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Volume 126 Issue 95
kansan.com
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wichita State outperforms Kansas in St. Louis
COMMENTARY
For the better part of the year, Kansas and Wichita State fans were locked in a furious debate about the merits of their respective teams. Each fan base believed their team reigned supreme and was the best the state had to offer.
While the two teams never got the chance to battle and end the argument, Sunday's matchups at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis shed light on the subject. That light illuminated many of the weaknesses in Kansas' argument.
Joel Embid's injury aside, Kansas didn't look like one of the nation's elite. More startling than that, many of Kansas' shortcomings in December didn't improve in March. I'll just chalk up Andrew Wiggins' struggles as an anomaly. However, almost every other active player remained plagued by early season struggles.
However, after Sunday, it would be difficult to argue that Kansas was the better team in 2014.
Both teams lost and neither made it past the Round of 32. But not all losses are created equal. Wichita State was the superior team on Sunday, and it wasn't really close.
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Edited by Austin Fisher
Naadir Tharpe continued his recent stretch of lackadaisical play. The offense continually stalled under Tharpe's leadership, as he was unable to get the ball to his teammates in scoring position. Wayne Selden's shot was off all day, and throughout the year, Selden would go into hiding if his shot wasn't falling. Sunday was no exception.
75 percent of them scoring.
Maybe Kansas and Wichita State will continue to motivate one another for years to come.
More likely, Wichita State will eventually regress back to the mean.
Perry Ellis got outmuscled in the paint and flustered by Stanford's length, like his performances against San Diego State and Texas. Jamari Traylor showed defensive intensity, but made the same turnovers that plagued him all year. Frank Mason's outside shot never improved and he still couldn't finish in traffic. Once again, Tarik Black was in foul trouble. The most important story lines from Sunday's loss could have been pieced together by copying and pasting headlines from December.
Meanwhile, Wichita State was beat by an underseeded Kentucky team that was the top-ranked team in the preseason. Wichita State has two clear alpha dogs in Cleanthy Early and Ron Baker. The Shockers talked on defense, understood spacing, and played off one another like an elite team. They took care of the ball, only had eight turnovers and didn't beat themselves. Instead, they were beat by a superior team. That Kentucky team would have beat an Embidid-less Kansas by double figures.
Fred VanVleet and Baker would have a field day with Tharpe and Selden. Early would eat Ellis for dinner and still have room for an extra slice of cake. Gregg Marshall appeared more comfortable with his team's strengths and weaknesses than Bill Self was. That's not to say Self did a poor job with this team, but rather that Self seems to thrive more with juniors and seniors. Kansas fans can't forget that the Jayhawks had five new starters and replaced more than 75 percent of their scoring
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Junior shortstop Justin Protacio throws out an Oral Robert's baserunner during Kansas' game on March 11. Kansas won 16-8.
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
BASEBALL
Jayhawks enjoy strong start in March
BEN FELDERSTEIN sports@kansan.com
March is a time for college basketball.The season'sending, conference tournaments are starting and the Big Dance is getting underway. For most college students at a school like the University of Kansas, college basketball is all they know in the early months of the calendar year.
But for coach Ritch Price and the rest of the Kansas baseball team, these early months have meant something entirely different.
The Kansas baseball team got their season underway on Feb. 4, against Brigham Young University. The teams played a four-game series in a neutral location in Peoria, Ariz.
The Jayhawks posted a fourgame sweep of the Cougars, scoring 33 runs in the series.
Senior outfielder Tucker Tharp won the third game with a walk-off single in the 10th inning.
"That whole game was a crazy rollercoaster." Tharp said. "It felt great to get a win like that early in the season."
The Jlayhawks then travelled to Port Charlotte, Fla., to compete in the Snowbird Classic. Kansas remained undefeated over the four-day tournament, defeating Northwestern, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Mississippi Valley State and St. Bonaventure. The offense remained hot through out the Classic, as Kansas put up 43 runs over the stretch.
Kansas won its first game of the tournament on the back of senior catcher Ka'iana Eldredge. Eldredge's gamewinning hit in the top of the 11th inning putting the finishing touches on a late-inning comeback.
"I had a chance to put us ahead." Eldredge said. "The other guys got on base and I put a good swing on a ball and put us ahead."
Senior pitcher Frank Duncan took the reins in the third game of the tournament. He went 7.2 innings, allowing four hits, and one earned run while striking out 14. Duncan has continued that trend this season and has become a strong senior leader in the rotation. Before Sunday's game against Dartmouth, he was 2-1 with a 1.64 ERA.
"That was the best I've ever seen his breaking ball," Price said. "He hit the strike zone all seven innings he threw."
