Wednesday, February 23, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 3
Swimmers await conference meet
By Brandon Krisztal sports@kansan.com
Kansan writerwriter
Rested. Nervous. Excited.
Many words can be used to describe the Kansas men's swimming and diving team with the Big 12 Conference championship more than a week away.
When the conference meet begins March 2, the Jayhawks will not have competed for 25 days — since losing at Iowa State Feb. 5. The Jayhawks hope that loss was a transition, or a stopping point to their winless season. Kansas finished the regular season 0-7 overall and 0-4 in conference.
Senior captain Brian Klapper likes his team's outlook for next week's meet in College Station, Texas.
"I think nobody expects us to do anything at all so our attitude is just to go
out there and give it our best because we got nothing to lose," he said. "I guess a term we've been throwing around (to describe our attitude) is reckless abandon."
The Jayhawks know they have their work cut out for them. The conference, as is the case in most Big 12 sports, is loaded with national powers. Texas is not just the best team in the conference, but the Longhorns are the top-ranked team in the country. Texas A&M is 15th, Nebraska is 18th, and Iowa State rounds out the top 25.
Having seen every team in the conference senior captain Andy Kyser is
optimistic about his team's chances next weekend in College Station.
"I know everyone else in the conference have us sold for sixth because everybody has beaten us in conference so far," he said. "We all know we haven't swam as well as we can. I think we have a viable shot to get fourth. Texas, (Texas) A&M, and Nebraska are gonna be tough to beat, but I know we have a shot at Missouri and Iowa State."
Because the Jayhawks swam at Texas A&M in late January, Klapper said that having seen the pool would be an advantage for the team — especially the freshmen.
Because the Jayhawks have not competed for so long, there could be concern that the team may not be in ready to compete. However, Klapper said the time to rest would prove beneficial.
"Taking a couple of weeks off is good.
especially before big meets that we shave and taper for," he said.
Kyser doesn't necessarily agree with Klapper.
Sophomore diver Adam Hanhart doesn't really think that the hiatus from competition will affect the team one way or another.
"Everybody is ready to go." Kyser said. "Sometimes, almost a month might be a little long. It makes you want to compete more, not having to get up every weekend trying to go at it."
"I don't think the layoff from competition has been bad or good," he said. "We're doing the same thing we've been doing in practice going through our dives and just trying to get better. Our attitude has been pretty good laterly. We had good workouts last week. We're just working and getting ready to go."
Four title-bound teams tied at top of Big 12
By Melinda Weaver
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The women's Big 12 Conference teams knew the race for the title would be tough when they left the starting gates in January. But few expected four teams to be neck-and-neck at the finish line with only three regular-season games remaining.
No. 7 Texas Tech, No. 24 Oklahoma.
No. 25 Kansas and No. 13 Iowa State are tied for first with a 10-3 conference record. Texas lurks not far behind with a 9-4 record.
"All of us talked about the parity in the league at the beginning of the season, but I don't think any of us realized how balanced it was going to be," Texas coach Jody Conradt said. "Home-court advantage has been a key. The good teams don't lose at
home, and we have seen that this season."
Texas Tech would win the conference if all teams win their remaining games.
The breakdown is as follows: The four divisional teams' records would be compared in a conference tiebreaker. In the North division, Kansas beat Iowa State twice, placing the Jayhawks a step ahead. In the South, Texas Tech and Oklahoma each won a game in their two matchups, but Tech has a better record against divisional opponents. The conference records of Tech and Kansas would be compared, and Tech defeated Kansas during the regular season. Thus, Tech would win the conference title.
Texas Tech's victory against the Sooners Saturday ended Oklahoma's stance as sole possessor of first place.
"This is the way I have been approaching it with my kids," said Texas Tech coach Marsha Sharp. "I just keep telling them that every game is the most important game this year."
If the Sooners lose to Kansas Saturday, they easily could drop to the fourth spot because they lost to Iowa State during the regular season. The Sooners began the conference season 10-0 but have lost three of their last four, with losses to Iowa State, Texas and Texas Tech.
Kansas could have the toughest schedule down the stretch because it has to play Missouri and Oklahoma
on the road before battling Texas A&M at home.
"Missouri has definitely showed that they are very capable at home, and Oklahoma will obviously be a tough matchup." Kansas coach Marian Washington said. "Even A&M has shown it can be a surprise and put bumps in the road for some teams."
"Thirteen and three is the magic number," Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said. "Whoever goes 3-0 will do it. We all have tough games. Any of us could go from being first to being fifth. This last week is just a small example of what the entire 16-game season has been like."
