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SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1B
SPORTS COMMENTARY
FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2003
Brad Zollars
bzollars@kansan.com
Nick delivers heavenly game against Devils
Back when the Jayhawks played Texas in a key Big Monday match-up, I thought I had seen the best Nick Collison had to offer. Boy, was I wrong.
The Kansas forward all but willed his team to victory last night in a gutwrenching and amazing 69-65 Jayhawk victory. Not to be denied, Collison poured in 33 points and 19 rebounds, all of which were desperately needed, as the Jayhawks pulled away down the stretch.
The stats, however, weren't the most impressive thing; it was how he got them.
Collison dove for loose balls, blocked each Duke defender with zeal and got nearly half of the Jayhawks' offensive rebounds.
This is why having experienced players during tournament time is so crucial.
John Nowak/Kansan
The game was back and forth nearly the whole way, with each team regularly trading runs and the lead. But in the crunch, when nerves get frayed, defense tightens its noose, and each loose ball can determine the season, experience is invaluable. Just ask every Kansas fan who watched the game.
J. J. Redick, arguably Duke's best player and definitely its best shooter, was hot early on, burying two jump shots while leading the Blue Devils to a 9-point first half lead. But when the game got close in the late moments, Redick all but disappeared. But it wasn't for the lack of open looks. The Kansas defense, with frightening regularity, left Redick all alone to rain down three-pointers and wash away any Kansas championship hopes. But as the game continued, Redick missed and missed often. He finished the game shooting 2-16 from the floor and 1-11 from behind the arc, while scoring only 5 points. Oh, and by the way, Redick is only a freshman. Unfortunately for him, it showed on the court.
It didn't look good for the Jayhawks early on. Kansas got into a sizable hole early, as the offense was crippled by foul trouble. Jeff Graves, a valuable inside presence for the 'Hawks and thought to be a big key to a Kansas victory, showed his inexperience as well. He committed silly and frustrating fouls and spent crucial minutes cheering from the bench.
Kirk Hinrich, apparently playing with a hurt wrist after a collision under the basket, was nearly pulled out of the offense as shot after shot refused to fall.
Aaron Miles, although contributing with a three-pointer at the end of the first half, was taken out of his game offensively and clearly lacked the confidence to take the open shot.
But Collison was not ready to make excuses. He saw the huge offensive challenge that was laid before him and tacked it with the calm resolve of a man twice his age. Staring at what could have been the last 10 minutes of his college career, Collison took this beleaguered and razor-thin Jayhawk team on his shoulders. He made every big shot, grabbed every loose rebound and gingerly shuffled around fallen Duke players to deliver his best performance to date.
As Kansas fans inched closer to an early grave with each new foul, things got even worse for the Jayhawks.
This is the type of game that defines a player, cements him into greatness and makes his teammates believe. This is the type of game that energizes a community and gives newfound respect to a storied basketball program. This is the type of game that makes March the best month of the year.
Regardless of what Kansas does from here on out in the tournament, Collison will always have this game, this performance.
But maybe, just maybe, the best is yet to come.
Zollars is a Chicago senior in communications.
Senior forward Nick Collison bowls over Duke senior forward Dahntay Jones on the way to the basket. Collison netted 33 points and 18 rebounds in yesterday's Jayhawks' 69-65 victory.
No more demons
Kansas dances past Duke into Elite Eight
By Doyle Murphy
dmurphy@kansan.com
Kansan senior sportswriter
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Every good story needs a hero, and Nick Collison fit the role perfectly.
The senior forward met every challenge, fought every battle and simply would not let his team lose in Kansas' 69-65 victory last night against Duke.
The Jayhawks needed him to score. Collison made 14-of-22 shots for 33 points. They needed him to rebound. He wrapped up seemingly every errant shot that came his way, gathering a game-high 19 boards.
They needed his defense. He blocked three shots and manned an interior that allowed just 7 second-chance points.
Need something else? He tossed four assists and had a steal to boot.
