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SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1B
MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2003
SPORTS COMMENTARY
Ryan Wood
rwood@kansan.com
Toughest leg of journey already over
Improbable.
Eric Braem/Kansan
that's the only way to describe the Kansas men's basketball team's trip to southern California this weekend.
Facing battles with two of college basketball's most successful programs in the last decade, the Jayhawks sent both Duke and Arizona home — and sent themselves to the Final Four for the second straight year.
Even more encouraging for Kansas fans, the rockiest road on the journey is now behind them.
Sophomore guard Keith Langford and coach Roy Williams are all smiles following their victory in Anaheim. Articles have speculated that North Carolina head coach Matt Doherty could be fired this year, prompting rumors that coach Williams may be asked to replace Doherty as Tar Heels' coach.
Not to say that the trip to New Orleans is a cinch. But going 2-0 in Anaheim, Calif., was a lot tougher than 2-0 in New Orleans will be.
But, then again, who am I to make predictions?
"That's the beauty of this," coach Roy Williams said. "This tournament is so unpredictable."
Kansas' star-studded lineup came through once again. But who's been the most valuable?
There's no definite answer — and that's why the Jayhawks are playing beyond their No.2 seed.
Sure, forward Nick Collison comes to mind. His 33-point, 19-rebound game against Duke was simply legendary. When Kansas fans flock to Allen Fieldhouse in the coming years and see Collison's jersey in the rafters, his epic domination of the Dookies will be the freshest memory.
Few will forget Collison's performance — especially teammate Kirk Hinrich, who was lucky Collison was so good on a night when he was shut down offensively.
Then again, Hinrich returned the favor on Saturday. When Arizona's 1-3-1 zone defense smothered Collision inside. Hinrich was fantastic, scoring 28 points and giving the Kansas student body a reason to get smashed and act crazy — like we really need one.
Keith Langford was sensational in the opening rounds in Oklahoma City, scoring 41 points in two games there. Michael Lee and Bryant Nash were big off the bench when Duke brought a quicker lineup to the table. Nash looked unfazed where he oftentimes is timid. Lee, like all season long, was a warrior.
But what about Jeff Graves? He wasn't needed with an athletic, smaller Duke lineup, but Graves clutched up against Arizona on Saturday, tallying 13 big points and 15 even bigger rebounds. Even more impressive, Graves stayed out of foul trouble — and, not coincidentally, Kansas beat the best team in the country, 78-75.
There's also unsung hero Aaron Miles. Solid as ever, Miles dished out a total of 14 assists to just four turnovers in Anaheim, registering seven steals in the process.
Point is, Kansas has an outstanding chance at cutting down the nets a week from today, because there's nobody that Marquette, Syracuse and Texas can key on. The Dookies shut down Hinrich, and Collison killed them. The Wildcats shut down Collison, and Hinrich killed them. All along, the seniors' supporting cast delivered blow after blow to claim the title of "champion" in the tournament's toughest region.
A 2-0 record in New Orleans is certainly feasible. Nobody in the Final Four field is better than Arizona. Any of the four teams would have more than a handful if they squared off with Duke.
Kansas, though, beat them both. And with Hinrich and Collison leading the way, you know the Jayhawks aren't done yet.
Wood is a Lee's Summit, Mo., senior in journalism
Old rumors revived
By Eddie Yang
eyang@kansan.com
kansan staff writer
As Kansas rolls into its second consecutive Final Four appearance, Roy Williams is close to capturing his first national championship. But, rumors have speculated this might also be his last season at Kansas.
The Charlotte Observer and the New York Daily News have published articles speculating that North Carolina men's basketball coach, Matt Doherty, will be fired, and that Williams could be a likely replacement.
"Matt Doherty is our head coach, period," said Steve Kirshner, Director of Athletics Communication at UNC.
Kirshner noted that under Doherty's reins, the Tar Heels improved their 2001- 2002 season record of 8-20 to 19-16 this season. The team also reached the quarterfinals of the NIT tournament.
"We are happy with Matt as our coach," he said. "We had the youngest team in school history and beat four teams in the Sweet 16."
However, the papers claim that Doherty's future at North Carolina is not reliant on his coaching ability, but his relationships with his players. The articles reported that North Carolina players and parents aired complaints about the Tar Heels' coach to UNC officials on Thursday.
Kirshner said the players and parents had meetings with UNC athletic director Dick Baddour, but said that they were private conversations and that no one said they voiced concerns.
John Dougherty, reporter for the UNC campus newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel said he had heard reports of struggles between the coach and players during the season.
"Basically there was a lot of tension for about a month during the season," he said. "The kids had attitude problems and I think they were just sick of losing."
Dougherty said many of the players had threatened to transfer during the season but would probably stay at North Carolina.
"You will not see the number of transfers that we had last year," Dougherty said. "We know this because of comments by
the players and sometimes their mothers."
Last season, three Tar Heels transferred from UNC. Kirshner said it was not because of their relationships with Doherty.
were some very talented guards coming in. I've talked to them about this, but they maintain that they aren't afraid of competition."
"Neil Singleton wanted to be in an area with a strong British population," Kirshner said. "He is now at Holy Cross in Boston. Neither Adam Boone or Brian Morrison has said what led them to transfer, but they understood that there
Freshman point guard Raymond Felton, sophomore forward Jawad Williams, freshman forwards David Noel and Sean May have all publicly said they would return for another season.
