Thursday, March 4, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 3
Swim team desires upset in men's Big 12 championship
By Emily Hughey
ehughey@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
The Kansas men's swimming and diving team is out for blood.
Going into the Big 12 Conference Championship in Austin, Texas, as the fifth-ranked underdogs, the men's team is focused on an upset.
Senior sprinter Brant Peoples said he was as excited about the meet as teammate Hartl. He said Tuesday that he was feeling so energetic he wanted to scream.
Trent Hartl, senior freestyler, said he thought the team had a chance for second or third.
"We've been cutting back on yards in work-out so we'll be ready to explode once we get there," Peoples said. "But you've got to wait, keep it inside and wait for the right."
the right moment."
For the Kansas men, the moment to untie will be at
moon today when preliminaries begin and in the finals at 7.0 m.
At this point, Texas, Texas A&M, Nebraska and Iowa State are favored before Kansas. Missouri is ranked sixth. Nevertheless, the men are focused on swimming fast.
"It's going to take good swimming and guys stepping up who aren't usually expected to step up," junior Tyler Painter said. "To break through, we're going to have to have a really well-rounded meet, and I think we can do it."
Painter, who has been serving a suspension from the team since early February, is back to competition after sitting out two meets. Coach Gary Kempf suspended him for breaking an undefined team policy about which he refused to comment.
Although Painter has been away from competition, he has maintained his training regimen with the team. Kempf said he decided to let Painter swim at the conference meet a couple of days ago.
Painter said that he thought his suspension would have no affect on his performance at the conference championships.
"I'm just ready to go," Painter said. "I don't think it's affected me at all."
Kempf said that the men's team had not yet come together and competed as a total team. He also said that he hoped conference was the meet that all the men would perform to their peak potential.
"We just want to try to eliminate the little mistakes," Kempf said. "We want to all come together at the same time and take big chances."
Hartl, Painter and Peoples each said the relays were their main opportunity to break free of their fifth-place rank.
"Our relays are really key." Peoples said. "They're double the points of individual events. Everybody's got to come together and feed off of each other."
For most of the men's team, the conference meet will be the last meet of the season, but those who qualify for the NCAA Championships will travel to Indianapolis March 25-27. So far, Painter is the only swimmer qualified. He will be swimming the 500-yard and 1,000-yard freestyles and the 400-yard individual medley.
—Edited by Aerica Veazey
Jayhawks to play first-round winner
Continued from page 1B
Fieldhouse. The Red Raiders erased a 14 point second-half deficit and defeated the Jayhawks 90-84.
Even though Robertson hasn't
achieved the national status of
some of his former teammates —
All-Americans Jacque Vaughn,
Raef LaFrentz
he has been irreplaceable for the Jayhawks during his four seasons.
"When that youngster's career is over, people are going to look back and say 'Man, he did a lot of things,'"
"It doesn't make any difference whether I like it or not, we're going to play Nebraska or Texas Tech and
"When that youngster's career is over, people are going to look back and say 'Man, he did a lot of things."
williams said. "Games played, three-pointers, assists, you can just go down the line. He's always been willing to step forward and play well and play hard and do the kind of things you want him to do."
Roy Williams Kansas men's basketball head coach
Robertson will get his first shot at redemption on Friday night when the Jayhawks play the winner of the Nebraska-Texas Tech game. Kansas hasn't beaten either team this season, losing to the Cornhuskers 84-69 in Lincoln and falling 64-59 in Allen
we haven't beaten either one of them." Williams said. "We're better off because we have that motivation regardless."
After watching No. 1 ranked Duke dismantle No. 15 North Carolina 81-61 last Saturday, Williams said that this Blue Devil team
"I think they are the best college team I've seen in 21 years as a college coach," Williams said. "They have no weakness. They can guard you, they can score inside, they can score outside, they can play slow, they can play fast, they can rebound, they have depth. That team right now has no holes."
(29-1 overall and 16-0 in the ACC)
was something special.
Edited by Jason Pearce
Senior guard Ryan Robertson charges up the court during recent game against Iowa State University. Robertson is expected to provide senior leadership in this week's Big Twelve tournament in Kansas City. Photo by Graham K Johnson/KANSAN
Parity among Big 12 teams leaves tournament wide open
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — If momentum counts for much, Colorado and Oklahoma State could be the teams to beat in the Big 12 tournament.
