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Volume 126 Issue 86
kansan.com
Monday, March 3, 2014
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COMMENTARY
Kansas can still get No.1 seed
KANSAS 65 - OKLAHOMA STATE 72
Jayhawks miss their 'opportunity to celebrate'
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014
PAGE 4
MARCH MADNESS
Students weigh in on best basketball watch parties
MACKENZIE LEANDER
entertain@kansan.com
Jayhawks, it's that time of year again. Everywhere you look, brackets are filled out, lucky jerseys are unburied and homework assignments are sacrificed. Indeed, March Madness is upon us.
What better way to celebrate our Jayhawks than by watching the games? This doesn't necessarily mean at Allen Fieldhouse; students can support the team by watching elsewhere. This is why it's important to know how to plan a basketball watch party. John Singer, a senior from Wichita, has his basketball watch party all figured out.
"There definitely needs to be a large HD TV and, of course, plenty of [beverages]," Singer said. "If you're hosting a party you should probably invest in a keg or two and make a quick grocery store run to get essential items like burgers, brats, chips and salsa or queso."
Singer is all for the idea of watching the game
at a friend's place or local bar as long as he is surrounded by friends and Jayhawk fans. Laila Tawfik, a senior from Overland Park, thinks that the best watch parties are the biggest.
the ideal watch party would be one surrounded by as many KU fans as possible," Tawfik said. "The bigger, the better. Obviously, Allen Fieldhouse is the most ideal place, but if you can't make it there, or it's an away game, I would save a sports bar and grill."
Tawfik thinks that a sports bar is the best place for students to go for a watch party.
"It's a perfect atmosphere because you've got everything you need: the fans, the food, the drinks and the big screen TVs," Tawfik said. "As far as must-haves for a watch party go, you definitely need to be wearing your lucky KU T-shirt. Preferably, the same shirt that was worn when we won the championship in 2008."
So grab your oversized TVs, beverages, food and friends. It's time to wave the wheat.
— Edited by Sarah Kramer
Most students agree that for a successful watch party, the bigger the TV, the better.
MICHAEL STRICKLAND/KANSAN
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Senior pitcher Frank Duncan led the Jayhawks' weekend in Grand Prairie, Texas. Duncan tossed more than nine innings, gave up no runs and struck out 10 batters while walking none.
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
You're probably thinking that these stats are from past years and they don't mean anything to our team this year, but why mess with history?
History tells us that no No. 1 seed has ever lost in the opening round of the tournament, but that three No. 2 seeds have lost their opening game in the last two tournaments alone.
The last team to accomplish that feat was Florida Gulf Coast against Georgetown in the 2013 tournament, showing there's some parity in the field of 64 teams and that any team can lose on any given day.
Like all Jayhawk fans, I don't want that day to come for the Jayhawks in the 2014 NCAA tournament. If Kansas players can perform at a high level during the conclusion of this regular season and earn a No. 1 seed over a No. 2 seed, maybe it never will.
Edited by Chelsea Mies
final 18 batters that he faced on Saturday. Duncan faced only one batter over the minimum in his nine innings of work.
"I'm seeing fastballs well," Tinsley said. "Having faced these pitchers in previous at-bats, I'm starting to see what's coming."
Kansas went 3-1 against Houston Baptist this weekend, suffering their first loss of the season in the first leg of their doubleheader Saturday. Junior Robert Kahana got the start for Kansas. He battled through seven strong innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out five.
Freshman catcher Michael Tinsley led the Jayhawks offense with two RBIs. Junior outfielder Connor McKay and junior infielder Aaron Hernandez stayed hot, each driving in a run as well. Kansas won by a score of 5-0.
"We feel like we can beat anyone," Duncan said.
Junior outfielders Connor Mckay and Michael Suiter kept the Kansas offense afloat, combining for five hits.
The layhawks couldn't convert in clutch situations. They stranded eight runners on bases and failed to score on a bases loaded opportunity in the fifth inning of the contest. Kansas couldn't fight back and score in the final four innings of the game and fell 4-2.
Kansas had another strong offensive outing on Friday, defeating the Huskies 11-5.
Junior pitcher Wes Benjamin got his second win of the season. Benjamin struggled through six, allowing five runs on 11 hits. Sophomore Taylor Rappaport and freshman Stephen Villines were able to stop the bleeding and shutout Houston Baptist the rest of the way.
Connor McKay and senior outfielder Tucker Tharp both had the long ball working. The two outfielders hit two run home runs in the second and fourth innings.
The Jayhawk's offense was able to tally 14 hits on the day, lead by senior designated hitter Dakota Smith with three. Four other players tallied multiple hit games as well.
Villines kept his strong to the season alive. Villines has thrown six innings and allowed zero runs. He has walked only two and given up no extra base hits thus far. The side-arming right-hander will prove a strong bridge to senior closer Jordan Piche' going forward.
The Jayhawks finished the weekend strong on Sunday, defeating the Huskies 14-1 in a rain-shortened seven-inning game. Junior pitcher Drew Morovick got the start and the win for Kansas. Morovick went five strong, allowing no runs, striking out four. Piche' and junior Colin Toalson finished out the day on the hill.
Kansas got on the board ear-
SEE TOURNEY PAGE 7
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