RECREATIONAL SPORTS: In tomorrow's Kansan, a regular feature debuts that highlights students' outdoor activities
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
www.kansan.com
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2005
INSIDE THE PARK
JACK WEINSTEIN
jweinstein@kansan.com
Many members of the national media as well as coaches across the country have figured out that Aaron Miles is one of the nation's top point guards. However, he is not considered to be one of the nation's elite point guards.
Miles rates among best in nation
If you visit ESPN.com and read one of the archived articles college basketball analyst Andy Katz has written, you may discover the shrine Katz has to Wake Forest sophomore point guard Chris Paul. Katz vehemently believes Paul is the front-runner for National Player of the Year, not to mention God's gift to college basketball.
If you've ever watched a North Carolina game televised on one of the ESPN networks, you may have noticed how much analyst Dick Vitale loves to talk about Tar Heels junior point guard Raymond Felton. It's hard not to notice Vitale drooling all over the microphone as he raves about Felton's greatness and future NBA potential.
These college basketball analysts like Aaron Miles, but you'll rarely hear his name in the same sentence as Felton or Paul.
On Jan. 13, the 2005 Bob Cousy Award candidates were announced. Miles was chosen along with 18 others to be part of a list that recognizes college basketball's top point guard, in all three NCAA divisions. At the time the list of candidates was released, Miles was averaging 9.2 points and 7.1 assists per game. Other notable candidates include Georgia Tech's junior Jarret Jack (14.8 ppg, 4.7 apg), Marquette's senior Travis Dienner (20.9, 6.6). Notre Dame's senior Chris Thomas (15.5, 6.7), Paul (14.3, 6.4) and of course Felton (10.6, 7.7).
If you look closely at Felton's line, his statistics are nearly identical to those of Miles, yet Felton gets all of the national attention.
Miles is arguably having his best season offensively, but he doesn't
Miles is, without a doubt, a great point guard, but he won't win this award. His statistics aren't flashy enough. He doesn't score enough, he isn't showy enough and honestly, I doubt he cares. This award, like many others, relies heavily on individual statistics. It doesn't rely enough on team success, leadership, toughness and performing in the clutch, all reasons why Miles should seriously be considered for this award.
SEE MILES ON PAGE 6A
Rvlan Howe/KANSAN
Senior guard Aaron Miles tries to take a charge from Allan Ray, Villanova junior guard, during Saturday's game. Ray led all scorers with 27 points, which led to Villanova's victory against the Jayhawks.
Bearing down against Baylor
'Hawks need to stop freshman guard
BY KELLI ROBINETT
krobinett@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Baylor coach Scott Drew may have been as upset as Kansas coach Bill Self after the Villanova Wildcats easily defeated the Jayhawks by 21 points on Saturday.
Instead of facing a carefree, undefeated Jayhawk squad at 6:30 tonight in Waco, Texas, Drew will encounter an angry, one-loss team that is hungry for revenge.
"I think most people across the country agree they're going to be pretty focused from the start." Drew said. "They're going to try to make a statement."
The Bears have lost three games in a row to the Jayhawks, and last defeated them during the 2000-2001 season. The then-No. 6 Jayhawks sleepwalked into Waco, fell behind by 25 points at halftime and lost 85-77.
But after Saturday's debacle in Philadelphia, Kansas players said there wasn't much chance of another Jayhawk letdown.
"We'll try to spin a negative into a positive," senior forward Wayne Simien said of the Villanova loss. "Learn from it, come out and tighten things up and be ready to resume conference play."
Not good news for a team that has just one returning scholarship athlete, and only six overall.
The Bears (9-6, 1-3 Big 12) are one of the country's least experienced teams. This year's lineup includes nine underclassmen. Crippled by NCAA sanctions that followed a major scandal under former coach Dave Bliss, Baylor returns just three players from last season's roster, two of whom are walk-ons.
Despite the tough times that Baylor has dealt with, its second-year coach has exceeded expectations.
With nine wins thus far, Drew already has bettered last season's win total of eight, and the Bears have impressive victories against Colorado and at Purdue.
One of the main reasons the Bears are opening eyes around the conference is freshman guard Aaron Bruce. He currently is the third-highest scoring freshman in the country, averaging 16.1 points per game.
He leads all Big 12 Conference freshmen in scoring, field-goal percentage (49.7), three-point field-goal percentage (41.7) and free-throw percentage (88.5).
