2B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2005
ATHLETICS CALENDAR
Editor's note. The men's basketball game on Sunday will occur if the Jayhawks advance in the NCAA Tournament by winning tonight.
Baseball or Western Illinois, 3 p.m., Holland Ballpark
Citigroup
- Men's basketball vs. Bucknell, 8:40 p.m., Oklahoma City
- ♦ **Suitball** vs. Minnesota, 2.30 p.m., Sacramento, Calif.
- Swimming at NCAA Championships, all day, West Lafayette, Ind.
- Women's golf at Louisiana State, all day, Baton Rouge, La.
TOMORROW
TOMORRO
* Baseball vs. Western Illinois, 1 p.m., Hogtland Ballpark
* Softball vs. Northwestern, noon, Sacramento, Calif.
* Softball vs. Illinois, 2:30 p.m., Sacramento, Calif.
* Swimming at NCAA Championships, all day, Walt Lafayette,
Ind.
+ Women's golf at Louisiana State, all day, Baton Rouge, La.
SUNDAY
Baseball vs. Western Illinois. 1 p.m., Hoglund Ballpark
- Baseball vs. Western Illinois, 1 p.m., Hoglund Ballpark
* Men's basketball at NCAA Tournament, TBA, Oklahoma City,
Okla
- **Softball** vs. Utah Valley State, 11 a.m., Sacramento, Calif.
* **Softball** vs. Sacramento State, 1 p.m., Sacramento, Calif.
* **Women's golf** at Louisiana State, all day, Baton Rouge, La.
MONDAY
*Men's golf vs. Colorado, all day, Stevinson, Calif.*
TUESDAY
Team takes time off from busy schedule before next meet
The Kansas track and field team will take a break from its hectic schedule and spend the next two weeks focusing on the outdoor season.
Mims
The Jayhawks won't compete in any meets until the Tulsa Invitational on March 26. After competing in the Big 12 Championship, the Last Chance Meets, and the National Indoor Championships in the last three weeks, the Jayhawks will take some time off from competing.
"We will let them enjoy
their accomplishments in the indoor season, and also enjoy their time off," coach Stanley Redwine said. "But we have to continue to get better, and to do our very best in the outdoor."
After sending just one athlete, Leo Bookman, to nationals last year, Kansas sent six athletes this season. Three of them achieved All-American status: senior Jeremy Mims in the 800-meter run, senior Amy Linnen in the pole vault, and junior Sheldon Battle in the shot put.
Mims, although disap-
Redwine
Mims, although disgu pointed with his performance at nationals looks ahead.
"It's frustrating. But I'm just getting ready for outdoor," Mims said.
this break allows the Jayhawks to recuperate and evaluate their progress.
"We will take a couple of days to focus on what we need to do," vertical jumps coach Tom Havs said.
Outdoor season offers a fresh start to those athletes who wish to outdo their winter performances.
"For those people who didn't do as much as they would like to do at nationals, outdoor season provides them another opportunity for that." Redwine said.
The Jayhawks travel April 6 to Austin, Texas, for the Texas Relays before heading to Lawrence for the historic KU Relays. The event, which highlights Kansas' outdoor season, will take place April 22 at Memorial Stadium.
Patrick Shehan
Bucknell prepares for KU defense
NCAA TOURNAMENT
By KELLIS ROBINETT
krobinett@kansan.com
KANANS SPORTWRITER
Tell us your news Contact Bill Cross or Jonathan Kealing at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com.
OKLAHOMA CITY — When Bucknell coach Pat Flannery arrived in Oklahoma City, he could hardly contain himself.
His team was playing in its first NCAA Tournament since 1989, and the locals were greeting him with open arms.
"We're just trying to take it all in," Flannery said. "We're trying to do and see as much as we can. If you've got a tour going somewhere let us know, because we'll take it with you."
Flannery has good reason to be excited. The Bison finished off a breakthrough year, in which they defeated Pittsburgh on the road and won the Patriot League Tournament.
His team was rewarded for its efforts with a No.14 seed and the opportunity to pull off the upset of third-seeded Kansas.
"The mood of our team hasn't changed since we won the Patriot League Tournament," Bucknell junior guard Charles Lee said. "We're still on cloud nine, and just enjoying the moment."
All that joy seemed to end yesterday afternoon during the Jayhawks' shoot around, though. Flannery said he sent his assistant coaches to watch Kansas, while he ate ribs at a nearby restaurant.
"Coach," one of them said. "That Simien kid is pretty big."
Kansas senior forward Wayne Simien has caused problems for just about every opponent Kansas has played this season. He averages a double-double, and Flannery said containing Simien would be a key to his team's success.
"He's certainly going to be a challenge," Flannery said. "We're going to try to keep him off balance, but he's
Bucknell coach Pat Flannery tosses the ball to one of his players at the start of their practice session in Oklahoma City yesterday. Kansas will face Bucknell at 8:40 tonight in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
going to get his. He's proved that all year long."
Bucknell players agreed with Flannery, but said Simien would only be a part of their concerns defensively.
