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Volume 126 Issue 66
kansan.com
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
COMMENTARY
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Kansas developing a killer instinct
Sometimes during a quiet Lawrence night, if you block out the usual
sounds of the house settling and the crickets chirping, you can hear it, off in the distance. A Kansas fan jolts violently out of his sleep. "13 points in the first half!" he exclaims in a stupor, a cold sweat glistening on his forehead. "How could we lose to TCU?" At first, he accepts it as a nightmare. Then dawns the realization that, just one year ago, that loss was a reality.
On Feb. 6, 2013, KU took the court against TCU. The Jayhawks didn't score their first points until seven minutes and 18 seconds had elapsed. With five minutes remaining in the first half, the Jayhawks had only mustered four points on one field goal and a pair of free throw.
One year later, Kansas ensured that history wouldn't repeat itself. Bill Self wouldn't allow it, and neither would Kansas' three prized freshmen, who had experienced the upset loss from the comfort of their homes last year. Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, and Wayne Selden combined for 53 points on 57 percent shooting.
Kansas demonstrated what last year's team lacked and what this year's team, until recently, had been struggling to find: a killer instinct.
Kansas scored as many points in the first minute of the contest than they scored in the first 15 minutes last year. With five minutes to go in the half, TCU point guard Kyan Anderson turned it over, contributing to a four-minute stretch without a field goal. The Jayhawks were leading 35-22.
However, this time the Jayhawks came out of the timeout, continued to lockdown TCU, and went on a 16-5 run. Wiggins scored seven of those 16 points and stymired the Horned Frogs on defense. By the time the buzzer signaled halftime, TCU was done. This was the performance Kansas was supposed to give last year. Kansas is a young team heavily reliant on freshmen. But one glance at the Jayhawks shows these are no ordinary freshmen. These are players who realize the gravity of every game, regardless of the opponent. Wiggins scored 19 points in the first half and looked like he had embraced his role as alpha dog. Against Baylor, Selden dove into the stands after a loose ball, knowingly risking injury for the sake of hustle. Embiid seems to have a disdain for both the rim and opposing centers.
In the past, this is exactly where the opposition would make a run. With a comfortable lead, Kansas would become complacent and the lead would dwindle into the single digits and Bill Self would turn an angry shade of scarlet.
There are still many games to play, and regression is certainly possible. But for now, Kansas fans should sleep soundly once again.
Junior guard Natalie Knight executes on a wide-open offensive play. Knight contributed 11 points total to the Kansas 76-60 victory over the #7 Baylor Bears on January 19 in Allen Fieldhouse.
TURNING IT AROUND
JAMES HOYT/KANSAN
KYLE PAPPAS sports@kansan.com
The Kansas women's basketball team realized they had their work cut out for them heading into last week. The Jayhawks (10-10, 3-5 Big 12) had three games scheduled; two were against top-10 opponents Baylor and Oklahoma State and one against conference rival Kansas State.
After finishing the week at 2-1, Kansas should be confident heading into tonight's match-up against Texas (13-6,4-3 Big 12) in Allen Fieldhouse.
Junior forward Chelsea Gardner, ESPNW's player of the week for Jan. 13-19, has been virtually unstoppable lately, recording a double-double in each of her last three games. She's among the top five in the Big 12 for points, rebounds and field goal percentage.
Senior guard CeCe Harper has also elevated her game in the past few weeks. When Gardner began to run into foul trouble during the second half of Saturday's Sunflower Showdown, Harper exploded for 14 points. Harper also displayed a propensity for creating plays for her teammates; her 5.1 average assists per game are enough for fifth best in the conference.
most pronounced advantage is certainly in the post. Enemkpali will be a point of emphasis for the Jayhawks' defense, as she's converted 55 percent of her shots from the field this year. She sits atop the Big 12 with 9.1 average rebounds per game and could be a match-up nightmare for defenders.
The Jayhawks' 3-5 record currently has them sitting eighth in the Big 12. If Kansas expects to make a run toward the postseason this year, now must be the time.
