Section:
B
The University Daily Kansan
Sports
Today in sports history
1985 — Indiana coach Bob Knight is ejected five minutes into the Hoosiers' 72-63 loss to Purdue when he throws a chair across the court.
Inside: Former Wichita State pitcher Ben Christensen is trying to put the past behind him at spring training with the Cubs.
SEE PAGE 5B
Inside: Mary McSorley of the Boston Bruins was suspended yesterday after knocking an opponent unconscious with his stick.
SEE PAGE 2B
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Must-win scenario for Jayhawks tonight
By Shawn Hutchinson sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
Don't talk to the Jayhawks about urgency.
DON'T LOOK AT THE STYLE you want. The Kansas basketball team knows all too well that the season is winding to a close. That makes each game more important than the last.
Start with No. 23 Kansas' game tonight at Nebraska. With a win, the Jayhawks (19-7 overall, 8-4 in the Big 12) can tie Missouri for fourth place in the Big 12 Conference standings. That could loom large once the Big 12 tournament rolls around next month, where the top four finishers get first-round byes.
"There's a sense of urgency at this time," forward Nick Bradford said. "When we start playing hard, good things will happen. We can still do a lot of things."
Beating Nebraska would give the Jayhawks a start on accomplishing those things. The Jayhawks have already beaten the Cornhuskers once this season — a 97-82 victory in Lawrence on Jan. 13. In that game, Kansas forward Luke Axell scored a season-high 15 points in just 13 minutes.
The Jayhawks won't have the luxury of Axtell's services tonight, however. Axtell left the team earlier this month for an indefinite period of time because of a medical condition.
"Obviously we would like to have Luke," said Bradford, who dished out a career-high 10 assists against Nebraska in January. "But we're going to be tough with him or without him."
Tough is what the Jayhawks will have to be inside against Nebraska's front court. Nebraska center Kimani Ffriend, who leads the Big 12 in blocked shots, scored 23 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked six shots last time he faced Kansas. Forward Steffon Bradford posted 12 points and 17 rebounds.
"If they do that again, we're in trouble," said Kansas coach Roy Williams. "We've got to do a better job and put a little more attention on them. Their front line and the stats they throw up there are pretty impressive."
Those stats haven't been able to save Nebraska in very many games this season, though. The Cornhuskers are 10-15 overall, and their 3-9 record in the Big 12 puts them into a tie for eighth place in the standings with Baylor and Texas A&M.
But the Cornhuskers do play better at home. They are 9-5 in the Devaney Center, which includes narrow losses to Iowa State, Missouri and Oklahoma.
"We're playing at home, where we have played better, and we're expecting a big crowd," said Nebraska coach Danny Nee. "Kansas is really a quality team. It's real clear when you play Kansas, you have to protect the ball."
Kansas notes
Kansas notes
Williams said the talk about Eric Chenowith's struggles being related to Matt Doherty's departure from the basketball team should be dismissed. Doherty, a former assistant coach for the Jayhawks, left Kansas in the off season to take the coaching job at Notre Dame.
Chenowith's numbers have since fallen from 13.5 points per game last season to 9.1 ppg this season.
"Matt Doherty never spent one day working with our big guys in seven years," Williams said. "He worked with our perimeter players."
So, who does work with Kansas' post players? "Me." Williams said.
TONIGHT'S GAME
When,Where: 8:00 a.m. off the Dovey Center in Lincoln, Neb.
Probable Starts
| | Ht. | Yr. | PPG | RPG |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| F Nick Collison | 6.9 | Fr. | 10.2 | 6.9 |
| F O Drew Gooden | 6.9 | Fr. | 10.8 | 7.6 |
| G 20 Kenny Gregory | 6.5 | Jr. | 13.4 | 4.7 |
| G 13 Jeff Boschee | 6.1 | So. | 10.2 | 1.5 |
| G 10 Kirk Hinrich | 6.3 | Fr. | 4.5 | 2.2 |
**Notebook (10-15, 3-9)**
| | HL | Yr. | PPG | RPG |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| F 1 Larry Florence | 6.5 | Sr. | 12.7 | 5.5 |
| F 15 Steffen Bradford | 6.6 | Jr. | 11.9 | 8.3 |
| C 31 Kimani Friend | 6.11 | Jr. | 11.7 | 8.3 |
| G 3 Cary Cochran | 6.1 | So. | 7.5 | 2.3 |
| G 0 Danny Walker | 6.1 | Jr. | 10.2 | 2.2 |
Nick Bradford dribbles past an Oklahoma defender during Saturday's game. He said the players feel as sense of urgency to win. Kansan file photo
Jayhawk momentum vital to take doubleheader
By Amanda Kaschube
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Corpus Christi, 6-3, is a team the 'Hawks have never played before.
