Wednesday, March 8, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 11
Seniors want more wins before leaving
Kansas will lose fourth-year junior Casey Prutti, left, and seniors Lynn
Pride, Heather Fletcher and Suzi Raymant after this season. The players hope to end their time at Kansas with Big 12 Conference and NCAA championships. Kansan file photo
Women's team begins championship quests today against 'Huskers
By Chris Fickett
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Marian Washington can't help it.
No matter how hard she tries, Washington, who's in her 27th season as the Jayhawks women's basketball coach, can't hold back her emotions on Senior Night.
But with a possibility of nine games remaining, Washington has a chance to hold on to her senior class a little bit longer.
"We have to obviously lengthen our time with them through a run in Kansas City and then hopefully a run in the tournament," she said after the Jayhawks 71-60 victory against Texas A&M last Wednesday.
Starting today, when the fourth-seeded Kansas women open Big 12 tournament play against Nebraska, seniors Lymn
Of course, Pride, who's chasing All-American honors, and Raymant, who's one of Kansas' most prolific three-point shooters of all time, have tallied numerous individual honors.
But there are two other players in their final seasons, who, although they aren't big contributors in terms of points, touch their coach in another way.
But that doesn't mean Prütt doesn't play an important role on the team.
Pride and Suzi Raymant will start their quest for career-ending championships
Casey Prutt is a fourth-year junior who has been hampered by four knee surgeries during her Kansas career. Prutt was a redshirt her freshman year because of one of those surgeries and decided last week to forego his senior season.
"What she represents right now is, for me anyway, in inspiration." Washington said. "You have to admire someone who has so much love to be willing to go under the knife that many times. She might not always play a lot, but I watched Casey go through all the experiences she's had, and there has to be something about the game that she truly loves."
When center Heather Fletcher came to
Kansas, she had trouble matching up against the bigger players in the league. Now as a senior, Fletcher is one of Washington's key defensive post players.
"Heather has always been a player that's willing to put in the extra time," she said. "I think she's made tremendous improvement."
The hard work and improvement all four players have made during their years at Kansas paid off in their Senior Night victory.
But they realize that night wasn't the end of the season. They still would like to give their coach a senior gift of sorts.
"It would be special to go to the Final Four this year because it is in Coach Washington's home town," Pruitt said. "She could play in front of her home crowd and her mom."
And even if Kansas can't reach that goal, Washington feels that Pride gave Jayhawk supporters a special home send-off.
"It was very nice to see her play well this last game at home," she said. "Our fans are so good, they've enjoyed a lot of wins here. To have Lynn go out and finish nicely with some reverse layups — that's nice."
Lvnn Pride
During her senior season at Sam Houston High School, Lynn Pride's home in Arlington, Texas, resembles a summit of women's basketball superpowers. Lori Levine Tech, Texas Tech, and Georgia
Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Texas Tech and Georgia had already made their visits to Pride — who was one of the top five high school players in the country.
But Kansas coach Marian Washington made the final visit.
"I remember her mother said to me, 'You're pretty gutsy coming in here after Tennessee,' she said. "I spent my time talking about our program, and her mother really felt she sensed something about me that she liked."
Pride and her mother are very close, and she said that it meant a lot for her that her mother was able to watch her play on Senior Night last week. That closeness certainly had a lot of effect on Pride's decision to attend Kansas.
"Mrs. Pride became my
biggest ally during the recruiting process," Washington said, "She enjoyed talking to me."
In her senior season at Kansas, Pride faces a situation similar to the one she faced five years ago. But as WNBA scouts watch her play, Pride remains level-headed about the attention.
"Lynn shies away from talking about it, but she won't be able to shy away from it much longer," Washington said.
- Chris Fickett
Suzi Raymant
Senior guard Suzi Raymant played in several Australian basketball leagues before she came to Kansas.
Maybe that's why Raymant wants to pursue a coaching career rather than take her chances in the WNBA.
Rayman, 25, graduated high school in 1993 and then played in Australia's Women's National Basketball League. Continental
Basketball League and the Victorian Basketball Association. Raymant joined the Jayhawks in 1995 the last season of the Big Eight Conference. She sat out last season as a medical redshirt because of an anterior cruciate ligament tear in her left knee.
Although Raymant is very intelligent and has a lot of basketball experience, Washington isn't sure how her soft-spoken style will translate as good.
"It will be interesting. Suzi's easy-going way I had to struggle with defensively; I loved it offensively because she stayed so cool. But when she plays defense, she's so smart; she's very effective." Washington said.
Raymant
— Chris Fickett
Heather Fletcher
Heather Fletcher wasn't in the spotlight on Senior Night, but she picked a more important game to shine.
Kansas was battling with No. 10 Iowa State at Ames, Iowa, where the Jayhawks didn't win since 1997. With 2:50 left in the game and Kansas up by 11, Lynn Pride fouled out. With 2:22 left, Suzi Raymant picked up her fourth foul and Jennifer Jackson also had four fouls.
After a three-pointer by Iowa State's Desiree
cut to seven.
Kansas struggled on its next offensive possession, but Fletcher grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled. On another trip down the court, Fletter's second offensive board helped Kansas kill some clock against the Cyclones.
After the game ended, Fletcher was thir
After the game ended, Fletcher was the first Jayhawk at center court, screaming in joy with the rest of her teammates.
