THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
2B SPORTS
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2009
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I have seen everything. There were times I'd come off screens and there would be three people there. I have seen everything, and I think it helps me to grow my game because I never knew you could play that many defenses on one person."
- Juniorforward Danielle McCray
FACT OF THE DAY
Junior forward Danielle McCray rewrote the WNIT record books during the past two weeks. McCray set the WNIT single-tournament scoring record with 147 points, setting another WNIT single-tournament record with 49 field goals in the event.
— KU Athletics
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: The crowd of 16,113 at Saturday's WNIT final was the second-largest in WNIT history. What was the largest crowd?
A: 18,018. The largest crowd in WNIT history packed The Pit in New Mexico for a game against Ohio State in the 2001 championship game.
@KANSAN.COM
The Give and Go: The season
is over and
the guys
put a bow
on it with
this final
episode of The Give and Go
episode of The Give and Go.
Courtside: Jayson Jenks details the reasons Kansas fell short in its bid to win the school's first WNIT championship. COURTSIDE BLOG
CORRECTION
On page 68 of Friday's paper, the University Daily Kansan ran quotations from South Florida women's basketball players without citing their source.
These quotations should have been cited to the USF Oracle. The Kansan regrets the error.
MLB
Royals' opening day pushed back to Tuesday
CHICAGO — The season opener between the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox scheduled for Monday has been postponed because snow is in the forecast.
The game will be played Tuesday at 10:55 pm. Opening day festivities will be held before the first pitch.
The decision to postpone this opener was made Sunday. Snow, cold and high winds are in the forecast.
Associated Press
COMMENTARY
Women's team rocks Fieldhouse
Everything was perfect in Allen Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon. Except for the outcome. A boisterous crowd of 16,113 packed the Phog and Kansas, after falling down by 12 late in the game, stormed back to bring everyone to their feet. It was the perfect setting, especially for those who have been to more than one women's basketball game. Last season the only time you could truly feel the excitement of the arena was for a Sunday afternoon game against Nebraska, which drew 6,122. Saturday's loss was 50 times better.
The environment affected South Florida. For better or worse is debatable, but the Bulls took notice.
As Kansas' band played brought pregame to a close with its traditional buzzer-beating fanfare, the Bulls danced along.
As the players stepped out for the opening tipoff, the speakers were blaring and the student section (finally, an actual student section at a women's game) leapt in unison. South Florida's Jasmine Wynne looked to teammate Shanta Grace and mouthed, "I can't hear myself think."
In the postgame press conference, Bulls coach Jose Fernandez said he felt the same way when Kansas pulled within 67 66 with
2:22 to play. Bonnie Ball didn't win, and that sucks. But I'm grateful a basketball crazy place like Lawrence showed it awards hard
Optimists will tell you this postseason run and the excitement around Kansas' women's basketball program will build into a NCAA tournament bid next season.
work.
Fernandez
son were too special to put in the rearview mirror just yet.
With the core of this team returning, that's very likely to happen. But I'm no optimist, so let's wait and see on that.
Besides, this game and this sea
The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies began the season with "Opening Night" Sunday evening, but for every other team the season starts today.
OPENING DAY
Major League Baseball and all of its glory have returned, and to celebrate here are a few early season tidbits:
- Who's going to pitch in Anaheim? The Angels top three arms — Ervin Santana, John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar — are all on the 15-day disabled list. With those guys healthy, LAAACUSA (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of the United States of America) is the clear favorite in the AL West and a World Series contender. Without those arms, the Angels are a Vladimir Guerrero injury away from being a sub-500 team.
- Delusional Royals fans won't stop telling me to watch out for Kansas City this year. Zach Greinke is a frontline starter and the AL Central is wide open, but this team is just another disappointment waiting to happen. Still, I'm curious to see how hot hitting
prospect Mike Aviles handles expectations. If he can still hit
- A tip for fantasy nerds like myself,
keep an eye on Johns Fields
Aviles
(CWH) and David Freese (STL). Both are young third basemen with a lot of upside, including prodigious power numbers. Fields is finally the man in Chicago thanks to Joe Crede's departure and
Edited by Realle Roth
Freese should get the start until Troy Glaus returns from injury.
