4B • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2003
'Hawks win,struggle late in game
Kansas' winning streak over Kansas State continues. Williams' premonitions of bad luck only superstition
Rv Dovle Murnhy
Michael Lee, sonhomore guard is fouled by Tim Ellis, junior guard. Lee was 1-3 from the free throw line Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse.
By Doyle Murphy
dmurphy@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Bad omens and an improved Kansas State team weren't enough to snap Kansas' winning streak against its in-state rival Saturday night.
Coach Roy Williams was feeling a little uneasy after he arrived at Allen Fieldhouse with an armload of doughnuts for the Jayhawk faithful that traditionally camp days in advance for choice seats. The only problem was that there were no campers in sight. An afternoon women's basketball game delayed camping until 3 p.m.
Williams' game-day routine was further shaken when he returned later to prepare for the Wildcats and was stopped short at the door.
Brandon Baker/Kansan
"I couldn't get in," Williams said after the game. "Even with my key."
The 15-year coach was forced to signal assistant coach Steve Robinson by whistling and throwing snowballs at his window.
"He said he recognized that whistle," Williams said of Robinson. "And when a snowball hit his window he came down and let me in."
The day's events left Williams nervous that his luck would carry over to the game, but it didn't take long for the Jayhawks(13-3 overall, 3-0 Big 12 conference) to
"It was a workman-like game. It was an ugly game. It was a game you need to win sometimes."
Roy Williams Mens' basketball coach
erase the concern from Williams' mind.
Kansas scored 15 unanswered points in the first three and-a-half minutes on its way to a 81-64 rout of K-State (10-6, 1-2).
The early deficit didn't cause the Wildcats to quit. K-State junior guard Tim Ellis cut Kansas' lead to 7 at the 11:11 mark, ending a 13-5 Wildcat run. Ellis went on to score 13 points in the game, and senior forward Gilson DeJesus dropped 15, but Kansas's starting five proved to be too much for the Wildcats.
Nevertheless, K-State's performance earned the respect of Kansas forward Nick Collison.
"They're definitely in the middle of the pack — maybe even one of the upper teams in the league," Collison said.
Jeff Graves came close to doublefigure scoring and his fourthdouble-double in five games. He finished with 8 points and 13 rebounds.
Collison was among three starters to score in double figures with 16 points. Sophomore guard Keith Langford joined Collison with 14 points, and senior guard Kirk Hinrich led all scorers with 26 points. Junior forward
At the start, the Jayhawks played the best they have all season, Williams said, but he was not impressed with their intensity
after that.
"It was a workman-like game," he said. "It was an ugly game. It was a game you need to win sometimes."
Kansas moved up eight positions in the Associated
Notes:
Press Top 25 poll to No.6 after beating Wyoming and K-State at home.
Senior forward Nick Collison became the seventh leading scorer in Kansas history, passing Kevin Pritchard, who played from 1987-1990. Collison has 1,708 points in his career, 46
behind sixth-place Dave Robisch.
Senior guard Kirk Hinrich needs two points to pass former Kansas guard Adonis Jordan for 19th place on the Kansas career scoring list.
— Edited by Erin Chapman
Scott Reynolds/Kansan
Scott Reynolds/Kensan
Brandon Baker/Kansan
ABOVE: Kirk Hinrich drives in for a layup against Kansas State. Hinrich lead the team in total points scored with 26 points in 36 total minutes. The Jayhawks defeated the Wildcats in Allen Fieldhouse Saturday.
TOP LEFT: Sophomore guard Aaron Miles looks for an open teammate.
LEFT: Senior guard Kirk Hinrich battles for a rebound