Kansas remained undefeated on the season until its tenth game of the season in the second game of a four-game series against Houston Baptist. The Jayhawks won three out of four games in their series and are headed to Stanford, Calif., with and 11-1 record to face the Cardinal.
Kansas picked up its first series loss against Stanford. The Jayhawks lost two of the three games by only one run
"We were one or two big hits away from getting the sweep." Eldredge said. "It left a really bad taste in your mouth."
After 15 straight road games, Kansas finally got the opportunity to play in front of a home crowd at Hoglund Park. Kansas lost a heartbreaker to Oral Roberts, 8-7. Junior outfielder Connor McKay recorded two hits and two RBIs in the game.
McKay has been on an absolute tear this season as he leads the Big 12 in RBIs. McKay is batting .305 on the season with five home runs and 34 RBIs. McKay has an 11-run cushion atop the league leaders in the conference.
"It's a combination of a few things," McKay said. "It's me being here for three years and just my comfort at the plate. I've been keeping my swing short and taking a strong mental approach at the plate."
Kansas traveled to Austin, Texas, to face the Big 12 powerhouse and 10th ranked Texas Longhorns. The Jayhawks were able to pick up their first road series win against the Longhorns since 1996. Duncan pitched another gem in the series finale with seven shutout innings and giving up four hits.
Senior closer Jordan Piche' got the victory in the finale and improved to 3-0 on the season. Piche' was named one of the 30 preseason candidates for the 2014 senior CLASS award, given to the nation's most outstanding senior.
After the series win in Texas, the Jayhawks were ranked 18th in the country. Kansas looked to ride that momentum into a two-game series against New Mexico. The Jayhawks were unable to capitalize and lost both games to the Lobos.
The Jayhawks headed to Lawrence for their first series of the year against the Dartmouth Big Green. Kansas scored a combined 24 runs in the first two games
of the series. McKay drove in four RBIs in the first game including his fifth home run of
"Everyone on this team knows their roles and that's why we've found success."
JUSTIN PROTACIO
Junior shortstop
The second game was highlighted by the Jayhawks' first set of back-to-back
the season.
homeruns since 2009. Junior designated hitter Dakota Smith hit a grand slam to grab the lead and Tucker Tharp followed up with a solo shot of his own. Kansas fell 3-2 in a disappointing series finale loss.
Junior shortstop Justin Protacio has had a strong start to the season as well. Protacio has reached base safely in 34 straight games.
"Being a leadoff guy, that's my role." Protocio said. "Everyone on this team knows their roles and that's why we've found success."
The Kansas baseball team is
now 16-8 on the season and 2-1 in conference play. So, to those still mourning the loss of the Kansas basketball team, walk across the parking lot and spend an afternoon watching Connor McKay, Justin Protocio, and the rest of the Kansas baseball team
"We still have to make progress, without question," Price said. "But we have found great success early on this far and are looking forward to the rest of the season."
Edited by Nick Chadbourne
GOLF
The Kansas men's golf team finished seventh at the Desert Shootout at Palm Valley Country Club in Phoenix, Ariz., last Thursday through Saturday, just one stroke behind Nebraska.
Jayhawks travel to respective invitationals
MEN'S GOLF
According to a KU Athletics news release, junior Logan Philley shot a career-low 66 (-6). The Jayhawks shot a three-round total of 847 (-17)
DANIEL HARMSEN sports@kansan.com
"We got better everyday," Bermel said in the news release. "Philley had a very solid week and Ben Welle was under par every round. We need to keep making progress and sharpen up a few things before our next event in Charlotte."
Sophomore Ben Welle finished in 24th place after
Coach Jamie Bermel spoke highly of his top golfers after the event.
shooting four shots under par and sophomore Connor Peck finished 34th after shooting two strokes under par. Senior Ryley Haas, who made his first appearance for the Jayhawks this spring, shot two over par for the tournament, placing him in a tie for 46th place.
and recorded a season-low team round of 278 (-10).
UMKC and BYU tied for first place at the Desert Shootout, but the Roo's outlasted the Cougars by winning a one-hole playoff after the three rounds, according to the press release.
The Kansas women's golf team is in Johns Island, S.C., competing in the 2014 Briar's Creek Invitational tonight, the second night of the two-day event.
The Jayhawks will be represented by senior Thanuttra "Fhong"
Boonrakasat, sophomore Yupaporn "Mook"
Kawinpakorn, junior Minami Levonowich, senior Meghan Potee, and freshman Pornvipa
WOMEN'S GOLF
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The tournament location, Briar's Creek, has a 6,120-yard par-72 course. The College of Charleston is hosting the tournament. Kansas will find itself competing against the likes of Clemson, East Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Penn State, Wisconsin and Texas Tech.
"Faii" Sakdee.
Edited by Emily Hines
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