In the Phog
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
Mizela Valdez of Peru watchs her brother, Gonzalo Valdez, Peru senior, and Josh Spradlin, Lawrence senior, as they cheer on the Jayhawks during the second half of Saturday's WNIT Championship game against the USF Bulls. The Bulls defeated the Jayhawks 75-71.
NASCAR
Gordon ends his longest losing streak
STEPHEN HAWKINS
Associated Press
FORT WORTH, Texas — Jeff Gordon ended the longest winless drought of his career, beating Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson to finally win at Texas.
Gordon won for the first time in 48 races Sunday at the
It was the 17th Cup race at Texas, the track where Gordon has the only two last-place finishes in his 552 career starts. One of the 43rd-place finishes came last spring before he was the runner-up to Carl Edwards in the fall race after winning the pole.
"How ironic is this that when we go into this streak and we end it here in Texas, a place that's just eluded us for so long." Gordon said. "Incredible team effort. This
1½-mile, high-banked Texas Motor Speedway, one of only two active tracks where the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion had never won a race.
Gordon, already the season points leader with four top-five finishes in the first six races, did a few burnouts on the frontstretch before grabbing the checkered flag and taking his No. 24 Chevrolet for a long-awaited victory lap — his first since October 2007 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte.
whole year has been amazing. What a great car. I've never had a car like this at Texas. We finally had one and it put in position."
The only track he now hasn't won at is Homestead. He'll have to wait until the season finale in November for a chance to change that.
During interviews in Victory Lane at Texas, before firing the celebratory six-shooters, Gordon had to sneak a peek at the logos on his car to remind himself of everybody he needed to thank. It had been a long time, especially by his standards.
Rick Hendrick wasn't there, so Gordon tried to talked to him by cell phone from Victory Lane. Also missing were his wife and daughter.
"I'm just thrilled. I can't wait to get home to Ingrid and Ella," Gordon said. "I know (Ella) was saying 'Go poppy go' all day long. I hate that they couldn't come."
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THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
TODAY
Women's golf
Susie Maxwell
Berning Classic,
All day
Norman, Okla.
I
Tennis Kansas State, 3 p.m. Lawrence
TUESDAY
Baseball
Iowa, 4 p.m.
Iowa City, Iowa
Baseball
lowa, 6 p.m.
lowa City, Iowa
Softball
Nebraska, 6 p.m.
Lawrence
WEDNESDAY
Softball
Nebraska, 4 p.m.
Lawrence
THURSDAY
No events
FRIDAY
Tennis
Tulane, 2 p.m.
Lawrence
Baseball
Oklahoma State,
6 p.m.
Lawrence
Softball Oklahoma, 7 p.m. Lawrence
.
Men's golf River Landing Intercollegiate Wallace, N.C.
SATURDAY
Softball Oklahoma, 1 p.m.
Lawrence
Soccer
Arkansas, 2 p.m.
Lawrence
Baseball
Oklahoma State,
2 p.m.
Lawrence
Men's golf River Landing Intercollegiate Wallace, N.C.
Women's rowing Kansas State, TBA Kansas City
Track & Field
John Jacobs Invitational, All Day
Norman, Okla.
MEN'S BASKETBALL No.3 recruit Xavier Henry may commit to Javhawks
Carl Henry, former Jayhawk and father of Oklahoma City shooting guard Xavier Henry, told Rivals.com this weekend that Xavier wanted to commit to Kansas.
As the recruiting saga continues, Kansas appears to be closer than ever to signing its top prospect.
C. J., who originally committed to Kansas in 2004 before being drafted by the New York Yankees and playing minor league baseball, was a walk on at Memphis this season. But he didn't play and took a redshirt after undergoing foot surgery.
If only it were that simple. Xavier, the No. 3 player in the nation according to Rivals.com, is still waiting for a key issue to be resolved. The issue is his brother's, C.J. Henry, status for next season.
C. J. and Xavier want to play together. Under NCAA rules, however, C.J. would have to sit out next season if he transferred to Kansas.
The Henry family is currently filing an appeal to the NCAA to allow C.J. to play next season, if it is granted, both Xavier and C.J. will most likely announce their intentions to attend Kansas.
If not, it is possible that both could stay at Memphis with its new coach. It's also possible that Xavier could opt to come to Kansas and leave C.J. behind.
— Case Keefer