2B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
INSIDE SPORTS
MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2005
Close games catch up with the men's basketball team
All the Jayhawks close calls over the past few weeks finally caught up to them on Saturday
It was bound to happen.
SPORTS COMMENTARY
No team can consistently get behind five, 10 points every game and expect to come back each time. We tried to pretend that the close wins thus far were a sign of a great team that simply refused to lose.
RYAN COLAIANNI sports@kansan.com
After the huge win at Kentucky, I honestly thought this team could win out. But as the Jayhawks struggled through wins at Iowa State and Colorado, and don't get me started on the narrow win against Nebraska AT HOME last week, I realized that this team took steps backwards since the win in Lexington, Ky.
So far this season, the Jayhawks have been unable to put teams away. They have consistently developed nine or ten point leads, but then been unable to increase it to 20 points or more. This allows opposing teams to hang around and be in games at the end with a chance to cause an upset.
I guess if they had to lose this year, a nonconference road game was the way to do it. But it was the way the team lost that was the biggest concern. For the second straight game, the Jayhawks were reckless with the basketball, committing 22 turnovers which led to 43 points for Villanova.
The final score of the game was also a little deceiving as Kansas trailed by as many as 37 late in the second half, but was able to close the gap a little, when facing Villanova's scrubs.
You do have to give Villanova some
credit though; they played a nearly flawless game. On Saturday, Villanova made 11 of 17 from the three point line, good for better than 63 percent. It's tough to beat a team with those numbers, just look at Villanova's performance in the 1985 NCAA Championship against Georgetown.
Despite having a player ejected and their lead cut to four just before halftime, the Wildcats responded and the Jayhawks did not. In the blink of an eye, Villanova went on an unbelievable run.
Saturday, a poor performance combined with Villanova's three-point shooting, made it a very long day for the lavwhaws.
A team that is so senior led should never have let a game get so out of hand. Coach Bill Self tried numerous lineups to get the ship going in the right direction but to no avail. At one point Self had a lineup of role players Darnell Jackson, freshman forward, Michael Lee, senior guard, Sasha Kahn, freshman forward, Nick Bahe, sophomore guard, and Jeff Hawkins, junior guard, on the court, but it simply did not work. Even when he put the starters back in with ten minutes to go, Simien and company could not stop the bleeding. Self tried everything. Heck! He played nine guys for 10 or more minutes.
This is a game that could haunt the Jayhawks for the rest of the season. Villanova could have delivered a mental blow so strong that it could derail the hopes and dreams of this team.
Self's not convinced that is the case, however.
"We've been kind of living on the razor's edge for the last couple of games, and I hate that this happened, but a little humiliation may do us all good," Self said after the loss in Philadelphia.
You can look at the Villanova loss as a wake up call. However, there have been so many potential wake up call games this season. From trailing late against Vermont in the first game of the season, to nearly falling to Nebraska last week, close-calls have been common place. The team clearly has not responded to the closest games.
Tomorrow's contest at Baylor will give us the first indication of how this team will perform for the rest of the season. It's funny to think that a game against lowly Baylor could define the rest of the season. This team is at a crossroads. They can let this devastating loss ruin their season and their title hopes, or respond to this game with a vengeance and deliver a knockout punch. With the number of seniors on this team, I am optimistic they will get going in the right direction.
Colaiani is a McLean, Va., sophomore in journalism and political science.
I want to pump, you up
Mark Ravis, Leawood senior, reaches down to aid Lenexa senior Eric Slatten during their workout Saturday afternoon at the Student Fitness Recreation Center. Slatten estimated they visit the recreation center to work out about five times a week.
NFL
McNabb and Eagles are finally Super Bowl bound
PHILADELPHIH — His smile can light up a locker room, even a stadium. Yesterday, Donovan McNabb lit up the city.
Break out the cheesesteaks, because this long-suffering quarterback is taking the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl at last.
"I'm excited with this win, everybody in the Philadelphia area is excited," McNabb said after yesterday's 27 10 victory over Atlanta gave the Eagles their first NFC championship since the 1980 season.
"We know what happened the last three years, but this year was special
and we have no reason to stop now."
McNabb exuded a quiet confidence all week, and his teammates took his cue. That frigid rush of wind swirling over the East Coast over the weekend was no arctic blast. That was the biggest sigh of relief this place has breathed in decades.
History has not been kind to Philadelphia sports lately. Nothing was more agonizing than the NFC title losses, though, and McNabb struggled through all of them.
McNabb was on his way to becoming the quarterback who couldn't win the big ones. He put that notion to rest by throwing two touchdown passes to Chad Lewis and staring down the doubters, along with the Atlanta defense.
The Associated Press
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Former KU basketball player signs with New Jersey Nets
It's been a long wait for former Kansas basketball sharpshooter Billy Thomas, but at the age of 29 he is finally a rookie in the NBA.
Tomas, who played at Kansas from 1995 to 1998, spent time playing basketball overseas and in several American minor league systems until signing a 10-day contract with the New Jersey Nets last week. So far, he has appeared in one game and pulled down two rebounds and dished one assist. He has yet to score.
Before receiving his opportunity to play in the NBA, Thomas played for the Dakota Wizards of the CBA. Thomas led the league in three-point field goals.
During his time at Kansas he made 269 three-pointers, the second most of any Jayhawk. He graduated as Kansas' all-time leading three-point shooter, but Jeff Boschee eventually passed him with 338.
He will join former Jayhawk teammate Jacque Vaughn, who has played for the Nets all season.
