MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21. 2005
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
3B
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Hallman becomes the difference
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
Junior guard scores 22 points a career high
BY BJ RAINS
brains@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIVER
Erica Hallman held her form and posed for the crowd after she hit a deep three-pointer right in front of the Kansas bench late in the second half of yesterday's victory.
It was that kind of afternoon for Hallman, junior guard, and for the Jawhaws.
With that shot Hallman set a new career high with a gamehigh 22 points. She was five-of-10 from behind the three-point line and hit her first two threepointers.
Hallman scored the Jayhawks' first eight points and 10 of their first 14.
Afterward coach Bonnie Henrickson said that Hallman may be the team's most improved player.
"She has been a difference-maker for us," Henrickson said. "Arguably, she has shown the most improvement since we've gotten here."
Not only was Hallman hitting big shots, she was also making big passes. She finished with six assists, moving within 21 assists of Tamecka Dixon for 5th place on the Kansas all-time assist list.
Junior guard Erica Hallman shoots over Nebraska freshman forward Sarah White during the second half. Hallman led all scorers with 22 points off of 8-16 shooting, including 5-10 from three-point land. The Jayhawks won 67-53 yesterday in Allen Fieldhouse.
In one stretch she led two consecutive fast breaks, both ending up in lay-ups.
"Both times they took off
running and were open," Hallman said. "I found them and they finished the play."
Henrickson said that Hallman's play carries over into other aspects of her game. She gains confidence from getting assists, which helps her add to her point total, she said.
"She feels good about herself when she gets into transition and makes nice passes," Henrickson said. "I think that plays over to her shooting, because she feels like she is doing the right thing. That makes her a more comfortable shooter."
Basketball Notes:
In Wednesday night's defeat to No. 15 Texas Tech, Henrickson said the team lacked energy. Members of the opposing team seemed to notice that this was not the case yesterday.
"This was the first game this year, that we were out-hustled," Nebraska coach Connie Yori said. "I thought that was the biggest factor in the game and they were the aggressors in that area."
Players were diving on the floor for loose balls and doing whatever it took to get the victory.
The Jayhawks brought in 17 offensive rebounds.
The increased energy on the defensive end was credited to two good days of practice in preparation for yesterday's game.
"Every coach in America will tell you that you play like you
practice," Henrickson said.
The players agreed that the good practices were the key to the good performance in the game,
there," Hallman said. "It started with practice on Friday. We had a lot of energy in practice, and it carried over to the game."
"We had a lot of energy out
Senior guard Aquanita Burras
may have noticed the energy increase the most.
Afterward she showed the media two floor burns, which she received while diving on the floor for loose balls.
"When you see your teammates diving on the floor, it pumps you up." Burras said. "It raises the intensity level because everyone wants to do their part."
Kansas will try to beat a ranked opponent for the first time in 34 opportunities on Wednesday. Seventh-ranked Baylor will travel to Allen Fieldhouse for Kansas' Senior Night. They have not knocked off a ranked opponent since defeating No. 6 Iowa State, 69-61, at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 17, 2001
Baylor's inside tandem of Steffanie Blackmon and Sophia Young is regarded as one of the best inside duos in the country. Both Baylor women are on the 20-member John Wooden Award midseason list. Baylor is one of only two teams in the country to have two players on the list. Both players are averaging at least 16.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
"It's going to be a big game," junior guard Kaylee Brown said. "We just need to come out there and play hard, and hopefully we can get a win."
"They are arguably the best post tandem in the country," Henrickson said. "We're going to have to be smart with how we play both offensively and defensively."
- Edited by Nikola Rowe
Giddens
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
Self needs to make a change at the small forward position. The answer may not be Jeff Hawkins; Alex Galindo could also be a good replacement. The point is that this team needs a reliable scorer at small forward. Give Giddens some time to work through his performance problems and maybe he will be able to regain his starting position. Self recognized the need for someone to become a reliable player on Saturday.
"We need to have somebody with the guts to step up and make a play." Self said after the game. "jeff had the guts to do that and he made two huge shots for us."
When good shooters put up a shot, they are not thinking about their previous misses. They don't let it bother them. But there has to be a line.
Giddens' attempted three-pointer — late in the game, double-tailed, and after he'd struggled all day — was not a smart decision.
While Giddens' play was poor, it does not justify the treatment he received from fans in Allen Fieldhouse. When Self put in Giddens late in the game, a chorus of boos rained down, mainly from the student section. True Jayhawk fans don't boo Jayhawk players. Such behavior lacks class. Constructive criticism and angry questions are OK, but boos are never acceptable.
