"We will deal only with eligible teams"
FRIDAY,MARCH 14.2003
Inside Sports
Brad Zollars bzollars@kansan.com
Controversy ruins March for hoop fans
March Madness is upon us, but not in the way you think. Recently, college basketball has been marred by seemingly unending and wholly embarrassing academic and misconduct scandals.
Just a month ago, students and senior citizens alike were foaming at the mouth, stockpiling snack food in preparation for a two-week stint on the sofa for what could be the most upset-ridden college basketball tournament in recent memory.
But now, on the verge of Selection Sunday, it doesn't feet quite the same. The aura of sanctity and purity that exists in college basketball has been shaken as of late, and the list of the guilty seems to be growing longer every day.
Georgia coach Jim Harrick was suspended and the school withdrew itself from any NCAA or Southeastern Conference tournament play after an investigation showed sign of possible academic fraud within its program. The suspension comes less than a week after Harrick's son and Georgia assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr. was relieved of his duties with the team because of allegations of academic fraud. Following in your father's footsteps isn't always best.
Villinova was forced to play in the Big East Conference tournament with only seven player after 12 were suspended for making unauthorized calls using a university code. Fresno State also joined in the fun as a former student said he wrote papers for FSU basketball players. Fresno State has since been banned from post-season play, and the players will be forced to rely on study aids to write their papers.
But all of these moves don't even come close to the debacle of St. Bonaventure After the Bonnies were told they must forfeit six Atlantic-10 Conference victories, the team refused — that's right refused — to play its remaining two games, one of which was an opponent's Senior Day. Not only that, but St. Bonaventure's president has since been fired, and it is predicted that the coach is not far behind. The A-10 is thinking of kicking the school out of the conference
Even the impending NCAA tournament can't quell the bad luck college basketball is enduring. If the United States goes to war with Iraq during post season play, CBS has conceded it might move some games over to Viacom-owned MTV, VH1 or TNN in order to accommodate coverage from the Middle Eaet
Don't worry students, I'm sure TRL won't be pre-empted. The NCAA tournament will still be special, but this March will have a little less Madness.
Zollar is a Chicago junior in communications.
Confidence crucial for softball
By Steve Schmidt
sschmidt@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
While most students will head off on spring break, the Kansas softball team will head off to Stillwater, Okla. on Saturday to get back to work after a 12-day break of its own.
When Kansas takes on New Mexico State in Stillwater on Saturday they will take to the field with a No.25 ranking. The Jayhawks were crowned the No.25 team in all the land in the latest USA Today/National Fast pitch Coaches Association poll. It is the team's first national ranking since finishing the 2001 season with a No.25 ranking after going 32-27.
Kansas (14-4) will play the Texas A&M in a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. On Sunday, Kansas will take on No. 23 Oklahoma State at 2 p.m. and again on Monday at 5 p.m.
New Mexico State (3-26) comes into Stillwater after finally snapping a 16-game losing streak, by defeating Utah State 6-4 in its last game.
Oklahoma State (18-6) makes up just one highly ranked Big 12 Conference foe
sitting on the Kansas schedule. Currently, six Big 12 teams are ranked in the top 25.
The Cowgirls recently won the Speedline Invitational in Tampa, Fla. after upending then No.13 Stanford 3-1 in the championship game. The team is lead in the pitching by senior Lauren Bay who was named last week's Big 12 Pitcher of the Week after going 5-1 with 92 strikeouts in the Tampa tournament.
Kansas has had some pristine pitching as well. Despite having only a two player rotation, the team has been anchored by the steady arms of junior Kara Pierce and senior Kirsten Milhoan. Pierce is 10-3 on the year. Milhoan is 4-1.
"We talked at the beginning of the season that the pitching staff was going to have to lead us," Kansas coach Tracy Bunge said. "They have been everything we've asked of and a little bit more."
the Jayhawks return to action after winning the Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Ala., two weeks ago with timely clutch hitting and solid pitching. Bunge said she was pleasantly surprised with her squad thus far.
"We're not always winning pretty, but in close ball games we're finding ways to
win, "that's the bottom line." Bunge said.
"With a young group you expect them to get better and get confidence."
"This is going to be great week to see where we're at," Bunge said, "but this is not going to be an easy week. We're exited about it because it's a challenge to us and we can see where we stand nationally."
"I definitely don't think people think we would be where we are right now, but as a team we're not surprised at all," junior catcher Dani May. "As a team we're playing with a lot of confidence and we think we can play with anybody."
Junior catcher Dani May said her team's success didn't come as quite of a shock to the rest of her teammates. She said all their off season work began to show dividends.
After returning home Stillwater, the team's confidence will surely be put to the test. The team will be on the road to meet up with Southwest Missouri State and Missouri before returning to Lawrence for a home opener with No. 6 Oklahoma on March 22. Bunge said her team was about to head into "the meat of the schedule."
KANSAS BASEBALL
Former player chosen to advance in tryouts
More than 60 big league wannabes tried out yesterday for the official Spring Tryouts of the Kansas City T-Bones minor league baseball team. Former Kansas outfielder Jesse Gremminger was chosen as one of nine players to advance to the next round of the process.
In 2001, his final season as Jayhawk, Gremminger started 52 out of 53 games and batted. 286. He also registered a team high 42 RBI.
