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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012
BIG 12 POWER RANKINGS Despite head-to-head loss, Kansas leads Missouri
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1) KANSAS (22-5, 12-2)
Last two games: W at Kansas State (59-53), W vs. Texas Tech (83-50)
Next two games: At Texas A&M, Missouri
The Jayhawks are tied with the Missouri Tigers atop the Big 12 standings and still have two tough road games on the schedule (Texas A&M, Oklahoma State). But they host Mizzou on Saturday, giving Kansas the advantage in the conference race.
2) MISSOURI (25-2, 12-2)
2) MISSUURI (25-2, 12-2)
Last two games: W vs. Oklahoma
State (83-65), W at Texas A&M (71-
52)
Next two games: Kansas State, at Kansas
The Tigers are still rolling, winners of seven straight as they host Kansas State on Tuesday before the much-hyped rematch with Kansas Saturday afternoon. They're in the top 10 in the country for points per game (7th) and field goal percentage (2nd).
3) BAYLOR (23-5, 10-5)
BAYLOR (25-3) 10-3
Last two games: W vs. Iowa State
(79-64) L vs. Kansas State (57-56)
Next two games: Vs. Oklahoma, vs. Texas Tech
Baylor has dropped five of their last 10 games after starting the season 17-0, but their victory over Iowa State last Monday solidifies their spot at No.3 in this week's rankings. Expectations are falling fast for a team that once had Final Four aspirations.
4) IOWA STATE (19-8, 9-5)
Last two games: L at Baylor (79-
64), W vs. Oklahoma (80-69)
Next two games: Texas Tech, at Kansas State
Coach Fred Hoiberg has slowly turned around the Iowa State program and the Cyclones are in a good spot to land an NCAA tournament birth for the first time since 2005. A sweep of Texas Tech and Kansas State this week would almost certainly solidify a spot.
5) KANSAS STATE (18-8, 7-7)
Last two games: L vs. Kansas (59-53), W vs. Baylor (57-56)
Next two games: At Missouri, Iowa
State
The last-second victory on the road at Baylor might have punched the Wildcats' ticket to the Big Dance, but another victory over No. 3 Missouri in Mizzou Arena would definitely do the trick.
6) TEXAS (17-11, 7-8)
Last two games: W at Oklahoma (69-58), L at Oklahoma State (90-78)
Next two games: At Texas Tech, vs. Oklahoma
The Longhorns still have some work to do on their NCAA tournament resume. Sitting at 7-7 in Big 12 play with four games remaining, they need to win the pair of easier games (At Texas Tech, Oklahoma) and knock off either Baylor or Kansas.
Last two games: Wat Texas Tech,
(47-38), L vs. Missouri (71-62)
7) TEXAS A&M (13-14. 4-10)
Next two games: Vs. Kansas, At Oklahoma State
The Aggies have been ravaged by injuries this season and it's shown on the court. Junior forward Khris Middleton has missed 12 games this year and senior guard Dash Harris has missed the last seven contests, ruling out any possibilities of challenging for the Big 12 title.
8) OKLAHOMA STATE
(13-14.6-8)
Last two games: L vs. Missouri (83-65). W vs. Texas (90-78)
Next two games: At Oklahoma, vs. Texas A&M
It's been a rough year for Oklahoma State fans. The Cowboys haven't won back-to-back games since Dec. 7 and their only signature victory came against then No.2 Missouri on Jan. 25. Freshman guard Le'Bryan Nash should be able to lead them to the NCAA tournament next season as a sophomore.
9) OKLAHOMA (13-13, 3-11)
Last two games: L vs. Texas (69- 58) L at Iowa State (80-69)
Next two games: Vs. Oklahoma State. at Bavlor
Sooner coach Lon Kruger is still getting his pieces in place in Norman, as this season was the definition of a rebuilding year. Kruger is too good of a coach for the Sooners to stay in the Big 12 cellar.
10) TEXAS TECH (8-18, 1-13)
Last two games: L vs. Texas A&M (47-38) L at Kansas (83-50)
Next two games: At Iowa State, vs,
Texas
Read the above description but replace Oklahoma and Lon Kruger with Texas Tech and Billy Gillispie. Same situations, and both will be good sooner rather than later.
HOCKEY
Ottawa Senators win big in Uniondale
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Senators (31-22-8) moved within two points of first-place Boston in the Northeast Division and one point behind Pittsburgh and Philadelphia for fifth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Erik Karlsson and Jason Spezza each scored twice, Craig Anderson made 28 saves and the Ottawa Senators beat the New York Islanders 6-0 on Monday for their third straight win.
Karlsson opening the scoring 1:08 into the first period with his 11th of the season on a sharp-angle shot from the corner to the left of Islanders goaltender Kevin Poulin. Spezza, who has seven goals and eight assists in his last six games, made it 2-0 just 27 seconds later.
Islanders coach Jack Capano then yanked Poulin for Al
Montoya but Ottawa kept pouring it on.