"Defensively, we're going to have our hands full," Lee said. "Simien is a presence down low, but we need to keep their other players in front of us. When their guards start penetrating the lane, they are real tough to stop."
The Bison have played stellar defense all year long. In the Patriot League Tournament they held two teams to less than 40 points and controlled the offensive pace by slowing
Dannv Johnston/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
the game down.
Bucknell has a balanced scoring attack, with three players averaging more than 10 points a game. The half-court offense is built around getting the ball inside to senior forward Chris McNaughton. 12.2 points per game, but when the Bison get the chance to run, they take it.
Junior guard Kevin Bettencourt, 12.7 points per game, and Lee, 12.5 points per game, are both solid ball handlers and shooters. Each of them play more than 30 minutes a game.
After studying tape all week,
Kansas coach Bill Self has learned just
how good they are.
how good they are.
"Anyone who has studied Bucknell knows this will be a difficult game," Self said. "They control the tempo of the game and defend really well."
Flannery said he was still amazed with how great being in the NCAA Tournament felt, but he was confident that his team would approach tonight's game just like any other.
"We're going to do everything possible to play Kansas tough," he said. "My players know it's all about tipping off at 8:40."
- Edited by Austin Caster
BASEBALL
Baseball players testify about league's drug use
BY HOWARD FENDRICH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — On Capitol Hill instead of a baseball field, wearing suits instead of uniforms, they walked into the room, stars all, forced by subpoena to testify before Congress whether they cheated by using steroids.
Heads turned, strobes flashed and necks craned to get a glimpse of the humbled heroes.
Five current and former players, three of them among the 10 leading home run hitters in history, bemoaned steroids as a problem for their sport but denied they are widespread.
No matter how hard the congressmen tried, McGwire wouldn't say.
Mark McGwire hemmed and hawed, his voice choked with emotion, his eyes nearly filled with tears. Time after time yesterday, he refused to answer the question everyone wanted to know: Did he take illegal steroids in the historic home run summer of 1998 or any other time?
On a day of extraordinary theater at the House Government Reform Committee, McGwire sat at a wooden table, his accuser, Jose Canseco, at the other end. Also there, sitting biceps-to-biceps, were Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Curt Schilling.
"If a player answers 'No,' he simply will not be believed," McGwire said in his opening statement. "If he answers 'Yes,' he risks public scorn and endless government investigations."
Canseco raised his hand, took the oath and repeated the admissions and accusations in his best-selling tell-all book, "juiced": He used steroids himself, and they were rampant in the game. Sosa and Palmeiro and Schilling said they didn't use them.
Schilling backtracked from his earlier claims of rampant steroid use, saying "the issue was grossly overstated by people, including myself." He estimated that only five to 10 of his teammates in the last 15 years used steroids but said he had never actually seen anyone take the drugs.
Commissioner Bud Selig later said the extent of steroids in baseball had been blown out of proportion.
"Did we have a major problem? No," he said. "So let me say this to you: There is no concrete evidence of that, there is no testing evidence, there is no other kind of evidence."
WOMEN'S GOLF
McGwire repeatedly avoided direct responses, saying his lawyers advised him not to answer certain questions. Often, he said he couldn't answer or had no opinion because "I'm retired."
Peering over reading glasses, McGwire fidgeted as he looked up at the congressmen, no longer the larger-than-life figure who was the greatest single-season home run hitter ever.
Asked by Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md), whether he was asserting his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself, McGwire said: "I'm not here to talk about the past. I'm here to be positive about this subject."
Jayhawks have opportunity to compete in NCAA regional
After coming back from a long weekend in Texas, the Jayhawks left Lawrence on Wednesday for the LSU Cleveland Classic in Baton Rouge, La.
They started first-round play today. The LSU Cleveland Classic is Kansas' third tournament this semester, played at Louisiana State's home course, the University Club. The Jayhawks did not have time to fix all of their problems, players said.
"Mainly I was focusing on my short game and chipping," sophomore Amanda Costner said. "Long chips, 40- and 50-yard pitches, that kind of stuff."
Coach Erin O'Neil said she walked with the players for nine holes in practice and had each tell what she was thinking on each shot.
"I just tried to help them with course management and figure out their thought process," O'Neil said.
Kansas has struggled this spring, placing second to last in both of its tournaments.
"We're by no means out of it," O'Neil said. "Our conference tournament, if we do well there, it will definitely help us. We are working hard and it will pay off."
O'Neil said she would look at every tournament as a stepping stone. Those steps could be big enough to make it to the NCAA Midwest Regional.
The Big 12 Conference Championship is still more than a month away.
"I feel that we are starting to get going, and am confident that our team will do well," Costner said.
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THE SEA INSIDE
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FRI: (4:30) 7:05 9:40
SAT: (1:35) (4:30) 7:05 9:40
SAT: (1:35) 7:05 9:40
SIDEWAYS
FRI: (4:15) 6:55
SAT: (4:15) 6:55
SUN: (4:15) 6:55
FRI: 9:30 ONLY
SAT: (1:40) 9:30
SUN: 9:30 ONLY
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