Giddens will get through this current struggle, but it will take time. Not starting, and allowing another player to step up, will help Giddens. More importantly though, it will help the team.
- Colaianni is a McLean, Va., sophomore in journalism and political science.
Burras
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
"She feels good about herself when she gets into transition and makes nice passes," Henrickson said. "That makes her a more confident shooter."
Though the Jayhawks shot only 46 percent, they owned the offensive boards and produced second and third looks. Burras, Kemp and freshman forward Taylor McIntosh all brought down four offensive rebounds.
For the game, Kansas grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and held a 39-29 overall rebounding margin.
"They got physical inside on the offensive glass and that's what allowed them to offensive rebound." Yori said.
At the break the Jayhawks held a 30-24 lead. They did nothing to relinquish it coming out of the locker room.
The victory evened up Kansas' record for the season. The Jayhawks will now face three ranked opponents to close out the regular season. Henrickson said her team would not roll over though, and had incentive to bring its best for the final three games.
A healthy mix of perimeter shooting, points off turnovers and inside scoring stretched the lead from six to 22 at the 9:22 mark.
"Right now we are not playing for an NCAA Tournament or NIT invitation, but we still have something to play for," Henrickson said. "We have Colorado, Missouri and Texas A&M chasing us for a good seed in the Big 12 Tournament."
The season-ending gauntlet resumes at 7 p.m. Wednesday when Kansas faces No. 7-ranked Baylor.
Edited by Austin Caster
James earns golf title and $240,000
NAPLES, Fla. — Former European Ryder Cup captain Mark James won his second Champions Tour title yesterday. He birdied the final two holes for a two-stroke victory over Hale Inwin and Tom Wargo in The ACE Group Classic.
James earned $240,000 in the $1.6 million event.
James closed with a 6-under 66 for a 13-under 203 total at The Club at TwinEagles. Wargo finished with a 66, and Irwin had a 68. Second-round leader Mike McCullough (71) tied for fourth at 10 under with Jerry Pate (68) and Mike Reid (68).
Curtis Strange, playing in his first event on the 50-and-over tour, shot a 74 to 49th at 3 over. He had a double bogey on No.18 after hitting into the water.
The 59-year-old Irwin, the tour's career victory leader with 41, eagled No.17 from 20 feet to get within a shot, but finished with a par on No.18.
—The Associated Press
BASEBALL
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Reliever Scott Sullivan, who is still bothered by a bad back, was not in camp yesterday as the Kansas City Royals held their first spring training workout for pitchers and catchers.
Royals pitcher out for 10 more days
The right-hander went on the disabled list on Aug. 29 and did not pitch the remainder of the season because of a strained lower back.
"He felt tightness in the left side of his back about 10 days ago doing fielding workouts," Royals trainer Nick Swartz said yesterday.
Swartz said Sullivan is in Atlanta doing therapy and should arrive Thursday in Arizona and be available for on-the-field workouts on Friday. Swartz said how much Sullivan will be able to do once he joins the club is to be determined.
Sullivan, who will be the fifth highest paid Royal this year with a $2.6 million salary, went 3-4 with a 4.77 earned run average in 41 relief appearances in 2004, his first year with Kansas City.
The Royals, who lost an American League-worst 104 games last year, will hold their first full-squad practice Friday.
Eighteenth Annual
—The Associated Press
James E. Seaver Lecture ON CONTINUING ISSUES IN WESTERN CIVILIZATION
Fundamentalism in Black and White: Race and Region in the Scopes Antievolution Trial
JEFFREY P. MORAN Associate Professor and Chair of History The University of Kansas
February 22, 2005
8:00 p.m.
Alderson Auditorium, Kansas Union
Reception following, Malott Room
Sponsored by the KU Humanities and Western Civilization Program
$3.00 Burger, Fry Basket, AND POP!
WE'RE ROLLING BACK THE PRICES FOR FEBRUARY!
THE TRADITION OF THE WHEEL
Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
LIQUID BAR & NIGHTCLUB Discreetly Hidden Behind McDonalds on 23rd
MONDAY=$2 ABSOLUT DRINKS
TUESDAY-$2 JUMBO MARGARITAS SOCO&LIME & JAGER SHOTS
WEDNESDAY-$2 COSMO MARTINIS
THURSDAY-$2 U-CALL-IT
FRIDAY-$2 CAPTAIN MORGAN DRINKS
SATURDAY=$2 DOUBLE WELLS
OPEN 4:44-2AM MON-SAT
18 to Dance 21 to Drink I (785)749-HAWK
WWW.LUIQUIDLAWRENCE.COM
GABRIEL the STAGE HYPNOTIST WED FEB 23rd 10:00 pm