As for McGee-Stafford, the 6-foot-7 sophomore is a major reason why the Longhorns average 30 defensive rebounds per game and have limited opponents to only 33 percent shooting this season. She's simply too tall for many teams to defend and Kansas may experience trouble matching her height.
The Longhorns roll into Lawrence fresh off an impressive victory over No. 18 West Virginia, a game in which they out-rebounded the Mountaineers by a 46-27 margin.
The last time these teams met on January 15 in Austin, Texas, the Longhorns were victorious defeating the Jayhawks 70-58 behind McGee-Stafford's 24 points and 10 rebounds.
Led by junior forward Nneka Enemkpali and sophomore center Imani McGee-Stafford, Texas'
Texas will see a different, seemingly rejuvenated Kansas squad this time around; much better than the team they ran into just two weeks ago.
The Jayhawks must receive quality production from their supporting cast if they anticipate keeping up with Texas' offense. Simply getting the ball to Gardner in the post and hoping she does the rest won't fly against a formidable Longhorn defense. Look for junior guards Asia Boyd and Natalie Night to make a larger impact if Gardner can't get opportunities down low.
The teams are set to square off tonight at Allen Fieldhouse at 7 p.m.
As both teams' strengths are their defense, this is set to be a physical, fairly low-scoring affair. But assuming Gardner can manage to keep herself out of foul trouble, Kansas may possess a slight edge this time around.
Edited by Emily Hines
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
TRACK AND FIELD
Sophomore Diamond Dixon struggles to surpass DeeDee Trotter in the Women's 400 Meter Dash Invitational Saturday afternoon at the Kansas Relays.
Alumni reflect on stadium heritage
Larry Stroup lined up at the northeast corner outside of Memorial Stadium. It was before practice on a perfect spring day in 1953, and on the opposite
JACKSON LONG sports@kansan.com
side, his twin brother Louis also prepared to run. The two were freshman on the University of Kansas' track and field team, right in the middle of some of the finest years of a historic program. Next to Larry was Wes Santee, a senior who would go onto
win the NCAA's individual cross-country title. It was a race around Memorial Stadium. Larry knew about his brother Louis. Santee did not.
Larry sprinted from the starting line, a pace impossible to keep for the duration of the single-lap race. Perplexed by
the strategy, Santee was sure his superior talents would eventually win out. What he didn't know was that Larry and Louis would switch out at the halfway point. Behind a tree, a tired Larry hid while Louis dashed to complete the race. The identical Stroup twins won and would go on to wait 50 years before finally telling Santee about the fix.
This is just one of many stories coming from Memorial Stadium and the glory days of Kansas track and field. But all of that tangible history is in the process of being stripped away. The university is currently building Rock Chalk Park, a facility that includes a new home for the track and field teams. The move draws concern from many of those who helped make the program what it is today. "Memorial Stadium means a lot to us old guys," said Ray Wyatt, a multiple conference championship winner. "The vista of having the event in the bowl and being able to look back on the campus - that is the big reason that the old guys didn't want the [Kansas] Relays moved to some area a long way from the campus."
"My personal feeling is the Kansas Relays traditions
may suffer by being moved off campus," Larry Stroup said. "How can you replace the history and setting at Memorial Stadium?"
Many of the "old-timers"
- as they refer to themselves
- worry about the distance between campus and Rock Chalk Park's location at the Sixth Street and K-10 intersection. It is a move of more than four miles and most notably, off of the university's campus.
Pete Talbott, a javelin champion from the class of 63, said his biggest concern is removing the program from the intimacies of campus atmosphere. Larry Stroup said that "throngs" would come down the hill and assemble to watch athletes, from Olympians to All-Americans, compete. He also worries about the distance that athletes will have to travel to train and compete, as well as the travel for fans to attend.
However, it's not all negative in the eyes of the old-timers. Their track knowledge and vision can see the positives of making the move.
Talbott looks at the opportunities it can bring for the program and the University.
SEE TRACK PAGE 7
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