JAYHAWK
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Basketball
Inside Sports today
The Kansas men's swimming and diving team takes to the water today at the Big 12 championships in Austin, Texas. SEE PAGE 3B
Yesterday's game - Kansas vs. Oklahoma State
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SECTION B, PAGE 1
THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1999
Commentary
Basketball fans preparing for March frenzy
In order to celebrate the arrival of March Madness, my roommates and I have moved an extra television into our living room.
ou'ting lorem
It's the American Dream; Dual TVs.
It's the American Dream: Dual TVs. Currently the extra idiot box is housing our multiple video game systems, but rest assured, once the tournament gets going, our house will be ground zero for the basketball frenzy. You are all invited.
You are an artist.
■ When Raef LaFrentz signed with Denver, there was finally a reason to endure the onslaught of wretched
Nuggets games on Fox Mountain Sports.
That's no longer the case.
LaFrentz's season-ending knee injury has deprived the Nuggets of one of the league's brightest young stars and Kansas fans a chance to keep up with one of their most beloved former players.
Harley
Rattliff
sports @ kansan.com
The biggest disappointment, however, is not for the Nuggets or the fans, but for LaFrentz himself. In his brief Denver career, LaFrentz showed the versatility, range and potential to be a regular guest at the All-Star game.
If there is a silver lining, it's that LaFrentz is young and ACL recovery has never been quicker.
have never been successful.
For some reason, making fun of the hapless Chicago Bulls just doesn't give me the same kind of sadistic satisfaction as clowning with the equally inept Chicago Bears.
I mean, how can you root against Rustv LaRue?
Bring on the NFL! I need the material.
Secret Shame: I am a Euro-soccer fanatic.
■ Gonzaga's performance in the Big West Championship against Santa Clara was impressive. Don't be surprised if the tiny school from Spokane finds itself in the Sweet 16.
Two words: Matt Santangelo
My pick to win the Big 12 Conference Tournament: Missouri
NCE Tournament: Missouri.
Why? I'm not really sure.
More than any other year in memory, the tournament is completely wide open. Any one of the seven teams has a chance to take home the title.
Why I'm not really sure Just going on a hunch.
While I'd like to go with Oklahoma or Kansas, for some reason I have a feeling that Missouri is going to pull it off. They are playing well and Keyon Dooling can explode at anytime.
Ratiff is a Norman, Okla., senior in journalism.
The only thing holding the Tigers back: Norm
Kemper Arena's days as the permanent home of the Big 12 basketball tournament could be coming to a close in the next few years.
And it's about time.
With the addition of the four Texas schools, it no longer makes sense to keep the tournament in Kansas City full time.
The tournament should be more centralized to allow for fans from all schools to have the opportunity to follow their teams.
If you have never made the drive from Austin to Kansas City, it ain't pretty.
pretty.
The tournament should have a rotating schedule, moving every two years from Kansas City to Oklahoma City to Dallas. While this might not be the kind of deal that Kansas City is looking for, it would at least give the city a chance to shore up decrepit Kemper Arena.
Honesty. If you see me on campus,ask about how the rear spoiler effects down force and thus changes the... well,you get the picture.
- Secret Shame, Part II: I have learned to enjoy NASCAR
I mean that.
I mean that Honestly.
Big 12 Tournament
Guard Lynn Pride shoots over Oklahoma State's Kara Faulk in the first half. Pride made five of 13 shots in the game and scored 12 points in the 59-53 victory against the Cowgirls. Kansas will play Iowa State in the quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m. tonight. Photo by Jay Sheperd/KANSAN
Jayhawks score first tournament win
Free-throw shooting proves key to victory
Tournament games are about survival and that's
By Matt James
mjames@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
about all the 25th-ranked Jayhawks were able to accomplish in their first game of the Big 12 Conference Tournament.
Kansas fell behind in the first half and used a late second-half rally to defeat the 11th-seeded Oklahoma State Cowgirls 59-53 last night in Kansas City, Mo.
Washington: Says this was a tough game
we found a way to win.
The two teams met just one week ago in Stillwater, Okla., where the Jayhawks overtired to beat the hustling Cowgirls. After that game, Oklahoma Sate coach Dan Halterman said that the Jayhawks' excellent free-throw shooting was the difference in the close contest.
"it's always a disadvantage to have a game like this," said coach Marian Washington. "The first round everybody's so tight, and this was our first round, so it wasn't a very pretty ballgame. The important thing was we found a way to win."
The Cowgirls' game plan last night was to deny the ball to Kansas 'inside players and keep the taller, more athletic opponents off of the free-throw line as much as possible. In the first half, the plan worked to perfection as the Jayhawks forced up tough outside shots and didn't attempt a single free throw.
"We did a good job of keeping the ball out of the paint in the first half without putting them on the free-throw line," Haierman said. "The second half we just couldn't guard them on the block. All of the
sudden it looked like it was going there all night long. They're big, strong and physical and we just couldn't get it done."
Down 24-20 at the break, the Jayhawks pounded the ball inside repeatedly and were rewarded with 18 attempts at the free-throw line. Sophomore forward Jaclyn Johnson benefited the most from the inside focus as she scored a team-high 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
gave it.
"We were much more aggressive in the second half." Washington said. "We got the ball where we needed it to be, which is in the point."
paint.
The offense wasn't the only part of Kansas' game which improved in the second half. The Jayhawks held Oklahoma State without a field goal for the last nine minutes of the game.
"We've had a lot of games like this," said Oklahoma State guard Jennifer Crow, who scored a game-high 18 points for the Cowgirls. "We'll have a lead and then just give it away."
