Page 14 University Daily Kansan, February 27, 1981
Hanky
Jayhawks need victory to get home-court berth
BY TRACEE HAMILTON Associate Sports Editor
The toss-up between Kansas and Oklahoma State for a home-court berth in the Big Eight post-season tournaments have been decided in a wrestling match.
And in this, one of the strangest seasons in Big Eight history, that should come as no surprise.
TOMORROW'S GAME between the Cowboys and the Jayhawks was originally scheduled for Gallagher Hall, Stillwater. But the Big Eight team was scheduled this weekend in Stillwater, so the schools switched home game dates.
But wait, to add to the confusion, the game will decide which team will get a home-court advantage in the first round of the Big Eight post-season tournaments. State, Missouri and Nebraska have already reserved the court for March 3.
Naturally, the teams that stay home for the first round always have an advantage. But this year, the age of the opponent advantage 'means more than ever.
Missouri, which is tied in first place with Kansas State, has not lost a game in Columbia. This fact will be on the Wildcats' minds when they meet the North Carolina championship-deciding game tomorrow night in Hearnes Arena.
THE ONLY other team that can boast of a clean home record is the Jayhawks. KU has not dropped a conference game in Allen Field House this season, and lost only one regular-season home game, to Michigan.
Kansas State has lost one game in intimidating Ahearn Fieldhouse, to Oklahoma State. The Wildcats were
defeated during the Cowboys' early-season winning spree.
Nebraska also has lost only one home game, to the sporadic Colorado Buffaloes. The Huskers meet Oklahoma at home and the Arena tomorrow night in Lincoln.
Now begins the game for the armchair mathematician. Obviously, either K-State or Missouri will win the conference. The loser will be in second
"I can't say how badly but I do think we are going to beat them. It just depends on how well we play."
—Art Housey
place. If Kansas can defeat Oklahoma State, it would be tied for second. And if Colorado should happen to down the Huskers, Nebraska and Oklahoma should happen to down the Huskers. But while lose or draw, the Huskers have locked up a home-court berth.
IF TEAMS ARE tied after regular-season play end, the rankings will be decided by comparing the win-loss records of the teams tied. Nebraska is 1 against Kansas and has been Oklahoma State twice. But if KU loses to Iowa and Oklahoma, so does Sooner. Nebraska would still have the advantage because of its performance against the top-ranked conference teams.
The Huskers have dropped one game to both K-State and Missouri, but have downed the Cowbys twice. A KU loss to Oklahoma State would give the advantage against the Stillwater team and the home unit would still go to Nebraska.
But Head Coach Ted Owens and his Jayhawks will not be as worried about the other conference games as they will be about their own, because was the surprise team of the conference early in the season, winning its first four games by handsome margins. Then came the traditional loss to the Boston Red Sox, then two more close victories at home.
Then came a four-game nosive, and the Cowboys fell from conference contention. Now the Cowboys have won their last two and Owens feels they've overcome their slump and cured a few injuries.
"THEY APPEAR to be over their injuries," Owens said. "They're playing basketball the way they did early."
The way the Cowbys played early resulted in one of KU's five road losses, in triple overtime. 76-73. The game was thrown into overtime by a last-second desolation Stuart Haigh. Tiny Guy, Gau Guie considered Cowbys' play to KU.
"Oklahoma State is one of the few teams in the Big Eight besides us that looks to score when they have the ball," they add. "They don't like to slow it down."
The Cowboys were slowed down for a while when Matt Clark, 6-foot-4 guard, was sidelined with an ankle injury. Clark came off the bench to score 14 points for the Cowboys in the two team's earlier meeting. But KU's Art House, 6-10 forward, is expecting to handle Oklahoma State in much the same way the 'Hawks handled Nebraska Wednesday night.
"I can't say how bady but I do think we are going to beat them," he said. "It just depends on how well we play."
Track team tries for 23rd title
By PAUL D. BOWKER Sports Writer
if you are a believer in coaches polis,
you might think all the KU men's track
team has to do to defend its Big Eight
indoor title is show up today in Lincoln,
KU Coach Bob Timmons, however,
knows better.
"There is certainly no shoo-in winner this year," Timmons said, "so we're going to have to perform well. This is the strongest Big Eight I've seen in quite awhile in terms of every team having some fine athletes."
THE INDOOR championship start at 7 tonight at the Bob Daveney Sports Center and continue through tomorrow night.
During the regular season, the Jahyawns won two dual meets, finished first in a triangular and fourth in a quadrangular.
KU, unanimously favored by conference coaches to win the meet, won the championships last year and is seeking its 23rd title.
"In addition to trying to win the meet, we need to qualify more individuals for the national meet," Timmons said. "Mike Ricks and Mark Hanson are who have very good credentials who have not qualified yet. This will be their last chance."
Winning the meet won't be the Jayhawks' only goal. KU also hopes to qualify more competitors for the NCAA in the fall, scheduled for March 14 in Detroit.
OF THE JAYHAWKS who are crucial to KU's chances in the nationals, Ricks is one of the most important. He is the defending indoor champion in the 600, in both the Big Eight and NCAA championships.
