TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2005
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
3B
Jersey ceremony honors former Kansas, NBA standout
BY JONATHAN KEALING
jonathan@kansan.com
KANAN ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
On a February day in 1972, Bud Stallworth recorded one of the most impressive individual performances in Kansas basketball history.
Facing the Missouri Tigers, Stallworth scored 50 points, coming just two short of the all-time record set by Wilt Chamberlain on Dec. 3, 1956 against
Northwestern University. With a final score of 93-80, the Feb. 26 game was special for Stallworth.
It's only fitting then that Stallworth witnessed the retirement of his jersey on the same day that the current incarnation of the Jayhawks defeated Missouri, 73-61.
"Norm Stewart was a great motivator," Stallworth said of the former Missouri head coach. "We always wanted to beat that team."
Stallworth was more than a
one-night wonder. In his career Stallworth accumulated 1,495 points, 16th-most in Jayhawk history. If not for a couple of rule changes, Stallworth could be even higher on the list.
Stallworth earned all those points in just three seasons, as freshmen were prohibited from playing until 1972. Additionally, in Stallworth's time, the three-point are didn't exist. Driving to the basket and drawing the foul was the only way to get the extra point.
Stallworth's career extended beyond the Jayhawks. He enjoyed a career with the Seattle Supersonics of the NBA as the seventh-overall draft pick in 1972. He also spent time with the New Orleans Jazz.
"When someone says we're getting ready to put you up there with those guys — Wilt Chamberlin, Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce — it's a humbling experience," it壮 worth said.
Bridges and Walter Wesley, whose jerseys have already been retired. Dave Robisch will have his jersey retired at the Feb. 27 game against Oklahoma State.
Stallworth and four others
form a forgotten portion of Jayhawk history who did not have their uniforms retired in the order most similar to the years they played for the 'Hawks. Several, including Darnell Valentine, were somewhat bitter at the snub, but all embraced the chance to return to Lawrence and see their jerseys hung from the rafters.
Joining Stallworth and Valentine in this year's class of jersey retirements are Bill
"It's something that we felt, for the anniversary of the Fieldhouse, would be great," said Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director for external affairs. "These players all deserved to have their jerseys up there."
— Edited by Ross Fitch
TURNAROUND: Zone defense closes Tiger run
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
The Jayhawks recognized that whatever they were doing in the first half wasn't working. Kansas led by as many as 10 points in the first period, but with about six-and-a-half minutes left before the half, Kansas hit a rut.
Missouri went on a 20-3 run to close out the first half, sending Kansas into the locker room trailing 36-28. After the game, none of the Jayhawks seemed to know why that happened.
"I can't explain it," Langford said. "We can't let that happen again."
They certainly didn't repeat that performance in the second half. The 'Hawks outscored the Tigers 45-25 in the second half. They went 15-of-26 from the field and earned 16 points off of turnovers.
After Miles' crowd-energizing three-pointers, Kansas put together a couple of small runs that slowly narrowed the Missouri lead.
"We knew that we could go out there in the second half and chip away at the lead," Giddens said. "Nobody was going to come in our house and punk us."
It was Giddens' ally-oop slam, off a pass from Miles, that put the Jayhawks up 52-51 with about 10 minutes left to go in
the game. The Tigers never got another lead.
Self moved his players into a zone defense that frustrated the Tigers. The Jayhawks moved in and out of the zone regularly throughout the last 10 minutes of the game, and the Tigers couldn't keep pace.
The zone forced the Tigers to take long, ill-advised shots, allowing the Jayhawks to pick up some long rebounds and push the ball in transition. Kansas had 13 transition points in the second half.
Self said he thought the change in defense would help the lavhwaws seal the victory.
"The biggest thing was to change the pace of the game," Self said. "We just wanted to get them out of rhythm."
However, it wasn't the zone that changed the pace of the game for the Jayhawks. Kansas was up by a point when they went into it.
He may not take credit for it, but Aaron Miles was the reason why the game took a twist in the Jayhawks' favor.
