Monday, November 1, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 3
Recruit still weighing options
Bryant is getting tired of decision process; will sign in November
By Matt Tait
By Matt Tait
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
A recruiting visit in which both 6-foot-8 guard DeShawn Stevenson and 6-9 forward Travon Bryant came to Lawrence for Late Night with Roy Williams may have established some future Jayhawk chemistry.
Stevenson, who verbally committed to Kansas last week, said that he and Bryant got along well during their visit. He also said that he realized if both he and Bryant came to Kansas it would benefit the team
we got along pretty well," Stevenson said. "I played against him in one tournament, and I hadn't seen him since then, but it was a lot of fun."
With Stevenson's recruiting pretty much wrapped up, Kansas' focus now will switch entirely to Bryant, who said he was still deciding among four schools – Kansas, Missouri, California and Kentucky.
Bryant's advice has come from a variety of places. He has talked to his coach, Ronald Massey at Jordan High School in Long Beach, Calif., he has talked to his
men's BASKETBALL
family and he has talked to people involved with each university. But the one thing he has tried to maintain is his focus - his focus on making the best decision for him.
"I know a lot of people a lot of places," Bryant said. "But they don't recruit me to come to a school. They let the coaches do that. Mostly they just tell me to make the best decision for me and give me any advice I need."
Despite the apparent hospitable intentions of each school and all of the people involved, Bryant said that the process is getting old and tiresome.
"Sometimes you give certain coaches a time to call, and they call when they want at like 11 o'clock at night," he said. "And the phone's ringing constantly. It's getting a little old."
But still, Bryant maintains that it is all worth it because he is trying to make the best decision for himself.
After visiting Kansas for Late Night, Bryant went to California last weekend and said that he enjoyed it and that it was a good school. He said he still planned to visit Missouri and coach Quin Snyder this weekend and then perhaps Kentucky in November.
Kentucky also is recruiting power forward Darius Rice and center Rolando Howell. Bryant said that if Kentucky were to sign another player that he would call and cancel his visit. He said that it was not because of threatened playing time, however.
"You're going to have to compete wherever you go," Bryant said. "I look at it as being helpful. If I go to Kansas and compete against the power forwards they have there like Drew Gooden, Nick Collison, Luke Axtell and Eric Chenowith, it can only make me a better player."
Bryant also said that Stevenson's commitment, although noticed, would not have any bearing on his decision.
Much the same, Stevenson said that he would not have much of a role in convincing Bryant to come to Kansas if in fact he does.
"I haven't talked to him since I've been home," Stevenson said. "If he comes to Kansas, I think it'd be great. It'd be better for the team if he comes."
But for now, Kansas will have to wait and see. Bryant is expected to announce a decision in time to sign in the early November signing period, which begins Nov. 10. That is the same time that Stevenson is expected to make his commitment official by signing a letter of intent.
Edited by Jennifer Roush
Errors doom Jayhawks in 3-0 loss to Longhorns
By Shawn Hutchinson
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportwriter
The road woes continue.
The Kansas volleyball team dropped its third straight road match on Saturday night, getting shutout by the No. 9 Texas Longhorns 3-0 in Austin, Texas.
The Jayhawks dropped to 15-8 overall and 6-6 in the Rig 12 Conference.
"It was a disappointing loss," Kansas coach Ray Bechard said. "We had more kills and digs than Texas, but we had 35 errors to their 17."
Those mistakes played a big part in the first game, when nine Kansas errors helped spark a 15-
8 Texas victory. The score was tied at 3-3 when Texas went on a 6-2 spurt thanks to five Kansas hitting errors.
The Jayhawks dropped the next two games, 15-5 and 15-13.
"We played OK, but we had a lot of hitting errors," Kansas middle blocker Anne Kreimer said. "We can't make mistakes like that and expect to win the match."
the loss was Kansas' second this season against Texas. In a 3-1 defeat against the Longhorns on Sept. 22 in Lawrence, the Jayhawks had trouble containing Texas middle blocker Erin Aldrich and outside hitter Kathy Tilson, who combined for 34 kills.
