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MEN'S GOLE: Kansas slides past Missouri for victory. SEE PAGE 2B. BASKETBALL: Odds and ends on the road to the Final Four. SEE PAGE 3B.
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1B
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2002
COMMENTARY
Katie Eichlen keichlen@kansan.com
Final Four advice, history for Jayhawks
To think, it all started with 65 teams. And now there are four.
No matter what Kansas' outcome may be this weekend, Jayhawk fans should be proud of what our boys have accomplished.
It's quite the honor to just be able to say that we're one of the top four teams in the nation, but let's all hope that by Monday we'll be singing a different tune.
I don't think anyone could have predicted the Final Four match-up this tournament has produced. Just take a look at Duke.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all disappointed that they lost, but I'm sure that there are a lot of people who lost money on that loss to Indiana.
Sixty-five teams had a chance to compete for the national title, and some teams ended up with an earlier exit than they wanted. Any top team could have an off night and be knocked out of contention, and at the same time, another team not expected to go far could surprise everyone. Holy Cross was almost one of those teams, but fortunately our guys prevailed.
The NCAA tournament has undergone many changes since its first game in 1939. The number of the teams invited to the tournament has steadily increased, with the current number at 65. Each team now has to string along four wins just to make it to the Final Four.
With more than 130 teams included in Division I competition, it's pretty amazing that Kansas had the talent and heart to dominate the other teams in the tournament to reach the Final Four not only this year, but in previous years. In 1988 for example, Kansas made it to the Final Four as a No.6 seed, fighting its way into the championship game and even winning it all. Few seeds that low have ever gone all the way.
We have more than enough talent and patience to go all the way this year — but I don't want to jinx us.
If our freshmen continue to woo the crowds with their amazing feats and abilities, they have enough potential to bring about back-to-back Final Four appearances. I'm sure our experienced players have enough individual desire to finish the season with a title.
Here's some advice from a short girl who never played basketball at a competitive level. You can either take it to heart or completely ignore it.
Gooden: I don't want to leave this all in your hands, but if you really are leaving us, you better go out with a bang.
Boschie: Keep firing away those threes and we'll be so close we can taste it.
Hinrich: With your talent and hustle, you'll be running Maryland so hard they'll be gasping.
Miles: With your quickness and moves, you'll be unstoppable driving through the paint.
And finally, Collison: If you stay out of foul trouble and have a duplicate of Sunday's game, Maryland doesn't stand a chance against your strength.
I can't forget our bench — you guys are the mental strength of the team to stay in contention with the other team. I don't think there is any other group of bench guys who could keep up with you or possess as much talent and strength. I see a promising future for all of you, especially Simien and Langford. I can't wait to see what the future holds for our young Jayhawks.
Eichten is a Topeka sophomore in journalism.
Gooden still unsatisfied
LAURIF SISK/KANSAN
Kansas Forward Drew Gooden tries to stop Illinois during the Jayhawks' game on Thursday. Gooden hopes to improve upon his recent performance for the game this Saturday.
Despite stellar stats and numerous awards, Gooden expects more
By Doug Pacey Kansan sportswriter
Drew Gooden's a little upset with himself. Seems the junior forward thinks he should be scoring more points, grabbing more rebounds and doing more for his team. It doesn't matter to Gooden that he's averaging 16.8 points and 13 rebounds in four NCAA Tournament games and was named the Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player — everybody's All-America said he wants to do more for his team.
"I wouldn't say I'm disappointed," Gooden said. "I would say I am not pleased with my performance because I know I can play better than that. I'm not happy or satisfied with my play in the tournament at all."
Not even a little bit?
"What makes up for that is that I'm happy because we're winning and we end up going to the 'Four.'" the Richmond, Calif., native said. "I've told people before, if I average two points and got the the Final Four or if I average 30 points and got to the Final Four I'd still feel exactly the same way."
That kind of team player mentality has impressed Roy Williams, the Kansas coach said. When freshman point guard Aaron Miles missed a dunk late in the game Sunday against No. 2 seed Oregon, Williams said he was steamed and ready to turn Miles into "a greasy spot on the floor." But during a timeout Gooden, who was the reason Williams threw his sport coat into the Allen Fieldhouse stands last season, stepped in and settled the
coach down.
"Drew's yelling 'Coach, coach, coach' and it did calm me down a little bit," Williams said. "In the locker room I told Aaron, 'You better thank Drew because I was about ready to strangle you,' and Drew told him, 'I knew what was coming Coach, I've seen that look before.' To be that kind of leader during the game and protect his teammate, I thought that was pretty impressive."
