2B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2009
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"One thing coach wanted to do is just spread the floor. That's all I tried to do, tried to create. I just got lucky and I got him with the bump and I scored."
MSU guard Kalin Lucas on his and one to put the Spartans up 65-62
FACT OF THE DAY
Kansas is now 4-4 all-time against Michigan State in a series that dates back to 1960. The Spartans last victory against the Jayhawks came in 1999 when the two met in Chicago.
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
-KU Athletics
Q: What is coach Bill Self's NCAA tournament record at Kansas?
A: After losing to Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen, Self is now 14-6 in NCAA tournament games as the Jayhawks coach. This is the first time Self lost in the Sweet Sixteen as Kansas' coach.
—KU Athletics
@ KANSAN.COM
Through the Uprights:
On Through the Uprights,
Stephen Montemayor THR#UGH
shares THE
additional UPRIGHTS
observations
from recent spring football
practices.
Courtside: Jayson Jenks discusses Kansas 'WNIT COURTSIDE quarterfinal BLOG game against New Mexico.
NASCAR Hendrick celebrates first victory in premier series
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Jimie Johnson nudged Denny Hamlin aside in the third and fourth turns with 15 laps to go and gave team owner Rick Hendrick a perfect place to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his first victory in NASCAR's premier series: Victory Lane
Johnson lived up to his moniker, winning for the fifth time in the last six races on the smallest, trickiest track in the series. It was his sixth victory at the 0.526-mile oval.
UNI Panthers predict NCAA champs
COMMENTARY
Marcus Morris has a message for you: Don't bet on me.
One day before the forward injured his ankle in the final minutes of his freshman season, Morris was playing with a miniature basketball in Kansas' locker room. Marcus and twin brother Markieff were dribbling the squishy toy when I noticed the slogan, "Don't Bet On It," emblazoned over its tiny orange bumps.
Gambling education is a top priority to the NCAA, which is why it hung anti-gambling posters in the locker rooms at the Metrodome and Lucas Oil Stadium.*
*The poster shows an orange prison jumpsuit hanging in a locker and tells student athletes they will don this new uniform if they gamble on sports. I actually had the same poster in my high school locker room, though I doubt there's a bookie in the country putting odds on high school cross country.
Marcus said the ball was his reward for listening to a speech about gambling in college athletics. Topics included odds, point shaving and the consequences for
any student athlete caught in a gambling allegation.
A woman held a box full of the children's toys and after the lecture Marcus wanted one.
"I asked her for a ball and she said, 'All right, you've got to answer a question. What year was coach Self born?' I said 1960, and she just threw me the ball," Marcus said.
The correct answer is 1962, but the woman's arbitrary question was intended to simply get a response, not necessarily the correct one.
So he got a souvenir, but Marcus also learned about an aspect of sports he never considered before.
"I never thought about it, but I think about it now and I just think about how many people are losing
money," Marcus said. "Definitely if they're betting on how many points I had."
"If they're betting on how many points I'm going to score, they're losing a lot of money."
Wait, what?
While most athletes live on confidence, this was Marcus' response when asked to set the over/under on his points:
"Psh, hopefully I get 10," he said. "But if you want to win I'd say six. Yeah, take the under."
Considering Marcus scored a combined 12 points in the tourney, it seems like sound advice.
UCONN DO IT
The University of Connecticut will win the 2009 NCAA Championship because it defeated Purdue, which defeated the University of Northern Iowa. Let me explain.
From 2004-06, UNI made the tournament each season and lost by five points in the first round each time. After '06 my dad pointed out this unique coincidence: In all three postseasons the team that defeated UNI lost to the
eventual national champion.
2004: Georgia Tech defeats UNI 65-60, and then loses to UConn in the title game.
2005: Wisconsin defeats UNI 57-52, and then loses to North Carolina in the Elite Eight. UNC defeated Illinois in the title game.
2006: Georgetown defeats UNI 54-49, and then loses to Florida in the Sweet Sixteen. Florida defeated UCLA in the title game.
2009: Purdue defeats UNI 61-56, and then loses to UConn in the Sweet Sixteen.
Could this all mean absolutely nothing? Of course, but don't say I didn't warn you.
Edited by Casey Miles
MLB
Seattle's poor pitching leads to KC victory
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Zack Greinke delivers to the Seattle Mariners in the second inning of a spring training baseball game in Peonia, Ariz. Sunday, The Royals won 17-12.
TIM BOOTH
Associated Press
PEORIA, Ariz. — Seattle's struggling pitching staff gave up more than 15 runs for the second consecutive day in a 17-12 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.
A day after getting tagged for 16 runs by the Los Angeles Angels, Mariners pitchers allowed 22 hits and a nine-run inning to the Royals. Alberto Callaspo went 4-for-6 with three doubles and scored three times. Coco Crisp and Billy Bulter each had three hits as Kansas City finished with 11 extra-base hits.
