Monday, November 22, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Jayhawks wins tough physical game in debut
By Melinda Weaver
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
HOUSTON — It was not spectacular, but it was still a victory.
Fifty-eight total fouls kept the Kansas women's basketball season from establishing a consistent flow in a 70-56 win against Houston at Hofheinz Pavilion Saturday night.
"It was a very Kansas coach Mari an n Washington said. "It was very difficult to get into a rhythm. I guess you can learn from the wins as well as losses. We finally pulled this one out."
physical game."
Kansas started slow, and Houston was able to keep the score within two points for most of the first half.
Johnson: Recorded third career double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds
"They are a very up-tempo team and played very aggressive defense," said senior shooting guard Suzi Raymant. "They like to run the ball a lot, but I think we did a good job of stopping them. I don't think they scored any points on us off the fast break, which saves a lot for our defense."
With 5:01 left in the first half, Kansas captured a five-point lead, and began to stretch its it, led by Raymant, who scored 14 of her game-high 16 points in the first half.
At haftime, the Jayhawks were ahead by 12 points, 39-27.
Though Kansas spent most of the second half in foul trouble, allowing Houston to score 20 of its 56 points from the free throw line, Houston was never able to pull closer than nine points.
With 13:23 left in the second half, both of Kansas' top scorers, Raymant and senior forward Lynn Pride, had to
women's BASKETBALL
leave the game with four fouls. Junior forward Jaclyn Johnson followed with 10:51 left
Pride fouled out with 4:43 left, and Johnson fouled out three minutes later, but other players stepped up.
Johnson and junior forward Brooke Reves each recorded their third career double-double performances. Johnson scored 10 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Reves scored 13 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.
The defense held Houston to 29 percent shooting, and the Jayhawks outbounded the Cougars 59-34.
"We did a great job off the boards, which means we're being very aggressive." Washington said. "I'm very pleased with that, especially against a team that one of their biggest strengths has been rebounding."
In their regular season debut of the triple-post offense, the Jayhawks scored 70 points but only shot 39 percent and committed 25 turnovers.
"We did well when we actually ran our offense," Raymant said. "Otherwise, we were just helper-skelter and made a lot of mistakes. We need to stop shooting the first shot and take more time on our offense. We need to be confident with our offense and use it more."
From Houston, the Jayhawks will embark on a week-long journey to Alaska to play in the Great Alaska Shootout. Washington said that there were a few improvements to make, but that she was pleased with her team's effort.
"We just need to continue to work on trying to stay in our offense." Washington said. "We have to try to stay disciplined. Houston took us out of our game and put us into theirs. We have to work on consistently staying in our game."
- Edited by Beckv Stauffer
Even after loss Hawks hoping for tournament
By Chris Wristen sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
After a devastating five-game loss to in-state rival No. 18 Kansas State last night at Horejsi Family Athletics Center, the Kansas volleyball team now finds itself on the outside looking in.
The Jayhawks entered last night needing to win their last three matches of the season to most likely earn an NCAA tournament berth, something that Kansas has never done before. With the loss, its chances look bleak but not out of the picture.
"It doesn't help us," senior middle blocker Amanda Revessaid said. "A win is a win, a loss is a loss. A bubble chance is how they call it. It's someone else's decision now."
The loss overshadowed an all-around team effort, but in the end it was not enough.
While the door may be closing, it's not shut just yet. The Jayhawks have two games remaining in the regular season. They play at Iowa State, 2-22 overall, on Wednesday and return home to battle No. 21 Colorado on Saturday. If Kansas is able to regroup and win its last two games, then its solid performance against Kansas State may be enough to gain a tournament berth. This is the mindset Kansas will have to maintain.
"We're all right, and the season's not over," senior outside hitter Mary Beth Albrecht said. "Realistically speaking, if we win our next two matches, then we still have a chance, and that's all I'm focused on."
The Jayhawks currently stand 17-12 overall, 8-10 in the Big 12 Conference. Coach Ray Bechard said that if the team finishes even in the conference,
then it should still have a chance. Regardless, the loss still stings, and he said it's one Kansas let slip away.
"It hurts a lot," Bechard said. "I told the team before we started that if we get to 10-10 in the conference and 19-12 overall then you've got a chance, but there's a highly ranked team that we just let off the hook."
Albrecht said the team is playing its
Senior Amanda Reves attempts to punch the ball past a K-State blacker. The women's volleyball team loss, greatly reducing the chance of a Kansas tournament berth. Photo by Aaron Linderbak/KANSAN
best volleyball of the season right now. That wasn't enough to beat the Wildcats, but Bechard said if Kansas wins its last two games, then it should turn some heads and improve its chances in the process.