Kansan staff report
Edited by Todd Rapp
BASKETBALL
UCLA pulls upset against No.1-ranked Arizona
LOS ANGELES—Its storied reputation sullied for most of the season. UCLA pulled off another surprise under beela-
guered coach Steve Lavin.
The Bruins stunned No. 1 Arizona 96-89 in overtime Thursday in the opening round of the Pac-10 Conference tournament.
Jason Kapono led five Bruins in double figures with 26 points. T.J. Cummings added 18 points before fouling out, while Ray Young had 17, Dijon Thompson 15 and Andre Patterson 13 and 12 rebounds.
Rick Anderson had a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds for Arizona. Channing Frye also had 23 and Salim Stoudamire added 17.
The Associated Press
In overtime, the Bruins outscored the Wildcats 14-7. Arizona senior Jason Gardner, usually so reliable, was 0-for-12 from 3-point range and finished with six points.
UCLA took an 87-82 lead to start the extra five-minute session. Stoudamire had five points and Frye added a basket for Arizona's only points in overtime.
Texas Tech defeats Baylor
The Associated Press
DALLAS — Texas Tech still hasn't given up on making the NCAA tournament.
Andre Emmett rebounded his own miss and made the go-ahead basket with 12.4 seconds left and the Red Raiders beat Baylor 68-65 in the Big 12 tournament Thursday night.
The Red Raiders (17-11) scored the game's last 10 points as Baylor — after making 13 3-pointers — didn't manage a point in the final 4:53 of the game.
Baylor (14-14) trailed just 66-65 after Emmett's basket and had one more chance. R.T. Guinn, who had 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, passed up an open shot and instead gave the ball to John Lucas,
who missed badly on an 8-foot shot.
Texas Tech moves on to play third-ranked Texas (22-5) in a quarterfinal game Friday night. The Red Raiders will likely have to win two more Big 12 games and get into Sunday's final for an NCAA berth, but seem guaranteed at least an NIT bid.
The Red Raiders ended a three-game losing streak, their longest under Knight, who said this week that he wouldn't accept his $250,000 base salary for this season because he hadn't lived up to his own expectations.
Emmett finished with 23 points, and as the final flurry was ending shouted in celebration as the Tech-heavy crowd continued in a frenzy in the junior's hometown.
Offense CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12A
Anderson played both wide receiver and tight end at Alfred State College in New York. Anderson will play inside or split out in the slot to take advantage of potential mismatches.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 9A
The other receivers are a year older, and there is a potential for several wide receivers to make an impact this year.
Brandon Rideau gained some weight and became quicker this spring. At 6-4, the junior wide receiver is a tall target, but last fall, he weighed just 180 pounds. He had 27 catches last season.
At 5-7,165 pounds,senior Derick Mills is certainly not one of the larger players on the football team,but he is one of the fastest.The senior is one of the big play receivers on the team and caught 22 balls last year.
Mark Simmons returns for the Jayhawks after a stellar freshman season when he caught 23 passes, including two for touchdowns.
Some other receivers who could make an impact are Leo Bookman and Greg Heaggans. Heaggans returned kicks for the Jayhawks last season, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown against Southwest Missouri State on Sep. 14.
Bookman, meanwhile, is a world-class sprinter who, right now, is busy preparing for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend.
Also, freshman running back Clark Green has proven to be a steady passing option out of the backfield, leading the receivers last season with 37 catches for 408 yards.
Edited by Ryan Wood
POLI
kansan.com Where will the Kansas men's basketball team finish in the Big 12 Conference tournament?
First
Second
Third
Fourth or lower
Log on to www.kansan.com to cast your vote.
Kansas Athletics Calendar
TODAY
TOMORROW
Track, NCAA Indoor Championships, all day, Fayetteville, Ark.
Baseball, with Oral Roberts, all day, Austin, Texas
Tennis at Oklahoma, 1 p.m., Norman, Okla.
Baseball at Oral Roberts, 4 p.m., Tulsa, Okla.
Softball, doubleheader vs. New Mexico State, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Stillwater, Okla.
Track, NCAA Indoor Championships, all day, Fayetteville, Ark.
SUNDAY
Tennis at Oklahoma State, Stillwater, Okla., 11 a.m.
Baseball at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Okla., 1 p.m.
Softball at Oklahoma State, Stillwater,
Okla., 2 p.m.
Big 12 Tournament
Men's Basketball
American Airlines Center Dallas, Texas
TODAY
Game 5 — Iowa State vs. No.1 Kansas, Noon
Game 6 — Missouri vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
State; 2:20 m. *
Game 7 — Texas Tech vs. No. 2 Texas, 6
n m
Game 8 – No. 6 Colorado vs. No. 3 Oklahoma, 8:20 p.m.*
TOMORROW
Game 10 — Winner Game 7 vs. Winner
Game 8, 3:20 p.m.*
Game9 — Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game6,1 p.m.
SUNDAY
Game 11 Winner Game 9 vs.Winner Game 10,2 p.m.
*denotes specified time or 30 minutes following the conclusion of previous game game on ESPN. Other games can be seen on ESPN+, channels 4 and 13 on Sunflower Broadband.
Women's Basketball Reunion Arena, Dallas, Texas
TOMORROW
Game 11 No.1 Texas vs. No.3 Texas Tech, 6 p.m.
The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Network. Sunflower Broadband channel 51.
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