Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Judge denies NCAA's request to delay stopping the use of standardized test scores as a requirement for freshman athletes.
Pro Baseball
SEE PAGE 6B
Chicago Cubs ace Kerry Wood will miss the upcoming season.
Wednesday
March 17, 1999
Section:
B
Page 1
SEE PAGE 5B
College Basketball
The top-ranked Duke Blue Devils will try not to overlook any of the lower ranked opponents remaining in their bracket.
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
SEE PAGE 7B
Contact the Kansan
Sports Desk:
Sports Fax:
Sports e-mail:
(785) 864-4810
(785) 864-0391
sports@kansan.com
Commentary
Women's rise in basketball hurt by greed in tournament
For women's college basketball it's two steps forward and one step back.
The timing of the statement seems a bit strange at first. After all, the women's college game has made significant strides in recent years and is inarguably more popular than ever.
Some suggested that no women's team ever would average more than 10,000 fans. But that's now a slow night for Pat Summit's Volunteers of Tennessee. Many doubted the women's Final Four ever would sell out, but hysterical laughter is all you would receive if you called San Jose for tickets to this year's event.
The budding success may be as apparent in our own Big 12 Conference as anywhere. Proof positive: The Texas Tech Lady Raiders tangled with the Nebraska Cornhuskers in front 10.221 fans in Lin-
colon on February 21.
The men's game featuring the same two schools drew a meager 7,815.
So what's the problem? How is the game being stifled when it appears to be so apparently on the rise? The answer is simple: greed.
Since the inception of the 32-team Women's NCAA Tournament in 1982 and 64-team format in 1994.
Matt James
sports @ kansan.com
the top four teams in each region of the bracket have been allowed to play host to the first two rounds of the tournament. The idea was to bolster ticket sales since a hometown crowd for the higher seeded team would undoubtedly draw more fans than a neutral site.
At one time this may have been necessary, but the popularity of the women's game has progressed beyond the need for such gimmicks, and the future popularity of the women's game is being jeopardized for profits.
The women's NCAA committee needs to take a long, hard look at what makes the men's tournament so wildly successful, and if for only a moment, CBS is the television station to watch.
Fans love good basketball. They love upsets and underdogs, nail-biting finishes and last second heroes. The women's NCAA Tournament has a shortage of all of these.
- This year the nation is buzzing about the men's tournament once more. Miami of Ohio's Wally Szczerbiak single-handedly carried his 10th-seeded Redhawks to the Sweet 16, and 12th-seeded Southwest Missouri State, the third best team in the Missouri Valley Conference, clubbed Tennessee by 30 points in the second round, each grabbing national headlines.
The Big 12's own Oklahoma Sooners, the last-large team selected for the field of 64 as a 13th seed, upset Arizona and North Carolina-Charlotte and stood tall after the first weekend of tournament play.
See USING on page 3B
So what was the top story in the women's Big Dance after weekend one? Think hard ... not coming up with anything, huh?
Maybe that's because every single top four seed advanced to the Sweet 16. That's right, every team left is a 1, 2, 3 or 4 seed. In the first round those 16 teams won by an average of 25.5 points per game. Pretty exciting stuff.
Only half of the top 16 seeded teams, which coasted in the women's tournament, escaped the upset bug and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the men's. And of last year's men's Final Four teams, only Kentucky — by the narrowest of margins — remains. Stanford, Utah and North Carolina were each dumped by upstart sleepers.
It is those magical games that make us cheer like madmen (and madwomen) for the Gonzaga and the Princetons of the basketball world, where small schools grab the spotlight and unknown players such as Harold "The Show" Arceneaux of
Tennis player shows no fear
By Melinda Weaver sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
When he rests during the changeover between games, Kansas tennis' No. 2 players player Kenny Powell cranks the volume on his portable compact disc player as No Limit Soldier by Master P blares through the headset.
Master P boasts that he fears no one as he prepares for the war. The song is about respect and preparing to compete at an unbeatable level.
As Powell moves in time with the beat that only he can hear, the song shifts his intense focus toward the match.
When he plays tennis, Powell is a "No Limit Soldier."
"In tennis, it's a game where I have to take it to him, or he'll take it to me," Powell said. "The song makes me confident and strong. It prepares me to just go out and dominate my opponent. It keeps me focused on the mission."
As one of two seniors on the young Kansas team, Powell has had to maintain his focus and assume the leadership role.
The challenge began in the first match of the season against Louisville when No. 9 Luis Uribe missed the game because of chicken pox, placing Powell in his No.1 singles and doubles debut. Powell spent most of his junior season playing No.4 singles and No.3 doubles, but he didn't falter in the No.1 position. He has posted a 6-1 record in both singles and doubles this spring.
"It has been hard for Kenny because he's kind of locked into the No. 2 spot," Coach Mark Riley said. "When you play behind a guy who has spent most of the season ranked No. 9, it's hard to move up. But he's done a great job in the No. 2 spot. He has a much better record at No. 2 than he did at No. 4. I expect him to be a top-of-the线player for us this season."
Fans posted a sign at Alvamar Racquet Club that said, "Kenny Powell: Enter-
"I think he's improved a lot this year as far as leadership and behavior on the court," said Kenny's father, Kenneth Powell II. "He's very excitable and plays with a lot of feeling. He leaves a lot out there on the court."
Powell's emotional performance does not limit his effectiveness. When he has been called upon to clinch the victory point for his team, he has done it.
traiment at Its Best." And Powell has lived up to his reputation.
