Section:
B
The University Daily Kansan
Today in sports history
Sports
1986 — "The Great One",
Wayne Gretzky, had seven
assists as the Edmonton
Oilers beat the Quebec
Nordiques 8-2.
Inside: The Kansas rowing team won its tournament for the fifth straight year Saturday, beating Kstate, Creighton and Nebraska.
SEE PAGE 3B
Inside: Tiger Woods' streak of consecutive PGA wins was stopped at six as Phil Mickelson won the Buick Invitational.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2000
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Cornhusker defense levels 'Hawks early
By Chris Fickett
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
LINCOLN, Neb. — Red is a tough color to clean. It takes elbow grease and a lot of time to remove.
The No. 23 Kansas women's basketball team had Cornhusher Red smeared across it in the first half of its 75-72 loss to Nebraska yesterday. The 'Huskers defense forced 17 first-half turnovers.
"If you want to point at where we lost the game, it was in the first half with our 17 turnovers. I don't know how many layups we
missed," said Kansas coach Marian Washington. "But the 17 turnovers was the real difference for me. We made our way back at the end of the half, but that was what put them into position."
The loss dropped Kansas to 17-6 overall and 8-3 in the Big 12 Conference, which puts the 'Hawks in a tie for third place with Texas Tech. It also was the first time Nebraska, 12-10 overall and 6-5 in the league, has won the regular season series since 1988.
See WOMEN on page 4B
Charlie Gruber, Arvada Colo., junior, leads the pack in Lincoln Neb. Gruber is happy with the win but knows he can improve his time. Photo by Brad Dreier/KANSAN
Two are champs at Husker invite
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
By Sarah Warren
Kansan sportswriter
LINCOLN, Neb. — Andrea Branson and Charlie Gruber added to their wardrobes this weekend.
Not to say that Lincoln has exceptional shopping, but both juniors returned to Lawrence sporting sweatshirts with identical phrases imprinted across the chest: Husker Invite Champion.
Branson won the women's
pole vault title on Friday night, leaping 12-feet-seven and one-half inches, while Gruber won the men's mile on Saturday.
"Charlie winning up here is a major deal," coach Gary Schwartz said. "And Andrea Branson won pole vault. Winning for Andrea is a great deal."
The two-day invite, held at the Bob DeVaney Sports Complex, showcased top collegiate talent from 54 teams.
See EVENT on page 4B
Jayhawks snap losing skid at K-State
By Shawn Hutchinson
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
MANHATTAN —Road woes? What road woes?
The Jayhawks shook off a month's worth of traveling frustration Saturday afternoon in Bramlage Coliseum, bullwhipping the Kansas State Wildcats. 94-65.
No. 20 Kansas notched its first road win since Jan. 17, extended its winning streak in Manhattan to 17 games, and kept its undefeated record in Bramlage Coliseum alive at 12-0.
"I don't really know what it is," said Kansas guard Jeff Boschee, when asked the secret of the Jayhawks' success in Wildcat country. "We should make this our home court."
The Hawks improved to 18-6 overall and 7-3 in the Big 12 Conference and were unwelcome visitors all afternoon.
"We've struggled lately, but we had a good one today," said Kansas coach Rov Williams.
That was a complete turnaround from the Jayhawks' last four road trips, when they put up little fight in losses at Missouri, Iowa State, Iowa and Oklahoma State.
So good, in fact, that the Jayhawks set Kansas records for most points scored and largest margin of victory in Manhattan.
In a dominant first half, Kansas jumped out to a 19-4 lead and were up 27 points at halftime. The lead eventually ballooned to 35 points in the second half before Kansas settled for a 29-point victory.
"We had an unbelievable first half where they really couldn't do anything," Boschee said. "It was a great team effort and a big confidence booster for this team."
Bosnec nad six three-pointers on his way to a career-high 24 points. Nick Collison grabbed 10 first half rebounds, and Kenny Gregory hit eight-of-nine shots for 17 points.
“It’s a stepping stone to building our confidence back up,” said Kansas forward Drew Gooden, who recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. “All of the losses we had, the other teams wanted it more than we did. We wanted it more this time.”