Keeping focus for nine innings during a baseball game can be intense — but imagine fixating on a game for 18 innings.
Kansas, 6-1, will need all its concentration this afternoon when it plays a third doubleheader away from home in two weeks. Today's opponent — Texas A&M
"I like our chances," Coach Bobby Randall said. "They are a new program, but it gives us a chance to work on some things. The toughest thing to do is to sweep a doubleheader — and we've done that twice. We just need to come out and play hard."
The Jayhawks, off to their best start since 1987, have swept the last two doubleheaders against UT-San Antonio and Southwest
Missouri State.
Randall said he liked competing in two games during one day, but some players disagreed.
Doubleheaders are harder because you have to stay focused for a long time," senior Shane Wedd said. "We're young enough that we can keep going after one game. And we get to go south to the warm weather. That's good."
the first game, said sophomore Ryan Klocksien.
The key to pulling off a sweep is winning
"The first game is big because it gives you all your momentum," he said. "You can't pace your play to win the first game, you have to save some for the next."
The 'Hawks have raked up some of their highest run totals in doubleheaders Against Southwest Missouri last weekend,
See PITCHING on page 3B
Women to rely on defense again
Lynn Pride watches for a rebound opportunity against Colorado as Jaclyn Johnson looks for a shot. Kansan file photo
By Chris Fickett
By Chris Fickett
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Jayhawks might turn tonight's contest into a head game.
So when the 'Hawks, 19-6 overall and 10-3 in the Big 12 Conference, face Missouri at 7 p.m. at the Hearnes Center, senior forward Lynn Pride will transform her head into a VCR.
"It's more of the same," she said.
"You have to show composure. You have to throw them out of what they want to do with our defense. And our defense is just tough right now — for anybody. I think its been helping us get a lot of easy shots."
With two of its remaining three games on the road, the No. 25 Kansas women's basketball team's goal is to maintain the mental intensity that helped it stay close in a 75-72 loss at Nebraska and pull off a 79-17 upset against No. 13 Iowa State last week.
— like Iowa State and Texas in which our defense won the game, Pride said. "Right now we're trying to stay in the hunt, we can't afford to slip right now. I feel like everyone's bought into our defensive effort and it's good that everyone's on the same page."
For junior forward Jaclyn Johnson, the key to tonight's game is nothing new.
"We just have to think back on the games we turned it up on defense and remember how it felt
In the teams' first meeting in Lawrence, the Jayhawks got a lot of easy shots from its defense, which forced 26 Mizzuo turnovers in a 90-71 Jayhawk victory. Junior
Home-court advantage aside, the Tigers have the bounce-back factor too. Mizzou is trying to break a two-game losing streak, which included a 101-66 pounding at Iowa State.
But the Jayhawks have been able to use visiting crowd's energy in their favor lately. Their last two road games were played in front of crowds of 8,000 or more.
"Going to Missouri is a concern because they upset Texas Tech," she said of the Red Raiders, who along with Iowa State and Oklahoma are tied with the Jayhawks for first in the league.
Who: No. 25 Kansas women at Missouri
When /Where? 7 tonight at the Hearnes Center in
Cincinnati.
Dolton, 1234, MJ
TONIGHT'S GAME
"They're playing pretty well at home; they're very capable at home. We're really going to have to be rested and focused."
But Missouri is a different team at home, Kansas coach Marian Washington said.
forward Brooke Reves was the beneficiary of many long passes off Missouri mistakes and scored a career-high 28 points.
Probable Starters:
Pos. Player Ht. Yt. HR. PPG RB.
F Lynn Pride 62 2.17 RB. 7.63
F Jacob Johnson 61 1.9 Jr. 10.24
F Brooke Reves 61 2.0 8.24
G Rulant Sram 51.11 Rai. 14.5 8.3
G Jennifer Jackson 51.11 Rai. 14.5 8.3
Kansas (19-6; 10-3 Blg 12)
Missouri (16-8; 6-7 Big 12)
Pos., Player HL, Yr. PPG RPG
F A Fanny Mossey 60 St. 19.4 5.3
F Anandra Lasater 64 Jr. 13.4 5.5
F Marlena Williams 64 Jr. 13.5 5.1
G Natale Bright 58 So. 7.1 3.8
G Julie Halle 511 Shr. 11.7 3.8
One glance into Pride's cold brown stare reveals the intensity her team has shown for the better part of the season in coasting to a tie for first in the Big 12 Conference. It is a look of hunger, desire and competition all rolled into one. It's confidence.
