THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
(1)
SPORTS
GOLF (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
3B
aspirations of the LPGA and college came really late in high school."
Thiry realized early on that she would have to come to the U.S. to keep playing golf. Thiry said there wasn't really an opportunity to attend school and play golf in Australia and decided to start e-mailing coaches in the U.S. about playing.
Bal and Thiry have full-ride golf scholarships to Kansas and are working on degrees in sports management. Even though they now say their dreams are to stay in the U.S. and continue with golf, Bal and Thiry said that Kansas took some time to get used to.
"Kansas was kind of a random pick for me," Thiry said. "I didn't know much about America and the first time I came here was when I came to KU."
Both athletes said the weather was one of the hardest things to adjust to. Bal said that it only gets as cold as 45 degrees in India and that the cold here is really hard to
deal with. Thiry said that she was glad that Kansas actually had real seasons and the campus was pretty in the different seasons.
"It's the best and worst thing about coming to Kansas," Thiry said. "It's so pretty but I can't stand the cold."
While they are both adjusting to life in Kansas they each miss things about home too. Bal said she missed the food in India "desperately." There are a few restaurants downtown that have good Indian food, she said, but she also said she wished she knew how to cook better so she could make Indian food herself.
"It's kind of sad when we go to the same restaurants so much that the waiters know what we want as soon as we get there," Bal said.
Thiry grew up on the coast in Australia and has had to adjust to living in a landlocked state. Thiry said she grew up in a big city and that the beach was about five minutes from her house.
"I really like Lawrence but it's just so different for me," Thiry said.
Coach Erin O'Neil said that Bal and Thiry have done a good job of adjusting to life in college and being away from home.
"They both grown up really quickly since they've been here," O'Neil said.
After they settled into Kansas Bal and Thiry got down to business with golf. With two years left to play, both athletes think they have what it takes to make it to the pros. Both players want their experience at Kansas to give them the final edge they need to make it to the LPGA.
O'Neil said the two have made a huge impact on the team the past two seasons. O'Neil said that they both travel a lot for the team and are very hard working during practice.
and work ethic to do whatever they set their minds on"
"College is a good way to prepare them for going pro." O'Neil said. "They both have the ability
Bal said that she hoped to keep improving her game while she was at Kansas. Bal said that the coaching staff has been really integral in helping her improve her game and preparing for tournaments.
Thiry said she thought that her game had improved a lot since she came to Kansas. She said that the courses here are longer and that she has learned to play more consistently since she been on the team. Thiry said that being on the team has taught her not to try random, risky shots because it could affect the whole team.
"At the end the scores come together and it affects everyone," Thiry said. "It's not just about me."
"The team is always getting better and I'm glad I have the opportunity to play here," Bal said.
— Edited by Sam Speer
COLLEGE BASEBALL Wichita State loses 8-1 to rivals Oklahoma
NORMAN, Okla. — Casey Johnson had two hits, including a three-run home run, and seven Oklahoma pitchers combined to limit Wichita State to four hits as the Sooners won 8-1 on Wednesday night.
Oklahoma (30-11) has won 11 of its 12 midweek games this season, while perennial power Wichita State (20-20) has lost eight straight games. The Shockers also managed only four hits in a loss to Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
Oklahoma outscored Wichita State 23-1 in the two games this season between the regional rivals.
Johnson's homer came during a four-run second inning that put the Sooners ahead 4-0. That was more than enough for Oklahoma's pitching staff.
HENRYS (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
whose decision to leave Memphis reopened the Henrys' recruitment. That was nearly a month ago.
Since then, the Henrys have gone through what Barbara called a "very stressful" process of trying to decide between Kansas and Kentucky, Both Calipari and Kansas coach Bill Self tried to sway Xavier and C.J. toward their schools.
But when it came down to it, Xavier could not imagine passing up the chance to play for the team he grew up watching. Xavier and C.J. picked Kansas Tuesday during a phone conversation. Afterward, Xavier called Self and told him the news.
"He asked me something like,
'Are you positively sure this is
where you are coming?' Xavier
said.
Sure he wanted to play at Allen Fieldhouse, where he has attended Late Night in the Phog since he was a child. Sure he wanted
Yes, Xavier assured Self with a laugh. After one of the longest and most up-and-down recruitments of Self's tenure at Kansas, Henry was sure.
to carry on his parents' legacy. Sure he wanted to join Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich to form a nucleus that will make Kansas the favorite to win the 2010 national championship.
"They say they were going to be close to preseason No. 1 next year without me," Xavier said. "Now they say with me, we're preseason No. 1 for sure. I just want to play on the best team next year and have a chance to win the national championship."
Friday night, Xavier will attend prom at Putnam City High. He said he was looking forward to "chilling" for the last month of high school before he headed to Lawrence for the summer.
The Henrys have made no definitive plans for when they will arrive on campus. But Xavier said he would wait until C.J. came home to make the move. They'll arrive in Kansas together.
"I've always dreamed of going to Kansas," Xavier said. "I've always wanted to, but I took a step back for my brother at Memphis."
— Edited by Liz Schubauer
basketball notes
Kansas coach Bill Self held a teleconference Thursday afternoon to discuss the signing of Xavier Henry.
He confirmed what has long been believed: Xavier Henry is the highest touted recruit of his tenure at Kansas.