It takes a special and unselfish player to say that he's not happy averaging a double-double in the most important college basketball games of the season and Williams said he was amazed that Gooden, who is averaging 20.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, thought he played poorly despite what his statistics said.
"I love the fact that the kid is really completely hungry," the coach said. "Even more so I love the fact that anybody else could look at those numbers and say, 'I'm doing my deal.' And Drew's only concerned about helping his team win."
Gooden would do just about anything to help No. 2 ranked Kansas (33 overall, 16-0 Big 12 Conference) win the national championship, but there's one thing he won't do — get another pedicure. Saturday night the junior said he clipped his toenails and got his calluses removed because he "needed new wheels" for the "track meet" against the Ducks Sunday. Gooden said he will get no such treatment this week.
"I got mine before the Oregon game and a man only needs one of those in his lifetime," he joked of the pedicure.
Pardon Gooden for not keeping up on college basketball's post-season
SEE GOODEN ON PAGE 8B
Diversions benched to focus on game
By Brent Wasko
Kansan sportswriter
Distractions are abundant for playersthe week before their team tips off at the Final Four — dozens of reporters surrounding them with cameras and recorders, fellow students running after them on campus to wish them good luck and their pictures appearing countless times on national television.
already this season, but itll probably be much worse when we get there."
Junior forward Nick Collison said he didn't think the distractions were too much of a problem.
Several Kansas players said they knew they couldn't avoid the added attention but that it was sometimes tough not to get caught up in the madness.
"I think we will realize maybe when we get to Atlanta how difficult it's going to be," junior guard Kirk Hinrich said. "Obviously, the media has been something that we've had to deal with a lot
"I think everyone on the team has been pretty mature enough to realize that when you play well and have success those kind of things come," he said. "We haven't let it get in the way yet, and I don't think we will going to the Final Four."
College basketball analysts such as Dick Vitale and Andy Katz have said that because the Jayhawks' national semifinal opponent, Maryland, went to the Final Four last season, it would be better prepared to deal with the distractions.
Kansas freshman guard Aaron Miles said he didn't think the Terrapins' previous Final Four experience would be a large factor.
Kansas players Jeff Boschee and Nick Collison prepare themselves for play before a game. Players must deal with many stress factors — media attention and crazed fans, for example — as they approach their Final Four appearance.
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
"Basketball is basketball, no matter where and when you play it," Miles said. "It's another big game—that's all. It's not like they're playing the same
team as last year."
Miles said the key to the Jayhawks' success in Atlanta might be how well the team kept its focus.
SEE DIVERSIONS ON PAGE 8B
Kansas must rely on pitchers to beat Arkansas
Bv Ali Brox
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas softball team gets a break from Big 12 Conference play as it battles Arkansas today in Fayetteville, Ark. The doubleheader starts at 3 p.m.
Coach Tracy Bunge said playing Arkansas would be a change from the Big 12 but that the team was excited to play Big 12 teams because of the quality of the competition. However, the Razorbacks aren't to be taken lightly.
"We talked about itas a team, and we need to be as intense for non-conference games as other games," sophomore pitcher Kara Pierce said.
"Arkansas is playing well this season," Bunge said. "They're a solid team
on both sides of the ball. They're not making many mistakes so we have to go out and beat them because they won't beat themselves."
Arkansas has a 24-10 record this season and is 5-4 in the Southeastern Conference. Last weekend the Razorbacks took three games from Auburn, winning 6-3, 4-0 and 3-2. On the mound, Arkansas is led by Rachel Talley, 12-3, who has a 1.05 ERA.
If the Jayhawks need to rely on a pitcher, Pierce is up to the responsibility. She threw a no-*hitter against Oklahoma State during spring break. Pierce has thrown a team-high 64.2 innings while striking out 56 batters and owning a 2.06 ERA.
"They're a solid SEC team," Bunge said. "They're not overpowering offensively so we're going to rely on our pitchers. They've been winning tight ball games."
"She's throwing as well as I've seen her throw," Bunge said. "She's back mentally to where she was at this time last year which is where we need her to be. She's our most consistent pitcher and I would say she has much more confidence than at the beginning of the season."
Even though she threw her first career no-hitter less than a week ago, Pierce doesn't feel pressure to repeat the performance.
"Definitely, it made me feel good," Pierce said. "But I'm just going to go out and do what I can."
"Arkansas is playing well this season. They're a solid team on both sides of the ball. They're not making many mistakes so we have to go out and beat them because they won't beat themselves."
themselves."
Tracy Bunge
Kansas coach
The Jayhawks are 17-12 this season and 2-2 in the Big 12. Kansas had a busy
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SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 3B
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