"We're confident we can win the Big 12," Pride told a small gathering of reporters after her Jayhawks steamrolled Kansas State 61-43. "We're still in the hunt."
Team's intensity burns in eyes of senior Pride
Most importantly, it's a look that Kansas' opponents fear more than the abolition of Title IX or a sudden breakout of Ebola Zaire. Because the look in Pride's eyes means death to anyone who stands between her and a Big 12 championship.
Still, Pride and the Jayhawks are seemingly leaps and bounds away from this goal. All season, the Jayhawks haven't been able to sustain a string of victories together long enough to be considered a legitimate threat to compete for the conference crown.
Watch Kansas forward Lynn Pride on the basketball court, and the thing that sticks out isn't her daring cuts to the paint or her defensive intensity. it's her eyes.
Michael Rigg
But — however miraculously— with three games left before the Big 12 tournament, Pride and Kansas are still, seemingly,
Sports Columnist
Two seasons ago, Pride led the Jayhawks to a surprising Big 12 championship and a surprising Sweet 16 appearance. The feeling around Mount Oread was that Kansas would be back.
She is the senior captain, ranks fifth on the all-time scoring list, and, up until now, hasn't had the true opportunity to show that she can be relied on down the stretch.
And if one undeniable fact has settled to the surface this season, it's that if the Jayhawks will pull off this miracle, it will all be on the broad shoulders of Pride.
sports@kansan.com "in the hunt."
The following season, a rash of injuries and unlucky seeding in the NCAA Tournament (the Jayhawks were forced to play eventual national champion Purdue in the second round) killed the team's hopes for a repeat of the season.
This season, both Pride and the Jayhawks have been an enigma. At times, Pride fires on all cylinders, and Kansas can pull off impressive victories, such as the Great Alaska Shootout title and a 78-71 list
See SENIOR on page 3A
Matt James
sports@kansan.com
Both players have a knack for finding trouble. Or maybe creating it.
Rodman isn't only player up to tricks
The similarities are undeniable. Tenacious defense. Rebounding prowess. Enthusiastic hustle. Multiple-game suspensions. What can only be categorized as a "curious" offensive game. Even Lester Earl's wild, one-handed, outlet passes have a Rodman-esque look to them.
We know you're no Dennis Rodman, but you're doing a darn good impression.
Lester, Lester, Lester.
Earl even likes professional wrestling — a "sport" Rodman has delved into on a few occasions. But Earl says he could never be a pro wrestler because he doesn't want to "put 'roids into my body."
Now it seems Earl has taken another chapter out of the Rodman handbook — sticking his foot in his mouth.
"I think he feared me," said Earl of Oklahoma's preseason, all-Big 12 selection Eduardo Najera after Sunday's 53-50 Kansas win. "I could see it in his eyes. He wouldn't look at me. He was always looking away. He feared me."
What? An All-American candidate feared you? Let's look at what really happened.
Earl guarded Najera in the final 3 minutes of the game — 3 minutes in which Earl held Najera scoreless for only two possessions, grabbed one rebound, and then, in what could have only been some kind of experiment with the Allen Fieldhouse maintenance crew, tested the durability of the backboards with a pair of high-velocity free throws.
"I'm still Lester Earl," he said of his performance. "I'm still the Lester Earl who transferred from LSU."
Najera was already nursing bruised ribs after a hard fall during the Feb. 14 Nebraska game. And after another fall in the first half of the Kansas game, Najera got up gingerly and appeared shaken. He was hardly at full strength when Earl, who had rested on the sidelines for all but two minutes of the game, swooped in to save the day.
Even coach Roy Williams, who has backed Earl through thick and thin, winced when he read Earl's comments the next day concerning Naiera.
What Earl forgot to mention was that he only played 5 minutes the entire game, and jumped into the final scene of a play Najera would just as soon forget. The Oklahoma star blew layups, miss-timed rebounds, got into foul trouble and basically looked lost the entire game. He threw up so many airballs that the student section got bored and finally quit chanting about it.
But what may have been the most disturbing feature of Earl's return from a seven-game suspension was the crowd's response to his entrance in the first half. The crowd cheered loudly and many stood to applaud. The small portion of the capacity crowd who did boo had to hold out their boos until the cheers had subsided in order to be heard.
Oh, good. That's a relief.
"I told him that's the dumbest thing he's ever said," Williams said.
A girl in the student section even held up one of all those all too familiar "FREE LESTER" signs. But free him from what? This wasn't an unfair NCAA restriction. This was a team punishment for being arrested.
Like Rodman, it appears that some fans will love Earl no matter what. Or maybe they're just watching to see what he will do next.
A.
James is a Hugoton senior in journalism.