Friday
Tell us your news
Contact Jessica Tims, jtms@kansan.com or Matt Gehrke, mgehrke@kansan.com or call 864-4858.
SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
16A
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2003
SPORTS COMMENTARY
Ryan Malashock rmalashock@kansan.com
Cyclones defeat women
'Hawks keep refs, rivals on their toes
Courtney Kuhlen/Kansan
If Roy Williams had his way, every scoreboard operator in the Big 12 Conference would despise his teams. In all actuality, they might already hate working Kansas games.
If you're one of these workers, you just can't show up to work hoping to kick back and enjoy some basketball when Kansas comes to town because the scoreboard will get quite a workout.
Kansas, the third-best scoring team in the nation, loves to score, loves to run, loves to turn any arena it plays into a track. That's Kansas basketball as Williams has defined it. Williams, discussing the pace he prefers, said before the season that he liked his teams to play games with point totals in the 80- or 90-point range. Games in the 50s and 60s, Williams said, he was not so sure about. Problem is, the rest of the country caught on to those statements.
Topple Kansas? Not by running. The worst way to beat Kansas is to get into a sprint back and forth, full-court, fast-breaking contest. Texas, one of the nation's best at fast-pace action, huffed and puffed and lost.
Keita Beachem, junior forward, struggles for the ball against Iowa State defender Anne O'Neil, sophomore guard. The Jayhawks lost their final home game to the Cyclones 69-44 last night in Allen Fieldhouse.
But look back at losses to North Carolina, Oklahoma and Colorado. Those teams were determined to slow the games to a lull. Kansas' half-court offense tanked, no one looked for a shot and no one appeared in rhythm. The Buffaloes and Sooners out-rebounded the Jayhawks, muscling them all over the court. Texas Tech, a physical, half-court style, fundamental-based team coached by Bob Knight, seemed to possess all the necessary intangibles for success Monday against Kansas.
What followed was just a W on Kansas' record, but the 65-56 victory was a confidence boost Kansas desperately needed as postseason play creeps up.
By Ryan Greene
rgreene@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
From the get-go, Texas Tech appeared determined to eat clock. It wanted Kansas to do the same. The Jayhawks did, but did not panic. Kansas exhibited extraordinary patience on offense, passing until an open shot became available.
Even though the Kansas women's basketball team suffered a 69-44 loss to Iowa State in Allen Fieldhouse last night, history gave the Jayhawks some hope heading into next week's Big 12 tournament.
Sophomore guard Blair Waltz said Kansas had the potential to give Iowa State a run similar to the one it gave Texas a year ago.
Last night's game was the regular season finale for the Jayhawks (10-17 overall, 3-13 Big 12 conference). The team will now have nearly a week until they square off again with Iowa State (12-15, 7-9) in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament on Tuesday. The situation Kansas faces is similar to last year's scenario. Kansas lost its final regular season game at home to Texas, 61-46, but then nearly upset the Longhorns in the conference tournament's opening round, losing 63-61.
"We can do whatever we set our minds to, and that's what our attitude has to be," Waltz said. "I believe in every single girl on the team."
As for last night's loss, the Jayhawks once again had problems defending beyond the three-point line. The Cyclones shot 11-for-25 from beyond the arc last night, including four from senior forward Mary Cofield. Cofield led the way for Iowa State with 16 points, while senior guard Lindsey Wilson added 14.
Defending against the three-point shot has plagued Kansas down the stretch of its conference schedule. In the past 10 games, the Jayhawks allowed 75 three-point shots, while only connecting on 30 of their own. Despite her team's recent defensive struggles, Kansas coach Marian Washington said it was tough to play with a team that stayed hot from the floor.
On one possession, senior forward Nick Collison got triple-teamed 5 feet from the basket. Collison calmly tossed the ball out to junior forward Bryant Nash, who swung the ball to senior guard Kirk Hinrich, who swung it to sophomore guard Aaron Miles, who swung it to sophomore guard Keith Langford for an open 8-foot shot that Langford knocked down. This four-pass clinic on teamwork took all of 4 seconds.
