THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2007
SPORTS
5B
PLAYER TO WATCH
Sophomore Porscha Wed-
been dealing with an ankle injury for the past week, but Henrickson says she'll be back to full strength for Sunday's
COUNTDOWN TO TIP-OFF
Wedington
game. Saint Louis shouldn't be much trouble for Kansas, but a game with Marquette awaits on December 6 and it's important that Weddington proves she's completely healthy to give Henrickson another weapon against the Golden Eagles.
QUESTION MARK
Can they go anywhere but down?
The Jayhawks played a nearly perfect game Tuesday night, and it will be nearly impossible to improve on that performance. The keys for Kansas are to improve on its rebounding and try to duplicate the sharing of wealth on offense. Not everything's going to go as well as it did Tuesday, but if the Jayhawks do those two things they'll be fine.
KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING Women face St. Louis after playing near-perfect game Tuesday
KANSAS VS. SAINT LOUIS 7 tonight, Allen Fieldhouse
OFFENSE
The Kansas offense was rolling Tuesday night. It got out of the gates fast, spread the ball around extensively and most importantly never backed down. The Jayhawks shot a blistering 56.7 percent from the field to blow out Creighton 91-65. Sophomores Danielle McCray and Sade Morris led the way with 16 points each, but it was solid production from the other players that made this game unique. Senior Taylor McIntosh finished with 10 points, freshmen Krysten Boogaard and Nicollette Smith added nine aplice and sophomore Porscha Weddington poured in eight in just 13 minutes. Kansas dominated the block, outsourcing Creighton 46-18 with points in the paint, and out-hustled its opponent for 22 fast break points. This is the type of performance the Jayhawks are capable of every night, and now they know what to strive for.
DEFENSE
The defense showed improvement in the Bluejay beat down, but it's difficult to tell how much was a good defense and how much was a bad offense. Creighton was off all night, sometimes missing three or four close shots in a single possession. The Bluejays shot a dismal 27 percent from the field and turned the ball over 26 times, which the Jayhawks quickly converted into 36 points off turnovers. Still, Kansas didn't look that much better on the defensive end than it had before — it just caught Creighton on a terribly off night. Proof of that is in rebounds, where the Bluejays pulled down 43 to the Jayhawks 41. In a blowout win there's no reason to get out-rebounded.
COACHING
Bonnie Ball 2007 is starting to take shape, and there's plenty to be excited about. After its first loss of the year, Kansas came out with its best all-around game of the season. While she would have preferred the Jayhawks not lose at all, coach Bonnie Henrickson was pleased with the fire her team came out with after its first setback. The team's preseason goal was 20 wins and a trip to the NCAA tournament. Right now Kansas sits at 4-1 with its next four games all at home, giving it a great chance to move that total up to eight before a two-game trip to California on Dec. 21. The Jayhawks' postseason aspirations could come back to how well they take care of business right now, and Henrickson needs to make sure her team stays focused and ready for each opponent.
OFFENSE
Despite winning only two of its first six games, St. Louis is much better than its record suggests. The Billikens have only been outscored by three points. The team relies on a talented trio of sophomores to guide an offense averaging nearly 70 points in spite of shooting less than 30 percent from three-point range. Sophomore guards Katie Paganell and Maggie Hennegan and 6-4 sophomore center Amanda Kemezys can all score and reound and Kansas will have to force St. Louis to shoot from long range.
Taylor Bern
DEFENSE
The Billikens have shown the ability to play stingy defense, but the team hasn't been able to put together consistent play. St. Louis has also shown a propensity to send its opponents to the free throw line. Against Kansas that could spell trouble. Kemezys will have stay out of foul trouble to protect the rim from Kansas' duo of playmaking sophomore guards, Danielle McCray and Sade Morris. The Billikens' fortunes will rest on the team that takes the floor on Sunday. Will it be the team that gave up 81 points at Akron or the one that held rehead State to 53?
COACHING
Shimmy Gray-Miller took the reins three seasons ago and became the sixth coach in the history of the program. Her first season was a significant step for the St. Louis as the school joined the Atlantic 10 Conference. In her time in charge the Billikens have stumbled to a 20-37 record, but Gray-Miller's recruiting should start paying dividends. Four players in her first full recruiting class were immediately inserted in the starting lineup.
— Andrew Wiebe
PLAYER TO WATCH
Ivana Catic
Sophomore guard Katie Paganelli
In St. Louis two wins the ex-
Paganelli
proactive score has averaged 19.5 points.
Kemezes inside play will be key to the Billikens success but without a significant contribution
from Paganelli the team won't be able to keep up with a Jay-hawks team that seems to have found their offensive rhythm.
QUESTION MARK
Will the Billikens be able to avoid the turnover woes Creighton experienced against Kansas?
St. Louis has tended to turn the ball over in bunches in their four losses. If Kansas guards, especially sophomores Morris and LaChelda Jacobs, maintain the type of defensive pressure that plagued Creighton, St. Louis could be in store for a long night.
MLB
Royals sign reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta to two-year contract
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta has agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract with the Kansas City Royals and will compete for a spot as the team's primary setup man.
A 34-year-old right-hander, Yabuta spent 12 seasons with the Pacific League's Chiba Lotte Marines, who are managed by Bobby Valentine.
Trey Hillman, who spent the past five years managing the Nippon Ham Fighters before being hired last month by the Royals, was helpful in persuading Yabuta to come to Kansas City.
"I don't know how much that factors in," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said Wednesday. "But let's face it, we've all been exposed to different things in our lives for the first time. I think the fact that Trey is very well respected not only in the U.S., but in Japan, and is very familiar with the Japanese culture certainly helps."
Yabuta gets $2.5 million next season and $3 million in 2009. The Royals have a $4 million option for 2010 with a $500,000 buyout, but the option becomes Yabuta's if
he pitches in a specified amount of games.
In addition, he can earn $500,000 annually in performance bonuses.
Yabuta has a 44-59 career record with nine saves and a 4.03 ERA in 343 appearances, including 86 starts. He was 4-6 with four saves and a 2.73 ERA in 58 relief outings this past season, then became a free agent. He walked 10 and struck out 45 in 62 2-3 innings.
He will be introduced to the Kansas City media today.
"Yasuhiko has been one of the best relievers in lapan the last several years." Moore said. "He will be an important veteran arm that will help add stability to the back end of our bulpen."
An interpreter will be hired for Yabuta, but the Royals believe Hillman's Japanese language skills will be adequate for any communication during games. Interprets are
"He throws a fastball, changeup, splitter," Moore said. "He has a slider. The changeup and split are the main reasons he's had so much success against left-handers. He keeps his fastball down in the zone. He doesn't walk a lot of guys. He makes them beat him. That's something we like."
not allowed in dugouts.
Moore said his fastball is in the 88-92 mph range.
"Hopefully, we will be more successful." Moore said. "When I was with the Braves and doing international work, you want to sign somebody who makes sense for your team and helps you win. But it's a passion and a goal to get involved with the (japanese) market. The players that play in Asia are very skilled baseball players, very talented."
Kansas City plans to be more aggressive internationally.