Volume 128 Issue 89
kansan.com
Thursday, March 5, 2015
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COMMENTARY
That's how coach Bill Self referred to the three-pointers that Kansas easily made earlier in the season.
During the regular season, Kansas has shot over 40 percent in 13 games and over 50 percent in eight games.
Since then, Kansas hasn't managed to buy a bucket from downtown. In the past three games (at Kansas State, versus Texas and versus West Virginia) Kansas has made 3-of-36, or 8 percent, of its long balls.
Before the loss at Kansas State, Kansas made at least 20 percent from deep, averaging nearly 40 percent a game.
Brannen Greene, one of Kansas's premier three-point shooters, has trended down as of late. He's missed all 11 three-point attempts since playing at Kansas State.
'Fool's gold' only lasts so long beyond the arc
What happened?
"You can't bank on making 55 percent or 50 percent of your threes," Self said after Kansas defeated Texas Tech on the road.
In the conference slate before playing at Kansas State, Greene was shooting 55 percent (22-off-40) from outside the arc.
Fool's gold.
He's not the only one.
In the words of Greene from earlier in the season, "the popcorn's poppin." And the layhawks have a large range (0 percent to 59 percent) of how the three ball can fall.
Kansas' once hot three- point shooters have gone cold in the time of the year where you live by the three or die by the three.
Hes not the only one. Wayne Selden Jr, another guard who knows his way around the arc, has missed nine three-point attempts since playing in Wildcat territory.
Freshman phenom Kelly Oubre Jr. is trending in the same manner. Since playing at Bramlage, Oobre has made 1-of-6 threes.
No. 41 isn't so bad when there are 351 teams playing Division I basketball.
Frank Mason, who is often referred to as a fierce pitbull, is also following suit. He is 1-of-5 from three since the Sunflower Showdown.
If Kansas continues to fall flat from deep, the latter might be how things pan out.
In the same time span as the three other Jayhawks aforementioned, Mason was shooting 37 percent (15-of-41) from three-point range.
In the same span as Greene, Selden was shooting 49 percent (27-of-55) from outside the arc.
With one game left in the regular season, Kansas is shooting 38 percent from three, which is tied for No.41 in the country.
During conference play before that, Oubre connected 35 percent (16-of-46) of the time.
Edited by Laura Kubicki
Senior shortstop Justin Protoco fields a ground ball during a game last season. On Wednesday, Kansas defeated Grand Canyon University 9-5 to split the series.
Kansas splits series with Grand Canyon
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
JOEY ANGUIANO
@joey_anguiano
For a team many considered having an offense-first mindset, the Jayhawks (5-8) didn't look it on Wednesday, as they flipped four double plays en route to a 9-5 victory against Grand Canyon University (10-4).
The victory tied the midweek series after the Jayhawks lost 4-12 to the Lopes on Tuesday.
Runs came early and often for the Jayhawks on Wednesday, as demonstrated by sophomore catcher Michael Tinsley's two-run home run following a walk from junior Colby Wright in the first inning.
The second inning saw the Jayhawks get into their groove. Starting right away with line drive from senior Connor McKay, the Jayhawks tallied three more runs. Defensively, Kansas buckled down and escaped a bases-loaded jam with minimal damage, only allowing one run to score.
The third inning saw yet another ball fly over the fence for senior Blair Beck, his fourth home run on the season. It also saw the Jayhawks expand their lead, 6-1, and the first of Kansas' double plays.
In the fourth inning, with two outs, senior Dakota Smith stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. Smith proceeded to hit a double that sent all of three of his fellow Jayhawks home.
able to capitalize on this, adding three runs to their total, inching closer to the lavhawks.
The score would remain the same all the way until the bottom of the ninth inning,
when Grand Canyon tallied on one more run, in a failed last inning rally.
Overall, the midweek series showcased the Jayhawks' ability to bounce back quickly from a loss.
The bottom of the inning, though, saw a defensive effort plagued by walks and errors. The Lopes of Grand Canyon were
which will come in handy throughout the rest of the season, especially in conference play.
The layhawks will be back in action in their home opener this weekend
against the Utah Utes. The teams met once this season, with Kansas coming out on top 6-3. First pitch is at 3 p.m. Friday.
The Kansas softball team welcomes sophomore infielder Chaley Brickey at home plate after Brickey hit a home run to put Kansas ahead of Oklahoma State last season. This weekend, the Jaybawks are headed to Florida again.
— Edited by Mackenzie Clark
Jayhawks head south for Stetson Tournament
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
@derek skillett
DEREK SKILLETT
For the fourth weekend this season, the No. 25 Jayhawks will head down to the Sunshine State to participate in the Stetson Tournament in Deland, Fla. Kansas is scheduled to face off against La Salle, Chattanooga and Stetson. This will be the last weekend before Kansas starts playing at the new Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence.
LA SALLE
Barring another weather-related schedule realignment, the Jayhawks will open the tournament against the La Salle Explorers on Friday at 10 a.m. (CT). Kansas will be the first team La Salle will play this season.
In 2014, the Explorers finished with an 18-24 overall record. They will be led by sophomore infielder Christina Bascara, who led the Explorers last season with a .331 batting average, recording 39 hits, scoring 21 runs and hitting 14 RBIs. Senior pitcher Alicia Augton ranked fourth on the team in 2014 with a .297 batting average and was second on the team with 25 RBIs.
Augton will lead the Explorers' pitching staff. In 2014, Augton recorded a
2.89 ERA, allowing 121 hits,
74 runs and struck out 88
batters. Besides Aughton,
the only returning pitcher
for the Explorers is sophomore
Val Buehler, who recorded a 7.82 ERA, allowing
31 hits, 24 runs and only
striking out six batters.
CHATTANOOGA
The Jayhawks will face off against the Chattanooga Mocs on Friday at 12:30 p.m. (CT) and Saturday at 10 a.m. (CT).The Mochs will carry an 11-4 record into the weekend and will have the advantage of having an extended period of rest, as their last weekend of scheduled games were cancelled.
Statistically, the Mocs are led by junior outfielder Sam Taylor, who sports a .440
The Mocs' pitching staff is led by senior Taylor Deason, who has a 1.54 ERA and has struck out 57 batters, while also allowing 41 hits and
batting average and leads the team with 22 hits, 15 runs scored and eight doubles. Senior Nicole Osterman ranks fourth on the team with a .341 batting average, but leads the team with 18RBIs on 14 hits.
22 runs scored. Freshman Cori Jennings ranks second on the pitching staff, with a 2.94 ERA and has struck out 25 batters while allowing 36 hits and 25 runs scored.
STETSON
Statistically, junior Jessica Griffin, who has a .500 batting average, leads the Hatters with 19 hits, 24 RBIs and seven home runs. Senior Courtney Brandt ranks third on the team with a .439 batting average and has recorded 18 hits and 19 RBIs.
The Jayhawks will face off against the Stetson Hatters on Saturday at 3 p.m. (CT). The Hatters currently have an 11-3 record, with the majority of those wins coming against teams like Morgan State, Akron and Sacred Heart, among others.
Brandt, who has a 1.17 ERA, has allowed 29 hits, six runs and has struck out 24 batters, leads the Hatters' pitching staff. Freshman Chelsea Hostetler ranks second on the pitching staff with a 3.73 ERA and has allowed 47 hits, 25 runs, eight home runs and has struck out 27 batters.
The Jayhawks will also play a game Sunday, but the opponent will depend on the results of Friday and Saturday's games.
Edited by Mitch Raznick
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