And it wasn't just the numbers. Collison made plays seemingly on demand. During one crucial stretch, he scored 12 consecutive points, and if that wasn't enough, he even took a charge. When his rampage finally ended, Kansas owned a 67-61 advantage and control of the game.
Collison's teammates weren't surprised.
"He's outstanding," said Kansas junior forward Jeff Graves after the game. "That's why he's Nick Collison. He's an All-American."
What's even more impressive is that Collison led his team to victory in a night when his senior teammate, guard Kirk Hinrich, was never an offensive factor. Hinrich made just 1-of-9 shots and finished the day with 2 points.
"I had trouble getting the ball in my hands," Hinrich told reporters. "When I did get it, I struggled, as well."
Hinrich told reporters that a hurt right hand was not to blame for his shooting woes.
"It's not an issue," he said. "I just stuck my hand out. It's banged up. It' s not an issue."
Hinrich's reluctance to acknowledge the effect of an injury should come as no surprise. His teammates nicknamed him Superman for his toughness and ability to do the seemingly impossible. If those are the qualifications for the man-of-steel nickname, Williams said Collison should share the title.
"The kids have called Kirk 'Superman" before," Williams said. "He was Superman II."
KANSAS 69 - DUKE 65
Player Min. FGM-A FTM-A TP Reb. A
Knick Collison 40 12-12 5-7 33 19 4
Keith Langford 37 1- 5-1 3- 13 9 4
Kirk Hinchin 33 1- 8-0 0- 2 3 2
Aaron Miles 33 1- 9-0 0- 2 3 7
Jeff Graves 17 1- 5-1 0- 6 2 1
Bryan Lase 25 1- 2-1 1- 5 2 0
Bryan Wash 15 2- 3 0- 2 4 3
Team Min. FGM-A FTM-A TP Reb. A
Totals 200 23-67 10-17 69 47 14
DUKE (26-7)
Player Min. FGM-A FTM-A TP Reb. A
Shelden Williams 32 2-4 0-0 4 3 0
Dahnton Jaynes 28 9-22 1-0 42 7 1
J.J. Redick 23 2-18 1-5 7 3 4
Devin Kinging 23 5-12 1-2 13 3 2
Dhuis Dhuus 31 5-7 1-2 10 6 3
Lee Malihomni 20 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Sean Dockery 2 1-2 0-0 3 1 0
Casey Sanders 8 1-2 3-4 5 7 1
Michael Thompson 7 0-0 0-5 0 0 3
Team
Totals 200 25-65 5-8 65 33 11
But no superhero would be complete
without at least the threat of defeat, and the Blue Devils took care of that.
With 24 seconds to play and Kansas riding a 68-61 lead, Duke senior forward Dahntay Jones scored, cutting the lead to 5. The Blue Devils then stole the inbound pass, senior forward Casey Sanders hit another basket, and junior guard Chris Duhon promptly fouled Kansas' Aaron Miles. The sophomore guard made 1-of-2 free throws and Duke trailed by 4 with the ball and 16 seconds to take another shot at Kansas.
Once again, it was Collison who came to the rescue. He grabbed a final rebound with two seconds to play, ending Duke's rally.
"I'll be proud of this for a long time." Collison said after the game.
The victory moves Kansas into the Elite Eight, where it will face top-seeded Arizona at 6:05 p.m. tomorrow.
— Edited by Christy Dendurent
T-shirt sales increase as Big Dance marches on
By Kevin Flaherty
kflaherty@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
As Kansas advances further in the NCAA tournament and the hype around the team grows, so will the number of T-shirts sold.
The Kansas Sweet Sixteen T-shirts have not sold as well as the Big 12 Conference championship shirts printed weeks earlier, said Steve Rhodes, operations manager of the KU Bookstores.
Rhodes said the conference championship shirts sold roughly three times as well as the Sweet Sixteen shirts. He said if last year was any indication, Final Four shirts will be snatched up quickly if the basketball team makes it that far.
"We sold a mountain of them," Rhodes said. "I think most people are waiting to see how far Kansas advances before they start to buy the shirts."