"We've got to win at Iowa State and here against Colorado, but it's not out of the question," Bechard said. "If we do, then) I think we'd give them something to think about."
Freshman forward Drew Gooden takes a shot over a Fairfield defender. The freshmen Jayhawks scored 29 of KU's 97 points Friday night. Photo by Roger Nomer/KANSAN
Freshmen see court time in 97-71 Kansas victory
By Shawn Hutchinson
By Shawn Hutchinson sports@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
Drew Gooden was the one who finally broke the silence.
Gooden, a 6-foot-9 forward, went on record as the first of Kansas' vaunted freshmen class to speak to the media. Coach Roy Williams prohibited Gooden and the other Kansas freshmen from interviews until after the first regular-season game.
Following No. 11 Kansas' 97-71 season-opening victory against Fairfield Friday night in Allen Fieldhouse, Gooden summed up the experience.
"It was what I expected," he said.
The young Jayhawks' play hovered close to expectants all night long.
Gooden had 11 points, Nick Collison had 10, and Kirk Hinrich, playing most of the second half for sophomore guard Jeff Boschee, who left the game with a sprained right ankle, had eight points and five assists. The freshmen shot a combined 13-for-25 from the field and played 64 minutes.
"They're good," Fairfield coach Tim O'Toole said. "When you look at it, and you're trying to play Kansas, you're going to hope, if anything, that the freshmen are going to take shots, because those are the guys that hopefully miss."
Gooden dumbfounded the Stags by displaying a variety of moves in the post. He showed off a right-handed jump hook shot,
Unfortunately for Fairfield, the Kansas freshmen didn't miss enough.
showcased his passing skills with an under- handed assist to Nick Bradford, and slammed a dunk over Fairfield's Jeremy Loan.
"It's a new atmosphere coming out here and being a freshman and playing in this intensity," Gooden said. "It's a big change, and I'm trying to have a good time and trying to adapt."
Collison has adapted so well that he received the news right before the game that he was going to start.
"It really wasn't a big deal," he said. "We're so deep that just because you're out there at the beginning of the game doesn't mean you're going to play more."
Collison snagged a team-high nine rebounds, and with the exception of a first- half air ball at the free-throw line, he said he played well.
"I've never done that in my entire life," said Collison, referring to the free-throw that died an inch before the rim. "I wasn't really nervous. I'm just out there playing hard."
Hinrich's play didn't show much nervousness, either. The 6-3 guard led the freshmen with four turnovers but displayed confidence as the team's floor general. Hinrich logged 19 minutes and shot four-for-six from the floor.
"I try to work hard every day," Hinrich said. "I think the upperclassmen respect our ability, but we're still freshmen and every day is a learning experience."
Edited by Katrina Hull
Earl rests knee, misses game
By Matt Tait
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Through the off season, individual workouts, and preseason pickup games, Lester Earl's knees held up.
But when practice began in October, the injuries came back.
"In preseason, Lester's knee did
not swell,
Kansas coach
Roy Williams
said. "But during the pounding of every day college basketball, it has taken a beating. It is going to be up and down with him for a while."
Earl: Said he can jump but is limited running and cutting
Williams opted to hold
earl out of Friday's season-opening victory against Fairfield so he could rest his knee, which had a flare-up of tendinitis a couple of weeks ago.
For now, Earl's future remains uncertain.
"I can go out and jump 37 to 38 inches with my vertical — easy," Earl said. "But as far as the running and cutting, I limited."
Williams said that Earl's injury hasn't affected the team as much as it would have last year because
.the Jayhawks have more depth this year.
Earl, in street clothes Friday night, still participated in the pregame introductions and cheered for his teammates from the bench. And while Earl has not been able to help the 'Hawks on the court much, freshman forward Drew Gooden said that Earl's influence off the court has been great.
"Les is kind of like my mentor on this team." Gooden said. "Sometimes he helps me out with where I need to be or what I need to do on the court."
During Friday's game another Jayhawk was injured. In the second half, point guard Jeff Boschee slightly sprained his right ankle.
Williams said that Boschee could have continued in the game, but he chose to keep the sophomore point guard out of the game for the final 15 minutes. It was not worth the risk of Boschee further injuring his ankle, Williams said. Boschee is expected to be back in practice this week.
Luke Axtell, who broke a bone in his left, non-shooting hand two weeks into practice, played 16 minutes Friday and is closer to 100 percent.
"Luke's anxious to get in game shape," Williams said. "He's not right now, but he's getting some work.".
Edited by Allan Davis