THE UNIVERSITY OF DAILY KANSAS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2009
---
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2009
SPORTS
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
3B
Kansas hopes to extend win streak against Bavlor
Four Jayhawks will play last game in Allen Fieldhouse against Bears
BY JAYSON JENKS jjenks@kansan.com
Minutes into Kansas' 70-57 victory against Nebraska, coach Bonnie Henrickson quickly shook her hand at her side. Moments later, senior guard Ivana Cicat repeated the gesture, setting Kansas' offense into motion.
The Jayhawks' signals for calling plays may be rather simple, but their offensive sets are anything but. The ability to execute those offensive schemes has been a significant
"If you play right then it's going to get you an easy look."
reason for the layhawks' current three-game winning streak.
DANIELLE McCRAY Junior guard
"Once you get into February and everyone knows what you're going to run," sophomore forward Nicollette Smith said. "It just gets tougher and tougher and you have to be able to make a play within a play. The teams that can't do that, that's when they start to go downhill."
This season, the Jayhawks' offensive numbers — field-goal percentage and three-point percentage — have ranked in the upper half of the Big 12. But only recently has Kansas been consistently executing offensive plays.
Henrickson's offense, which Smith said contained at least 50 plays, revolves around the basic principles of basketball: exploiting defensive weak spots, playing to strengths and adjusting during games.
"They know who should come off a screen and who we should look for" junior forward Danielle McCray said. "They do a good job of telling us that and then it's all on us. I think we've done a good job of executing that. I mean, if you play right, then it's going to get
you an easy look."
"They're running what they
Perhaps most importantly, Kansas constantly looks for mismatches. As a point guard, Catic said, one of her primary responsibilities is identifying advantages and correctly calling plays that expose those mismatches.
unning what they run so well that if you have a breakdown, then they take advantage of it," said Nebraska coach Connie Yori.
But that wasn't always the case.
Early in the season, the Jayhawks sheer athletic adven
tage allowed them to defeat opponents. But in a conference as talent-rich as the Big 12, possessing more athleticism is an almost unrealistic goal.
Kansas' offensive sets rely heavily on intricacy and detail. The Jayhawks use multiple screens — sometimes as many as four or five in one play — to disrupt defenses and create scoring opportunities.
And Kansas' plays are specifically designed to place scorers in situations that emphasize their strengths.
"Our kids understand that there's a reason why you're coming off that screen, going that direction and coming off that pivot foot." Henrickson said. "Most likely, you're going to make that shot."
The lajahawks appear at ease operating Henrickson's offense. But as recently as three weeks ago, Kansas often became stale offensively in key stretches of games.
as Henrickson's, players said that at times frustration set in.
"We just weren't finding what she was saying," junior guard Sade Morris said. "But now that we see it? Oh, it's much easier."
In the second halves of Kansas' past three games, the Jayhawks have flourished offensively, executing in a way that allows them to expand leads.
The key in that stretch — and a key for any team experiencing the grind of conference play — has been the ability to quickly adapt to defenses.
Sure, the lajhayes run specific plays with a primary target. But throughout games defenses take away those first options, forcing Kansas to adjust.
"You know they're going to try and take away the first option and second option, but they can't take away all of them." Catic said. "That's why some of our sets go into second and third and fourth screens.
"They're running what they run so well that if you have a breakdown, then they take advantage."
With a system as detail-oriented
FINAL HOME GAME
FOR FOUR
"Defenses can't recover."
CONNIE YORI
Nebraska coach
Four Jayhawks will play their
final regular season game inside Allen Fieldhouse tonight against No. 5 Baylor. Seniors Catic, Marija Zinic and Katie Smith will be joined by junior Rebecca Feickert, who is graduating in three years.
Feckert would pursue academic interests.
Coach Bonnie Henrickson said
"Rebecca and I had a conversation quite a while ago that this was probably something she needed
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
**Junior guard laChelia Jacobs leads several of her teammates across the court after a defensive rebound during the teams Feb. 22 game against Miami. The KU women’s basketballdetail-inteared helmet was helped to the team its current three-nameinnings streak.**
Kansas vs. No. 5 Baylor
P | No Kansas
G | 3 | Ivana Catic
G | 4 | Danielle McCray
G | 20 | Sade Morris
F | 24 | Nicollette Smith
C | 14 | Krysten Boogard
| P | No Kansas | Ht. Yr. PPG |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| G | 3 | Ivana Catic | 5-8 | 2.3 |
| G | 4 | Danielle McCray | 5-11 | 19.0 |
| G | 20 | Sade Morris | 5-11 | 11.0 |
| F | 24 | Nicollette Smith | 6-2 | 7.3 |
| C | 14 | Krysten Boogard | 6-5 | 9.5 |
| P | No Bayler | Ht. Yr. PPG |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| G | 21 | Kelli Griffin | 5-8 | 5.0 |
| G | 1.5 | Jhassim Player | 5-10 | 10.6 |
| G | 1.4 | Falk Allison | 6-1 | 9.0 |
| F | 3 | Jessica Morrow | 6-0 | 10.9 |
| F | 5 | Morgan Medlock 6-1 | 6-1 | 6.2 |
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
TV coverage.
Sunflower (Channel 6)
Junior forward Jasmin Player. With All-Big 12 talent Danielle Wilson likely out for this game with an injury to her ACL Player is now the go-to player for Baylor. She scored 21 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in a guts win against a廷顿 Texas team. Player won't be afraid to step up in the spotlight; she is a senior who has been playing big minutes since her freshman year.
Baylor will have to give Kansas the outside jumper because of the loss of Wilson. She averaged more than three block a game, and without her, Baylor is not venial. The Bears need to saint into the lane often. Kansas sophomore Krysten Boogard has three inches on any player Baylor can sub in Kansas will try to score in the post early.
Why Kansas will win...
Swagger. These Jayhawks have it right now. They even have an outside chance of making the NCAA tournament if they finish their season with two great wins and win a few games in the big 12 tournament. The Jayhawks
will fight hard to reach the tournament, their new Holy Grail.
How the game is important..
Now the game is important...
Kansas is tied for seventh in the Big 12 right now, but three teams lurk just one game behind the Jayhawks.
If Kansas could somehow finish seventh in the league, they could avoid Oklahoma in the second round of the conference tournament.
to do for her academic career;
Henrickson said.
24 and 11.6 — Average points and rebounds in the past three games for Danielle McCray, which were all Kansas victories. She has established herself as a definite candidate for the All-Big 12 first team.
"And I supported whatever she needed to do."
Edited by Grant Treaster
Clark Goble
Humanities & Western Civilization Program
2008-2009 Peace & Conflict Studies Lecture
"The Power of Nonviolence"
President, Fourth Freedom Foundation Research Fellow, Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame
David Cortright
Reception following—all are invited to attend.
Thursday, March 5
7:30 p.m.
Jayhawk Room, Kansas Union
Co-sponsored by
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Hall Center for the Humanities
College of Science
Department of Geography
Department of History
Department of Political Science
Department of Social Studies
Department of Sociology
Lawrence Center for Peace & Justice
View our entire menu at www.gumbyspizza.com
785-841-5000
1445 W. 23rd St.
CHOOSE 1 *
- CHOOSE 1 *
LARGE 1-ITEM PIZZA
LARGE POKEY STIX
PEPPERONI ROLLS
CHOOSE 1 FOR 10.99
CHOOSE 2 FOR 19.99
CHOOSE 3 FOR 27.99
DOUBLE TROUBLE
TWO 1-ITEM PIZZAS,
TWO POKEY STIX,
OR ONE OF EACH