If Kansas goes to the Final Four, most fans would not want to waste money on Sweet Sixteen shirts. KU Bookstores already have this season's Final Four shirts ordered on an if-win basis. If Kansas wins the game, the shirts will be shipped to the bookstores.
Paul Vander Tuig, Kansas trademark and licensing director, said Gear For Sports was making the official T-shirt for the Final Four, and New Era Cap was responsible for producing the hats the athletes wear while celebrating their trip to New Orleans.
Ever notice how quickly the shirts and hats make their way to players? That's because the companies print up shirts for both teams and hand out the shirts to the winners, Vander Tuig said.
But what happens if Kansas loses that Elite Eight game?
A rumor that the erroneous shirts is shipped off to Third World countries is probably not true, said Brian Hoffman, owner of The Sports Dome, 942 Massachusetts St.
"Especially in these days, they would run the risk that the wrong championship shirts would somehow show up on eBay." Hoffman said. "The NCAA would not allow that to happen."
Vander Tuig said the losing teams' shirts and hats were destroyed — most likely by incinerator.
SEE T-SHIRT ON PAGE 3B
Baseball slides into three-game series
Jayhawks to try to earn first conference victory in home match-up with 'formidable' Cowboys
Sophomore infielder Dan Stucky swings through to hit the ball. Kansas' 14 hits overpowered Baker's five in last night's game at Hoglund Ballpark.
By Daniel Berk dberk@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
In one of the most important series it will face all year, the Kansas baseball team (21-9) will host the Oklahoma State Cowboys (15-8) this weekend and Monday for three games at Hoglund Ballpark.
Courtney Kuhlen/Kansan
The Cowboys enter the weekend coming off a series victory against defending national champion Texas. Oklahoma won two out of three games at home last weekend.
Oklahoma State is led by sophomore catcher Jason Jaramillo and junior pitcher Scott Baker. Jaramillo was last week's Big 12 Conference player of the week after he smashed four home runs against Texas. Baker, a preseason All-American, is 4-3 thus far this season and has an earned run average of 2.86.
Kansas, which dropped its first three conference games to rival Missouri, is looking for a solid weekend in front of a home crowd.
"This is a huge series for us, there is no doubt about that," coach Ritch Price said. "Oklahoma State is coming off a big weekend and they are a very formidable
opponent. Without question, though, it is a big advantage for us when we play at home, because the fans have been great, so hopefully we can continue our strong play at home this weekend."
So far this season, Kansas has yet to drop a game at Hoglund Ballpark. The Hawks are 9-0 on their home field.
The Jayhawks will send their No. 1 pitcher to the mound tomorrow afternoon for the first game of the series. Senior Kevin Wheeler is 4-0 on the season with an earned run average of 3.94. Wheeler also serves as the team's designated hitter. He is batting .375.
Junior Ryan Baty, who came into the Kansas program with Wheeler, says his tenacious play and leadership is very important to the team's success this season.
"What he has done for us this year is special," Baty said. "He is the guy we go to when we need a win, and he is large reason we are doing so well this season. He is a guy though, that leads by what he does not by what he says. He is a quiet guy, who knows how to compete."
pitcher out of the bullpen and has an earned run average of 2.01.
The Jayhawks are unsure whether they will be with key reliever, junior Brandon Johnson, this weekend. Johnson, who is currently suffering from an elbow injury, is the team's number one
"We are a completely different team with Brandon Johnson healthy," Price said. "Not knowing whether or not he will be able to go, is a big difference for this club. If he does not pitch, it will enable someone else to emerge for us."
On Tuesday, when Johnson was unavailable to pitch, the team pitched six pitchers. Price said the team might have to go back to that, if Johnson weas unavailable.
The pitchers PriceREFereed to are senior Pat Holmes, sophomore Kenny Falconer and freshman Don Czyz. Other pitchers that Price said would have to continue giving solid contributions were junior Chris Smart and freshman Eric Peterson.
The series has been moved back one day because of threatening weather and the series will start tomorrow instead of today as originally planned. First pitch for tomorrow's game is scheduled for 2 p.m.
-Edited by Amber Byarlay