Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Thursday
March 11, 1999
Section:
B
Page 1
New York Yankees manager Joe Torre has left the team and will undergo treatment for prostate cancer.
Men's Tennis
Several players from Mexico who have shined in tournament play have found a home at Kansas.
SEE PAGE 2B
SEE PAGE 3B
KANSAS TENNIS
NCAA Tournament
The 'Big Dance' begins today. Harley Ratliff gives his predictions about who will upset the favorites in the tournament.
SEE PAGE 6B
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Senior guard Ryan Robertson plays defense against Kansas State's Ayume May. Robertson's defense will play a key role in Friday's game against Evansville. Photo by Graham K Johnson/KANSAN
Jayhawks face shooting Ace
By Kevin C. Wilson
kwilson@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
Although the Kansas Jayhawks limited Michael Jordan to 12 points on five-of-16 shooting, they haven't been nearly as successful at shutting down other team's high-scoring guards.
Granted, that M.J. was not the Jordan of NBA lore, but rather a senior guard at Pennsylvania who averages 15.3 points per game. So, it actually was a decent defensive performance compared to the numerous times this season that perimeter players have tortured the Jayhawks.
Texas Tech's Rayford Young exploded for an eye-popping 41 points against the Jayhawks. Gonzaga's Matt Santengelo, who was named the West Coast Player of the Year and honorable mention All-American, lit up the Jayhawks for 24 points. Big 10 Freshman of the Year Cary Bradford of Illinois drained six-of-seven three-pointers on his way to 26 points against Kansas. Colorado's Jaquay Walls burned the Jayhawks for 23 and 22 points in their two games, and Oklahoma State's Adrian Peterson torched Kansas for 23 points on Senior Night.
The Jayhawks hope to reverse that trend when they face Evansville's sharp shooting guard Marcus Wilson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night in New Orleans.
"He's a youngster that we've got our hands full trying to guard," Williams said. The 6-foot-3 senior, who is a native of
South Bend, Ind., was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year after averaging 20.3 points per game for the Purple Aces, good for second-best in the conference.
"He is just a great shooter," Williams said. "You can't give him an open look, and if you foul him, it's just like giving him a lay-up."
Wilson led the conference in free throw percentage (89.5 percent), finished sixth in three-point percentage (46.2 percent) and his 80 three-pointers were tops in the league. The senior guard scored 20 or more points in 18 games this season, including three games of 30 or more. And on Feb. 28, Wilson became just the second player in Evansville history to score 2,000 points in his career, and he is one of the nation's top four active career scorers.
Williams said he would not resort to using any gimmick defenses to stop Evansville's prolific scorer unless he had no other choice.
"I don't expect us to play it, but we've had the point one (defense) every year I've been here, and if we felt like that would help us win, we would play it." Williams said. "I just like to line up and play people solid man-to-man."
Williams said that any number of Jayhawks could get the assignment of guarding Wilson, although each player has his drawbacks.
"Jeff is really good on the basketball, but he doesn't have enough size." Williams said. "Ryan gives you that size, yet he's not able to put quite as much
pressure on. Marlon (London) gives you a little bit of both, but is not as intense.
"Right now we don't have the Jacque Vaughn or the Jorod Haase or the Steve Woodberry to really shut somebody down," Williams said. "But we've got guards that, defensively, I'm comfortable with and have confidence in."
Robertson said there are plenty of things he is going to do to try and limit
Wilson's production.
"With a good shooter you've got to get a hand up," Robertson said. "You've got to contest every shot and make sure that he doesn't get any easy shots. It also try to not let him get the ball. It's a lot easier to guard somebody or to stop somebody from scoring if they don't have the ball."
— Edited by Aerica Veazey
Pride ready for tournament, despite lack of NCAA honors
By Matt James
By Matt James
mjames @kansan.com
Yasen seoorduri*
Kansan sportswriter
Looking back on the 1998-99 regular season, Kansas forward Lynn Pride has no regrets.
why should she? Her team finished 22.9, secured its 10th consecutive 20win season and claimed its eighth straight NCAA Tournament bid. Even a disappointing No. 9 in the Midwest Regional, which Coach Marian Washington referred to as ridiculous, can not overshadow a successful season.
Pride could not bring home some individual awards many fans assumed she would rake in when post-season play rolled around. Last week, Texas Tech's Angie Braziel was crowned Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, despite Pride being named the award's preseason selection. Tuesday, Pride was overlooked as an All-American selection, but was named as honorable mention along with Iowa State's Stacey
Frese and Nebraska's Nicole Kubik
She knows exactly what she's talking about. On Jan. 20, the Jayhawks lost at Colorado and fell to 3-3 in the Big 12 and 13-6 overall. Pride averaged more than 22 points per game in those first six conference games, but the team was struggling.
"Those awards don't mean anything to me," Pride said. "If I'm scoring 30 points a game, and we're still losing, it doesn't do any good."
Pride took four fewer shots on average per game throughout the remainder of the Big 12 schedule and subsequently averaged only 17 points per game. She said the team's accomplishments were more important to her than any personal honors.
Other players would have to play larger roles for the team to get back on track.
The Jayhawks won eight of their next nine games, as inside players Jaclyn Johnson and most-notably Nakia Sanford increased their productivity in a more balanced offensive attack.
"I don't regret that decision at all," Washington said of Pride's reduced scoring. "Every team knew they needed to stop her, and they focused on doing that. It opened up opportunities for other players."
