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Volume 128 Issue 72
kansan.com
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
4.
COMMENTARY
Home dominance delivers Big 12 championships
It is no secret that the Kansas men's basketball team has won 10 consecutive Big 12 Conference Championships under coach Bill Self. After a resounding 89-76 victory over Iowa State on Monday night, the Jayhawks are in a great position to win number 11.
In the last decade, Kansas has gone 78-5 at home in conference play. In that same time frame, the runners-up have combined to go 72-11. The first-place-tying and second-place teams have performed well at home, but a six game difference is huge in close conference races.
Aside from the 2009-10 season when the Jayhawks dominated the Big 12 and won the conference by four games, they have won the conference by two games or fewer every year. Kansas won by two games twice, by one game three times, and shared the conference title four times.
How has Kansas been able to reign over the Big 12 for an entire decade? There are many answers to this question, but the biggest reason for the Jayhawks' success: they are dominant in Allen Fieldhouse.
The Jayhawks have had the best home conference record, or been tied for it, nine times in the last 10 years. The one time they didn't was 2006. Kansas went 7-1 and Texas went 8-0 that year.
This season it has been the same story for Kansas. Currently 5-0 at home in Big 12 play, the Jayhawks are in first place by two games heading into the backend of conference play. Kansas has five road games remaining: Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, West Virginia, Kansas State and Oklahoma. They only need to go 2-3 to finish with four losses and almost assuredly win the conference outright.
Since then, the closest Kansas has come to .500 on the road was just last season, going 5-4. But the Jayhawks still won the conference by two games. They went 9-0 at home, two games better than Oklahoma (7-2), which finished second.
Conference opponents must find a way to win in Allen Fieldhouse more often to stop the Jayhawks' domination. Otherwise, they are banking on Self to finish below .500 on the road. In that case, good luck, Big 12.
— Edited by Alex Lamb
Because the Jayhawks win 94 percent of their home conference games, they don't need to be spectacular on the road, just adequate.
Since Self has been at Kansas, the team has been above .500 on the road in conference play every year except the 2003-04 season, which was the last time the Jayhawks did not win the Big 12. That team went 4-4 on the road.
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
Junior shortstop Chaley Brickey hits a home run in the game against South Dakota State on March 11, 2014. Brickey led the team in home runs with 12 last season.
Softball embraces tough 2015 schedule
DEREK SKILLETT
@derek_skillett
The media room at Rock Chalk Park was quiet on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 29. A few reporters and video cameras were scattered throughout the room. There were tables set up at the back corner of the room where members of the softball and track and field teams would speak to the media about their upcoming seasons. This was the scene of Kansas Softball/ Track and Field Media Day.
At around 1 p.m., Kansas softball coach Megan Smith took the podium to discuss the upcoming season. Smith began her half of the press conference by complimenting the brand-new softball facilities at Rock Chalk Park.
"We're so excited to open up this season in a brand-new park and it's such a beautiful park," Smith said. "It's been unbelievable to train in the last months in the Park and our own indoor facility, which has been great."
Smith also talked about Kansas' tough schedule this season, with some early challenges in the season-opening Florida Atlantic Tournament on Feb. 6.
"We have a really tough schedule," Smith said. "We play Georgia, Tech and Arkansas in the FAU Tournament. We're also going to the defending national champions, Florida, to play two games with them. We really beefed up our schedule to prepare us for Big 12 play."
After track and field coach Stanley Redwine had his turn to speak about the upcoming track and field season, it was time for the media members to talk to the student athletes. Representing the Kansas
Smith said she wanted her team to play a number of Top 25 teams before entering Big 12 play. She also said that she specifically sought out a game with Florida to get the team exposure to a talented opponent who can compare to conference foes Oklahoma, Texas and Baylor.
softball team were the four team captains: junior infielder Chaley Brickey, senior infielder Chanin Naudin, senior pitcher Alicia Pille and senior utility player Maddie Stein. These four players are expected to be the Jayhawks' leaders this season and hope to lead them back to the NCAA tournament.
Stein, a senior from Oklahoma City, is currently sixth in school history with 109 RBIs, 32 away from the all-time record of 141. Stein said that she is focusing on taking a mentor-type role this year and wants to start preparing the next round of leaders for the Jayhawks. Regarding the tough Big 12 schedule, Stein said she felt the team could handle the challenge.
