JAYHAWK
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Basketball
Inside Sports today
The Kansas track and field team heads to Manhattan, Kan, for the Big 12 Championships.
Yesterday's game - Kansas vs. Kansas State
SEE PAGE 3B
KANSAS
17-8
UNRANKED
62
K-STATE
16-10
UNRANKED
47
WWW.JHAWKBBALL.COM
Sophomore center Eric Chenowith gets up over Kansas State's Ty Sims for a rebound as other players look on. Chenowith, while held scoreless, had a big game defensively with 11 defensive rebound and seven blocked shots. Kansas won 62 to 47. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1999
Win is 15th straight against'Cats
By Kevin C. Wilson
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas coach Roy Williams usually puts three thoughts on the chalkboard before each game.
But in the locker room prior to last night's pivotal game with in-state rival Kansas State, Williams put only one.
"Lose yourself in the game," Williams said. "I think our best games of the year have happened when we have been able to go out and do that."
The Jayhawks followed Williams' advice and simply went out and played the game.
"Sometimes a lot of us have a habit of not really having a good time out there, and we think a little too much," Robertson said. "Tonight our game plan was to lose ourselves in the game and just have fun."
The Jayhawks did just that as they ended a two-game losing streak after defeating Kansas State for the 15th straight time.
on three out of 16 shots and turned the ball over 15 times.
After holding the Wildcats to 31 percent shooting from the field in their win in Manhattan earlier this season, the Jayhawks once again used a tenacious, trapping defense to harass the Wildcats. Kansas State shot a dismal 31 percent from the field, 18 percent from three-point range
"When we get out on the floor and defend people we are a very,very good team," Robertson said.
The Jayhawks received an enormous boost from their perimeter players last night, as the perimeter players combined to score 50 of the teams 62 points. Reserve swing-man Ken Gregory led the Jayhawks with 19 points, Ryan Robertson contributed 14 and Jeff Boschee scored all 13 of his points in the first half as the Jayhawks improved to 178 overall and 9 in the Big 12.
"I think they won the game for us"
Kansas center Eric Chenowith said of his backcourt mates. "The combination of our great defense and them hitting big shots, that put the game away for us."
After nine lead changes in the games first 14 minutes, the Jayhawks went on a 16-2 run to go into intermission with a 34-21 lead. Kansas guard Jeff Boschece scored 10 of his 13 points in the spurt, including a deen three-pointer with four seconds left.
Kansas State stormed out of the gate in the second half by scoring seven straight points and trimmed the Jayhawks lead to 34-28.
See 'HAWKS on page 6B
Gregory leads team, 'Hawks uphold streak against'Cats
By Erin Thompson Kansas sports editor
Kansan sports editor
It's a simple idea. Kenny Gregory has a big game, Kansas wins.
Are the two directly correlated? Judging from Gregory's 19-point performance in last night's Kansas 62-47 drubbing of instate rival Kansas State, one might think they are.
Two of Gregory's points came at one of the most intense moments of the game. K-
State had cut the once-16-point Kansas lead to five points at 51-46. With the shot clock running down Gregory drove the basket, made an athletic layup and was fouled. He converted the free throw and the 'Hawks had a 54-46 link.
"That was a huge basket," Kansas forward T.J. Pugh said. "You couldn't find any better move."
Gregory: Had 19 points in last night's game
On the next possession Gregory again came through for the Jayhawks. It began as a similar-looking play: Gregory drove the basket, pulling the defense with him, and dished the ball out to Bradford, who converted a jumper. Kansas lead 56-46 and K-State never got any closer.
Gregory had struggled in the three games before last night's, scoring a total of only 11 points. Fighting a sore back made it hard for Gregory to compete.
Gregory said the pain in his back the last few weeks had not been as bad as it was last season, but it did affect him.
"It was bothering me. It was affecting my conditioning." Gregory said. "I didn't want to score it as an excuse. I just tried to play through it."
The pain in his back didn't bother him on the tide-turning play.
"It was a big time play." Kansas coach Roy Williams said. "To have that agility and ability to do that is important. I thought he hurt his back on that. I would have hurt mine."
Williams said he had told Gregory not to worry about his lack of scoring in the last few games.
See GREGORY on page 6B
Baseball team will take winning record on the road for tournament in Arizona
By Matt Tait
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team will take its 2-1 record on the road this weekend to play a fourteam, four-game series in Phoenix, Ariz., at the Rawlings Spring Training Tournament.
The team is coming off of a successful opening series in Texas where the Jayhawks defeated the Texas Mavericks in two of
Kansas coach Bobby Randall said that, overall, he was pleased with the play of the team, but that he also saw both good and bad things that they can build from.