Johnson: Scored a team-high 15 points
Forward Nakia Sanford grabbed 11 rebounds for the
grabbed 11 rebounders in Jayhawks and forward Brooke Reves, who sparked Kansas' six quick points in the second half, finished with 14.
In other tournament action, top-seeded Texas Tech advanced with a 74-53 drubbing of Kansas State and will face Nebraska, who knocked off the Texas Longhorns, 60-55. Kansas will face Iowa State tonight at 7:30 at Municipal Auditorium. The Cyclones defeated Missouri 63-44 and will attempt to beat Kansas for the third time this season.
Lynn Pride, Kansas guard, said she was determined not to let that happen.
infinitely not to let it happen,
"I'm looking forward to it," she said. "We can beat them, it's just a matter of going out there and doing it."
—Edited by Monica Hodes
'Hawks split two with Baker 'Cats
By Matt Tait
By Matt Tait
mtait@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team opened play at Hoglund Ballpark with a two-game split against NAIA opponent Baker University last night.
The Jayhawks dropped the first game 10-9, which pushed their losing streak to eight games, but bounced back in the second game, winning 6-2.
In the opener, the Wildcats jumped out to a three-run lead, as Kansas starting pitcher Chad Schuster got off to a wild start. But after that start, Schuster settled down, and Kansas scored five runs in the second inning to take the lead.
Kansas answered Baker's run the next iming when sophomore Doug Dreher delivered a two-BRI single that gave the 'Hawks the lead back.
Schuster pitched four innings, struck out six, gave up four runs and left the game at the start of the fifth with a 7-4 lead.
of the fifth. Baker scored four runs in the fifth, thanks in part to Kansas' three errors, and regained the lead 8-7.
Dreher was 3 for 7 in the doubleheader and provided three RB, as he pushed his bitton.
Baker University first baseman Justin Miller catches a throw to first as Kansas outfielder Doug Dreher sprints to get on base. Dreher was called out although Miller bobbled the ball. The call prevented a score during a 10-9 loss yesterday. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN
streak to six games.
steak on his glass.
Unfortunately for Kansas, Baker tied the game at 9-9 in the top of the seventh on a two-out. RBI single.
In the bottom of the seventh the Jayhawks pushed runners to second and third, but failed to drive them in when Dreher was called out on a close play at first, stranding the base runners. Coach Bobby Randall argued the call, but to no avail. That was the last time Kansas threatened in the game.
Baker first baseman Justin Miller launched a solo home run in the eighth that proved to be the difference as Baker held on to win 10.9.
"It was a real boost for us," Baker coach Darin Loee said. "We were 0-4 and didn't play well last weekend, and came out here and scored ten runs off good pitching."
included among those players playing well are freshmen Matt Van Alsburg and Jason Appuhn. Along with Dreher, they provided most of the offense in the first game.
Kansas coach Bobby Randall was disappointed with his team's execution in the first game, but said he did see some good things.
The doubleheader split brings Baker's record to 1:5 and Kansas' to 3-9.
Van Alsburg went 4 for a four with RBI, and Appuhn was 2 for 5, including a two-run home
run in the third inning. He also had three RBI. The blast was Appuhn's first of the year.
The bats was Appalled. "Those guys had some really good at bats, and some bad ones, as well," Randall said. "Early in the first game they were phenomenal, but lost their swing and had a hard time maintaining their focus."
the entire team had a tough time maintaining its focus, as the Jayhawks committed three errors and continually left runners on.
"We're still not executing," Randall said. "We had so many opportunities to blow that game open and we didn't, but give Baker credit."
In the nightcap, which was shortened by the coaches, the Jayhawks used a four-run sixth inning and pulled away from the Wildcats and won 6-2 in seven innings.
"I was glad we bounced back, and Ryan Schmidt after the first inning, really pitched well," Bandall said.
'Hawks need Robertson in Big 12 tournament
Robertson: Will treat the tournament as a war
By Kevin C. Wilson Kansan sportswriter
If the Kansas men's basketball team hopes to claim its third straight Big 12 Conference tournament title this weekend, the Jayhawks will need a boost from their struggling senior, Ryan Robertson.
Ryan Kobrisky wrote, "I really believe I'm going to have a big tournament," said Robertson, who was a member of the Big Eight All-Tournament team as a freshman in 1996. "With it being my last time and being a little upset by the
way we've played, I'm just going to treat it like a war and go out and battle."
battle.
When Robertson travels to Kemper Arena Friday night, he will be looking to eradicate his recent shooting woes. In the last two games, the 6-5 guard has connected on just 4-of-15 field goals, including 0-of-5 from three point range, and scored a total of nine points. Before his slump, Robertson had scored in double figures in fivestraight games.
Kansas coach Roy Williams agreed.
"I've just decided that I'm going to go out swinging," Robertson said.
"If we lose, I'm going to go 0-for-15 rather than just shooting five times. I'm going to play like it's one of my last opportunities because it is."
Kansas coach Roy Williams agreed. "I've wanted him to be a little more offensive minded all year. He knows that, I know that." Williams said. "I don't want him to take five shots. If he says he's going down swinging in terms of trying to be more aggressive and still being fundamentally sound then that's good."
If Robertson's recent slump does
n't get him motivated for this week end, then maybe his failure to make any of the coaches' All-Big 12 teams will.
"I was a little bit surprised," Williams said of Robertson being selected only as honorable mention. "Ryan Robertson's had a heckuva year for us and I'm glad he's been on my basketball team. As coaches and for his teammates, I think he's been greatly appreciated by us."
See JAYHAWKS on page 3B