"They just did a good job and they were on tonight," Washington said. "I thought they had the drive going, I thought they certainly had the three-point shot going, and when you have both of those things, it pulls your defense in and on the kickout, they've got an open look."
Even though Kansas drew first blood
SEE IOWA STATE ON PAGE 12A
The Jayhawks clamped down on the boards, grabbing three more than the Red Raiders, and received exemplary hustle from junior forward Jeff Graves and Nash, the two in charge of picking up injured sophomore forward Wayne Simien's slack.
The effort didn't shock Langford, the star of Monday's game. Langford scored a game-high 20 points and said the mark of this Kansas team was thrown onto center stage, a quality that should prove key once March Madness begins.
Monday's win in Lubbock, Texas, shot off a message to the nation and, more importantly, within the Kansas program. Track meet or no track meet, scoring 90 points or 60 points, this Kansas team can win any style of game.
"The mark of this team is we don't get rattled," Langford said. "We've been in these situations before. There's no panic, just stay in control and keep control of the game."
- Malashock is an Omaha, Neb. senior in journalism.
The NCAA tournament, dubbed March Madness, sets up nicely for a team that can claim a victory despite playing outside of its comfort zone. The Madness ensues often, usually when a team of lesser talent wins because it plays to a better team's weaknesses.
'It's crunch time' for women's team
Next time women's team must apply game plan for victory against Iowa
Kansas held the Big 12 Conference's leading scorer, Lindsey Wilson, to only 14 points in last night's 69-44 loss to Iowa State. The senior guard was averaging 21 points per game in conference play going in but shared the scoring duty with her less-heralded teammates against the Jayhawks.
By Shane Mettlen
smttenl@kansan.com
Kansan sports writer
The team stars haven't been shining against the Kansas women's basketball team lately. However, role players have provided bright spots for opponents of the Jayhawks the last two games.
This came after Saturday's loss to Missouri in which Kansas held the Tigers' star forward Evan Unrau to 5 points, but allowed Tracy Lozier and Kerensa Barr to score 15 points each.
Mary Cofield led all scorers with 16 points, 9 above her season average. Erica Junod chipped in with 11 points for the Cyclones despite averaging only 5 points a contest going into the game.
"When you have a great player like Wilson, ifyou're going to try and stop her
Kansas coach Marian Washington said Wilson, who dished out five assists did more for the Cyclones than just score.
then she is going to find open players," Washington said. "Our effort to try and stop her opened up other players, who knocked them down. That's what a great player will do."
Kansas forward Blair Waltz was also impressed with the Cyclone guard.
"She's very headys." Waltz said. "What a great player to play with when she can make anyone on the team better. She's got a great first step and is quick off the dribble and she's a threat from the outside as well."
The Jayhawks will have to figure out a way contain Wilson and her teammates. Kansas and Iowa State will face off again in Dallas in the first round of the Big 12 tournament Tuesday at noon. Waltz said a win next time around would help erase the disappointment of last night's loss. To do that though, the Jayhawks need to bring better focus to Dallas.
"We've been struggling with taking what we do in practice, taking the game plan and putting into the game," Waltz said. "It's crunch time. You either do it or you go home."
Waltz said facing Iowa State in the first round of the conference tournament could work in Kansas' favor, even though the Cyclones swept the regular season series.
"It's hard to beat a team three times. It always has been," Waltz said. "I think we'll come very prepared for them in Dallas."
Edited by Melissa Hermreck
Courtney Kublen/Kansan
Bleir Waltz, sophomore guard, positions herself in front of Tracy Paustian, sophomore guard. Waltz led Kansas' scoring with 10 points. The Jayhawks lost to the Cyclones 69-44 last night in their last home game of the season.