Karlsson made it 3-0 at 14:03 of the first with a low shot from the slot. It was the fourth career two-game game for the 21-year-old Karlsson, Ottawa's first-round draft pick in 2008.
Chris Phillips added a powerplay goal at 9:37 of the second and Brian Lee became the third Senators defenseman to score with his first of the season at 9:49 of the third. Spezza completed the scoring at 10:57 with a powerplay score for his team-leading 27th goal of the season.
Karlsson also had assists on the final two goals. The Swedish defenseman leads the Senators with 45 assists.
It was the third shutout of the season for Anderson (28-19-6), who joined Ottawa in a trade with Colorado a year ago. The 30-year-old Anderson also moved into a tie with Henrik Lundqvist of
the New York Rangers for fourth place in goalie wins this season.
Ottawa improved to 16-11-5 on the road with its fourth win in five games overall after a seven-game losing streak. It was the Senators' most lopsided win of the season.
Ottawa also won 4-0 at Tampa Bay last Tuesday and 6-2 at Florida on Thursday.
New York remained six points behind Toronto for the conference's eighth and final playoff spot.
The Islanders, who also lost 6-0 at home against Boston on Nov. 19, were seeking consecutive victories for the first time since winning 2-1 in overtime at Ottawa on Feb. 3. They defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 at
The Islanders are 9-5-2 in their last 16 games and 14-9-2 in their last 25 contests, climbing back into the playoff race. They haven't reached the postseason since 2007.
home on Saturday.
New York is at Buffalo on Tuesday while the Senators return home to play the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.
NOTES: The Senators have won all nine games in 2012 in which Spezza has scored. . The Islanders had won three straight over the Senators. . The Islanders are 19-40-14 all-time against the Senators. . Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson played his 1,111th NHL game and added his franchise-best 658th assist. Matt Moulson extended his games-played streak to 223. He hasn't missed a game in his Islanders career.
AP TOP 25
RANK TEAM (First Place Votes) RECORD VOTES
1 Kentucky (63) 26-1 1,623
2 Syracuse (2) 27-1 1,559
3 Missouri 25-2 1,498
4 Kansas 22-5 1,377
5 Duke 23-4 1,359
6 Michigan State 22-5 1,317
7 North Carolina 23-4 1,261
8 Ohio State 22-5 1,139
9 Georgetown 20-5 1,085
10 Marquette 22-5 1,013
11 Michigan 20-7 869
12 Florida 21-6 860
13 Baylor 22-5 859
14 Murray State 26-1 765
15 Florida State 19-7 620
16 Wisconsin 20-7 615
17 Louisville 21-6 495
18 New Mexico 22-4 469
19 Wichita State 24-4 467
20 Notre Dame 19-8 457
21 UNLV 22-6 325
22 Temple 21-5 281
23 Indiana 20-7 246
24 San Diego State 20-6 176
25 Virginia 20-6 153
BIG 12
Taylor named Pitcher of the Week after shutout
The Big 12 Conference named Kansas pitcher Thomas Taylor conference Pitcher of the Week Monday after his shutout win over Belmont Saturday.
Taylor threw 8.1 innings, allowing just four hits and striking out five as the Jayhawks defeated the Bruins 2-0 at the Music City Classic in Nashville, Tenn. The junior from Overland Park is the only returning starting pitcher in Kansas' weekend rotation, and his performance capped a perfect, 3-0 weekend for the baseball team.
Taylor is the first Kansas pitcher to receive the weekly accolade since T.J. Walz in 2010. Taylor's performance
headlined a weekend of dominant Kansas pitching.
Taylor made eight starts for Kansas in 2011, posting a 5-3 record with a 4.74 ERA, and Saturday's win was the first time not allowing a run in his collegiate career.
Picked ninth in the Big 12 coaches' poll, the Jayhawks are one of three Big 12 teams to finish the first weekend undefeated. No. 6 Texas A&M and No. 25 Baylor are also 3-0.
Kansas' next game is a Friday doubleheader against Mississippi Valley State in Starkville. Miss Taylor will take the mound for the Jayhaws on Saturday against Southeastern Conference power Mississippi State at 4 p.m.
SKIING
- Andrew Joseph
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Three skiers dead in the Cascades
STEVENS PASS, Wash. Three skiers were killed Sunday when an avalanche swept them about a quarter-mile down an out-of-bounds canyon at a popular resort, but a fourth skier caught up in the slide was saved by a safety device, authorities said.
The four were among three groups of skiers — about a dozen people in all — making their way through a foot and a half of fresh snow on the back side of Stevens Pass when the avalanche hit. Stevens Pass is in the Cascade
Mountains, about 80 miles north east of Seattle.
Most of the other skiers, all well-equipped, were able to free themselves and rushed to dig out the victims. They performed CPR on the three men to no avail, Larson said.
All were buried to some extent, but the men who died were swept approximately 1,500 feet down a chute in the Tunnel Creek Canyon area, King County, Sheriff's Set. Katie Larson said.
The fourth skier who was swept down the mountain, a woman, appeared to avoid a similar fate because of the avalanche safety device she was wearing, Larson said.