Sure, this time came against K-State, a team that now has lost 10 straight games and dropped to 8-14 overall and 1-10 in the Big 12.
And sure there were problems. Williams wasn't pleased with how his team performed in the second half and cited numerous lapses in concentration.
But at this point, the Jayhawks will take any kind of road win they can get.
X-rays on Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich's injured finger came back negative, although he will be examined more today. Hinrich injured a finger on his right hand in the second half.
Kansas used its third different starting lineup of the season. Hinrich started at point guard, Boschee at two-guard, Gregory at small forward, Collison at power forward and Gooden at center.
Kansas notes
Marlon London tosses up the reverse under the defense of Tony Kitt. London missed the shot off the glass, and Nick Collison pulled down the rebound in Saturday's win against K-State. Photo by Jay Sheperd/KANSAN
Strong pitching, timely hitting spark 'Hawks in win
Jayhawks sweep series opener, enjoy best start since '87
By Amanda Kashuba sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The 'Hawks blanked the Roadrunners 5-0 in the first game on Saturday. Kansas won both games in the doubleheader yesterday, 9-5 and 12-3.
For the first time since 1987, the Kansas baseball team is off to a 3-0 start, after sweeping the University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners last weekend.
Kansas dominated in both pitching and hitting — junior Pete Smart threw his first complete game on Saturday, and senior Rusty Philbrick and sophomore Jeff Davis gave up only 8 combined runs yesterday. Junior Doure Dreher went 7 for 12 for the weekend with 5 RBI, and senior designated hit Shane Wedd his first home run of the season.
Last season, the Jayhawks needed 12 games to get three wins — proving coach Bobby Randall's point that Kansas has improved in the off season.
"UTSA gave us a lot, but I thought we improved as the weekend went along," said Randall, who is now just four wins shy of 100 wins at Kansas. "We're not hitting on all cylinders by any means — we're hitting on three of eight cylinders."
On Saturday, the Jayhawks, led by southpaw Smart, shut out the Roadrunners. Smart pitched a complete game, giving up only three hits and stuck out five batters.
Randall said the team had been working on pitching throughout the preseason — and it finally had
The victory marked only the third time Smart has started a game for the Jayhawks. Earlier in the season, Smart's role on the team was uncertain, but now Smart will be one of the driving forces on the mound.
paid off.
"In my 19 years of college coaching, not as a head coach and as an assistant, that's the first time I've had a pitcher throw a complete game for the win on opening day," he said.
"Whatever role I end up in, I'll go out there and pitch every innning," he said. "Pitchers are the center of attention — we control the game. If the hitters give us one run, it gives us the chance to win."
Kansas' offense also came through on Saturday — Wedd and junior Brandon Smith both homered. Dreher went 3 for 4, and junior John Nelson stole a career-high three bases.
The Jayhawks didn't slow down yesterday either. They outscored the Roadrunners by 13 runs, led again by Dreher's hot bat.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Philbrick pitched four innings, allowing six hits and two runs. He struck out four in 17 at-bats.
"We had about 10 good at bats which got our runs in, and we had nine good innings of pitching and defense to give us the win," Randall said.
Junior Dan Olson replaced Philbrick, coming into the game with the 'Hawks down 2-1. He retired the first three batters, but gave up two runs in the sixth, as the Roadrunners took a 4-2 lead.
The Jayhawks roared back, scoring three runs in the seventh inning and five in the ninth, securing a 9-5 victory. Dreher went three for five in the game and also stole a base.
Olson said he had been working
"I'm working to becoming a starter, I feel comfortable at the beginning of the game," said Olson, who earned the win. "But I'll pitch anywhere I can."
Randall said he was pleased with his team's effort.
In the second game, Davis went 6.2 innings in his first career start for the Jayhawks, giving up only nine hits and three runs in the effort. Dreher went 1 for 3, with a double in third inning. Junior Sam Gish relieved Davis, and the Jayhawks sailed to a 12-3 victory.
on his motion in hopes of making the starting rotation.
"It was good to win two," he said, referring to yesterday's doubleheader. "Jeff pitched well today."
The Jayhawks are off today, but will be back in action tomorrow when they take on Rockhurst College at 3 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark.