebraska
BY DANNY NORDSTROM
dnordstrom@kansan.com
Junior spinter Nickesha Anderson and sophomore pole-vaulter Jordan Scott seemed extremely winded after Monday's practice.
"I'm about to pass out," Anderson said.
It seems that hard work in practice is paying off for the University of Kansas Track and Field team. Last weekend, the Jayhwaks took home three titles at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska, facing off against nationally ranked teams like Baylor, Kansas State and Arizona.
Tough competition and an atmosphere away from home didn't faze the Jayhawks.
"There was a lot of stiff competition with teams like Nebraska and Baylor. It was a bit more competitive than it had been in the past four meets." Anderson said. "Overall we did excellent. We are gradually improving each time."
Senior pole-vaucher Kate Sultanova was not fazed a bit, posting an automatic qualifying jump for the NCAA Championships and bringing home a victory in the women's pole-vault with a jump of 4.20 meters (13-09.25 ft.).
At the time of the competition, Sultanova's jump was the highest women's vault in the country.
She was given the top female award at the Invitational, and was named Big 12 Athlete of the Week earlier this week. This is Sultanova's second time receiving the Big 12 honor.
Also victorious was Anderson in both the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash.
"For the 60-meter dash, I actually stumbled in the semi finals and in the finals," she said. "But I maintained my composure and didn't lose my focus after I stumbled. The 200 [meter dash] just went smoothly."
Anderson tied her 7.38-second school record time in the 60-meter dash and set a new school record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.75 seconds.
For the first time this season, defending NCAA weight throw champion Egor Agafonov was able to compete. The senior from Togliatti,
Russia took home first place in the weight throw with an NCAA provisional mark of 21.24 meters (69-08.25 ft.).
"It was my first meet this season and it went really well," he said. "It was a good start."
While Jordan Scott did not win the men's pole vault for the first time this season, he did tie his season best performance of 5.35 meters (17-06.50 ft.), giving him second place.
He commented on his performances so far this season.
"I've been consistently over 17.2 (feet) every meet," he said. "I'm constantly improving on technique and objectives. I just hope the bigger bars come soon."
Scott credited his impressive performance at the Husker Invitational to using a bigger pole. Scott said that using a thicker and stiffer pole demands more strength and technique, but allows him to be sent higher, as the recoil is much stronger.
"I'm constantly jumping on bigger poles. I jumped on the biggest pole I've ever jumped on in my life in this meet," he said. "A bigger pole
is key at this point. I'm getting faster and stronger."
Also impressive was senior Crystal Manning's season best effort in the women's triple jump at 12.99 meters (42-06.25 feet) given her second place.
Junior Victoria Howard placed second in the 200-meter dash to Anderson, breaking the 24-second mark for the first time in her career.
On the men's side, sophomore Bret Imgrund and senior Patrick McGrowan took second and third in the 3,000-meter run with times of 8 minutes, 31.2 seconds and 8:32.88 respectively.
Next weekend the Jayhawks travel to New York City for the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. Anderson and her teammates are not worried about the tough competition ahead.
"We as a team are not intimidated by other teams because we believe we're just going out there to have fun," she said. "You know, everybody puts their pants on the same way: one leg at a time," she said.
—Edited by Madeline Hyden
WHEELER (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
At this time, he couldn't even participate in contact or even layup drills. Rush told reporters, however, that he could participate in everything but contact drills. Coach Bill Self just laughed at this and referred to his star guard as "Dr. Rush."
"Brandon will not be the Brandon we saw at 100 percent last year, but I think he can be 100 percent of the new Brandon," Self said. "Physically, he is going to be 85 to 95 percent of what he was, but that doesn't mean he won't be a better player."
Once the team's Late Night basketball scrimmage was ready to
start, Rush acted as if he were going to go out with his teammates for some warm up layups. His trainers and coaches quickly stopped him.
Doctors anticipated Rush would be ready to return to play on Dec. 1, but he returned two weeks early for Kansas' third game of the season against Washburn. He didn't start the game but came in midway through the first half. Once Rush entered the court he received a standing ovation from the fans. In 12 minutes, he scored seven points and had two assists.
"I was a little nervous because I had not been out on the court in awhile, only in practice," Rush said after the game. "I was a little nervous but I was not worrying about
my knee at all."
Rush's nerves may not have completely calmed until Self criticized him for his aggressiveness after Kansas' defeat of Loyola just before Big 12 Conference play started. Through eight games since then, Rush is averaging 15.6 points, 7 rebounds and 2.63 assists per game.
When asked about whether Self's remarks on the aggressiveness of his play Monday night, Rush said, "It had everything to do with it, I just don't want him saying that anymore."
It's been four months since Self talked about Brandon becoming a 100 percent of the new, recovered Brandon. With his improved performance since the start of conference play, Rush is playing as consistent
of basketball as he ever has. After Monday's game, Self said, "I still think he can do a little more."
This Saturday, Rush may play without his knee brace for the first time this season. While Rush is playing the best basketball he's played since tearing his ACL over the summer, the 100 percent of new Brandon may not be here yet. Maybe we will see 100 percent of the new Brandon this season. Maybe we won't. Either way, Brandon Rush has turned into the All-Big 12 player he was picked to be in the preseason.
Edited by Jared Duncan
How else would you know I'm a KU fan?
www.ContinuingEd.ku.edu (keyword: testprep) 785-864-5823
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