GAME NOTES
Freshman forward Alex Galindo did not suit up for last night's game because he reaggravated his groin injury in the Jayhawks' victory against Texas on Saturday.
forward, C.J. Giles, would play this Saturday at Nebraska. Giles has not played since the last time the Jayhawks met the Cornhuskers, on Jan. 19. He suffered a bruised foot Jan. 9 against the University of Kentucky.
■ Self said he was hopeful that his other injured freshman
Miles, senior guard Mike Lee, Langford and Simien are 8-1 all-time against the Missouri Tigers. The seniors are 7-0 when facing the Tigers during the regular season.
Miles broke another Kansas record last night. The Portland, Ore., native's 10 assists gave him 19 career games with double-digit assists, moving him ahead of Jacque Vaughn for the most such games in Kansas history.
Wayne Simien said he would no longer have to wear the cast on his left hand that he has had since he injured it against South Carolina on Dec. 18. Simien underwent surgery on Dec. 20 and missed four games. He returned to the line-up on Jan. 12 against Iowa State and has been playing with the cast ever since.
He said he expected to replace the cast with a small bandage when the Jayhawks travel to Nebraska on Saturday.
"I'd like to get out of it as soon as I can," Simien said.
— Edited by Ross Fitch
NHLlockoutnegotiations sufferanothersetback
HOCKEY
NEW YORK — The NHL and the players' association are now disputing whether they have anything to talk about.
The sides have had limited
contact by phone since Thursday, when the league presented more salary-cap concepts in an effort to reach a new collective bargaining agreement. But even that talking stopped yesterday.
"We broke up on Thursday and both agreed to keep the lines of communication
open,"Bill Daly, NHL executive vice president, said.
Ted Saskin, the NHLPA's senior director, said Daly shouldn't have expected a response.
"We were very clear on Thursday that we would not be negotiating over his proposed concepts," Saskin said.
The Associated Press
SNYDER: Tigers struggle, record falls below .500
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18
one know what they thought Snyder's chances were of keeping his job before the game even began. Nearly every fan wearing a Muck Fizzzou shirt shook signs reading "Quin Snyder... You're fired" from yesterday's edition of The University Daily Kansan.
Last night's loss was only the most recent of Missouri's struggles under its slick-haired coach. Since taking over in 1999, the Tigers best finish in the Big 12 Conference was a 5th-place tie in 2002-2003. Last year Missouri failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament and was under a national microscope while the NCAA investigated the athletic department after cheating allegations surfaced.
Missouri attempted to forget its problems after firing Snyder's entire coaching staff and opening a state-of-the-art arena. The team's new arena was originally named the Paige Sports Arena,
but had to be renamed Mizzou Arena after a 20/20 special revealed that the woman the stadium was named after may have cheated her way through college.
The new assistant coaches also have a dismal record, as last night's 73-61 setback to the Jayhawks dropped the Tigers record under .500 at 10-11.
"You can't let your kids lose faith," Snyder said. "I know we can win. We've won this year. We certainly have had some success in past years. We were in position, until the last three or four minutes to win the game tonight. You can't let disappointment get in the way of progress. This is a time when we've got to be strong."
Snyder said that he thought his team got better after the game, and that there was still time left to right the ship.
Unfortunately, his time is running out. Missouri has nine games remaining before the Big 12 Tournament, and unless something drastic happens in
the coming weeks Missouri will undoubtedly have to win the conference tournament to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Players were also asked whether they thought Snyder would be gone next year, and most of them shrugged and admitted that it was at least a possibility.
"That's not my decision," Brown said. "I guess that's on the athletic director. Whatever he feels is best for our program. I guess he'll make that decision."
In fact, only one player seemed willing to stick up for his coach.
Freshman guard Jason Horton said Snyder was safe at Missouri, and that the media was making too big of a deal out of the situation.
"I'm confident he'll be here," Horton said, "and he's the only coach I ever play for."
Edited by Azita Tafreshi