Volume 124 Issue 89
kansan.com
Friday, February 3, 2012
Laugh last, and loudest
NO TEARS
The only other time that comes close in comparison to the high-ranked teams today was Jan. 20, 1990. Kansas held the No. 1 ranking in the country, Missouri No. 4. The Tigers came out on top that day with a 95-87 victory.
Saturday will be the first time both teams are in the Top 10 since that game, and to be honest I don't think that's what is at the forefront of either teams' minds.
Then on Feb. 13, The Tigers came into Allen Fieldhouse for the only No. 1 vs. No. 2 match in series history. Mizzou won the game 77-71, knocking Kansas out of the No. 1 spot once again.
For me it's really a mixed bag of emotions going into the final installment of the Border Showdown in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday when No. 8 Kansas faces off against No. 4 Missouri. It's sad to see one of the greatest rivalries in college basketball being broken up with verbal hostility via the Internet and ego over conference realignment
Anger has always been a part of the rivalry,but the last two games will have an animosity never seen before.
Missouri wants to cap off one of their biggest sports weeks in recent Show-Me State memory that began when the football team inked Dorial Green-Beckham, the wide receiver from Hillcrest High of Springfield Mo., and No.1 football recruit according to rivals, com on signing day.
OK maybe more than icing. Maybe icing, sprinkles, hot fudge, and couple big scoops of Blue Bell ice cream.
At 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, Green-Bekham is a mix of Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss and will make a major impact on the Tigers when they move to SEC next year.
So now Missouri is looking for a little icing on the cake.
Since the Tigers trail the overall series to the Jayhawks 94-171, this is their last shot at gaining bragging rights.
They don't care about the rankings. They don't care about the music videos on Youtube. They care about a win over the archrival.
I've heard some grumblings from Kansas' fans and students alike this week that this game doesn't matter because we've got the all-time lead.
That's a fair point, but there's no better way for Kansas to stick it to the Tigers than leaving a sour taste in their mouth that they might never be able to relieve themselves of. What the Jayhawk fan base (and even the players) care about more than anything is getting that final victory in Columbia.
- Edited by Amanda Gage
Mizzou Arena will be rocking and they've got plenty of incentive to be. ESPN's College Gameday will finally grace their presence for the national attention they've seen go to Kansas for so long.
It's an enormous game for Missouri and their faithful, but it's a big game for Kansas too.
One more Showdown at Missouri
Junior forward Thomas Robinson dunks the ball during Wednesday nights game against the University of Oklahoma at Allen Fieldhouse where Robinson had 20 in the Jayhawk's 84-62 victory over the Sooners.
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
MAX ROTHMAN
mrthman@kansan.com
twitter.com/udk_bball
Your Jayhawks calendar was printed for tomorrow's date.
Kansas at Missouri. It's a rivalry that started in 1907 and has brewed hatred ever since. Now, with the Tigers off to the Southeastern Conference, this game holds another meaning. It may be the final Border Showdown played in Columbia, Mo.
No tears, hugs or kisses required. Junior forward Thomas Robinson only wants one thing.
"I want to get this W," he said. "I'm not letting anybody in that gym, stadium, state, anything stop me."
Tip-off between the No.8 Kansas Jayhawks and the No.4 Missouri Tigers is set for 8 p.m. tomorrow as ESPN's College Gameday makes its first trip to Mizzou Arena in Columbia.
"This is why we came to Kansas," senior guard Tyshawn Taylor said. "To play in games like this."
Forget about the rivalry and you've still got two of the best teams in the country going head-to-head.
Coach Frank Haith usually deploys a rotation of four guards and one forward, opting for speed and chaos over size and strength. This atypical rotation has confounded opposing teams, but the Jayhawks said they feel prepared, especially with junior guard Travis Releford and his ability to defend multiple positions.
"We see them having to match up with us, instead of us having to match up with them," junior center Jeff Withey said.
The Tigers prefer to operate in the fast break, using the speed of their guards to beat transition defenses down the floor. This creates space for versatile playmakers such as senior guard Kim English, who Self said is one of Missouri's greatest strengths when playing as a forward."They're so good at making the extra pass and they're very unselfish," Self said.
More than Pressey, Taylor and the team must deal with the weight of a rivalry that may be nearing its end."The rivalry goes way back before we even know," Taylor said. "We take on that role of not really liking those guys."
For all the skills of English, the savvy of junior guard Michael Dixon, the scoring acumen of senior guard Marcus Denmon and the power of senior forward Ricardo Ratliffe, Self knows that the fastest Tiger is the one he's got to keep an eye on.
"Little Phil Pressey is still the guy that drives the bus," he said of the sophomore guard. "He makes plays with his speed that's very hard to coach."
Taylor will be tasked with staying in front of Pressey, who often gets post players into foul trouble with his ability to get to the basket and improvise for himself and teammates.
"There's nothing more fun, in my opinion," Self said, "than beating Missouri."
Obscenities will fly through the air. Students clad in black and gold will boom with noise. Two teams, both fast, athletic, and hungry for a Big 12 title, will dance in Columbia one last time.
Edited by Ian Cummings
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Jayhawks get first shot at redemption in Texas
RYAN MCCARTHY rmccarthy@kansan.com
As the page turns into the second half of the conference season, the women's basketball team looks to grab its first shot of redeeming a loss on its schedule.
That first chance comes on Saturday in College Station, Texas, when the Javahawks take on No. 18 Texas A&M at 7 p.m.
Kansas hopes this is not only another shot at the defending national champions, but also a chance to snap a two-game losing skid.
"We feel like we really need to win this one," freshman guard Natalie Knight said. "We can't go down 0-3 in the last three games. We're definitely going to come out and play hard."
Knight remembers from the first matchup with the Aggies that they pressed her throughout the game and made it difficult for her to get into rhythm.
"Because of their pressure, we were a little more hesitant on offense. We just need to continue to look into the post because that's what we do best." Knight said.
"It's bad we lost this first game at home, but it's always good to redeem yourself," junior forward Carolyn Davis said. "I'm glad we have a chance to go there and play them. It'll be emotional game, but I think it'll be good if we get this win."
In their first matchup on Jan. 21 at Allen Fieldhouse, the Aggies beat the Jayhawks 76-65.
When thinking back to that game, the Kansas players could think of the two factors that contributed to the defeat, 23 turnovers and physical pressure on the perimeter.
"They're good enough to speed you up, but we spread ourselves I thought and threw things that were uncharacteristic," coach Bonnie Henrickson said.
For Kansas to avoid this, it needs to establish the tempo early on against Texas A&M so they don't feel rushed like the previous matchup.
Davis was limited by the Aggies frontcourt in the first matchup, only accumulating 10 points and four rebounds, well below her season average of 18.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
"I need to try to work for position earlier," Davis said. "They front in the post so it's kind of tough to get a lob over somebody who's the same height as you and they have awesome help defense."
Kansas also hopes that senior forward Aishah Sutherland can get back to playing at the aggressive level she did against Oklahoma State and Missouri earlier this year. Since those games, she's struggled to play consistently.
Other areas up for improvement include Kansas' baseline defense. In the last game against Texas A&M, the Jayhawks allowed 15 layups.
For this game, Davis understands what needs to be corrected
However, the coaching staff isn't worried about getting Sutherland back on that level.
"Her and I talked to today and she knew it," Henrickson said. "The good thing is she can control that."
Edited by Max Rothman
CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN
Freshman guard Natalie Knight dribbles cross court while looking for an open teammate during the first half of Tuesday night's game against Oklahoma at Allen Fieldhouse where Knight had five points and a steal in the 68-74 Kansas overtime defeat.
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