BASEBALL: Royals, Yankees lose on opening day. SEE PAGE 6B. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Where does UCONN go from here? SEE PAGE 3B
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SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1B
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2002
Bowling team rolls onward, practices for national match
By Steve Schmidt Kansan sportswriter
The KU men's bowling team is preparing for its chance at national glory. The team will travel to Buffalo, N.Y., later in the month for college bowling's equivalent to the Sweet 16.
The Kansas men's basketball team just finished its run at the championship, and the KU men's bowling team is ready to begin its own chase at a national title. The Inter-Collegiate Bowling Championships are April 17 to 21.
"There's been progressive improvement all year long," Ryan Ludwig, Kansas City, Kan., junior said. "But, at the same time, just about every tournament one guy's come through and kept us in contention."
The team punched their plane tickets for Buffalo after placing third in the Midwest Sectional in Oklahoma City March 23 and 24.
"The key to our success is that everybody is throwing the ball real well," coach Mike Fine said. "Everybody is stepping up and that's what is making the difference."
One team member who has stepped up has been Marc D'Errico, Rochester, N.Y., sophomore. Individually, he finished second in the Teen Masters National final during spring break and took home a Bowling Writers Association of America scholarship. D'Errico said he has looked forward to playing close to home all season long. He estimated his (and the team's) cheering section would include 50 to 100 friends and relatives.
"I'm really exited because I've talked to a lot family and friends who are exited to go watch our team," D'Errico said. "A lot of the guys I bowled with (in Rochester) want to check out what college bowling is really like."
Currently, the men's team has earned a national ranking of 11th place. Teams creating obstacles to the crown include fellow Midwestern powers No.1 Wichita State, No.2 Saginaw Valley, Nebraska, Western Illinois and Purdue.
"There's a number of really good teams, but, as usual, the teams that are the toughest are the ones in our part of the country." Fine said.
Fine pointed out that the team has had recent success against local programs. These include beating Saginaw Valley four of the last five matches and placing a spot above Western Illinois, last year's champs, for the Sweet 16.
The team's quest in Buffalo begins on April 18. They will compete in 32 games in Baker format, when five individuals combine to post one score.
"This is a format which really focuses on team play and communication and that's something we really feel we do well." Fine said.
From there, the men will compete in a double elimination round. They will need four victories out of seven matches to advance on to further play.
The women's team will not play along side the men's team in Buffalo. The women's squad finished fifth in the Midwestern Sectional — one spot away from nationals.
"I was very pleased with their effort," Fine said. "They battled the whole war."
The team managed a strong finish, despite the fact that Tiffany McBurney, Albany, Ore., senior, was out with a shoulder injury. McBurney's absence left the squad only five bowlers and no substitutes.
"They bowled their hearts out," D'Errico said.
Contact Schmidt att sports@kansan.com. This story was edited by Joanna Miller.
FILE PHOTO
Kansas freshman forward Wayne Simien drives to the basket against Texas Tech earlier this season. Simien will be one of the Javahaws' top returning players when he returns for his sophomore season.
Roy cultivating next year's squad
Kansas swingman Keith Langford, playing against Texas Tech earlier this season, is projected to move into the starting lineup next season.
By Doug Pacey Kansan sportswrite
ATLANTA - Less than a week after losing to Maryland in the Final Four, Roy Williams is already working toward next season.
West, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, would help ease the loss of Jeff Boschee. Kansas' all-time leading three-point shooter, and provide much needed depth at the guard position for the Jayhawks. Williams has said he would like to sign a guard this spring.
Kansas' coach is expected to be in Coffeyville Wednesday to visit with Coffeyville Community College guard Devin West.
Langford, who are all projected as starters on next season's squad, Kansas returns no backcourt players with experience.
Outside of guards Kirk Hinrich, Aaron Miles and Keith
Sophomore swingman Bryant Nash has the size and athleticism to make an impact next season, but he admittedly needs to develop better ball handling skills and must find a confidence he has lacked since coming to Kansas.
Freshman guard Michael Lee played sparingly after non-conference play ended and Jeff Hawkins, out of Kansas City's Sumner Academy, red-shirted this season. Hawkins, 5-foot-11, has a nice shooting touch and
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 8B
Terrapins win NCAA title game against Hoosiers
The Associated Press
AILANTA — Maryland didn't play like Maryland until it mattered. Now the Terrapins are national champions.
This was the Terrapins' first appearance in a
With All-American guard Juan Dixon snapping out of a scoring jump just in time, Maryland ended Indiana's magical tournament run with a 64-52 victory last night.
This was the terribellus national championship game and the senior-laden lineup came through during the final 9:42, pulling away from the Hoosiers and becoming the fourth straight No.1 seed and eighth in the last 10 years to win it all.
Coach Gary Williams brought his alma mater from the depths of probation 13 years ago to the pinnacle of college basketball. The man considered among the most intense in the game was able to celebrate with his team, which featured four players who had started at least 100 games in their careers.