Although he was not qualified for the nationalists, Ricks holds the second fastest mark in the conference this season (2), topped only by teammate Mark Rau.
Hanson, a junior, ranks third in the conference with a mark of 24-8% in the long jump and has placed first in all of the Jayhawks' meets this year.
One person who won't be going to either Lincoln or Detroit, though, is senior high jumper Joel Light, who will miss the conference championships
because of a kidney infection. Light won the event at the Big Eight indoor and outdoor championships last year.
HE WAS ONE of those who could have qualified." Timmons said.
Ricks' inability to qualify for the national has been a running joke among his teammates, who are optimistic that the Hutchinson Junior
Joel Light
Timmons said both Ricks and Hanson should be able to qualify for the nationals in the conference championships
College graduate will accomplish the task in Lincoln.
"I think we'll do well in the nationals," spinner Deon Hogan said, "if this guy (Ricks) ever qualifies."
RICKS IS THE only Jayhawk defending a title from the 1980 championships. KU's other winners last year, Light and pole vaulter Jeff Bukingham, will not compete because of injuries.
Other key performers for the Jayhawks are Hogan and Rodney Bullock in the 440, Rau in the 600, Warren Wilhoite in the long jump, George Buckingham in the pole vault and Sanya Owolabi in the triple jump. All have qualified for the NCAA championships.
"This is one of the more balanced teams we've had in quite a while, and we are deep in certain areas," Timmons said. "But we are thin in others,
areas where we will have just one entry in the conference meet.
"I JUST THINK the teams are better," Timmons said. "I was expecting Iowa State and Kansas State to show good improvement this year and they have. Nebraska has also turned out to be a very strong team. Those teams will make an especially strong run for the title."
"Timmons' biggest worry is probably Iowa State. The Cyclones finished third in last year's indoor championships and have fared well in five meets this year.
TIMMONS SAID the improvement of other teams in the conference would prevent the Jayhawks from winning first place easily, like they did last year when KU outdistanced second-place Nebraska by 41 points.
"WERE IN PRETTY good shape after last week," Iowa State Coach Bill Bergan said. "The warm weather allowed us to get outside pretty much all week and we were able to work hard since we didn't have a meet. We have some injuries but we will have a full team."
Bergan, who said KU and Nebraska might finish 1-2 again this year, said the hurdles could make or break the Cyclones' chances.
"The Big Eight's list of best performances in each event confirms that," Bergan said. "There are 11 hurdles within 11/100's of a second of one another. That is an important event for a lot of people. For instance, we could have a couple of guys place or score no points at all."
it looks good. We just know that we're going to have to compete tough."
TEAM CORRELATE TEAM
TOTAL 49
IOWA State 48
Okaloosa 32
Kona State 31
Nebraska 31
Okaloosa 30
Colorado 11
Missouri
Correlated on 7-4-4-3-2 basis. Coach dies
Points awarded on 7-6-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches did not vote for their own teams.
The Jayhawks enter the meet with two first-place meet finishes under their bells. KU beat Kansas State and Wichita State in a triangular last weekend in Allen Field House. The week before, KU downed nine other teams at Central Missouri State with 167 points.
"The two wins were a big mental lift for us," Coffey said. "They helped our confidence and fired the girls up about the upcoming Big Eight meet."
BEN BIGLER/Kansan staff
COFFEY WAS optimistic about the Jayhawks chances.
"I think we can finish in the top three," she said.
Women hope to peak at Big 8 championships
One problem KU will face is the
Oklahoma and Nebraska have been chosen in a poll of conference coaches to tie for first. Each team received one place vote and four first-place votes.
John Crawford and Victor Mitchell (55) hit the boards for KU in Wednesday night's 75-49 victory over Nebraska. The Jayhawks meet Oklahoma State tomorrow in Allen Field House. Tipoff is 2 p.m.
"I THINK we are looking for and can expect quality performances," coach Carla Coffe said. "We like to set our goals high, but I think the last two weeks show that we are peaking at the right time."
The secret to telling a good story is timing. You have to deliver the punch line at the right moment.
The secret to the KU women's track team may also be timing. They have slowly been building momentum and are hoping to deliver the punch line at the Big Eight indoor championships today and tomorrow in Lincoln, Neb.
Sports Writer
By WENDY L. CULLERS
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February 27,1981
Kansas Union Ballroom
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KU can also expect fine performances from Tudie McKnight in the long jump, mile relay and the 440; Debbie Hertzog in the 800 and relay;
GWEN POSS will be strong in the 60-yard hurdles and on the relay teams. Poss has qualified for the nationals in the hurdles.
team's lack of depth. Coffey has entered everyone on the team, 21 in all, in at least one event.
"We are definitely not a big squad this year, but several of the teams in the Big Eight are not big," Coffey said. "Because of that, we are going to have to have 120 percent effort from every member of our team."
Coffey said the contribution of every member on the squad was important but did point out that Lori Green-Jones will be a strong factor in the 300- and 60-yard dashes and as a member of the relay teams. Green-Jones has justified for the AIAW Indoor National Meet in the 300.
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Tanya Heard and Ann Johannessen in the milie; Linda Nearda and Becky McGranahan in the shot put and Bev Fuller in the penthalon.
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