8B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2005
www.springbreak.sopadre.com SOUTH PADRE ISLAND
LAST CHANCE to prep for the April MCAT!
Class starts Saturday, January 22nd at the Lawrence Kaplan Center 1000 Massachusetts Street
Call or visit us online today to enroll!
1-800-KAP-TEST kaptest.com/mcat
Test Prep and Admissions
*MCAT is a registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges
SURVIVES: Self upset with performance
them almost five minutes to get on the scoreboard, and they didn't have any kind of spark until the 13-minute mark in the half.
CONTINUED FROM 1B
Senior guard Mike Lee came off of the bench to force back-to-back steals and five straight points by freshman Alex Galindo. Senior forward Wayne Simien played just three minutes in the first half because of two early foils, and Langford had just one point.
"If you would have said that our starters were only going to have four (combined) points at halftime, I would have said that we were in trouble," Self said
In trouble is where the Jayhawks found themselves, trailing at the half, 24-21.
For about the first five minutes of the second half, things got surprisingly better. Kansas opened the half with a 12-0 run that put them up 33-24.
"We had good energy, we pushed the ball, we rebounded, but that was the only highlight." Self said.
4MCA0001
Kansas' momentum didn't stop Nebraska. They rattled off seven straight points and even had an opportunity to tie the game. But Nebraska forward Aleks Maric failed to hit a free throw that would have evened the game at 42.
If that surge by the Cornhuskers didn't get the Jayhawks fired up, the curious officiating certainly did. The officials called double technical fouls on Lee and Nebraska guard Joe McCray with about
"They made shots when they had to," Lee said.
"I if we rebounded like men,we would be a pretty good team."
Kansas men's basketball coach
five minutes left in the game. McCray kicked Lee in the gut after they both dove for a loose ball out of bounds. Lee said some choice words to McCray and the referee caught him talking. On the next two possessions, the official called touch fouls on Keith Langford, but when Langford was clocked in the face on the other end of the court, no foul was called. That sent Kansas fans into a frenzy of boos and expletives directed at the referees.
The lajhwarks traded baskets with the Huskers for the rest of the game but could have kept it out of the clutch if they would have made free throws in the games crucial minutes. Kansas shot just 2-7 from the charity stripe in the last three and a half minutes of the game.
"Anytime you come out and let another team have a shot to win the game in your house, that is bad." Lee said. "We have got to do some things better as a team."
Free-throw shooting should be on that list. But ask Self and he'll tell you the thing this team needs to improve on the most is rebounding.
"If we rebounded like men, we would be a pretty good team," he said.
Edited by Kendall Dix
CONTINUED FROM 1B
RECRUITS: Fifteen recruits committed
in front of cameras or are not used to the interview process." Collins said.
Collins is in his second year at the University.
**
On the recruiting end, Kansas received 15 verbal commitments from high school seniors, including a commitment from www.rivals.com's top prospect in the state of Kansas, Kerry Meier.
Meier, a dual-threat quarterback from Pittsburg, is a three-star recruit, according to www.rivals.com. Meier passed for nearly 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns this season. He also was the team's second leading rusher with 654 yards.
Meier is the brother of current Kansas State quarterback Dylan Meier. Meier
received offers from Kansas State, Texas A&M, The University of Texas El Paso, Tulsa and Texas Christian University.
"He had some wonderful choices, to ponder, I think it was a very difficult process," Pittsburg High coach Merle Clark said. "Really, all those offers were on the table as early as last spring. He gave it some careful deliberation, and I think he made a good choice.
The 6-foot-4, 209 pound, senior was not just the team's quarterback but he also played on the defensive side, intercepting three passes.
Meier also served as the teams place-kicker and punter.
All commitments will become binding on Feb. 1, national signing day.
— Edited by Austin Caster
Kit Leffler/KANSAN
Sophomore guard J.R. Giddens evades Nebraska's freshman guard, Joe McCray, during last night's game in Allen Fieldhouse. The game ended in a close Jayhawk victory, 59-57.
JEERING: Boos don't stop McCray's scoring CONTINUED FROM 1B
Despite the negative attention from Jayhawk fans, McCray turned in one of the finest games of his young college basketball career and seemed to play his best basketball when he received the most taunting.
"It's not so much that he responded to the crowd as much as it was a big game," Nebraska coach Barry Collier said. "He wants to be in it and I think he played well."
He played 35 minutes, scored 19 points, pulled down seven rebounds, and if it weren't for a late three-point attempt rattling in and out, he may have helped Nebraska pull one of the greatest upsets in the program's history.
"I think we did a good job on him, and he got 19," said Kansas coach Bill Self. "He's certainly going to be one of the best scorers in our league for the next four years."
It's hard to disagree with Self, as McCray looked more like a seasoned veteran in yesterday's match-up than a true freshman. McCray has been the catalyst for the Cornhuskers all season long as he is the team's leading scorer and averages 15.2 points a game.
Kansas fans will get another opportunity to ridicule McCray on Feb. 5 in Lincoln, Neb., but when asked if he would place any special emphasis on that game, like Harrison used to, McCray said he would not.
"I'm just trying to go game by game and win some. If we play with a high intensity, that will be it."
Edited by Jesse Truesdale
Jayhawk Visa Check Cards are available with any INTRUST checking account.
Show your KU spirit wherever you go.
Put a Jayhawk in your wallet!
Jayhawk Visa Credit Cards have no annual fee and a low variable APR.
Jayhawk Visa Gift Cards are great gifts for holidays, birthdays, weddings and more.
Lawrence
544 Columbia
785-830-2600
901 Vermont
785-830-2612
www.intrustbank.com
Member FDIC
INSTRUST is the exclusive provider of Jihayawk card, which benefit the Kansas Alumni Association.
MEMBIRD FOUNDER
PATRIOT OUNCES responsible credit card spending
www.patriot.com www.usbankcard.org/media/cardlounge/