BASEBALL: Team will play Avila this afternoon. SEE PAGE 3B. SOFTBALL: The team faces Pittsburg State today. SEE PAGE 3B
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SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
1B
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2002
COMMENTARY
Brian Hanni
bhanni@kansan.com
Sunday's game a glimpse into 'Hawks' future
I've seen the future of Kansas basketball, and I'm happy to say, it looks very bright.
The future of this program is definitely something to be excited about,but don't take my word for it. You saw it yourselves Sunday.
With Drew Gooden practicing a Houdini-like disappearing act and Jeff Boschee stuck on the bench with foul trouble, the Jayhawks were forced to win without their All-American and alltime leading three-point shooter. Sure, both players played and contributed some key buckets, but with Gooden going almost 25 minutes without scoring and Boschee spending just as long on the bench, Kansas was a different team.
It was almost as if the ticket stubs read March 3,2003,and this was the final game of next season.Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich rose to the occasion,just like battle-tested seniors would, and Keith Langford provided a lift as well-an effort far greater than what you'd expect from a first-year player.
Now this was no perfect window into the future, as Aaron Miles and Wayne Simien both still looked like freshmen, but you've got to admit that in many ways Sunday's game was a glimpse of what's to come for Kansas fans next season.
Let's start with Collison, who was hitting clutch shots from the field and draining free throws like never before. It's no secret that if one player has been over-shadowed by the phenomenal season of Gooden, it has been Nick. But with Drew in a funk, opportunity came calling on Sunday and Collison responded in a major way. For the first time this year, Nick was the big man on campus.
Hinrich was also great, showing poise beyond his years and turning in a performance that has become quite common this season and will likely be the norm next year. Hinrich tallied 25 points and added nine rebounds, the kind of effort that keeps me thinking he'll be the first Jayhawk to ever record a triple-double - a feat he'll likely save for his senior campaign.
Then there was Langford, a guy who still has that pesky "Fr." next to his name on the roster even though we all know the moment he hit that game-winning shot in Lincoln, he achieved a sophomore's status. Langford showed fearlessness not only around the perimeter, but especially in driving to the basket. Like we've seen many times before, his acrobatic attacks at the rim paid huge dividends for Kansas.
Collison, Hinrich and Langford were all able to elevate their games in the absence of Gooden and Boschee,a trick the trio will definitely have to master next season.
If Gooden does indeed go pro this year, the Jayhawks will be losing 38 percent of their scoring based on him and Boschee alone. Those two will be sorely missed, but their departure will leave Collison and Hinrich with more shots and Langford with more playing time.
While it will definitely take more than just the Iowa boys and their new musketeer to fill a void that big, if Sunday's any indication, it's clear skies and a bright future ahead for Kansas.
Hanni is a Topeka senior in broadcasting.
Washington gains support
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswriter
Five seniors on the Kansas women's basketball team gave their farewell speeches at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 26. Each player thanked her parents, the fans and coach Marian Washington for their support.
Washington embraced the seniors, starting with K.C. Hilgenkamp and ending with Nikki White, then walked off the court smiling.The five seniors knew it was their last game in Lawrence.
After suffering the first 0-16 Big 12 Conference season to date, speculation about Washington's job security undoubtedly surfaced. Following the Jayhawks' 63-61 loss to Texas yesterday, Washington claims she's receiving full support from Al Bohl, athletics director — and she couldn't be happier.
And now, Washington knows that it won't be hers.
"I'm so pleased that he has a lot of confidence in me," she said. "It's very important to any coach to have the university and the administration behind you."
Women's basketball coach Marian Washington shouts advice to her team toward the end of the last game yesterday.
Bohl's brief history as athletic director may have been discomforting. He was quick to dismiss football coach Terry Allen after the team was assured of a losing season last fall.
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
Although Bohl could not be reached for comment, he has said that he hoped to see every program in the Top 25 — a goal that might be a few years away for the women's basketball team.
This season was, for the most part, a season to forget. Washington said that the rebuilding of an usually successful program couldn't have come at a worse time.
There is truth in Washington's statement. Seven Big 12 teams are among the Top 20 in the country. Since their last victory over Morgan State on Dec. 29, the Jayhawks had lost 17 games. Eleven of the losses were to ranked teams.
"We were losing to very,very fine ball clubs. It seemed like every game we were playing a nationally ranked team," she said.
The unanticipated success of in-state
rival Kansas State didn't help matters. after going 12-16 overall, and 2-14 in The Wildcats have a 23-6 record, and finished 11-5 in the Big 12 one season SEE WASHINGTON
Women's finale a shocker
Rv. Jessica Scott
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
Kansan sportswriter
At a point when all seemed hopeless and nothing was left to say, the Kansas women's basketball team played with a shocking sense of pride and character at the Big 12 Tournament yesterday in Kansas City, Mo.
The Jayhawks, playing against No. 13 Texas (20-8, 10-6 Big 12 Conference) for the second time in two weeks, amazed everyone in a thrilling 63-61 loss in the first round game.