On Saturday, the duo exploded again. Aldrich had 11 kills and a match-high .385 hitting percentage, while Tilson added 11 kills and four digs.
Kansas finished the match with a .099 hitting percentage, while Texas hit 214.
"They are obviously a good team." Bechard said. "But we did not always take advantage of our scoring opportunities."
The Jayhawks dropped to 0-11 all-time against the Longhorns. Middle blocker Amanda Reves led Kansas with 17 kills, giving her 1,137 for her career. Reves is now only 10 kills shy of overtaking former Jayhawk Judy Desch for the all-time Kansas kills record.
Outside hitter Mary Beth Albrecht added 11 kills, and led Kansas with 14 digs. Outside hitter Amy Myatt had 10 kills, and setter Molly LaMere had 37 assists.
The Jayhawks next will be in action at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night, when they take on No. 13 Nebraska at the Horesiw Family Athletics Center. The Jayhawks lost the first meeting between the two schools 3-0 on Sept. 29 in Lincoln, Neb.
The Cornhuskers will come to Lawrence fresh off a 0-1 win against No. 16 Kansas State on Saturday night in Manhattan, Kan.
- Edited by Brad Hallier
Nebraska receiver Bobby Combe tries to escape the grasp of Kansas linebacker Marcus Rogers, Newcombe and quarterback Eric Crouch connected on devastating plays against the Jayhawks including the go-ahead 49-yard touchdown pass. Photo by Matt J. Daugherty/KANSAN
Newcombe saves Nebraska from upset
By Michael Rigg
support@kugge.com
By Michael Rigg
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
For more than two quarters of football on Saturday night, the Kansas Jayhawks dominated No. 8 Nebraska.
Cornhusker wingback Bobby Newcombe, however, dominated the rest.
"He had an outstanding individual performance this evening." Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "It was a big, big game for him."
The Jayhawks were primed for an upset, leading the Cornhuskers 9-3 in the second half before Newcombe took control. After the Nebraska defense forced the Jayhawks to punt, Newcombe took off from his own 14-yard line, and 86 yards later Nebraska lead 10-9. The game's moment had shifted
"The punt returns Nebraska made in the second half certainly made the difference," Kansas coach Terry Allen said.
Late in the fourth, the Jayhawks tied the game at 17-17 and nearly had the
Cornhuskers stalled near midfield. After Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch converted a key fourth-and-one, he connected with a wide-open Newcombe for the game-winning 49-vard touchdown.
"We were in a zone, and they just happened to call the right play that could hurt that zone," Nesmith said. "It wasn't busted coverage or anything like that, they just called the right play for the defense we were in, and unfortunately he caught the ball, and they scored."
Jayhawk defensive back Carl Nesmith said that Newcombe's game winner was a matter of superior execution by Nebraska.
"That was the first time we ran that play, and it worked because their linebackers were playing me pretty tight, forcing me to the outside," Newcombe said. "I faked to the outside, but went back inside, and there was the ball."
Newcombe agreed with Nesmith's description.
Kansas running back Mitch Bowles said Newcombe made all the difference.
The fact Newcombe would be able to make this sort of magic seemed impossible a month ago. Following the Cornhuskers' 45-0 win against California on Sept. 11, Newcombe was benched as Nebraska's starting quarterback, shifted to backup winghead
Nebraska's two biggest plays and, in all likelihood, the Cornhuskers would have been upset on Saturday if not for Newcombe.
At the game's end, Newcombe had made
"We had to stop that Newcombe kid," Bowles said. "He got us a little bit and made two fantastic plays and that's what put them in the hunt and ultimately won them the game. He did it."
Newcombe hid in obscurity for the Cornushers' next five games, as he struggled with the position change and grew accustomed to not being the center of the Nebraska football world.
But that all changed on Saturday. For one game at least, Newcombe was back.
—Edited by Katrina Hull
Continued from page 1B
Jayhawks not satisfied with just playing well
All last week, Allen tried to get his players to buy into the belief that the Jayhawks could beat Nehraska.
