Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
IVANA CATIC STEPS UP FOR JAYHAWK OFFENSE
Senior guard offers a new scoring option. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL I 8A
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2009
'OVERRATED' MIGHT BE TRUE FOR MISSOURI
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Tigers' inexperience played a role in Sunday's game. MORNING BREW 19A
COMMENTARY
PAGE 10A
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Young team has earned No.9 spot
Earlier this season, there were doubts that coach Bill Self's crew could even make the NCAA tournament. A giveaway against Syracuse, an ugly loss to Massachusetts and a blowout at Michigan State all combined to create a lot of questions about this vowel team.
Now. No. 9 Kansas is thinking about a first-round matchup in Kansas City. It's a great story, but are the layhawks one of the 10 best teams in the country?
Wihee: First of all, let's not give too much credibility to national rankings. There's a reason they fluctuate so much week-to-week.
Does Kansas' No. 9 ranking mean it's the ninth best team in the country? Of course not. That is just a little bit too arbitrary.
But considering the Jayhawks' recent victories over Oklahoma and Missouri, I don't think it's a stretch to say they are among the top 10 teams in America on any given night.
Bern: I'll put it this way! If the NCAA tournament started this weekend, would you expect Kansas to be around in the Elite Fight?
Based on what we've seen from this team and the other top teams in the country, could Kansas handle the tournament pressure?
That's basically what this argument comes down to. The Jayhawks deserve their current ranking because the teams in front of them lost.
Wiebe: At this point — with Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich providing a dominating one-two punch — I think the Jayhawks have as good a chance as any to find themselves in the Elite Eight.
The real question is, can this young team string together three straight performances under maximum pressure to get to that point?
I think they can, but in March one mistake means you are going home and even veteran Kansas squads have folded under the pressure in the past.
Bern: I was at the Bucknell game, so I'm well aware of that possibility. But there were preseason expectations for that team.
Remember Bucknell and Bradley?
This year Kansas wasn't supposed to do anything in the conference, let alone nationally.
That's why the Jayhawks are one of the 10 best teams in the country. They've been playing under the radar and with a chip on their shoulders the entire season.
Kansas and Memphis are the most dangerous teams in the country right now, because neither was supposed to be here.
Wiebe: I'm inclined to agree. Last season's eventual national champions lost that Bradley game because they came up against a veteran team with a few seasons together under its belt.
That Kansas team was supremely talented, but it was arguably even more inexperienced than this year's squad.
Collins and Aldrich — along with guys like Tyrel Reed, Brady Morningstar and all those walk-onss at the end of the bench — have been through enough battles to know what it takes in March.
This isn't the same team that took the court in October and November. Are there 10 better teams in the country? No chance.
Little is 'big man' on the court
Edited by Susan Melgren
Weston White/KANSAN
Junior guard Mario Little works through a phalarx of Missouri defenders for a two-point basket during the Jayhawks' 90-65 victory in Allen Fieldhouse on Sunday. Though he needs to work on his consistency, Little has performed well as part of the front court rotation.
Moving the junior guard away from perimeter has its perks
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
By definition, Mario Little is not a big man.
Little, a junior, is listed as a 6-foot-5 guard on the Kansas roster. He's spent most of his basketball career on the perimeter. Little figured he'd stay there at Kansas this year following two seasons at Chipola College in Marianna, Fla.
It hasn't worked out that way. Little has become one of four Jayhawks in the frontcourt rotation this season. Although Little isn't complaining about it, he says it doesn't feel natural. "I'll always see myself as a perimeter player," Little said.
That's where Kansas coach Bill Self thought Little could help Kansas the most, and where he could transition back to full health easiest. The plan was to get Little back to the perimeter eventually.
Little started playing inside as a power forward in January when he returned from injuries to his lower left leg and left hand.
The plans have changed. Self announced last week that Little would not switch positions for the rest of the season.
"He's not going to play much on the perimeter this year," Self said. "It's just not going to happen, as evident by the way things have gone in getting a chance to play out there a little bit."
Little has struggled defensively in his limited minutes as a guard this season.