Oklahoma State (19-9, 10-6), which meets 12th-seeded Baylor (6-23, 0-16) at 2:30 this afternoon, may be playing better than it has all year. And eighth-seeded Colorado (16-13, 7-9) will take a four-game winning streak into its first-round match at noon today against ninth-seeded Iowa State (15-14, 6-10).
"We're playing real well right now," said Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton, whose Cowboys have won three of their last four. "Overall, I think we're playing our best ball of the season."
In tonight's matches, No. 7 seed Kansas State (18-11, 7-9) plays No. 10 Texas A&M (12-14, 5-11) and No. 11 Texas Tech (13-16, 5-11), goes against Nebraska (18-11, 10-6), and Big 12 player-of-the-year Venson Hamilton.
Baylor is the only Big 12 team ever to go winless through the conference season.
Colorado and Iowa State split their two-game series, with each winning at
"Our mood is very good, upbeat," said Baylor coach Barry Miller. "We look at this as a fresh start. I do think our team can be competitive, and I do think we have a chance to win."
home. But as for momentum, it might be hard to beat the come-from-behind 52-50 victory the Cyclones notched against Kansas in the regular season finale on Sunday.
in the second round on Friday, the winner of game No. 1 will meet regular-season champion Texas (18-11, 13-3) at noon, followed by the winner of game No. 2 against fourth-seeded Oklahoma (20-9, 11-5). At 6 p.m., the game No. 3 winner goes against second-seeded Missouri (20-7, 11-5), which at No. 22 is the Big 12's only ranked team. In the final game Friday, it will be third-seeded Kansas (19-8, 11-5) against the winner of game No. 4.
The past two years in this tournament, everyone was fighting for the right to fall victim to Kansas in the championship game. But there's no way to predict a winner now.
"In basketball today there are fewer and fewer actual upsets," said Missouri coach Norm Stewart, whose team has won two in a row, including a 54-47 victory against Texas in the regular-season finale. "Parity makes things possible. That's why there's such interest."
Rick Barnes recognized as Big 12 coach of the year in Associated Press selection
The Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas — Rick Barnes — who took a Texas team in disarray and shaped it into the conference champion is the Associated Press Big 12 Conference coach of the year.
A panel of media observers named Barnes as the overwhelming choice, giving him 23 votes to one for Nebraska's Danny Nee.
"Obviously,
whatever award
has come my
way has been
because of the players," said Barnes, who came to Texas from Clemson.
Barnes: Came into tough situation at Texas
The task this season never was considered easy for Barnes. A player revolt had prompted the resignation of his predecessor, Tom Penders, who was the winningest coach in Texas history.
Two of Barnes' players transferred.
leaving him only 10 scholarship players and no point guard when practice began.
But Barnes, whose more deliberate style contrasted sharply with the sometimes helter-skeler atmosphere of Penders' teams, preached patience and asked his players to believe in him and themselves.
A 2-7 start with losses to Houston, South Florida and San Diego gave Texas fans little confidence. But the conference schedule hadn't started yet, and the Longhorns said they knew they were getting better.
"When I started this job, I knew we had to take care of the team first." Barnes said. "The players had really been caught in some crossfire. I told them there's nothing I can do about what happened a year ago and just asked them to be patient."
Texas (18-11, 13-3) started 5-0 in the conference. The loss at Kansas preceded another five-game winning streak that put the Longhorns in control of the league race.
Texas clinched the regular-season title and the No.1 seed in the conference tournament with a 62-52 win at Baylor Feb.24.
The entire playoff tournament will be held Saturday, May 1, and Sunday, May 2, at the Clinton Lake Softball Complex. MANAGERS' MEETING: OFFICIALS' MEETING: Sunday, March 7 Sunday, March 7 7:00pm, 156 Robinson 8:00pm, 156 Robinson Those teams who attend the managers meeting will get priority during instant scheduling For more information, contact 208 Robinson, 864-3546
COUNCILLAWRENCE@ciee.org
www.councultravel.com
union
technology
center
864-5690
HP HEWLETT® PACKARD LaserJet Printers Authorized Reseller
CANYOUWALK BACKWARDS?
Become a KU Ambassador!
We're looking for a few good Jayhawks
Are you outgoing or looking for a way to get involved?
Be a part of the 1999-2000 campus tour group. Show prospective students and their families why KU is such a wonderful place.
Applications available at:
- Organizations & Leadership Office, KS Union
- Crimson & Blue Room, Strong Hall
- Kansas Visitors Center behind Templin Hall
Contact Gail Sharron with questions @ 864-5418
$ \textcircled{R} $ Priority Deadline March 5^{M} @ 5 p.m.