"I think we're prepared," Stein said. "I think we have to win the games we're supposed to, play tough in games that we don't know how the outcome should go. We have to be as competitive as we can be. More importantly, our
goal is to win a regional."
goal is to win a regional.
Brickey, a junior from Haltom City, Texas, has finished both her freshman and sophomore seasons on the All-Big 12 Second Team. She also drew a school-record 42 walks a year ago and had the highest RBI percentage on the team with .365.
"I love the facilities." Brickey said. "It's incredible to come out here, drive past the park and just look at it and say 'Wow, that's where we're playing this year.'"
Brickey also said that the team has big expectations for the upcoming season.
"We all want to get further than we did last year and we're all busting our butts to get there," Brickey said. "We all know what it takes."
Naudin, a senior from Princeton, Texas, led the Jayhawks with 15 doubles in 2014. She said she is looking forward to playing against a tough schedule and getting better as a program. She also said she is excited to embrace a leadership role as one of the
captains on the team.
"I just want to be able to produce more for the team and be able to help the team if we're having a rough time," Naudin said. "I just want to do the best I can to help the program."
Pille, a senior from Royse City, Texas, has high expectations for the team. When told the Jayhawks were ranked No. 5 in preseason Big 12 polls, Pille said she hasn't been paying too much attention to the rankings, but she hopes to prove the critics wrong.
"I expect to get further than we did last year," Pille said. "I'm excited with all of the new people and I can't wait to see us play. We have some good talent coming in."
ine Jayhawks will kick off their season on Feb. 6 against LIU-Brooklyn in the Florida Atlantic Tournament in Boca Raton, Fla.
Edited by Jordan Fox
Kansas looks to sweep Texas Tech tonight
DYLAN SHERWOOD
@dmantheman2011
The Kansas Jayhawks return home for a two-game homestand this week after being on the road the previous two games. The homestand begins with Texas Tech (13-8, 3-6) tonight at 7 p.m.
Kansas (12-10, 3-6) is in a five-way tie for sixth place with Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and West Virginia. Kansas also takes on Oklahoma State this Saturday for the first matchup of the season.
The lajyhawks are coming off a 66-58 loss on Sunday against Baylor in Waco, Texas. Senior forward Chelsea Gardner saw her three consecutive games with 20 or more points snapped as she was held to just eight points, but did not play the last 12:37 of the first half because of foul trouble.
This will be the second meeting between Texas Tech and Kansas. Last time, Kansas pulled out a thriller
in Lubbock, Texas, on Jan. 21, with senior guard Asia Boyd scoring the game-winning layup with 0.6 seconds left. That win gave the Jayhawks their first win of Big 12 play and first road win in Big 12 play.
Kansas once trailed by 17 points in the second half and came back for the win. Texas Tech lost two of its last three games, its only win against West Virginia 73-57 on Jan. 28. The Lady Raiders are coming off a heartbreaker against Kansas State on Saturday, losing 41-38 to the Wildcats.
Texas Tech is just 1-3 on the road this season, with their only win against West Virginia on Jan. 14. Texas Tech senior guard, Amber Battle, leads the team, averaging 16.9 points and 6.1 rebounds. Battle has only played in 15 games this season.
Battle was named this week's Big 12 Player of the Week with her performances against West Virginia and Kansas State this past week. She
scored a combined 52 points in her last two games. Battle scored 16 points in the first meeting between Kansas and Texas Tech.
If Kansas wants to win its fourth straight win versus Texas Tech, the seniors need to take control of the offense. Both Gardner and senior guard Natalie Knight had offgames against Baylor. Plus, stopping senior forward, Kelci Baker, drew seven charges against Kansas in the first meeting.
Kansas has won the last three meetings dating back to Feb. 24, 2013, which was the last time Texas Tech defeated Kansas in Lawrence 72-70. With two big games for the Jayhawks, they could either move up in the conference standings or stay at the bottom. The Jayhawks are just a half game behind fifth place Texas.
Edited by Vicky Diaz-
Camacho
BEN BRONSKY/KANSAN
Senior guard Natalie Knight lays in a shot during the West Virginia game on Jan. 24. The Jayhawks take on the Red Raiders tonight at 7 p.m.
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