Fletcher
Washington has said that Fletcher's defense has improved since she arrived at Kansas four years ago. Washington had wanted Fletcher to be a redshirt her freshman year, but Fletcher's education major requires a year of student-teaching and she would be teaching away from the University in her fifth year.
"When I think about her now, and if she had another year, I think that she might not only be playing great defense but I think we could rely on her to score consistently," she said.
Casey Pruitt
— Chris Fickett
Casey Pruitt could have called it quits before this season. But she wanted to play.
"There was a question mark as to whether she would even come back this year, but she wanted to. I really feel that she was comfortable in her decision, which is good." Washington said.
Pruitt, who has had four knee surgeries in the past four years, has worked hard to regain the ability she brought to Kansas from Jonesboro High School in Arkansas. Washington says that Pruitt's work ethic is an inspiration.
"When she was in high school, Casey was every bit the player we thought - she had great range, she was quick, she handled the ball really well." Washington
ly well," Washington really hurt her a lot."
said. "I think that knee really hurt her a lot. Pruitt has played in 21 games this year, including a start on Senior Night. Although Pruitt was playing against a quick group of Texas A&M guards, she didn't back down.
"That's what she's been working to get back that competitive edge," Washington said. "She tell you that she's her own worst critic. She's harder on herself than anyone could ever be."
— Chris Fickett
Freshman guard has chance to step up once again
By Chris Ficket
By Chris Fickell sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The 1,500 fans at Allen Fieldhouse last Wednesday night did not see anything new from Kristen Mav.
May, a 5-foot-8 inch freshman from Kansas City, Kan., played 19 minutes in the Jahawkens' 71-60 Senior Night victory against Texas A&M. Although she had only averaged three minutes a game in 12 appearances this season, May stepped in last Wednesday and made two assists and three steals against the Aggies.
"I'm sure I surprised some people, but the people who know me weren't — they were proud of me," she said. "But this is the way I play."
And because she plays for Kansas, defense is the key to her style.
Soon after she was inserted into the Jayhawk lineup replacing unofficial intensity leader Jennifer Jackson, May pressured Texas A&M's Brandy Jones, poked the ball
between Jones' legs, collected the loose ball and made a beeline for the basket.
"That's a big part of my game — defense and stealing the ball," she said. "I've been doing it in practice, but I haven't had a chance to do it in a game."
Coach Marian Washington was the one who gave May that chance. Washington's philosophy about playing time starts with practice.
"I watch them," she said. "I watch them very closely. I tell them: 'If you want to play you have to convince me in practice.' And I've really been pleased with her effort in practice."
Another factor leading to Washington's decision stemmed from the health of guards Jackson and Solena Scott. Jackson, a junior, underwent ankle surgery earlier this season and Scott, a sophomore, was still allied after hitting the floor during the Hawks previous game, an 88-69 defeat at Oklahoma on Feb. 26.
So Washington gave May, who turned 18 on Feb. 23, the majority of playing time at the backup point guard position.
But it was a good thing May did not know about her coach's decision until she was sitting on the bench during the game.
"Actually I'm glad that she didn't because it's such a big night." May said. "I really think that when I focus that nothing can take me out of my game. I think putting me on the spot really helped me to focus and be ready."
And although she did not contribute big in terms of points — she scored two of her season total of eight — her energy level matched that of the starters and helped Kansas maintain its defensive presence.
"That just helps," she said. "It keeps us really strong in terms of pressure early. For Kristen and Selena, their job is to extend that defense for us because Jennifer plays so many minutes — plus her ankle, we have to be very careful. But when those two come in, we really want them to step up their defense."
Washington said that aspect of May's game would help the team's depth as it started Big 12 tournament play today against Nebraska.
Despite May's age. Washington's only concern is finding players who can give her starters a rest.
"When I see (May) going after it in practice, I know that I have both Selena and Kristen May in a position where they can give us some more help, and we need that," she said.
May is content with that role. And she does not have a problem handling the load — especially in big situations.
May got into the game against Oklahoma, but she did not back down against the Sooners' starters, including All-Big 12 first-tier member Phylehsa Whaley.
May played tough on defense, making one steal, and took care of the ball on offense, committing zero turnovers.
"She got a little bit of time in Oklahoma, and she hung in there and did a pretty good job." Washington said.
And then there was the Senior Night surprise.
"I just felt like I went out there and did what I needed to do," May said. "I think that's the most important thing. The seniors wanted to have a great game, and they called on me to
After slipping on the fieldhouse floor trying to defend the Aggies' Tina Jones, May sprung up and was able to tip Jones' pass. Kansas senior Lynn Pride collected the loose ball and tossed it to May, who pushed it into the open court. May led a three-on-one break and dished to junior Brooke Reves, who made a layup.
The play instigated a standing ovation from the fieldhouse crowd.
"My main thought would have to be 'showtime'," she said. "I love fast breaks."
But in another play that night, May went a step beyond just filling in. She went back to her days at Lincoln College Prep in Kansas City, Mo., where she led the team in assists in each of her four years.
And although Municipal Auditorium, site of the Big 12 Conference tournament, is not home to Magic Johnson and the Lakers' fastbreak offense, May might have an opportunity to steal the spotlight this week.
step up. So I felt it was my responsibility to go in there and made sure they went out with a win."