He hasn't been able to stay in front of quicker opponents — perhaps recovering from the stress fracture in his leg has made Little lose some of his speed.
Lately, his offensive production has also dropped off. In Kansas' last five games, Little is only 3-for-16 from the field for nine points.
"He's going through a phase now where he's thinking too much." Self said last week. "When
UP NEXT
No. 9 Kansas at Texas Tech
Wednesday, 8:30 p.m.
Lubbock, Texas
TV: ESPN2 (Channel 34)
you think, you're slow. He's got to get that swagger back that he's lost the last three or four games, but he'll get it back."
Consider Sunday's 90-65 victory against Missouri a starting point. Little's six rebounds and three steals in his 15 minutes of playing time showed why Self believed in him as an undersized big man.
"He'll lead our team in shots-per-minute, that's for sure." Self joked after the game. "He was aggressive and I told him all along I want him to be aggressive."
Little showed he could be a valuable part of the Jayhawk offense earlier in the season. He's scored more than 12 points three times in Big 12 Conference play — including a career-high 15 in a victory against Texas A&M in January.
At one point, he made 11 consecutive field goals. His recent slump, however, has diminished his season average to 4.9 points per game. What's been the difference?
"I'm not consistent now," Little said. "Some days, I'm feeling it. Some days, I'm not."
As Kansas prepares for its last two games of the season, Little will be searching for that consistency. He'll have to find it as a big man.
"I can do what I can to help down there," Little said. "I'm not going to do much — just try to bring some energy. I'm only 6-5, so I'm not going to be down there banging with guys unless they're my size."
Edited by Melissa Johnson
BASEBALL
Kansas opens at home against North Dakota Strong pitchers need to maintain consistency to avoid previous games' fatal falters
BY JOSH BOWE
jbowe@kansan.com
Sophomore pitcher莎菲er Hall leads a group of quality pitchers for the layhawks. Hall garnered five national awards last week after pitching a no-hitter against Air Force on Feb. 20, the fifth in his career history.
A couple of weeks ago at media day, coach Ritch Price expressed his concern over a young Kansas rotation. And why not? The top four starters had only a combined 17 career starts at Kansas heading into this season.
Consider Price thrilled, overjoyed and pleasantly surprised by his starters thus far this season.
Juniors Cameron Selik and Shaffer Hall, sophomore T.J. Walz, and freshman Le Ridenhour have all pitched well enough to get victories in each start they've had this season. When you look at Kansas' record (2-3), the bullpen hasn't held up well enough heading into this afternoon's match against North Dakota (0-4).
“What I've really felt great about is that we have played five games and got five quality starts,” he said. “I can't even imagine opening the season and getting five as good starting pitching performances that we've received.”
"We're not playing scared and guys are competing," Price said of his bullpen. "They just need to continue to get more reps and
HOME OPENER
North Dakota vs. Kansas 3 p.m.
Hoglund Parkbark
File photo by Weston White/KANSAN
The game is free for students with their KU IDs.
believe in themselves and they'll be fine."
But among the quartet of quality starters, Hall has easily separated himself as the staff ace this season. In two starts the left-hander from Lee's Summit, Mo., has pitched 14 innings and given up only two runs with six hits and three walks. It's been an impressive showing that included a no-hitter, which led him to acquire numerous national awards the past week.
"He's come up real big for us. I've been really impressed by him." Tony Thompson, sophomore third baseman, said. "He has tons of confidence out there."
Price echoed Thompson's sentiments about Hall as well. Price has been impressed with not only the quality of Hall's talent and success
on the field, but also the quality of a person he is off of it.
"He's a very mature individual and a first-class young man," Price said. "I think he's relishing in the opportunity he's been given and his first two starts have been absolutely fabulous."
Price has said how impressed he is with what Selik, Walz and Ridenhour have done so far. Selik
With all the talk of Hall and his accomplishments so far, it would be easy to forget how important the other three starters have been to the team as well.
was a relatively unknown factor coming into this season, however. Both Hall and Walz pitched last season with the Jayhawks and Ridenhour was a highly touted freshman.
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 8A
---