50°
6 m $95
m$95 like
haire
Cr(o)
US Cus
heil haie
Pa gr
gr4
57
W c
u1
J P
I B
E P
6B
---
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2007
KU KICK-OFF
PLAYER TO WATCH
Sophomore LaChelda Jacobs
She led Kansas in points with 15 in its 69-64 victory against Drake thanks to an impressive 7-of-7 shooting performance. She poured in another 12 in the SMU loss, showing that she can provide a great spark off the bench. But those two games were played in Dallas, a 40-minute drive from Jacobs' home town, Mansfield, Texas. It will be interesting to see whether she can continue to play that well without as many old friends and family members in the stands.
COUNTDOWN TO KICK-OFF
QUESTION MARK
How will Kansas rebound from its first loss of the season?
The Jayhawks have nearly found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard a few times, but SMU handed them their first loss of the year and it wasn't all that close (68-56). How will this team respond from its real real disappointment? The one thing coach Henrickson can't afford is a hangover from her team that results in another loss.
REBOUNDING KEY TO CONTEST
Hawks hope to come back from their first loss of the season
KANSAS VS. CREIGHTON 7 tonight, Allen Fieldhouse
OFFENSE
Kansas won only one of its two holiday break games, but coach Bonnie Henrickson had to come away feeling even better about her offense than she did go in. Coming into the year, sophomores Danielle McCray and Sade Morris were expected to lead the team in scoring. They've both played well, and in her first game, freshman Nicollette Smith also showed an ability to pour in the points. Now a fourth scoring threat has emerged in sophomore LaChelda Jacobs, who averaged 13.5 points in the Jayhawks two games last weekend. Kansas has had little trouble getting points from its guards, and if freshman Krysten Boogaard or senior Taylor McIntosh can establish some consistency on the block, it will be a well-balanced machine.
DEFENSE
It's still early in the year, so there is time for improvement, but the Kansas defense has not looked good for an entire game once this season. The Jayhawks have let teams come back from double digit leads to nearly win, and they allowed one player to take over a game and prevent them from winning. Against Drake they had a 14-point lead with less than 15 minutes left but the Bulldogs continued to get offensive rebounds, which led to 17 second-chance points that kept them in the game. Kansas played a good first half against SMU, going into the break tied at 25. In the second half, however, 6-foot-3 forward Janielle Dodds took over, finishing with 29 points and 11 rebounds. Right now Oklahoma All-American Courtne Paris is dreaming about this defense.
OFFENSE
COACHING
Henrickson needs to work on a really stellar halftime speech that helps her team keep up its intensity. Kansas has either led or been tied at the break every game, and every game the Jayhawks have nearly lost the lead and in one case lost the game. They tend to come out flat in the second half, which Henrickson could do something about. She has a plethora of options offensively, and the defense will hopefully get better. The main thing Henrickson needs to teach her players right now is how to keep that fire after halftime and finish an opponent. In its three victories, Kansas has had a significant lead at some point in the second half but nearly lost. SMU showed the Jayhawks what will happen when they don't play well late and don't have a double-digit lead to depend on.
Creighton doesn't rely on one player to carry the offense. In fact, no player averages more than 10 points per game and 10 players see more than 14 minutes of playing time per contest. However, scoring balance hasn't hindered the Bluejays as they average 69.8 points per game by virtue of accurate three-point and free-throw shooting. Creighton returned four of last season's top five scores in seniors Sara Cain and Ally Thrall and sophomores Megan Neuvirth and Sam Schuett. That firepower has driven the team to a 4-1 start with the only loss coming at then-No. 6 Rutgers.
DEFENSE
The Bluejays are outscoring opponents by nearly 13 points per game, despite a 19 point setback at Rutgers. Creighton doesn't block shots or record many steals but solid team defense, as well as constant substitutions, has allowed the team to improve on last season's disappointing defensive performance. By keeping opponents off the offensive slate
Bluejays are able to limit second-chance points
leagues are able to limit second-chance point while defensive pressure forces poor shooting percentages from three-point range. Kansas will need strong performances from senior forward Taylor McIntosh and sophomore forward Porscha Weddington on the glass.
— Taylor Bern
COACHING
Jim Flanery is in the midst of his sixth season as head coach and his 16th as a member of the Creighton coaching staff. In his time in charge, the team has been a part of three WNIT Final Fours and was champion in 2004. Last season the Bluejays made a surprise run to the Missouri Valley Conference
Tournament Championship game after fin-
ment Championship game after fining sixth in regular season play. Despite losing to Drake, Flauney seems to be moving the team in the right direction as young players like Megan Neuvirth and Sam Schuett should develop into standout players during their time in Omaha.
CU KICK-OFF
PLAYER TO WATCH
Senior forward Sara Cain
QUESTION MARK
Senior forward Sara Cain
Cain averages 9.4 points and five rebounds in only 18 minutes per game. The 6-1 senior forward also shoots an impressive 40 percent from behind the arc. Kansas has been able to slow down other perimeter-oriented post players using Sade Morris as a defensive stopper. If Kansas can keep Cain from replicating last season's MVC Tournament performance, she averaged 15.7 points, it should be able to outscore Creighton.
>> NFL
Kansas relies on the sophomore guards' dribble penetration to spread the floor and create easy points. Creighton's guards must keep McCray and Morris in front of them to minimize foul trouble in the post and force Kansas to take contested jump shots. The Bluejays will most likely rotate a number of players on the two and may use zone defenses to slow down the imposing duo.
Can Creighton stop Danielle McCray and Sade Morris?
Disastrous field produces lowest score in 14 years
Steelers (8-3) manage field goal, slip past Dolphins (0-11) on wet field
ASSOCIATED PRFS
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Willie Parker runs into Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder, right, after a first quarter gain in NFL football action in Pittsburgh on Monday.
Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter, right, is upended after he intercepted a pass in the first quarter of the game Monday. The newly installed field was wet from rain.
ASSOCIATED PRES
BY ALAN ROBINSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
PITTSBURGH — Trudging through the quagmire of Heinz Field, the Dolphins and Steelers nearly went all night without scoring.
Instead, what they ended up with was the lowest scoring game in 14 years when Jeff Reed's 24-yard field goal with 17 seconds left gave the Steelers a 3-0 victory Monday night against winless Miami (0-11).
It was the first 3-0 game in the NFL since the Jets beat visiting Washington on Dec. 11, 1993.
The only scoring drive started on the Dolphins' 42 after Miami punted out of its end zone. Ben Roethlisberger drove the Steelers into field goal range with completions of 21, 11 and 6 yards to Hines Ward.
The field was covered during the daylong rain, but so much water found its way under the protective tarps and there were numerous puddles and mushy spots once the covering was removed. Wide receivers slipped on several pass plays, and running backs repeatedly lost their footing after tacklers arrived.
Reed, who had missed badly from 45 yards earlier on a raindrenched field, came through after Roethlisberger was sacked on third down.
The field conditions created the absence of offense. After five high school and college games were played at Heinz Field last weekend, crews hurriedly put down a new layer of sod onethe chewed-up turf for Monday night's game.
Late in the third quarter, Brandon Fields' punt from near the Miami goal line came straight down and plugged in the drenched turf like an arrow, burying itself several inches deep.
A few minutes later, Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed's 45-yard field goal attempt into a swirling wind and rain fell far short. Reed had missed only once previously in 19 tries this season, a 60-yarder in Denver.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
I
Pittsburgh Steeleers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, right, looks to pass as he runs away from Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor in the first quarter of the game. The Steelers won 3-0 in the lowest scoring game since 1993.
.
6