"We had to really grind it," Williams said. "It took us a
64
52
good 25 minutes before we really ran our offense."
Dixon scored at least 27 points in four of the first five tournament games, including 33 in the semifinal win over fellow top seed Kansas. He started the title game at that pace, scoring 11 points in the opening 10 minutes. He didn't score again for 20 minutes.
When he hit a 3-pointer with 9:42 to play, it gave Maryland (32-4) the lead for good at 45-44 and the Terrapins made sure even a small lead was safe this time.
"I was trying to be patient," he said. "I was trying to let the game come to me. I hit a big shot."
Dixon finished with 18 points and he and fellow senior Lonny Baxter combined for all the points in the 9-2 run that Dixon started with the 3-point shot and Baxter ended with a dunk that made it 51-46 with 7:22 to play.
Indiana (25-12), which upset top-seeded Duke then shocked second-seeded Oklahoma in the semifinals, just couldn't come up with another stunner.
The team that had the country almost forgetting about Bob Knight, again used the 3-point shot as its main weapon.
The Hoosiers, who were 23-for-32 from behind the arc in the regional final against Kent State and Oklahoma, made eight of their first 12 last night. When Jared Jeffries' layup was goaltended with 9:53 left, Indiana had its only lead of the game, 44-42.
When Dixon and Baxter, who finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds, stepped up, the long shots stopped falling. Indiana made just two of its 11 shots from behind the arc and its dream of being the first No. 5 seed to win a national championship and
SEE NCAA ON PAGE 8B
Hearts heavy as 'Hawks left Georgia Dome
One Shining Moment...
As another NCAA tournament came to an end last night with David Barrett's famous song providing the sweet symphonic sound behind the emotional images of young men living their lifelong hoop dreams, Kansas coach Roy Williams and this season's players became emotional.
COMMENTARY
This was supposed to be their song, with them flashing Miss America-type smiles as they hoisted that championship trophy.
But again, destiny, and this time, the Maryland Terrapins, derailed the Jayhawks' dreams.
Andy Samuelson asamuelson@kansan.com
However, there was another song heard Saturday night beffitting Atlanta — the birthplace of Williams' coaching career, as he first met with former athletic director, Bob Frederick, in an airport 14 years ago for his initial job interview — that in its own right summed up Kansas basketball.
Most of the lyrics to the former No. 1 hit, "Midnight Train to Georgia," recorded by Gladys Knight & The Pips, rang truer than any spoken words could
He's leaving/On that midnight train to Georgia
Saturday night when hundreds of sullen Kansas fans headed from the Georgia Dome to the team's hotel.
Actually, it wasn't really a train, but rather the MARTA — Atlanta's subway system — that provided the mode of transportation. A quick glance at the watch showed midnight, on the dot.
As I piled in with the wall-to-wall masses of those still proudly wearing their crimson and blue, there was a mixture of tears and triumph. Several people argued about how Kansas should have done things differently against Maryland. Others were too downtrodden to speak and still a few fans boastfully told opposing teams' supporters, "Wait 'till next year."
I continued to the back of the shuttle and as we shifted into motion, I realized
the man hovering over me was former Kansas player T.J. Pugh. We struck up a conversation and it quickly became clear that no defeat, no matter how caustic, could undermine the fabric of Williams and Kansas basketball.
But he sure found out the hard way/That dreams don't always come true
Pugh was one of over 30 former Williams-coached players who made the trip to the Final Four to watch his mentor finally win the big one.
Unfortunately, just as in Pugh's playing days — ones that featured two bitter upsets when Kansas was a No. 1 seed — that didn't happen.
Minutes later, we stopped and people flooded the JW Mariotti by the dozens.
"I wanted to be there when he won it," said Pugh, who is finishing medical school in Denver. "He was a father-like figure who taught us about life, not just basketball."
Suddenly, the crowd rose in approval and cheers and clapping filled the luxurious hotel lobby.
Most of them huddled together in small circles, sharing stories and a cocktail or two, but I wandered around absorbing the atmosphere.
One by one, Kansas players filed in, stone-faced as they slipped upstairs to their rooms. No amount of cheering was going to relieve the pain they felt. In fact, it may have even intensified it as they already must have been crushed by the weight of their fans' dashed expectations, not to mention a probable, but definitely incorrect, feeling of letting Williams down.
I'd rather live in his world/Than live without him in mine
At the end of the line came the biggest cheers and the man carrying an insurmountable heartache — Williams.
He staggered through the line of wellwishers, shaking nearly every protruding hand as he met each person eye-to-eye with his misted stare.
After ascending to the top of the balcony, he addressed all in attendance with another tearful speech. Williams poured out his emotions and thanked the fans that helped make everything possible.
"One day." Pugh said. "One day."
But sadly, for Kansas fans, not this day.
Samuelson is a Wichita senior in journalism
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