"I don't think we've ever recruited a player ranked so high across the board throughout his whole high school career," Self said. "I think he'll rank up there with the very best."
Self said he wasn't concerned about his three stars — Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich and Henry — sharing the ball next season. He cited the 2008 national championship team as evidence that great players can coexist.
"He can do a lot of things that we couldn't do any of last season," Self said.
Self marveled at how Xavier fills the only hole the Jayhawks had last season
— a strong wing presence. At 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, Henry certainly fits that description.
When it comes to Xavier Henry, everyone knows what to expect — an elite prospect with ideal speed, size and shooting ability.
C.J.'S GAME
But what about C.J.? Out
of high school, C.J. was a three-star recruit with a sweet shooting touch. Now, he hasn't played in an official basketball game in nearly five years.
"He's an explosive scorer — just like me," Xavier said. "He's a little shorter, a little stronger and just as quick. He's a real good player."
"He's an explosive scorer
C. J. did not appear in any
C. J. Henry
gam with Memphis last season because of a foot injury. Barbara Henry.
Associated Press
the brothers' mother, said it would be fully healed before Kansas started the 2009- 2010 season.
"I believe it was at about 85 percent right now and that's the only issue with him," Barbara said.
It's also the number their father, Carl, wore. So who will get the number as a Jayhawk? Xavier said he thought C.J. would take No. 13. Xavier wants to be No. 1.
Both Xavier and C.J. wore jersey No. 13 at Putnam City High School.
THE NUMBERS GAME
Case Keefer
KANSAS (27-14) PITCHING
Left-hander Shaeffer Hall had his worst outing of the season
Texas Tech. In the game of baseball,it's a long season and everyone is due for a bad game.Now that Hall has gotten his out of the way,he
Hall
should be lights out against a Nebraska team that is on the weaker side of hitting.
OFFENSE
To win without Buck Afenir and Tony Thompson collecting multiple RBIs for the Jayhawks
on Wednesday was huge, but don't expect that to last much longer. Thompson's biggest critic is himself and after going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Thompson has probably put in the extra time in workouts and batting practice to make sure that doesn't happen this weekend.
Thompson
It was easy to tell the Jayhawks had fun Wednesday night. The dugout was rocking and a victory over your archival does nothing but boost the confidence. Now the Jayhawks return home where they are an incredible 19-2. With good weather forecasted in Lawrence this weekend, Kansas has no worries heading into the weekend series.
MOMENTUM
Josh Bowe
BASEBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
tion that had put the Jayhawks on their back throughout the season until Wednesday night's game. The dynamic duo has also combined for 17 of Kansas' 31 home runs, well more than half.
But Price doesn't want to discount the rest of his team. Price said Wednesday showed that winning without the contribution of Thompson and Afenir proved the talent level of this year's team.
"I think it shows that we got good players," Price said. "We've got really good players at the top of the lineup. The first three guys are really special, and now we're starting to get some contribution from the bottom end of the lineup."
Afenir said it was a great feeling to have teammates pick up the slack when his game wasn't at its best. In the bottom of the third, with the Jayhawks clinging to a 1-0 lead, Afenir was up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. Afenir made an awkward swing and grounded into a double play to end the inning.
After that plate performance, watching players like senior first baseman Preston Land come up with big hits gave Afenir some relief and excitement.
"It was kind of a frustrating day for me and Tony," Afenir said. "But it's good to see other guys come through and clutch up."
Kansas (27-14, 8-7) will need to see complete production heading into this weekend's series against Nebraska (18-21-1, 4-14) starting tonight at 6 p.m. It's been a down year for the Cornhuskers, traditionally a dominant program, now last in the Big 12.
Price has seen enough of Nebraska in the past to know to not count them dead in the water yet.
"Those guys aren't going to quit." Price said. "I guarantee with what's happening up there right now their coaches are frustrated and their players are frustrated and their looking for a way to redeem themselves and we just got to make sure it doesn't happen this weekend."
And if Kansas can continue to win games when their key players aren't at their best, Afenir said to watch out for the Jayhawks coming down the stretch.
"You know if we get the bottom of the order going and getting those RBIs then were going to be pretty dangerous, one through nine," Afenir said.
- Edited by Sam Speer
PITCHING
NEBRASKA (18-21)
Nebraska rode a 9 1/3-inning, one-run performance from midweek starter Erik Bird to a 4-3.
12-ninning win over Creighton at Rosenblatt Stadium. That's good news for Nebraska, as their bulpen will be rested. The bad news for the Huskers, though.
Bird
is that the bulpen isn't very good either way. Mike Nesseth leads the team in ERA, despite a mediocre-at-best mark of 4.03.
OFFENSE
Bailey, who in his first year at Nebraska
at Nebraska is bird on the team with a .315 average and nine home runs and 40 RBIs. Bailey hit .400 last season for South
Bailev
The Huskers' offensive attack is led by junior outfielder Adam
Mountain Community College, and he's translated that success to the Division I level. Bailey hits third in the Nebraska lineup.
The Cornhuskers, usually one
MOMENTUM
of the strongest programs in the country and the school that produced MLB notables Alex Gordon and Joba Chamberlain, are stuck in a big-league rut this season. The Huskers have lost their last 10 conference games, getting swept by Kansas State, Texas and Texas A&M, and managing to win only the second game of a three-game series against Oklahoma.
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