δΈ€ THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2009 2B SPORTS QUOTE OF THE DAY "You know, that's something we're trying to figure out ourselves. And we better figure it out soon because we can't continue to lose road games." Junior guard Sade Morris after Kansas lost to Missouri on Saturday FACT OF THE DAY In 2007, the Kansas women's basketball team beat Texas 50-49 in Austin. The team has won just one conference road game since then, a 76-66 victory at Missouri. TRIVIA OF THE DAY Q: Since the Big 12's inception, what is the women's basketball team's record against Texas? A: 7-8. Kansas won five of the first six meetings before dropping six in a row. The Jayhawks and Longhorns met three times before the Big 12 with Texas taking all three matchups. @KANSAN.COM BEWARE OF "THE BLOG" "Blog" Allen: Case Keefer puts his own spin on Kansas' ugly loss in Columbia and takes on the unenviable task of naming Kansas' top performer from the game. The Jay Report: While searching for fast food at 2 a.m. ing for fast for the guys welcome in Rustin Dodd to help break down Kansa'z lown Kansas' first Big 12 loss. Courtside: Following tonight's game against Texas, check Jayson Jenks' COURTSIDE Courtside blog for fur-ter insight in BLOG into Bonnie Ball. COMMENTARY Victory is closest thing to title for MU Sometimes actions say more than words. Take Missouri fans mobbing Norm Stewart Court following Monday's down-to-the-wire victory against No. 16 Kansas and the events that preceded it. By now you are probably familiar with the comments Tigers forward Leo Lyons made regarding just how much fans in Columbia were looking forward to Monday's matchup with the Jayhawks on ESPN's Big Monday. But just in case you missed it, here is what Lyons told the Columbia Tribune regarding the Border Showdown following a victory against Iowa State Saturday. "Oh my God," Lyons said. "People thought they'd seen something when Baylor was there. I just know this means more to them than a national championship does. I know it's going to be packed." Now, I can excuse Lyons for his obviously flawed comment. He was speaking in the heat of the moment. Clearly, Lyons and Missouri fans have no idea what a national championship means or feels like. You can't when you haven't won one. Lyons was just excited about what would be the biggest game of the year thus far. Reporters have a way of coaxing quotes out of their subjects that don't always reflect the reality of the situation. He gets a free pass. But I can't come to grips with hundreds of students rushing the court after winning a game they were favored to win β€” Missouri was a 4.5-point favorite. Come The only thing more pathetic is Kansas fans' tearing down the goalposts three separate times during a seven-win season in 2005 that included a victory against Houston in the Fort Worth Bowl. Imagine what Norm Stewart was thinking in the stands as the Missouri student body rushed the court that bears his name. This should have been just another key win in the Tigers' quest to win the Big 12 north and return to the NCAA Tournament. on, guys. That's just amateur fandom. from The Morning Brew guys at Kansan.com/blogs/morning_brew, and if you have any questions or comments, please give us a holler at morningbrew@kansan.com. Instead, they cemented the notion that beating Kansas is enough to define a successful season. the brew goes digital THAT OTHER BORDER RIVALRY Tonight marks the beginning of World Cup qualifying for the United States national team, against arch-rival Mexico, no less (ESPN2, 6 p.m.). Mexico will be without young phenom Carlos Vela, suspended for dangerous conduct against Honduras. Coach Sven-Goran Erikkson is feeling the heat from the Mexican media for the team's lackluster performances, and a loss could signal the end of his reign, as former Atletico Madrid and Mexico manager Javier Aguirre waits in the wings. teams. Even more damning for the Mexican cause is that Mexico has failed to win on American soil in its past 10 tries (8-0-2). It's part blog, part column, part pop-culture melting pot. It's The Morning Brew. A daily dose of Kansas sports, college life and pop culture. You can read daily postings The game will be played in Columbus, Ohio, at Crew Stadium, and U.S. fans have plenty of reasons to feel confident that the Americans will defeat their neighbors to the south. First of all, the U.S. is 9-2-2 in the past 13 meetings between the two the newly released ESPN.com/ USA Softball poll. The Jayhawks received 32 votes after upsetting then-No. 7 Arizona and No. 11 Northwestern in the Kajikawa Classic last weekend. Nevertheless, this game represents a major test for an American team that can cement its status as the region's alpha dog. A victory vaults the team into World Cup qualifying with confidence. A loss proves Mexico really can compete in the United States. β€” Edited by Grant Treaster SOFTBALL SOFTBALL Kansas now ranked 25th after two top-10 unsc Kansas softball replaced Virginia Tech as the 25th-ranked team in the nation, according to 10, and Northwestern maintained its ranking. Feb. 10 marks the first time since June 2006 that Kansas softball has been listed as a top-25 program. The Jayhawks travel to Orlando, Fla., this weekend to participate in Arizona fell three spots to No. the UCF Invitational. There they will have an opportunity to upset yet another ranked opponent in No. 12 Tennessee, whom they play Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Tom Powers Royals' 2003 draft pick still waiting to make big-league debut MLB ASSOCIATED PRESS SURPRISE, Ariz. β€” Chris Lubanski, the overall fifth pick in the 2003 draft, still hasn't made his major-league debut. School in Schwenksville, Penn. This season, he's a non-roster invite to the Kansas City Royals' spring training and a long shot to break camp with the club that drafted him six years ago out of Kennedy-Kenrick Catholic High THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS "This year I'm really focusing on shortening my swing and cutting down on the strikeouts," he said Tuesday. "I feel if I do that, my average will go up and I'll hit for even more power and everything will kind of come together." Kansas City has not added Lubanski to the 40-man big league roster. He likely will start the season at Triple-A Omaha, where he hit .242, including just .159 against left-handers, in 2008, striking out 130 times in 393 at-bats. TODAY Women's basketball Texas, 7 p.m. Austin, Texas THURSDAY Track & Field ISU Classic/Tyson Inv. Ames, Iowa/Fayetteville, Ark. FRIDAY Softball South Carolina, 10 a.m. Orlando, Fla. Softball Western Carolina, 2:30 p.m. Orlando, Fla. Track & Field ISU Classic/Tyson Inv. Ames, Iowa/Fayetteville, Ark. SATURDAY Men's basketball Kansas State, 2:30 p.m. Manhattan Softball Bradley, 4:30 p.m. Orlando, Fla. Softball Tennessee, 6:30 p.m. Orlando, Fla. Women's basketball Oklahoma, 7 p.m. Lawrence Track & Field ISU Classic/Tyson Inv. Ames, Iowa/Fayetteville, Ark. SUNDAY softball Bowling Green, noon Orlando. Fla.