Kellis Robinet
BOWLING
Men's bowling takes first at Blue and Gold Invitational
Kansas' men's bowling team bounced back from its last two tournaments, where it finished out of the top 10, with a win at the 8th Annual Blue and Gold Invitational in South Bend,
Ind. this weekend.
The first place finish was the team's first since October, before junior Rhino Page left to play with the national team. Page is coming off a win at the U.S. National Amateur Championship and took first place in the Blue and Gold. Page had a 220-pin average. His teammate, junior Pat Eighmy, finished second overall with a 216-pin average.
Heading into the second, and final,
day of competition, the men's team
was trailing Saginaw Valley by 80 pins.
The team faced off with Saginaw
Valley and beat them by 301 pins.
"The men played outstanding with difficult nine conditions and avoided having any bad games," coach Mike Fine said. "They bowled over 1,000 in each of the last six games of the tournament."
The men's team faced a field of 33, which included nine of the top 10 teams in the nation.
"It was important for the team to come back strong after their last showing," Fine said. "They were able to reestablish themselves as a dominant team."
The women's team also competed at the Blue and Gold, finishing sixth out of a field of 15. The team finished with a pin total of 7,646. The sixthplace finish continues the women's run of top-10 finishes in all tournaments this season.
"The women just never could get on a roll," Fine said. "Their spare shooting was good. The good thing is, they are continually getting better."
Senior Kelly Zapf led the women's team with a 182-pin average, finishing eighth overall. Junior Kelly Sanders was second on the team with a 171-pin
average.
Both teams will next head to Omaha, Neb. to compete in the Maverick Husker Classic on Feb. 5-6.
—Jason Elmquist
TENNIS
'Hawks defeat Illinois State; look ahead to Brigham Young
With the Big 12 Conference schedule still weeks away, the Kansas tennis team began its 2005 season by knocking off nonconference opponent Illinois State 4-3 in Topeka on Saturday.
The Jayhawks earned the doubles point, registering wins in two of three matches. Juniors Christine Skoda and Luiza Loureiro defeated Laura Gravino and Ashley Maxwell, 8-2. Freshman tandem Stephanie Smith and Lauren Hommell helped Kansas take the point by knocking off Emilie Sechaud and Carolyn Parent, 8-6.
In the singles competition, the Jayhawks dug themselves a deep hole, losing the first three matches before winning four straight matches.
Sophomore Ashley Filberth, despite dropping the first set, came back to defeat Ashley Maxwell, 3-6, 7-5 and 6-2. Lourreiro also beat Carolyn Parent in three sets, 6-4, 6-7 (3) and 6-1.
With the score tied at three a piece, the final singles match was to determine the winner. Advantage, Stephanie Smith, Smith defeated Emile Sechaud, 6-7, 6-4 and 6-3.
"I was very proud of the way our team played today," said second-year coach Amy Hall-Holt. "We played with a lot of heart and we battled for every
point."
While acknowledging the victory, Hall-Holt knows that her young team has a lot of work still to do.
Kansas (1-0 overall, 0-0) will welcome a talented Brigham Young squad this Saturday to Kansas in a match in Overland Park. BYU is currently ranked No.25 in the country, according to ITA team rankings. The match is set for 5 p.m.
—Rahul Sharma
FOOTBALL
Awards banquet honors outstanding football players
At the annual Kansas football awards banquet, senior center Joe Vaughn and sophomore cornerback Charles Gordon were named the team's offensive and defensive most valuable players, respectively.
Gordon tied for the most interceptions in all of Division I-A with seven. Gordon received the Ray Evans Award, which is given to the defensive MVP. Those interceptions earned Gordon first team all-Big 12 honors from the coaches and The Associated Press. Gordon was also named a third team All-American by The Associated Press.
Vaughn, who transferred from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M after his sophomore season, started all 24 games in his two years with the Kansas program. At the banquet Vaughn was also named offensive lineman of the year in addition to receiving the John Hadl Award for offensive MVP. Vaughn was named second team all-Big 12 by the Associated Press and the coaches last season. On Saturday
Vaughn also participated in the annual Hula Bowl, which showcases top seniors from across the country.
Other seniors picking up awards on Saturday were tight end Lyonel Anderson and wide receiver Brandon Rideau. The two were named the team's most-improved offensive players. Anderson caught 33 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns. Rideau led all receivers in receptions, with 51, yards, with 597, and touchdowns, with seven.
Gabriel Toomey, who decided after the season to leave the team because of a nagging injury, was awarded the Gale Sayers Award for most courageous player along with junior Nick Reid. Toomey had 54 tackles on the year, and Reed led the team with 109 tackles.
A full list of the awards can be seen at www.kuathletics.com.
—Ryan Colaianni
Men's Basketball at Baylor, 6:30 p.m., Waco,
Texas
Women's Basketball at Colorado, 8:00 p.m.
Boulder, Colo.
Kansas athletics calendar
TOMORROW
TALK TO Us
Tell us your news. Bill Cross or Jonathan Kealing at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com
The University of Kansas presents
"Walking the Dream"
A luminary walk honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, January 24th at 7 p.m. Meet at Wescoe Hall to proceed to the Kansas Union, Woodruff Auditotium
Featured speaker: Mr. Tim Dupree assistant prosecutor in Emporia, Kansas
Sponsored by Multicultural Resource Center and the Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. For more information call 785-864-4350
Spring Bus Passes on Sale Now!
Jan 19-25 Union Gallery or the SUA Box Office
Spring: $70 Park and Ride: $85
Visit www.ku.edu/~kuwheels or call 864-4644 for more information
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