Texas-Arlington Mavericks in two of three games.
"We got two excellent pitching performances, from Colin (Call) and Brian (Schriner), and those won the two games." Randall said.
State appeared in relief during the first game and pitched three scoreless innings while facing the minimum of nine batters.
Call, a senior transfer from Arizona
Based on that powerful performance, Call is slated to start game one, today at 1 p.m., in Phoenix against the Nevada Wolf Pack. Call said that starting was simply one of his many roles which he was willing to fill to help the team win.
"Whatever role comes is fine with me," Call said. "I just feel blessed and keep working hard. There's a lot of talent on this staff and I'm excited about this opportunity."
Randall says that overall the team's execution is getting better and they are playing well defensively, especially for this early in the season.
The midday, which includes two eliminated in the outfield, will remain virtually the same. Jason Appuhn, who hit .455 in Arlington and Matt Van Alsburg, who owns the team's only home run, are again scheduled to start, and now expected to contribute.
As for games two and three, Randall is unsure who will start, and said that junior Rusty Philbrick and senior Chris Williams are likely candidates, but if they are needed earlier, he will put them in.
sophomore, to start based on Schriner's performance in Texas.
For the fourth game of the series, Sunday against Northwestern, Randall has penciled in Schriner, a
"I'm trying to take every game in stride." Van Alsbure said. "Now with
The lineup. which includes two freshmen
the first few games out of the way, I can't use immaturity anymore. I've got to step up."
The infield has pleased Randall, especially defensively. Seniors Sparky Wilhelm and Chad King played well at the corners. And the middle infielders, sophomores John Nelson and Brandon O'Neal, with the exception of one bad inning, played solid.
Randall said he felt good with where the team was at right now and continues to look for improvements in execution.
"It takes effort and quality, if we do those two things well, we're good enough to win," Randall said.
—Copyedited by Clint Hooker
Tennis team heads to championship with momentum
By Amanda Kaschube
The women's tennis team, coming off a recent regional victory, will travel to Madison, Wis., this weekend to compete in the National Women's Team Indoor Championship.
Kansan sportswriter
The event, which the University of Wisconsin will be the host of, will feature the top 16 teams in the country.
Kansas gained a spot in the indoor tournament by winning the Central Region Championship last fall and by advancing to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament last spring.
Coach Jenny Garrity said making the tournament was a big accomplishment for the team.
Kansas, ranked No. 17, will face seventh-ranked Ole Miss today in the first round.
"Our goal in the fall was to earn a berth in this tournament. We are very excited," she said. "It's a great honor to be invited to such a prestigious event."
"Ole Miss is an extremely winnable match for us," Garrity said.
He said that the team had a lot of confidence going into the match, following the team's 9-0 sweep of Brigham Young University last weekend.
A possible rematch with Duke could occur in the quarter finals on Saturday. Duke beat Kansas 9-0 on Jan. 30.
Another Big 12 Conference team, Texas, was invited but declined the invitation.
Kris Sell, Moorestown, N.J., senior, will lead the team at No. 1 singles. She recently moved up from No. 25 to No. 18 in the national rankings.
Sell, with a 18-7 record, upset No. 4 Mirela Vladulescu from Alabama-Birmingham at the Roles
"The Rolex is a really hard tournament to move up in because the talent level is so high," Garrity said. "I feel that she is as good as any other player in the country."
The team will also look to freshmen Christi Wagenaar, South Africa, and sisters Cheryl and Lisa Malliaah. North Longwood, Fla., for some wins.
Indoor Championship two weeks ago.
"Her highest priority is to do the best she can so she can help her team." Garrity said. "She's not concerned with her individual effort."
Despite her wins in the singles area, Garrity said Sell was more concerned with the team effort.
"The freshmen have been playing awesome lately," Sell said.
Garrity agreed.
Cheryl Malliah, 12-9 this season, has had singles wins against BYU, Maryland and Georgia Tech.
"They might be a little nervous in such a big tournament, but they will turn it into added focus, not tension." Garrity said.
"The Team Indoors will be a new experience and a lot of tough competition," Malliaah said.
Julia Sidorova, Latvia junior, and Monica Sekulov,
Australia sophomore have also played well recently.
Both had singles and doubles wins against BYU last weekend.
Garrity said the team was looking to keep the same level of excitement that the team showed last weekend.
"We are just going to play our game, not the ball," she said. "We're not going to let down at all."
Past tournament winners Stanford, Georgia and Florida will also be there.
—Copyedited by Keith Burner