In three consecutive matches against Minnesota, Wichita State and Ohio State, the team depended on Powell and freshman partner Alex Barragan to produce the decisive victory to capture the doubles point.
"He is playing the best I have seen him play," Uribe said. "He has been working hard, and the results show it. He keeps me energetic and makes me want to play harder. He gives the team a lot of confidence."
Powell's best memory this season was his singles victory against No. 81 Tyson Parry that clinched a victory against No. 24 Minnesota on its home court and an Ice Volley tournament win, the team's first tournament title since April 1996.
"Everyone else was finished, and it came down to my match," Powell said. "I beat a ranked player in front of his home crowd, and after I put the last ball away, the team stormed the courts and dove on top of me to celebrate. It was awesome."
Powell began playing tennis at age 5 when his father built a court in their backyard in St. Louis. His parents Kenneth and Dianne and his older twin sisters Kim and Kelley played as well.
He also played baseball and soccer, but tennis became the focus of his athletic career when baseball sent him to St. Charles, Mo., and tennis offered him national competitions in San Diego.
His "No Limit Soldier" mentality devel-
See GEORGIA TECH on page 3B
Kenny Powell is the No.2 singles player on the Kansas Tennis team. After graduating, Powell hopes to spend a year playing professional tennis before entering dental school. Photo by Eric Sahrmann / KANSAN
Kansas softball team splits home opener
Kansan sportswriter
By Brandon Stinnett
Konson sportswriter
The Jayhawks split a doubleheader with the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks 3-5 and 6-1 in yesterday's Kansas softball home opener.
Coach Tracy Bunge said she was pleased with her team's performance in both games.
"I really don't have anything negative to say about today," Bunge said. "Our hitting was good, and our overall intensity was good. Even though we lost the first game, we played well."
Kansas fell behind early in the first game after Arkansas' Lolly Landgraf drove in two runs with a triple off sophomore pitcher Jessi Kowal.
Kansas freshman Amy Hulse lays down a bunt during the first game of a double header against the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Jayhaws lost the first game 5-3 but defeated the Razorbacks in the second game 6-1. Photo by Corie Waters (KANSAN
Kansas tried to mount a rally in the seventh inning and scored two runs on three hits. The team's rally fell short when Shelly Musser, freshman center fielder, grounded out to end the game.
Kansas cut the lead in half during the fourth inning when Megan Urqhart, third basemen, hit a triple and brought in freshman Leah Tabb from first base. The Lady Razorbacks added two more runs in the fifth and sixth innings and went un 5-1.
Kansas pitcher Sarah Workman struggled with control in the first inning of the second game, surrendering two walks and one hit. The Lady Razorbacks loaded the bases with one out but came away with just one run.
"Jessi had trouble getting behind hitters, and they just took advantage of their opportunities." Bunge said.
Kansas took the lead for good in the bottom of the first inning. The Jayhawks loaded the bases with only one out after Arkansas pitcher Rachael Tally gave up her third walk of the inning.
Christy McPail, shortstop,
smashed a double over the center
fielder's head and gave the Jay-
hawks a 3-1 lead.
The next batter, first baseman
Shannon Stanwix, singled McPhail home and put Kansas on top 4-1. McPhail went 3-for-3 in the game with four RBI.
Kansas will play in the Airtouch Cellular Capital Classic March 18-21 in Tallahassee, Fla., before opening up Big 12 Conference play against Oklahoma State March 27 in Stillwater, Okla.
Edited by Sarah Hale
Robertson named to the Academic All-America team
After attempting to fight off an inevitable end to the season by scoring 31 points in the Jayhawks' overtime loss against Kentucky, senior guard Ryan Robertson can add one more accolade to his name — Academic All-American.
By Erin Thompson
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sports editor
Robertson, who compiled 121 victories and three conference
Robertson, who completed championships during his career at Kansas, was named first team GTE Academic All-American yesterday by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
"I am truly honored to be named Academic All-American," Robertson said. "Individual awards rarely mean much to me, but this is an award that I am extremely proud of."
A St. Charles, Mo., native, Robertson averaged 12.8 points per game this season including his career high of 31 points against the defending national champions on Sunday. He is a business administration major and maintains a 3.65 GPA.
Robertson: Recognized as a GTE Academic All-American
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he was honry for Robertson.
"He is someone who is very deserving of this award, and he's truly been a joy to coach the last four years." Williams said.
I truly been a joy to coach the last years. William said Robertson is the fourth Jayhawk in as many years to be named to the first team Academic All-America. Jacque Vaughn was a first team selection in 1996 and 1997, and Jerod Haease was named to the first team in 1997. Overall, Kansas has placed 13 players on the first team, second only to UCLA with 17.
Also on the first team are Matt Sundblad of Lamar, a senior from Urbandale, Iowa (4.0 in psychology); Valter Karavanic of Bucknell, a junior from Pula, Croatia (3.8 in electrical engineering); Bobby Lazor of Arizona State, a senior from Norwich, N.Y. (3.60 in business marketing); and Michael Ruffin of Tulsa, a senior from Englewood, Colo. (3.77 in chemical engineering). T.J. Pugh, senior forward, was named to the Academy.
T. J. Pugh, senior forward, was named to the Academic All-District VII and was on the national ballot but did not get enough votes to be named Academic All-American.
- Edited by Liz Wristen