Edited by Brandon Gay
Reid, Dyer make move to defense
By Shane Mettlen
smettlen@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Nick Reid was enthusiastic during the Jayhawks first week of full-contact drills. Of course, the enthusiastic sophomore safety has been on the other side of the line of scrimmage, too. Reid and senior Zach Dyer are both former quarterbacks vying for starting roles on defense.
The road to the defensive back field has been a winding trail for both players. Reid entered the Kansas program as the top high school quarterback prospect in the state of Kansas, but quickly moved to safety after arriving in Lawrence. Injuries and a lack of depth led to Reid making the move again, this time to linebacker.
Dyer, on the other hand, actually took snaps as a Jajhawk, splitting time with Mario Kinsey at quarterback his sophomore season. Kinsey eventually won the job outright mid-way through the season. Dyer then jumped to wide receiver for the remainder of the year.
"I don't like sitting on the sidelines," Dyer said after making the switch in 2001. "That's the bottom line really. I just want to be out there."
The Olathe native was back on the field as quarterback at the start of the 2002 season, but soon Bill Whitmorem replaced Dyer as the starter. Kansas coach Mark Mangino then looked for a way to get Dyer, one of his most athletic players, back on the field. That meant a move to defense.
Now it's a new season for Dyer and Reid, who can devote their whole focus to developing skill at the safety position
Mangino said that adjustment has gone well for the pair.
"It's a learning process," Mangino said, noting the experience of playing quarterback can make the adjustment easier. "They're working at it. They're diligent. The safeties get a lot thrown at them in our defense and we have a great portion of our defensive package in. You really got to be sharp to be a safety in our defense."
- Edited by Brandon Gay
Hinrich still modest despite heroic effort
By Doyle Murphy
dmurphy@kansan.com
Kansan senior sportswriter
It was the same as it was after every game Kansas' senior guard played. The only indications that he had just led his team to a second-straight Final Four berth was the net hanging around his neck and a T-shirt proclaiming the Jayhawks as West Regional champions.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kirk Hinrich sat in front of his locker at Arrowhead Pond, occasionally grinning but mostly staring straight ahead answering one question after another from a mob of reporters surrounding him.
When reporters asked him about blocking a potentially game-tying three-pointer with three seconds to
play, Hinrich shrugged his shoulders and said things like, "I knew they needed a three," and, "My height helped me."
Hinrich's staid manner didn't reveal that he had just scored 28 points, made six three-pointers, tallied his 1,700th career point and 600th career field goal and blocked two shots — including the crucial three-pointer. He said little about all that. He didn't have to; his teammates did it for him.
"Ever since I've played with him, I knew he had more heart and guts than anyone I've ever played with or seen," Kansas forward Nick Collison said of his classmate.
Collison's statement came two nights after he poured in a career-high 33 points and grabbed 19 rebounds while
John Nowak/Kansan
Senior guard Kirk Hinrich casually talks to the media after the defeat of Arizona and his game-saving three-point block. "I knew they needed a three," Hinrich said. "My height helped me." Hinrich also added 28 points, 18 of those coming from three-pointers.
dragging No. 2 Kansas past No. 3 Duke. But Arizona's 1-3-1 zone limited Collison to just seven shots and 8 points Saturday night.
With Collison held in check, Kansas'
title hopes could have been in serious trouble, but Hinrich picked up where his teammate had left off.
SEE HINRICH ON PAGE 8A
Baseball drops two, continues Big 12 stumble
By Daniel Berk
dberk@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
After two games with Oklahoma State, the Kansas baseball team (21-11 overall, 0-5 Big 12 Conference play) is still searching for its first conference victory of the season.
The Jayhawks dropped the first game of the series on Saturday 8-7, then lost yesterday 16-6 as the Cowboys improved their record to 17-8 and 4-1 in conference play.
Preseason All-American pitcher Scott Baker got the nod for Oklahoma State on
Saturday and pitched seven innings, allowing four runs and striking out nine batters.
The Jayhawks took a 4-1 lead early in the game, scoring all four runs in the third inning. Senior centerfielder Lance Hayes started the inning by reaching base after getting hit by a pitch. Then, freshman Ritchie Price, junior Ryan Baty, senior Kevin Wheeler and junior Matt Tribble all followed with singles to give Kansas its four runs in the inning.
"The guys that bat in the one-two hole need to set the table for our three-six batters," coach Ritch Price said. "I was pleased with how they got on base, and I
think the middle of our lineup is as good as any team in the Big 12. Obviously, we are not getting the type of production we need from the bottom of our lineup, so that is one thing we will continue to work on."
The Cowboys regained the lead by scoring one run in the fifth and three more in the sixth inning. The score would remain 5-4 until Oklahoma State added three runs in the top of the ninth to make the score 8-4.
Kansas would not die though, and Hayes and Ritchie Price managed to get on base again. Baty then followed with a three-run home run to centerfield. The
score was 8-7, with no outs, but the Jayhawks could not manage to score again.
"I was pleased with how we battled back late," Ritch Price said. "We have gone from not being very competitive to a competitive team, and now we have to get over the hump and not be satisfied with ourselves and get some wins."
Wheeler suffered with the loss, pitching eight and two-thirds innings, allowing five earned runs and striking out eight batters.
The second game of the series saw the Cowboys score early and often, putting
SEE BASEBALL PAGE 8A