Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
DIVERS PREPARE FOR BIG12CHAMPIONSHIPS
Team ready to take on conference foes. SWIMMING & DIVING 16B
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009
KANSAS HITS ROAD TO PLAY ARKANSAS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Jayhawks expect tough crowd in Fayetteville. BASEBALL 17B
KANSAS 87, OKLAHOMA 78
PAGE 1B
STORMIN'NORMAN
Three career-highs put Kansas at top of Big 12 standings
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
NORMAN, Okla. — Two blue blurs raced across the floor at the Lloyd Noble Center as the buzzer sounded on Kansas' 87-78 victory against Oklahoma.
It was junior guard Sherron Collins running up the sideline smiling and freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor sprinting toward the middle of the court. Eventually, the two paths of celebration met.
They shared a quick exchange
talking other
"good game,
before Collins
added an extra
message.
"He was like, 'Mar, this is what we've been waiting for,' " Taylor said.
Collins, Taylor and the Iavhawks
this too often from young kids."
"This was a great win You don't see this too often from young kids."
But Self didn't want to take too much credit. Heck, he wasn't even the one calling the shots by the end of the game.
are done waiting now. Kansas (23-5, 12-1) is in sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference and three victories away from winning its fifth straight Big 12 regular season championship.
The Jayhawks have Collins, Taylor and sophomore center Cole Aldrich to thank for it. Aldrich might not have had the energy to sprint across Oklahoma's gym after the game, but his presence was as important as anyone's.
"This was a great win," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "You don't see
At least three times, Collins waved off the plays Self wanted from the bench with the game on the line. Self was helpless.
After all, Aldrich recorded a career-high 20 rebounds. Taylor set a career-high with 26 points. Statisticians don't keep career-highs of big shots, but Collins would have certainly passed his.
Not that Self would want it any place else. Collins reaffirmed that Monday when he tied a career high with 26 points.
BILL SELF Kansas coach
The Jayhawks appeared to be in a position where they could coast to victory with 11 minutes remaining and their lead at a game-high 20. It wasn't that easy.
Twice, the Sooners trimmed the layawk lead to three points within the final five
minutes. Both times Collins refused to run the Jayhawks' offense. He took three-point shots from the top of the key and swished them to ensure Oklahoma wouldn't get any closer.
"He feels like it's his team," Self said. "I'm really proud of him. He's been great."
Collins' biggest shot came with 2:30 remaining. The crowd had reached deafening levels after Oklahoma freshman Willie Warren
who had a team-high 23 points
— swished a three-point shot to make the score 74-71. The next possession, Collins received a pass from Taylor and made one of his own. Oklahoma never got it down to a one-possession game again.
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Weston White/KANSAN
Junior guard Sherron Collins hits one of his five three-pointers Monday night against the Sooners. Collins finished the night with 26 points.
Aldrich turns game around for Jayhawks
I took Kansas more than 11 minutes to get the ball inside to Cole Aldrich with any frequency. When they finally did, it made all the difference.
Aldrich made one of his trademark ugly-but effective hook shots and it opened up the offense for the previously struggling lavwahaws.
During the next possession, Aldrich got the ball and kicked it out for a Tyshawn Taylor three. The deficit, which stood at 14, was cut to nine. Taylor hit another three and the Jayhawks were instantly back in the game. Aldrich got a block, one of four on the night, and threw down a dunk on the ensuing possession. Four-point game. Turnover, Taylor layup. Two-point game. All of a sudden, what looked like a blow-out was a ballgame.
And Aldrich made all the difference, opening up the floor for Taylor's surprise offensive explosion.
That sequence was the start of a 28-7 run to close the half and give the Jayhawks a seven-point lead at halftime. Aldrich had 11 rebounds for the Jayhawks in the second half in what ended up being, arguably, the sophomore center's most impressive outing of the season.
Those 11 boards combined with nine in the first half meant Aldrich finally reached the 20-rebound milestone, a golden standard of post play that only
SEE DWYER ON PAGE 5B
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Smith, Henrickson overcome conflicts between personalities
Relationship once described as 'oil and water' has improved as both are on same page
JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
Last spring, after finishing her first season at Kansas, sophomore forward Nicolette Smith found herself in a place of discomfort, seated across from the person who she simply didn't get along with.
Smith and Henrickson had two different viewpoints and two different ideas. In other words, coach and player couldn't quite connect, creating a rift in the relationship.
"Nic and I were oil and water" coach Bonnie Hrickson said.
Yet, there were Smith and Henryrickson during Kansas' 58-47 victory against No. 21 Iowa State on Sunday, actively discussing the game: one listening and one talking before quickly switching roles.
"I guess our personalities weren't going to together right," Smith said. "I don't really have words to describe what was going on. It was just a
The two reaching this point seemed a distant possibility last year.
"I didn't want to have that uncomfortable feeling whenever I'm around my head coach, who is someone I should be able to go and talk to"
feeling I had when I was around her. I just didn't feel comfortable because I knew she wasn't happy with who I was.
"There were just some times when last year — I don't even know what was wrong with Nic," junior forward Danielle McCray said. "There are times when she's telling every post what to do. She knows basketball. She has grown up a lot — a whole lot. She's a new person."
After Kansas' game against Iowa State on Sunday, neither Smith nor Henrickson explained the specifics of the situation, only saying that Smith had needed to change.
Those talks and meetings in Henrickson's office during the spring left Smith with a choice: continue butting heads with her coach or adapt. One thing became very clear: If Smith didn't change, she wouldn't play.
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This season, Smith has gone from a three-point specialist to a hard-nosed, talkative defensive player. During Sunday's game, Smith's right knee hurt so bad she couldn't put pressure on it while being assisted to Kansas' bench.
In principle, the choice seems easy. But Smith described the process as "one of the hardest things I've had to do."
Still, with the Jayhawks clinging to a lead, Smith hobbled back into the game for the final 3:30, unable to fully bend her leg.
"Nic's whole sacrifice and commitment to our team; she just
wants to win. That's the good thing about her," McCray said. "When you have those people that want to get on the ship and help you from sinking on that boat — Nic's one of the people that does that."
The mended relationship between Smith and Henrickson is evident during games. On the court, Smith's voice often mimics the same messages spread by Henrickson.
As the season has worn on, Henrickson has continuously applauded Smith's maturity and defensive presence, even calling her Kansas' most consistent and improved player this season.
Edited by Casey Miles
Yet, more importantly, the trust that Smith eagerly sought with her coach has been established.
"Now, even after a bad loss, I feel so much more comfortable going into her office and talking with her," Smith said. "It helps so much when you have a good relationship with your coach."
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Sophomore forward Nicollette Smith drives toward the basket during the Jayhawk's 58-47 victory against Iowa State Sunday in Allen Fieldhouse. Although Smith's relationship with coach Bonnie Henrickson was strained throughout the 2007-2008 season, the two have been working in a more positive direction in 2009.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
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