THURSDAY
8A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
'Trifecta' crucial in zone defense
Teams can learn from losing. And if we're lucky, the Kansas men's basketball team can learn from one weak aspect of its devastating 91-74 loss to No.1 Arizona Saturday.
Specifically, the 'Hawks need to learn how to bust a 1-3-1 zone defense.
Arizona was in the 1-3-1 for virtually the entire game, but in the first half, the Wildcats had 6-foot-8 forward Luke Walton at the top of the zone. With a forward that far from the basket, Arizona was at a size disadvantage in the post. Nick Collison and Jeff Graves repeatedly got nice looks inside, and Keith Langford found room to slash to the bucket for 27 points, Kansas raced to a 52-39 lead.
Because a zone concentrates on clogging space inside, it usually leaves three-point shooters open. So if you've got a number of guys who can hit the three — or as Dick Vitale calls it, the "trifecta" — you shouldn't have a problem with a 1-3-1 zone.
But for the second half, Arizona coach Lute Olson moved guard Salim Stoudamire to the top of the zone and Walton to the outside. The result? More size in the post, and a suffocating triple-team on Collison every time he got the ball.
Joey Berlin
iberlin@kansan.com
But if Kirk Hinrich isn't hitting his trifecta, Kansas doesn't get many of them from anyone else. So with no inside game and an ice-cold Hinrich, the results were Arizona outscoring Kansas by 30 in the second half and a dead-silent, quickly emptying Allen Fieldhouse in the game's final minute.
Now, a 1-3-1 zone is not an
automatic ticket to victory over the Jayhawks—most teams don't have the size and quickness to play it as well as Arizona. Despite the Wildcats' success, third-ranked Texas played little or no zone Monday night, when Kansas beat the Longhorns 90-87. And when Wayne Simien returns from his shoulder injury, it will be much harder for opponents to key on Collison.
Even so, the Jay Hawks' inability to break down the zone could pose problems.
Coach Roy Williams called the second half of the Arizona game "the worst coaching job I've ever done in my life."
He's right, because the 1-3-1 isn't some innovative defense. It's been around for years, but the Hawks looked as if they had no idea how to attack it.
Hinrich, Miles and Langford didn't make an effort to drive and draw defenders to the middle. They showed almost no willingness to shoot from midrange, reducing the offense to contested post shots and errant trifectas.
If Kansas meets up with Arizona again — say, in the Fina Four — don't think that Olson will hesitate to use the 1-3-1 again And if that happens, Roy better have the 'Hawks ready for it.
Berlin is a senior majoring in journalism
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Track. Javhawk Invitational in the Anschutz Sports Pavilion
TOMORROW
Kansas Athletics Calendar
SATURDAY
Men's basketball at Nebraska. 1 p.m. in Lincoln Women's basketball vs. Texas Tech University, 2:05 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse
Swimming and Diving at Arkansas, 1 p.m. in Fayetteville Track, Jayhawk Invitational in the Anschutz Sports Pavilion
SUNDAY
Tennis vs. Southwest Missouri State University, 1 p.m.at the Indian Creek Racquet Club in Overland Park
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2003
Free for All
I forgot to pick up my Missouri ticket, so if any one has an extra one let me know.
probably claim it. Otherwise, I'm selling it back to the bookstore.
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I found a used book in Allen Fieldhouse after the Texas game, so if it's your book you should
Sports?
With regard to recent events on the basketball court and recent columns in The Kansan, what were all those idiots doing jumping around in August 1945 on V-J Day? I mean, come on people. We're the United States of America. People expected us to win the war. We've got to act like we've been there before.
题
My girlfriend thinks Nick Collison is the best-looking KU basketball player. Someone has to disagree with that.
Cowboys win 15th-straight game
The Associated Press
STILLWATER, Okla. — Victor Williams scored 18 points, including three three-point plays, in a decisive second-half run that gave Oklahoma State its 15th straight victory, 68-55 over Iowa State on Wednesday night.
The Cowboys (17-1, 6-0 Big 12) found themselves in a fight with Iowa State before a 20-7
run gave them a 17-point lead with just less than five minutes remaining.
The Cyclones (11-6, 1-6) kept things interesting despite getting just six points from Jake Sullivan, who came in averaging 18. Adam Haluska scored 15 and Jackson Vroman had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Ivan McFarlin scored inside to start the run at the 10:09 mark, and Williams followed
with a three-point play off a turnover. Sanders added a dunk on a fastbreak, and after a free throw by Andre Williams, Victor Williams scored and was fouled on a layup after a steal by Cheyne Gadson.
His final three-point play, after a blocked shot by Allen, came minutes later and made it 62-45 with 4:43 remaining. The Cyclones got no closer than 10 after that.
Title IX may see changes
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Members of a Bush administration commission who want to maintain Title IX's current standards won the right Wednesday to have a dissenting view included in their final report.
"There's tremendous passion on this issue," said commissioner Julie Foudy, a member of the U.S. women's national soccer team. "To not represent both sides of the passion is a disservice of what we're going to give to the secretary."
The 15-member Commission on Opportunity in Athletics was scheduled to debate on recommendations to forward to U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige.
Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in programs that receive federal funding. Critics say the law has, in effect, punished male athletes to provide more opportunities for women.
Among the many recommendations, the commission is considering changes to the Title IX plank that says a school's male-female athlete ratio should be "substantially proportionate" to the male-female enrollment.
Some commissioners have proposed using campus surveys to gauge women's interest in sports and using the results as a basis to determine whether athletic programs accurately represent that interest.
Other proposals would tie a college's male-female athlete ratio to that of high schools in its area. Others would keep the current standard but allow leeway of 3.5, 5 or 7 percentage points.
kansan.com the student perspective