SPORTS
TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2005
PAGE 1B
WWW.KANSAN.COM
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Galindo announces transfer
BY MIRANDA LENNING
mlenning@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTSWRIITER
It's official. Alex Galindo will not play for the Kansas Jayhawks next season.
Kansas coach Bill Self announced yesterday that the freshman forward will transfer from the University at the end of the semester.
Galindo, a Newark, N.J., native, said there were no unfriendly feelings between himself and the Kansas basketball program. He said he had
Galindo
he would look at schools closer
to his family.
"I feel I need a change of scenery to get closer to home," Galindo said.
NCAA rules will force Galindo to sit out his sophomore season at his transfer university. Although he said he didn't know where he would transfer, he said he would use next season as an opportunity to work on his game.
"I need a redshirt year to get stronger and to develop my game," Galindo said. "At this time my mind is still open to where I will go, but hopefully it will be resolved in the next few weeks."
The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 4.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game this season in 10.4 minutes of play per game. Galindo was plagued
with injuries early in the season. He missed last summer with an injured wrist and suffered a groin injury early in the season. The pulled groin sidelined him from important pre- and early-season workouts. The time out hindered Galindo's ability to become familiar with the plays and get comfortable in the system, Self said.
"We enjoyed Alex this past year," Self said. "Losing his summer to a broken wrist and over a month of preseason workouts due to a pulled groin, certainly slowed his development."
The highlights of Galindo's career came in back-to-back games against Georgia Tech on Jan. 1 and Texas A&M Jan. 5. Against the Yellow Jackets, Galindo hit a game-altering shot
"I
I enjoyed my freshman year. It had its ups and downs, but overall it was a learning experience.I wish Kansas and its fans nothing but the best."
Alex Galindo Kansas freshman forward
in overtime to pull Kansas within one. The Jayhawks went on to win that game 70-68.
In Kansas' 65-60 victory over
the Aggies he made the game winning three-point shot with less than a minute to play.
"I enjoyed my freshman year," Galindo said. "It had its ups and downs, but overall it was a learning experience. I wish Kansas and its fans nothing but the best."
A true three-position player, Galindo played much of the season at the four position for the Jayhawks. Due to the depth at the guard position, Self said Galindo's best opportunity to play was at the four.
Galindo's exit opens a scholarship for the Jayhawks. Three recruits — Mario Chalmers, Micah Downs and Julian Wright
Next year, Galindo would have competed with incoming freshmen Micah Downs and Julian Wright for playing time.
and the addition of junior college transfer Roderick Stewart at the end of the fall semester fill the scholarships opened by seniors' graduations.
Self continued to recruit players despite having a full roster. DeAndre Thomas, a 6-foot-8, 270 pound senior forward from Westinghouse High School in Chicago, is expected to visit Kansas this month.
▼ PROFILE
Self announced yesterday however, that he would offer the scholarship to junior walk-on Christian Moody, who started 26 games for the lavahawks.
"With Alex's departure, it does allow us to provide Christian Moody a scholarship for the upcoming year, which he richly deserves," Self said.
Running up the track accolades
— Edited by Megan Claus
BY PATRICK SHEFAN
pshefan@kansan.com
KANSAN SWITTERWRIER
Jeremy Mims has had one of the best seasons of any Kansas runner.
Mims, in his fourth year at Kansas, ran past Jim Ryun's longstanding 800-meter run record of 1:47.19 with a time 1:47.04, which reset the Big 12 record of 1:45.88. In February's Big 12 Championship his time of 1:49.46 was good for second place. Mims ran 1:49.46. He then finished seventh in the 800 at the National Indoor Championships with a time of 1:48.28.
But looking back at Mim's early high school track disappointments, a record-breaking college athletic career seemed improbable.
Mims, a senior, remembers his early days in competition in Iowa City.
"My freshman year I was the worst runner of all time," he said. "I was so afraid of cross country, I didn't show up to practice the first day. I was slower than slow."
But he finished faster and faster as time wore on. He finally beat two minutes in the 800 his junior year. He said his pride in the race counted more than his record time.
"That meant a lot because I did it against one of my teammates who talked way to much," Mims said. "He was mad. Not just because I beat him, but I also beat two minutes and he hadn't."
Mims started getting attention from smaller state schools his senior year, but he said he knew much sooner of his potential.
"My junior year was when I wanted to run at a college level," Mims said. "My times were getting close to the same times at some smaller colleges."
"After state, Nebraska contacted me. I didn't want to go to Iowa, because it would be too close to home," Mims said. "It was a big deal to get out of Iowa."
After the state competition his senior year, Mims and his 200x200x400x800-meter medley team in their first attempt beat the state record in the race. They were invited to Raleigh, N.C., to compete nationally in the same event. They set the national record and finished first in the sprint medley. That's when Kansas coach Stanley Redwine called.
Staying in Iowa wasn't an option.
"It was between Kansas and Nebraska. Kansas had great facilities," Mims said. "But it was because of Redwine. I knew he could help me on the
SEE RUNNING ON PAGE 3B
Rvlan Howe/KANSAN
Jeremy Mims, a senior middle-distance runner specializing in the 800-meter race, looks forward to the indoor track season, which will be his last at the University. Mims won first place in the Kansas Relays last year with a season-best time of 1:50.82. This year he broke the Big 12 Conference record — and his personal record — with a time of 1:47.04. He placed second at the Big 12 Championship and seventh at the National Indoor Championships. The track and field team's next meet is the Texas Relays April 6-9. The Kansas Relays will be held April 21-23 at Memorial Stadium.
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Roy wins NCAA title
BY EDDIE PELLS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. LOUIS — Of course, there was no way it was going to be easy. North Carolina did it, though, and now it's time to stop asking Roy Williams that dogone question.
Sean May had 26 points, and the Tar Heels didn't allow a basket over the final, excruciating 2:30 last night to defeat Illinois 75-70, a win that finally gave Williams, the 17-year coaching veteran, the national championship that was missing from his otherwise stellar resume.
"I'm speechless," Williams said. "I usually talk my rear end off, but right now I'm speechless."
Freshman Marvin Williams had a tip-in with 1:26 left; Raymond Felton made three free throws down the stretch; and the Tar Heels (33-4) won their first title since 1993, back when Dean Smith was coaching and Williams was at Kansas, in the middle of his Final Four futility.
"He is the greatest coach," Felton said. "If he retired tomorrow, I would vote for him for the Hall of Fame. He told us he would bring us a championship, and we did it as a team."
Led by May's 10-for-11 shooting, Carolina took a 65-55 lead with 8:51 left, and it looked like Williams would win his 41st tournament game, and first championship, going away. But Illinois (37-2) never quit.
When it was over — after Felton had made his last two free throws, after May had cradled his 10th and final rebound — Williams took off his glasses and started looking for people to hug.
Forward Jack Ingram hit a pair of outside jumpers and Dee Brown scored six points as part of a 10-0 run that tied the game at 65 with 5 1/2 minutes left to set up a fantastic finish.
A few moments later, he was crying, much like he has at the end of every season — though no ending has been as sweet as this one.
"I'm just so happy for myself,
my family," Williams said.
SEE ROY ON PAGE 3B