4B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2008
BASKETBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
But only two teams in 17 years have reached perfection. That's why the undefeated talk means nothing to Kansas coach Bill Self.
"We still have seven road games left and 14 total," he said. "We're not into that. Hey, let's just get better. If we're fortunate to play great for the next six weeks, we'll talk about it, but were not even going to go there."
Still, even if Self won't admit it, an opponent will have to give Kansas its best shot if it wants any chance to win. The Jayhawks are too deep and balanced for most teams to compete. Four players average double-figure scoring: Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson and Mario Chalmers. And Sherron Collins is right behind them at 9.5 points per game.
All those scoring options make it darn near impossible to stop Kansas
offensively. If the guards aren't scoring, as was the case against Boston College two weeks ago, Jackson and Arthur have big games. And if the jayhawks face a daunting front line, like they did against Oklahoma and
Nebraska, Rush or Chalmers will step up. If not them, it could be senior guard Russell Robinson or center center Sasha Kaun who does it. All seven of those
"No one has the pressure of being the leading scorer or the go-to-guy."
Then there's the defense. Self has called Robinson one of the best on the ball defenders he coached and
tough road ahead
At Missouri, Saturday
At Kansas State, Jan. 30
At Texas, Feb. 11
At Texas A&M, March 8
said Chalmers' ability to anticipate was better than anyone's. Those two make KU's perimeter defense almost impenetrable. Together, they average almost six steals a game
players have led Kansas in scoring in at least one game this season. Rush said the availability of scoring options keeps Kansas more focused than it has been the past two seasons.
"We're well-balanced," he said.
is bludgeoning opponents by an average of 25.4 points per game. Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel saw the Jayhawks' dominance firsthand on Monday night when his team lost 85-55. The Sooners played No. 2 Memphis earlier this season, and Capel was much more impressed with Kansas.
"They are the best team that we have played, and we have played some really good teams." Capel said. "I don't think it's close that they are the best team in the country."
and have shut down top guards such as USC's O.J. Mayo and DePaul's Draelon Burns.
Great teams still lose, though. Four major road tests await the Jayahwks in the next two months, at Missouri, Kansas State, Texas and Texas A&M. The first one comes on Saturday against the rival Tigers. In 1997, Missouri handed a 22-0 Kansas team its first loss of the season. That team had the best start in school history.
The combination of a balanced offense and pressure defense has turned most of the Jayhawks' games into no-contests. Kansas
perfect company
Kansas isn't the only team with a shot at an undefeated regular season. Here's the scoop on the other teams, Memphis and North Carolina, that could stay perfect.
North Carolina (17- 0). The Tar Heels are definitely road-tested. They played five straight road games, a stretch that lasted nearly a month. Although the ACC is usually one of the toughest conferences, it is down this year. Only Miami, Duke, Clemson and Carolina are ranked in the
top 25, and the Hurricanes just lost to Boston College. The Heels' biggest challenges are against rival Duke on Feb. 6 and March 8.
Memphis (15-0) North Carolina and Kansas both have multiple tough road games left on their schedule. The Tigers don't. It would almost be a surprise if they didn't finish the regular season undefeated. All Memphis has left are home dates with Gonzaga and Tennessee and games against the oh-so-wake Conference-USA.
But as tough as the conference is, Kansas will likely be the favorite in every game it plays. The Jayhawks have already blown out Oklahoma and Nebraska, which have defeated top 25-caliber teams such as
If the Jayhawks make it through the four tough road games, they still have to face an improved Baylor and always-tough-at-home Iowa State. With those kind of tests, this isn't the same conference that put only four teams in the NCAA Tournament last season.
"The Big 12 is a lot tougher this year," Rush said. "There's more experienced teams. Texas is looking good and they lost to Missouri. Anything can happen. Anything can happen."
Arizona State, Xavier, Gonzaga and West Virginia. If the Jayhawks play as well as they have in the last month and continue to improve their free throw shooting and defensive rebounding, the team's biggest weaknesses, 31-0 could happen.
Sure, it will be tough, and only two teams have done it in nearly 20 years, but Jackson sees no reason why Kansas' streak can't continue.
"There's no pressure at all," he said. "We have to go out there with a free mind. That's how we've been looking at it, just going out there with a free mind and not worrying about what our record is and just worrying about the next game."
- Edited by Jared Duncan
Registration for intramural basketball and wallyball start today and end at noon Jan. 22. The registration is quick and can be accessed online. Registration will only be for basketball and wallyball.
INTRAMURAL
Ben Prahl, intramurals director,
expects a large turnout and is excited
to introduce wallyball to the students.
Basketball, wallyball team registration begins today
Wallyball is like volleyball, but instead it is played indoors. The original name for the game was "ricochet ball" when Joe Garia invented it in 1979. Wallyball used to be a league before becoming a part of intramurals this semester.
"I like it because wallyball adds a whole new dimension to volleyball that I really enjoy," Amanda Sorell, Lincoln, Neb., freshman, said.
Wallyball has a 10-person limit per team, and the registration cost is $10 per team.
BY WHITNEY HAMILTON whamilton@kansan.com
"In wallyball, hopefully, teams experience something new and have
--a good time," Prahl said.
"It would be nice to get a high number of teams, but we want quality teams and quality games," Prahl said.
Prahl expects to have 30 teams register for wallyball. Also, intramural basketball tryouts should have a large turnout and should produce nearly 220 teams.
Registration costs for basketball are $20 per team with a 12-person limit for each team.
All games will be held at the Student Recreation Fitness Center with the exception of the final basketball game, which will be held at Allen Fieldhouse.
"Intramural sports give students a chance to compete and meet people. They are a lot more competitive than most people think," Mark Arehart, Omaha, Neb. freshman, said.
For more information about intramural basketball and wallyball, please contact Ben Prahl at (785) 864-0787 or imports@mail.ku.edu. To register, go to http://kansas.imtrackonline.com.
— ταπεα by κατηγη syring
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