12A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2003
'Hawks must nip 'Cats
COMMENTARY
Ryan Copeland
rcopeland@kansan.com
Jayhawk fans circled Jan.25 on their calendars before the first tipoff of the 2002-2003 basketball season. A date that pitted the Arizona Wildcats against the Kansas Jayhawks, preseason Nos.1 and 2 respectively, for what would be one of the most anticipated games of the season.
No doubt the Hawks marked this game on their schedule only to discover that two days later they play Texas. Fourth-ranked Texas is arguably the best team in the Big 12 Conference. Of the toughest four in the conference — Kansas, Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma — Texas holds the highest spot in the national rankings and will next week, provided it records a victory over Texas A&M Saturday. Both No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 11 Missouri lost this week.
The consecutive games against No. 2 Arizona and Texas could be the best games in Allen Fieldhouse all season, making or breaking KU's season. Back-to-back losses could destroy their hopes for a high position in the NCAA tournament. That would give Kansas five losses without playing Oklahoma or two games against Missouri. Two victories would likely push the Jayhawks into the top 10, a place foreign to KU this year after the season's first week.
It's hard to say which game will be a tougher contest. Arizona defeated Texas 73-70 in December. But the unranked Louisiana
State Tigers upset Arizona for its only loss, 66-65, two games later. LSU's stingy defense held Arizona to just 35 percent shooting from the floor. While Arizona plays in-state rival Arizona State the game before Kansas and preseason NIT champs Stanford the game after, Texas may have the bigger test surrounding the team's trip to Lawrence. Texas plays Missouri the same day Kansas plays Arizona.
The Texas game might be more important. Knocking off the only team ranked higher than KU in the preseason rankings would be great. But Texas is in KU's conference. Because Texas is in the South division and KU is in the North, the two teams won't get another crack at one other until possibly in the Big 12 Tournament in mid-March.
Players on both the Arizona and Texas teams will be out for revenge. The Jayhawks defeated Arizona last year 105-97 in a game in which Arizona guard Jason Gardner let loose for 34 points. Gardner hit eight three-point shots and shot 50 percent from behind the arc. Kansas outlasted Texas last year 110-103 in an overtime shootout. That game was in Austin, Tex., so the Longhorns will want to put a halt to any potential celebrations in the Fieldhouse.
The game versus Arizona marks Kansas's last nonconference game of the season. The four toughest teams mentioned above make the Big 12 one of the toughest conferences in the nation. Defeating Arizona and Texas could set up the Iaylawks to head back into the Final Four.
Copeland is a St. Louis senior in journalism.
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Saturday
Men's Basketball vs. Kansas State, 7 p.m.
Women's Basketball vs. Colorado 1:05 p.m.
Colorado, 1:05 p.m.
Swimming and Diving at Nebraska, noon
Wednesdav
ivene Basketball at Colorado,
8 p.m.
Women's Basketball vs. Oklahoma, 7:05 p.m.
Free for All
Hey, I want to step out on a limb and say good job to Jeff Graves. Everybody picks on him because he started out fat and because he dropped the ball a lot. But the guy's stepping up for Simien. Woohoo!
Hey, do you remember the guy during Late Night with Roy Williams that was the emcee and he kept going, "Rock Chalk!" and then somebody would say "Jayhawk!" and he'd be like, "That's right. Just checking." Yeah, I haven't called in about that guy in a long time and I just wanted to reiterate that he sucks. Don't get him again.
Hi, I heard that Athletic Director Al Bohl was thinking about putting video boards in Allen Fieldhouse rafters and I think it's a bad idea because it's going to ruin the historic atmosphere of Allen Fieldhouse and it'll make it like any other sports place like Brammlage Coliseum, which has no character.
图
I was wondering when they're going to sandblast the outside of Allen Fieldhouse. It's very dirty looking.
KU assistant coach Jones heading to Louisiana State
Can anybody tell me why the heck Mizzou is ranked above us?
Kansas football assistant coach Travis Jones was named defensive line coach at Louisiana State earlier this week.
KANSAS FOOTBALL
The loss of Jones leaves Mangino with two open spaces on his coaching staff. After offensive line coach Ken Conatser resigned last September, Mangino shuffled his staff, leaving the tight end coaching position unfilled.
travis is a hard-working young coach and a great person," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. "We wish him and his family well."
Jones, who played four years at Georgia, joined the Kansas coaching staff in 2001. He held coaching positions at Georgia and Appalachian State before joining the Jayhawks.
Jones will receive a pay increase at LSU, as all assistants receive six-digit incomes. Jones made $88,500 last year.
Teddleton pleads no contest, to be sentenced next month
A former Kansas football player pleaded no contest to a battery charge in Douglas County District Court.
Brock Teddleton, a 6-foot-6 315-pound transfer from Coffeyville Community College, will be sentenced in February for his actions in a bar fight last year.
Teddleton was involved in a scuffle March 9 at Jack Flanigans Bar and Grill, in which the alleged victim was a 19-year-old KU student.
University of Kansas Athletics Corporation officials declined to comment on the matter but did confirm that Teddleton was no longer a member of the team.
Teddleton, a junior defensive tackle, started four games and played in eight contests for the Jayhawks last season
KANSAS BASKETBALL Recruit Giddens arrested, will not stand trial for theft
Kansas basketball recruit J.R. Giddens will not stand trial for his alleged involvement in a scam to steal nearly $4,000 worth of electronics from an Oklahoma City Walt-Mart.
Because Giddons, 17, is a juvenile, the terms of the settlement have not been released.
Giddens was one of four people arrested when they were accused of paying just $40 for more than $3,800 worth of merchandise at 3 a.m. on Dec. 19.
Giddens' uncle Ricke Green,
48, was among the four.
Oklahoma City police officers said Giddens told him his uncle called and told him he was taking him on a shopping trip for Christmas. He said Green told him he could have whatever he wanted before leaving the store a half hour ahead of Giddens.
Police officers, who store security personnel alerted, arrested Green, Giddens and Katie Citty. 35.
Amber Fletcher, 19, the Wal-Mart employee who checked the merchandise, was also arrested. Giddens knew Fletcher before the incident, police said.
Kansas coach Roy Williams declined comment.
Kansan Staff reports
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