Pride's unselfish team-oriented attitude comes as no surprise to her teammates.
If Kansas hopes to advance in the NCAA Tournament, though, it will need Pride to improve on her 3 of 9, seven-point performance against Iowa State in the semi-finals of the Big 12 Tournament.
"She loves being part of the team and lifting everybody up," said guard Brooke Reves. "She's a player that makes others look good."
Pride said she had not given a second thought to postseason awards and was focused on first-round opponent Marquette.
"All that matters is that we advance in the tournament," she said.
Photo by Augustus Anthony Piazza
Edited by Sarah Hale
1999 NCAA FINAL FOUR PREDICTIONS
SAM MELLINGER Kansan Columnist
HARLEY RATLIFF Kansan Columnist
ANN PREMER Kansan Editor
SPENCER DUNCAN Kansan Columnist
ERIN THOMPSON Kansan Sports Editor
MIKE HARRITY Kansan Sportswriter
MARC SHEFORGEN Kansan Associate Sports Editor
Final Four
1. Samford
2. Connecticut
3. Duke
4. Utah
Samford Maryland Auburn UCLA St. John's St. John's Connecticut Connecticut Duke Duke North Carolina North Carolina Duke Duke Duke Arizona Duke UNC Charlotte
National Champion
Duke Duke Kansas Utah Duke Duke Duke Duke
Richard Bachman / KANSAN
Commentary
Williams refutes new Earl rumor pairing forward with Master P
Lester Earl and rumors appear to be permanent partners.
Editor's Note—This column ran in yesterday's Kansas City Star and has been reprinted with special permission from The Star
The latest rumor to engulf Earl surrounds his relationship with rap-music mogul-turned-sports agent Master P, who is also known as Percy Miller. Master P, like Earl, hails from
The rumors will only intensify this week when Earl, a junior forward, and the Kansas Jayhawks head to New Orleans for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Kansas opens play Friday night against Evansville.
Dester Earl and rumor's appearance to be permanent patrols. From his controversial falling-out with former Louisiana State coach Dale Brown to his controversial transfer to Kansas to his controversial involvement in the NCAA investigation of LSU's recruiting tactics, rumors have dogged Earl's collegiate career.
Baton Rouge and calls New Orleans home. He also was hired recently to represent Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams.
It seems you can't go anywhere in Lawrence without hearing an Earl-Master P story. The buzz around campus is that Master P is financially supporting Earl, including providing Earl with the newer model Yukon truck that Earl drives.
Tuesday, I drove to Lawrence and talked with Kansas coach Roy Williams about Earl and Master P. Kansas declined to make Earl available. Williams was very forthright. He didn't duck a question. He admitted that Kansas and the NCAA have closely investigated Earl's relationship
Jason Whitlock
jwhitlock@kcstar.com
with Master P, and Williams is certain there is nothing improper about their "acquaintanceship."
Williams also admitted that he would prefer that Earl not drive the Yukon truck that a lifelong friend of the Earl family provided.
"I'm mad about the truck," Williams said. "(Lester) knows that. That was one of the items we discussed with the NCAA. We checked into it ourselves. We allowed the NCAA to take a look into it themselves. We told them who owned the truck, stories that we'd been given, the whole bit. They checked into it a second time after we did."
"I've told Lester," Williams said, "Lester, you've got to watch every move you make. You're in the public eye. . . You can't associate yourself with just anybody like other people can because you're always going to be under such scrutiny because of what's happened in your past."
Williams is upset about the truck because he realizes it amplifies the scrutiny of Earl, who admitted accepting money from LSU boosters during his recruitment and one semester stay at LSU.
winnams wasn't aware of a possible Master P-Earl connection until last July, when he was at an Adidas basketball camp in Los Angeles. Thad Fuchee, Earl's high school summer-league coach, approached Williams and informed him that there were rumors swirling that Master P and Earl were in L.A. together. The NCAA forbids college athletes from signing with an agent.
"Is that fair to him? Not really. But what I said to him is that "You brought it on yourself."
Williams said he immediately tried to reach Earl by phone but was unsuccessful. Williams then called Earl in Louisiana and left a message for Earl to contact him immediately. Earl left a message with a KU assistant coach that he was in L.A., working out with former Javhawk Paul Pierce.
Williams said he and Earl never formally discussed the Los Angeles visit until Earl returned to Lawrence in August.
"I told Lester," Williams said, "I need to know what is going on, 'cause I hear you're out in Los Angeles with Master P. Lester, what in the world are you doing?"
wmans said Earl repeated that he was in L.A. working out with Pierce.
"Tell you what. We're going to check into some things," Williams told Earl.
Williams instructed KU's NCAA compliance officials to interview Earl, and he issued Earl a stern warning.
"You are not playing for our team this year." Williams fumed at Earl, "until I find out everything. Everything has to be above board."
Williams admitted: "I was mad at him at that time. Probably as mad as I've ever been at him."
According to Williams, Earl's story checked out with KU's compliance department. Earl flew to LA. with friends from Baton Rouge with no connections to Master P, and Earl stayed at a female friend's apartment. But the story didn't end there. At the beginning of the basketball season, the NCAA investigated Earl's trip to LA.
Evidently, someone gave the same story to the NCAA." Williams said. "We cooperated with the NCAA, told them everything we had heard and found out. We brought Lester in
See WILLIAMS on page 4B
16. ___