Bruce, a Horsham, Australia, native is such a highly touted newcomer that ESPN commentator Dick Vitale included him in his "Super Six All-Diapier Dandie" preseason team, which consisted of five other standout freshman.
"Aaron Bruce, for us, has been very impressive," Drew said. "He has a great opportunity. Not many freshmen across the country get to play as many minutes as he does with our situation."
Freshman forward Tim Bush has also shown promise in his first year, as both he and Bruce have won Big 12 Conference Rookie of the Week honors.
Kansas will look to slow these two freshman down and improve from its last game, when the Jayhawks surrendered a season-high 83 points.
Self admitted that wouldn't be easy, as Baylor's style of play differed from a lot teams the Jayhawks play.
That style of play includes attempting nearly 20 three-pointers per game, which has allowed four Baylor players to maintain double-digit scoring averages. When the Bears get hot they seldom lose, owning an 11-0 record under Drew when they score more than 70 points.
Edited by Ross Fitch
Jayhawks aim to best Buffaloes
BY PAUL BRAND
pbrand@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIVER
Prior to last Saturday's 63-61 victory against Missouri, the Kansas women's basketball team had lost four games in a row. The first conference victory of the season ended that streak.
"We will definitely build off of this," Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "We will learn from our mistakes and build off the positives.
Tonight's face-off against Colorado offers Kansas, B-8 (1-4 Big 12), its best
opportunity of the season to notch another conference road victory.
The Buffaloes have defeated the Jayhawks in eight straight meetings, including a 19-point decision in Boulder, Colo., last season. But Kansas has reason for optimism as it takes to the road for an 8 p.m. tip-off.
This season's Buffalo team has changed from last year's squad that finished 22-8 and earned a Top 20 ranking.
Four starters are gone from last season's team, and Colorado has dropped four of its last five contests. Just like Kansas, its lone conference victory
came against Missouri.
In their last conference match-up, Colorado lost an overtime game to the last-place Oklahoma State, 76-70.
The Jayhawks should take advantage of its success in protecting the ball against the Buffaloos, who average more than 20 turnovers per outing. The Jayhawks rank 29th nationally and commit less than 15 turnovers a game.
The Jayhawks have posted a 1-4 record on the road and are winless in both games during the conference road schedule.
Troubled early in the season by second-half collapses, Kansas has put together two consecutive solid second halves in games against Texas A&M and Missouri.
Against Texas A&M, Kansas erased an 11-point first half deficit to tie the game with only one minute remaining, but eventually fell 62-60.
Saturday's victory against Missouri saw Kansas at a five-point disadvantage going into the break, but a strong second half performance created the
More games will be played on Sundays this year. The move will help open more courts at the recreation center for free play.
Today marks the beginning of intramural basketball season.
SEE BUFFALOES ON PAGE 6A
Team sign-ups are posted today at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center.
More teams can sign up this year, with enough slots for 188 men's teams, 32 women's teams and 40 coed teams. Team slots are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis, with each team consisting of at least five players.
Intramural basketball sign-ups available
"We tried to schedule the times around when Robinson was open for
Teams don't have to pay a sign-up fee, but teams that forfeit a game will have to pay a $10 fine.
play, so we weren't taking up all four courts," said Kurt Schooley, assistant director of sport programs at the recreation center.
The winning men's and women's teams will receive a free entry into the Rock Chalk Classic, which will be from March 18 to 20.
A team manager's meeting will be at 8 p.m. on Thursday at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
The first games will take place on Sunday, and the regular season will end Feb. 23.
Winners of the tournament will be invited to the National Intramural Basketball Championships.
Sign-ups will continue through tomorrow evening.
Michael Phillips
Motivation for runners varies
BY PATRICK SHEAN
pshehan@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Nearly a month ago, students made their New Year's resolutions. Those who vowed to make a change in the way they ate and exercised did so for good reason.
According to www.webmd.com, more teens in the United States suffer from obesity than in any other industrialized country. After returning from winter break, students begin making an effort to shed unwanted pounds.
At times the Student Fitness Recreation Center can be filled to the max or classes and jobs interfere, motivation can diminish.
For some students, recreational
SEE RUNNING ON PAGE 6A
John Tran/KANSAN
Lori Bettes, Lenexa senior, and Danielle Tripp, St. Louis senior, run Monday afternoon down Jayhawk Boulevard. The runners enjoyed yesterday's warmer weather, with temperatures reaching 54 degrees.
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