"If spring training stats were a guarantee wed all be hanging ourselves right now," Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu said. "You've got to think positively and now is not the time to give up on your club pitching-wise. We'll just keep working."
Seattle starter Jarrod Washburn was rocked for seven runs and nine hits in the first two innings, although Kansas City starter Zack Greinke wasn't any better.
Greinke, slated to pitch the second game of the season for the Royals, gave up eight earned runs and 10 hits in just two innings. All eight runs came in the second, when Seattle sent 13 batters to the plate, rattled off five straight singles and took an 8-7 lead.
"I didn't want them to take me
out. I still felt pretty strong," Greinke said. "But they thought it would be better to throw in the bullpen than face more hitters."
Greinke was scheduled to throw about 90 pitches, but was pulled after 52.
pair of sharp singles.
Mike Sweeney had three hits and two RBIs for Seattle, Yunieski Betancourt and Kenji Jobimma homered, while Ken Griffey Jr. added a
Aardsma walked the first two batters, then got a pair of outs. That's when things unraveled.
Seattle led 10-7 entering the seventh inning before bullpen candidates David Aardsma and Roy Corcoran collapsed.
Callaspo doubled to score a pair and Tony Pena Jr. followed with a two-run homer. After another double, Aardsma was replaced by Corcoran, who allowed a pair of RBI singles before Ryan Shealy's three-run homer. Denny Stark got the final out of the inning.
strike zone. He was hit hard, including five doubles and Alex Gordon's homer in the first two innings.
But Washburn adjusted and as he tired was able to hit more spots. After giving up hits to six different batters in the first two innings, he allowed just four hits over his final four innings.
Washburn struggled at the start, unable to keep pitches down in the
"I kind of got a little tired after (the second). I think I was a little too strong and felt too good those first two innings and everything was up and flat," Washburn said. "After I got a little tired I started getting a better angle on the ball and better movement."
$5,000 BONUS, 2 YEAR SCHOLARSHIP AND $450 A MONTH SPENDING MONEY AFTER SUMMER LEADERSHIP COURSE FOR FALL 2009 JUNIORS OR FIRST-YEAR GRAD STUDENTS CALL 785-864-1113 OR EMAIL TCUBERT@KLUEDU
Lunch'n Learn You're invited
2008. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved.
to a free lunch with your KU Alumni Association and Office of Student Financial Aid
Noon-1 p.m., Tues., March 31
Adams Alumni Center
1266 Aroad Avenue
2nd floor, Bruckmiller Room
We are offering a free pizza lunch and informational session about paying off your student loans, creating a budget and evaluating your financial planning. This program will help you prepare financially for your future. Join us for free food and prizes!
RSVP to sgerson@kualumi.net or by March 30. This event is free and open to all students
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION The University of Kansas
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
TODAY
Women's basketball New Mexico, 8 p.m. Albuquerque, N.M.
Men's Golf
Western Intercollegiate
All day
Santa Cruz, Calif.
TUESDAY
Baseball
Northern Colorado,
3 p.m.
Lawrence
Men's Golf
Western Intercollegiate
All day
Santa Cruz, Calif.
Baseball
Northern Colorado,
3 p.m.
Lawrence
WEDNESDAY
Softball
Missouri, 6 p.m.
'awrence
Softball Missouri, 4 p.m. Lawrence
BY
FO
THURSDAY No events
1
Tea
sch
yard
15
fina
all
FRIDAY
Women's tennis Baylor, 6 p.m. Waco, Texas
Baseball Baylor, 6 p.m. Lawrence
Women's rowing Texas, TBA Kansas City, Kan.
SATURDAY
Baseball
Baylor, 2 p.m.
Lawrence
Softball
Texas Tech, 2 p.m.
Lubbock, Texas
Women's soccer
Saint Louis, TBA
St. Louis, Mo.
Women's soccer
Marquette, TBA
St. Louis, Mo.
Track
Arizona Invitational,
All day
Tucson, Ariz.
N
TF
Blue Jackets aiming to get into eighth play-off spot
NHL
Patrik Berglund had a goal and two assists and the Blues moved a step closer to a playoff spot with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The prize is just around the corner, yet the St. Louis Blues won't permit themselves to take a peek.
TJ. Oshie and David Perron each had a goal and an assist, Brad Boyes and David Backes also scored, and Chris Mason gave up two shaky goals but stopped the other 26 shots he faced.
Columbus is sixth in the West with 86 points, two points ahead of Nashville and three in front of St. Louis. Edmonton, which began the day in a virtual tie with the Blues for the last of the eight playoff spots, is ninth — two points behind St. Louis.
The Blues have won five in a row and earned points in seven of eight, rising from the dregs of the West to a tenuous grip on one of those eight precious postseason spots.
"If we're there at the end of the year, then we'll be happy because every night it changes," Mason said.
He said the Blues aren't taking time to savor how far they've come.
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"It feels good to be where we're at, considering where we were," he said. "We all know we're not done yet. we've got games left. It's definitely not settled."
Associated Press