"We believed until the final seconds ticked off the clock," wide receiver Michael Chandler said.
And why not? Kansas contained Nebraska in the first half, holding the 'Huskers to 69 yards of offense and taking a 9-10 lead. Kansas' run defense dominated
Nebraska on national television, holding the third-best rushing team in the NCAA to 34 vards.
But the
J a y a w k s
knew the
' H u s k e r s
would come
out in the second half ready
buoyed by a refusal to let Nebraska intimidate them.
Nebraska scored on its first possession of the fourth quarter, taking a 17-9 lead, but Kansas came back when quarterback Dylan Smith connected with Michael Chandler for a 77-yard touchdown. It was the longest play of the season for the 'Hawks.
"We knew we could win this game from the first possession of the game. Now, I don't know how this happened."
"It felt like it was our game to win. It didn't matter what they did," Rayford said.
The subsequent two-point con-
Chaz Murphy Kansas linebacker
to establish themselves.
"Good teams are going to come out and make things go their way. That's what good teams do," defensive end Dion'Rayford said.
Nebraska did just that.
The difference was that earlier in the year, Kansas might have given up right then. Such a momentum-changing play would have broken the Jayhawks spirit, but this was a different team,
An 86-yard punt return by Bobby Newcombe tied the game with two minutes left in the third quarter, and the extra point gave Nebraska its first lead of the game.
Nebraska
Quarterback Eric Crouch connected with wide receiver Matt Davison for 63 yards on the first play of the second half. But a Nebraska fumble two plays later gave Kansas the ball back, which kept the Jayhawks from wilting under the Nebraska pressure.
version tied
the game at 17,
and for the
next eight minutes,
it looked
as if the game
might go into
overtime. But,
as many good
teams do.
Nebrask a
found a way to
win.
Newcombe
poured the Jayhawks secondary on a 49-yard touchdown pass that made it 24-17 with three minutes left in the game. Kansas couldn't move the ball on two more possessions, and just like that, the game ended.
"I's depressing. We just let it slip away form us," linebacker Chaz Murphy said.
"We knew we could win this game from the first possession of the game. Now, I don't know how this happened."
It may have been Kansas' best game of the season, but Allen doesn't look at it that way. It was just another loss. He wants his team to expect to win those games from now on.
"The players have shown an awful lot of pride," Allen said. "From a coaching standpoint, that's something you can be proud of."
- Edited by Brad Hallier
We understand the complexity of a woman...
Ladies, if you have a flexible schedule,you could receive compensation of $440-$1,040 participating in a clinical research study!
To qualify, you must be:
Some studies require a few short follow-up visits
A healthy 18-50 year old
Taking no or few medications
No more than 20 lbs. overweight
Available for one 4 night/5 day stay OR two separate
2 night/3 day stays
A healthy 18-50 year old non-smoking female
Taking no or few medications
Enrollment is limited!
Enrollment is limit.
Call today!
(913)894-5533
(800)292-5533
Together we can make a difference!
Intimacy Workshop for Committed Couples with Dr. Dennis Dailey
Committed relationships require nurturing. This workshop will focus on central issues in the maturation of committed relationships. Topics will include emotional intimacy, sexual bonding, negotiation of differences and tolerance of sameness. Regardless of sexual orientation, this workshop will offer many things for you.
Two Part Workshop:
Two Part Workshop:
Friday, Nov. 12, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov 13, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
at ECM Center
Cost per couple:$35 students & $45 non-students (Limited to 20 couples)
This workshop is for non-credit
For registration contact ECM office at 843-4933 Co-sponsored by ECM, Canterbury House, Lutheran Campus Ministry, United Methodist Campus Ministry, and Hillel Foundation.
CONGRATULATIONS to the 1999 Outstanding Educators
Chuck Berg, theater and film Robert Carlson, chemistry
Beverly Mack, African and African-American studies Judith Richards, Spanish and Portuguese Jan Roskam, aerospace engineering
From the 1999 Mortar Board Senior Honor Society