Volume 124 Issue 103
Thursday, February 23, 2012
kansan.com
COMMENTARY
But what really matters is that Auburn trails Alabama in the Iron Bowl. Alabama leads the all-time series 41-34-1.
Recordworthy rivalry
For a fan to put more importance on a favorite team's victory over its rival during the regular season instead of its national championship victory shows the magnitude of a rivalry like the Iron Bowl. Gaining the upper hand over Alabama is just as important to Auburn fans as winning the national title.
The Border Showdown has a similar mentality.
With the end to the Border Showdown because of conference realignment, Saturday's basketball game between Missouri and Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse has to be one of the biggest games in the storied rivalry's history. Both teams are ranked in the top five in the AP Poll going into Saturday's pivotal matchup.
For 53 years, Auburn had not won a national championship in football until 2010.
The Jayhawks' loss to the Tigers on Feb. 4, in Columbia was as debilitating a loss as some of the Jayhawks' past postseason
Aclose friend of mine is the most fanatical Auburn fan I know told me once that Auburn's victory over Alabama was bigger than its 2010 BCS National Championship victory over Oregon.
Neither side enjoys seeing the other gloating. Seeing your biggest rival gloat provokes you to find the nearest toilet and vomit your guts out as if you had the stomach flu. It's that painful.
Both fan bases go at each other's throat 365 days a year. It's a continuous barrage of verbal attacks that has no end in sight despite Missouri's move to the SEC.
The Tigers always consider it the biggest game of their season not just because the Jayhawks are their biggest rival, but because Kansas is a basketball blueblood and the top dog in the Big 12. Tigers' fans have been looking in one direction: up which means always looking up at the Jayhawks.
Kansas and Missouri don't consider themselves rivals but rather enemies.
For Kansas, because of its rich tradition and history in basketball, significant post season victories always trump any win over Missouri when it comes to importance, but that doesn't mean the rivalry takes a back seat. The games mean everything to both bitter rivals. Kansas' 171-95 all-time series lead over Missouri is a huge deal to Jayhawks fans. Team records and rankings are thrown out when these two teams faceoff,but the rivalry is obviously enhanced when both are ranked.
Edited by Tanvi Nimkar
KANSAS 66, TEXAS A&M 58
Junior guard Travis Releford holds back junior forward Thomas Robinson as he talks to the referee about a play that got Robinson his fifth team foul and a technical foul during Wednesday nights game against Texas A&M at Reed Arena where the Jayhawks defeated the Aggies 66-58.
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
CLOSE CALL IN TEXAS
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
COLLEGE STATION, Texas
— The rematch between Kansas and Texas A&M in Reed Arena Wednesday night wasn't totally unlike the first meeting on Jan. 24. The tempo was slow, defense ruled all and the Jayhawks eventually won by a few possessions.
How they got there, however,
was a different story.
"If you told me wed won by eight before we got here, I'd be ecstatic," coach Bill Self said after
the 66-58 Kansas victory. "But we were up 21 with about 10 left, and you guys saw what happened down the stretch."
There was actually 13:25 left in the game when Kansas held a 21 point lead over the Aggies. Texas A&M clawed themselves back though, cutting the deficit to 10 with 4:36 to go. Self blamed the minor meltdown on bad plays, among others.
With 40 seconds remaining and the Jayhawks clinging to a 62-56 lead, a loose ball led to a pile-up on the floor. In the
middle of it all, junior forward Thomas Robinson was called for a technical foul for apparently pushing an opponent. It was his fifth foul and his night was done, finishing with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
"Inexplicable." Self called Robinson's foul.
"There's a lot of teams out there that can focus, but there's not too many that can focus for 40 minutes," junior guard Elijah Johnson said. "Our goal is to focus for 40 minutes."
Late game miscues aren't
exactly new for the Jayhawks this season. In the 74-71 loss at Missouri on Feb. 4, Kansas was held scoreless in the final 2:05 of the game as the Tigers ended the night on an 11-0 run. Late mistakes against Kansas State earlier this month in Manhattan almost proved to be fatal as well, with the Jayahwks holding on for a 59-53 victory.
"I don't know what it is," Senior guard Tyshawn Taylor said on the mishaps late in games. "We just need to focus in a little bit more defensively and offensively
when the game is close or almost over"
A few empty possessions late for the Aggies and timely free throw shooting from Jeff Withew were just enough for Kansas when the clock read all zeros.
“It’s a good win and we'll be happy we won, but I'm not leaving out of here feeling great about anything.” Self said. “I don't think anybody in our locker room is."
Edited by Amanda Gage
SWIMMING
Swim and dive in fourth after day one
ALEC TILSON
atilson@kansan.com
It was a short day of work for the Kansas swimming and diving team yesterday on the first day of competition at the Big 12 Championships, but the quick, two-event evening provided enough time for two Kansas swimmers to achieve their goal of recording lifetime-best times.
Junior Svetlana Golovchun gave the Jayhawks great energy in the opening 50-yard backstroke leg of the 200-yard medley relay. She posted a lifetime-best time in her split as the Kansas relay team finished fourth.
significantly faster than we were in the fall."
Junior diver Christy Cash competes in the women three-meter diving at a home meet last month. The Jayhawks are currently in fourth place at the Big 12 Championships after the first day of competition.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
During the second and final event, the 800-yard freestyle relay, senior Shannon Garlie posted a lifetime best of her own. Her impressive lead-off leg helped spark relay teammates junior Brooke Brull, sophomore MorganSharp and junior Rebecca Swank. The relay team finished in fourth place.
Along with Golovchun in the 200-yard medley relay were junior Brittany Rospierski, sophomore Sophiaia Filatova, and freshman Kaja Kolsek. The four displayed good intensity and were able to keep their composure while swimming at a high level, Campbell said.
"It was about as good a start as we could have hoped for," coach Clark Campbell said. "It was
Kansas two fourth-place finishes tallied 60 points and the team currently sits in fourth place overall, ahead of Iowa State and behind Texas, Texas A&M and Missouri.
Campbell acknowledged the team's fourth-place standing, but still believes the ultimate goal is for his swimmers to achieve their individual goals — to see the results of six months spent training for this week.
"The most important thing is that each swimmer is going for lifetime-best times," Campbell said. "How that breaks down as far as what team is ahead you, we kind of let that play out at the end."
The team's chance to reach those
goals continue tomorrow when they compete in the 200-yard $ ^{d} $ freestyle relay, 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and 50-yard freestyle events. Kansas
In attempt to maintain focus, athletes will not be available to the
divers junior Christy Cash and ophomore Alyssa Golden will compete in the 1-meter diving.
media, at the request of Campbell, until the Championships are completed Saturday.
Edited by Katie James