Trailing by only three points with fewer than 20 seconds left, senior K.C. Hilgenkamp launched a three that just barely rimmed out. Sophomore Sharonne Spencer grabbed the rebound and was fouled as she stuck the ball in the basket, closing the gap to one point. After a Texas timeout, Spencer missed the extra point attempt and finally brought Kansas' woeful season to an end.
Sophomore guard Leila Mengic drives the baseline against Texas forward Kala Bowers during the first half of the Jayhawks 63-61 loss.
"When you see how we played today, it makes you question why couldn't we play like that all season," senior Selena Scott said. "We laid it all out there today, and that's what we should have done every other game that we had."
Scott powered the Jayhawk defense, grabbing seven steals and forcing numerous Longhorn turnovers. She ended with 16 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Hilgenkamp scored a team high 17 points, including three three-pointers.
"It was pretty classic. A team that played not to lose and a team that had nothing to lose," Texas coach Jody Conradt said. "We got off to a real shaky start, and it was real difficult for us to ever get into a flow, and in the meantime, they were shooting very well."
At times in the first half, Kansas didn't look like
an 0-16 team.
With seven minutes to go until halftime, Scott and Hilgenkamp finally began clicking together. With these two seniors scoring two strings of back-to-back buckets, the 'Hawks built a 28-14 lead.
Then Texas woke up.
The Longhorns went on a 16-6 run to close the opening half, led by freshman Kala Bowers, who scored five unanswered points in 30 seconds. During this span, Kansas did not score for more than four minutes and let the shot clock expire twice.
Still, Longhorn players and coaches alike were
SEE FINALE ON PAGE 4B
Associated Press names Gooden Player of Year
The post-season awards keep coming for Drew Gooden.
One day after being named a First Team All-Big 12 Conference player and a member of the NABC All-American team, the Associated Press made the Big 12's leading scorer — 20.6 ppg — and rebounder 11.1 ppg the conference's Player of the Year.
"I'm really excited about being
"I'm really excited about being named the player of the year," Gooden said. "As far as individual goals, that was my main one in conference play. I have to give credit to my teammates, coach Roy Williams and my family for their support, because if it wasn't for all of them, I wouldn't be player of the year."
Williams said the award was
Gooden
Williams said the awards were extra-special because of the frustrations Gooden had as a freshman trying to adjust to college basketball.
"Drew Gooden, I think, is very deserving," Kansas' coach said. "I think he had a phenomenal year. During a couple of stretches he played as well, if not better, than any player I've ever had."
The junior forward has hinted on a few occasions that he will declare for the NBA Draft after this season, but has repeatedly said he will make his final decision after the season.
Gooden is the first Kansas player to win the award since Raef LaFrentz in 1998.
—Doug Pacey
Big teams, players to compete this weekend
By Doug Pacey and Brent Wasko Kansan sportswriters
A lot can happen this weekend at the men's Big 12 Conference tournament at Kemper Arena, Mo.
Kansas will try to win 19 conference games without a loss, and Oklahoma wants to repeat as tournament champions. Missouri is fighting to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament, and Bobby Knight's upstart Red Raiders are poised to make a run through the tournament.
Here are capsules for each Big 12 school and their chances in the conference tournament.
NO.1 KANSAS JAYHAWKS
Record: 27-2 overall, 16-0 Big 12 Coach: Roy Williams
ppg, 5.5 apg, First Team All-Big 12; Nick Collison 15.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg, Second Team All-Big 12.
Top players: Drew Gooden 20.6 ppg.
11.1 rpg, First Team All-Big 12, Big 12
Player of the Year; Kirk Hinrich 15.7
12 Tournament, becoming the first team in history to go undefeated in conference play. Kansas enters the tournament as the No.1 seed and battles the winner of the Nebraska-Colorado game at noon Friday. The Jayhawks are a scoring machine, averaging a nationhigh 92.6 points per game. Gooden is the team's top scorer at 20.6 points per game and is a national player-of-the year candidate.
Kansas is the team to beat in the Big
No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners
Record: 24-4 overall, 13-3 Big 12
Coach: Kelvin Sampson
Top players: Hollis Price 16.9 ppg, First Team All-Big 12; Aaron McGhee 16.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, Second Team All-Big 12.
Oklahoma won the Big 12 Tournament last season and back-to-back titles are not out of the question. The Sooners lost to the Jayhawks by seven
points in Lawrence on Jan. 19 and might fare better at Kemper Arena's neutral court. A No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is within Oklahoma's reach if it plays well this weekend. The Jayhawks and Sooners are the conference's only teams with a legitimate chance to make the Final Four and win the national championship.
Texas Longhorns
Top players: TJ, Ford 8.7 apg, 2.0 spg, Second Team All-Big 12; Brandon Mouton 14.6 pg
Record: 19-10 overall, 10-6 Big 12
Cook: Rick Barros
14. 6 ppg Freshman point guard Ford is an Allen Iverson clone, even down to the dangling cornrows. He leads
the big 12 and the nation with 8.7 assists per game. Texas doesn't have a go-to player, but a handful of guys — Brandon Mouton, Royal Ivey and James Thomas — who are capable of having big games.
No.14 Oklahoma State Cowboys
Record: 23-7 overall, 10-6 Big 12
4
SEE TEAMS ON PAGE 8B
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