Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SOFTBALL TEAM WINS TWO IN CALIFORNIA
Hawks beat No. 10 California in Cathedral City Tournament. SOFTBALL 18B
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
WWW.KANSAN.COM
JAYHAWKS HEAD TO SOONER STATE TODAY
After defeating Nebraska, Kansas will face No.2 OU. GAME DAY I 10B
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Pink-clad Jayhawks defeat Cyclones, end losing streak
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
Coach Bonnie Henrickson calls her team in for a huddle after a timeout during the Jayhawks' 58-47 victory over Iowa State University in Allen Fieldhouse. Henrickson is being credited with propelling her team forward, with Sunday's win breaking a four-game losing streak.
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
Ten minutes after the fact — after Kansas had upset No. 21 Iowa State 58-47 — coach Bonnie Henrickson emerged onto James Naismith Court, greeted by applause from those still soaking in the victory.
The day before, after Kansas' practice, Henrickson and Athletics Director Lew Perkins talked on that same court about the Iowa State game and the general direction of the women's basketball program.
"He said, 'I'm just telling you, if we string consecutive wins and get going like 1 think we can get going, this will blow up here.'" Henrickson said.
"We've believed that all along." Henrickson said. "But we have to take care of business and win games."
Sunday's game provided a perfect snapshot of what could be. In front of 7,069 people — easily Kansas' largest crowd this season — the Jayhawks played with noticeably more energy than in previous games.
While there's little doubt that winning dictates attendance figures, Kansas took a step in the right direction against Iowa State.
"That's what we need: the more fans, the more success," junior forward Danielle McCray said. "We doing a good job of gathering some fans but we have to continue to win to gather more fans like our men's team."
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
PAGE 6B
For full coverage of the women's basketball game against No. 21 Iowa State, check out page 6B.
A cynic's eye might look at Kansas' victory as a mere break from the norm during a season in which the Jayhawks have won just three conference games.
SEE WOMEN'S ON PAGE 6B
KANSAS 70, NEBRASKA 53
Focused on one game at a time
BY CASE KEEFER
ckeefer@kansan.com
Markieff Morris had one of his better games of the season, Sherron Collins barely missed any shots and Cole Aldrich dominated as usual.
Yet none of them had much to say about Kansas' 70-53 victory against Nebraska on Saturday. They kept their comments brief.
"I got the feeling a little bit," said Collins, who finished with 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting. "I got a little hot."
Collins, a junior guard, started to forget about the Nebraska victory immediately after the buzzer sounded at Allen Fieldhouse. He had another game on his mind.
Collins could finally think about tonight's Big Monday matchup at 8 against No. 2 Oklahoma (25-2, 11-1) in Norman, Okla., which pairs the Big 12 Conference's top two teams. A mention of Oklahoma after the Nebraska game elicited longer-winded responses.
"We're going to be the underdogs and that's fine with me," Collins said. "That's what even motivates us more — people think we can't win and can't go out and beat these teams. We're going to be fired up. I'm going to be ready."
The layhawks will be underdogs because the Sooners feature forward Blake Griffin, who is considered the best player in the nation and averages 22 points and 14 rebounds per game. Griffin's status after suffering an apparent concussion won't be known until he is evaluated sometime today.
Kansas has two stars of its own in Collins and Aldrich. Both stood out against the Cornhuskers on Saturday. Aldrich, a sophomore center, complemented Collins with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
"That's too much," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "I want to get 40 points between them, don't get me wrong. But we aren't having the same production of other guys
For the second straight game, Collins and Aldrich contributed more than 55 percent of Kansas scoring.
SEE MEN'S ON PAGE 4B
MEN'S BASKETBALL
REWIND PAGE 4B
For full coverage of the men's basketball game against Nebraska, check out page 4B.
COMMENTARY
Ryan McGeeney/XANSAN
Sophomore center Cole Aldrich snatches the ball from Nebraska's Ryan Anderson during the second half of Saturday's 70-53 victory in Allen Fieldhouse.
Collins is key to Big Monday
Will Blake Griffin play tonight? That's the question swirling around Norman, Okla. right about now.
Sunday morning Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel told reporters that no one will know whether Griffin, the consensus top college basketball player in the United States, will be ready to play until he is evaluated again sometime today. According to reports, an MRI scan came back clean on Sunday, but Capel said Griffin's future would not be risked for one game, no matter how crucial it is.
His potential absence, however
unfortunate for the Sooners, could
end up being the difference between
a fifth-straight Big 12 championship
and atop-three finish conference for
the Jawhaws.
Will it be the unstoppable offensive force that tore apart Nebraska for 22 points on 12 shots, seemingly willing the lajyhawks forward when they most needed his presence? Or will it be the player who committed six turnovers, uncharacteristically missed key free throws and never looked comfortable against Missouri's pressure defense on Big Morrow two weeks ago?
But amid the conjecture and rumor surrounding Griffin's status, one player's influence on the game of the Big 12 season thus far is being overlooked: junior guard Sherron Collins. The question is which Collins will show up tonight on ESPN.
Judging by Collins' dominant performance against the Cornhuskers, his performance against Missouri was clearly an aberration. As Jawhaws enter the conference stretch run that will decide where they finish, their best player is hitting his stride as well.
Nobody in the Big 12 is better than Collins with open real estate ahead of them. He is as efficient a sorcer as there is in the conference — Collins is ranked in the top 10 in field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage and free-throw percentage. And, most importantly, Collins is getting his points — 18 per game to be exact — without depriving his teammates.
Against Nebraska, Collins racked up three assists before he even took a shot. But once it became apparent Kansas needed a jolt, he took over the game, draining four jumpers in five possessions in just under two minutes.
The Cornhuskers couldn't stay in front of him, and with the lead cut to six three minutes into the second half, Collins took over one final time. An acrobatic finish with a foul and two three-pointers later, one of which narrowly beat the shot clock, and Kansas had a 17-point lead it never relinquished.
Then on cue he took a backseat again, watching as Cole Aldrich and Markief Morris made their marks in the paint. And that's the key. Collins is picking his spots, taking over when the time demands it and spreading the offensive responsibility when his dynamic abilities would be better saved.
Griffin or no Griffin, Kansas' chances depend on Collins. And that's just the way he wants it.
"We're going to be fired up," Colins said. "I'm going to have them ready, that's my job."
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- Edited by Sam Speer
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