Iowa State lost both games to Kansas. The Cyclones' defeat of Oklahoma and Texas Tech allow the team to have a legitimate shot at the conference title.
'Hawks don't look past any opponent
Bv Matt Tait
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Up next is 10-15 Nebraska, a game which some might view as a walk, but not according to the Jayhawks.
After two down-to-the wire games against nationally ranked teams, the men's basketball team could use a break — not that it will get it.
"None of them are ever easy," center Eric Chenwith said. "This (against Oklahoma) was a big win for us, but it's going to be tough to win at Nebraska. They have a great crowd, and it's a hostile environment up there. We're going to have to keep our poise."
Just ask that same Oklahoma team that Kansas beat 53-50 on Sunday.
The Sooners traveled to Nebraska for a conference battle Feb. 14, and although they came out on top, the 62-54 win did not come easy.
"You saw on TV that they played Oklahoma really tough at Nebraska," Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich said. "They're a big, strong, physical team, and we're going to have to be ready to play."
Tonight, Kansas can expect much of the same. Two junior frontcourt players have led the Cornhuskers' rebounding attack. Steffon Bradford and Kimani Ffriend had their way with Kansas in
the last game, combining for 35 points and 31 rebounds.
Kansas ranks second in the nation in rebound margin, but the first time these teams met this season – a 97-82 Kansas win on Jan. 15 in Lawrence — the Jayhawks were out-rebounded 52-44 by Nebraska.
Kansas' second unranked opponent of the week, Baylor — who comes to Lawrence on Saturday — is just as dangerous, but for a different reason.
Unlike Nebraska, Baylor's attack is led by their quick, hot-shooting guards. Seniors Tevis Stukes and Jamie Kendrick lead the Bears in scoring and three-point shooting. The seniors will provide a formidable test for the Jayhawks, especially if the game is anything like last season's 66-62 Kansas victory. The 'Hawks led by eight at the half, but they nearly fell victim to a furious second-half run by Baylor.
So then, what is Kansas' mindset going into this stretch?
we just want to keep on winning," Chenowith said. "You never know what can happen. The top teams (in the Big 12) could get knocked off and we may get up there and tie for the lead. But just to keep on winning is our major goal."
Pitching key to early success
Continued from page 1B
“It's hard to keep the momentum up, you can't let down after the first game,” Randall said. “We played our best ball in the 17th inning at Southwest Missouri.”
Junior Pete Smart, coming off his first loss of the season last Saturday against Southwest Missouri, will start on the mound
Kansas trumped the Bears, 12-3 and 7-3. And at San Antonio the previous weekend, Kansas scored nine runs in the first game and 12 in the next.
Kansas Baseball notes
at noon today for the 'Hawks.
Senior Ryan Schmidt will go for
his second win when he pitches
the second game of the double-
header.
Russell Baseball State ■ It's early, but if Kansas maintained its 2.75 ERA all season, it would qualify as the best since the 1976 squad finished the year with a 2.52 ERA.
"They've given us a chance to win every game this year—and we've won six of them," Randall said.
On the Injury Rout. Freshman Ryan Baty practiced
for the first time Monday since separating his shoulder last month. Randall said Baty might see some playing time at second base today, but he didn't want to rush his recovery.
On the flip side, sophomore Jason Appuhn will be out for 4-6 weeks, which is longer than Randall expected. Appuhn had surgery earlier this week to remove a calcium deposit on his rib, but the doctors found that he had actually broken his rib. The outfielder is expected back before the Big 12 season starts, Randall said.
Senior poised to make mark for Kansas
Continued from page 1B
incredible upset at Iowa State.
At other times, however, the Jayhawks have looked miserable. In a game in December against lowly Arkansas State, Pride shot 9 for 21 from the field, and Kansas lost 72-70. Three weeks later at Texas Tech, Pride was held to only eight points, and the Jayhawks were pasted by 20.
Pride is the player on the team that separates Kansas from the rest of the conference. Without
her, the Jayhawks' weaknesses
— such as lack of depth — are easily exposed.
Indeed, Pride knows that her chance for her shining moment in the crimson and blue is slowly slipping away. Without a final, emphatic championship that Pride single-handedly led her team to, Pride only will go down as the latest in a long line of individual basketball talent at Kansas.
She can separate herself from the field with something no other player in the school's history has ever accomplished: a conference championship, then a long march in the NCAA Tournament.
The road to this success begins tonight in Columbia, Mo., and Pride knows that all she needs is just one thing to achieve her moment.
"It's a matter of just staying focused." Pride said.
And it all starts with the eyes.
Rigg is a Greenwood Village, Colo. sophomore in broadcast news.
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