Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SENIORS TAKE ON LEADERSHIP ROLES
Returning seniors hope to build on last year's success. SPORTS 16B
REMEMBERING THE BEST OF JOHN RIGGINS
WWW.KANSAN.COM
THURSDAY, JANUARY, 29 2009
Plus Kansas' and Terry Allen's links to the Super Bowl COMMENTARY 12B
KANSAS 68, NEBRASKA 62
Junior guard Mario Little gets restrained by Sherron Collins and a official after getting into a scuffle with Nebraska's Cookie Miller. Miller appeared to have thrown a punch on the play while fighting for a loose ball on the floor, but no foul was called on either team.
Scrappy Jayhawks battle back
Second-half scuffle drives Kansas as it recovers from subpar first half to stay unbeaten in Big 12
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
LINCOLN, Neb. — Kansas coach
Bill Seil said it was nothing.
Self thought a loose ball scuff between junior guard Mario Little and Nebraska cookie Cooke Miller with
nine minutes remaining in Kansas' 68-62 victory at the Devaney Center was meaningless. Junior guard Sherron Collins disagreed.
"That was the biggest thing," Collins said. "When someone tries to punk us and do something like that, that's when we come out fighting."
Self and Collins both have evi
dence to support their opinions. Self would say the game wasn't decided until eight minutes later when Collins hit four consecutive free throws in the final 30 seconds to put the game out of Nebraska's reach.
Collins pointed out that it was 44-44 at the time of the mix-up. From then on, Kansas outscored
Nebraska 13-7.
But what exactly happened? No punches were thrown. The referees called no fouls. What triggered the officials and Kansas assistant coaches to come out on the floor to separate the players after Little and Miller tangled for the ball at the top of the key? The lajhayes call it was
Miller.
"All I'm saying is he was talking." Little said.
Little and Collins declined to be any more specific than that. They also didn't mention that Miller had
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 5B
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Women's basketball grateful for extra practices
BY JAYSON JENKS
jienks@kansan.com
One finds more practice time excessive and drawn out; the other thinks of all the ways to improve. One can't wait to play games again; the other can't wait to continue correcting.
There's little doubt that Kansas needed more practice to improve and get players healthy. But, when talking about the Jayhawks' week full of practices without breaking for a game, it's easy to notice a gap between player and coach.
"Personally, for me, I don't like going a whole week without a game," said junior guard LaChelda Jacobs. "But it's part of basketball. I mean, it's going to be good for us."
Check out Kansan.com for expanded Kansas women's basketball content
Yet, coach Bonnie Hendrickson's viewpoint varies. Coming off three
PAGE 1B
Kansas last played on Jan. 24 against K-State and, unlike most weeks when a mid-week game is scheduled, the layhawks don't play again until Saturday.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
consecutive losses, and with junior guard Sade Morris slowly healing. Henrickson said the Jayhawks need the time to tinker and recover.
Regardless of their personal stances, both player and coach agreed more time in the gym — and more repetitions — can only be seen as a positive.
In the first couple days of practice this week, Kansas focused almost solely on internal problems, not on its next opponent, Texas A&M. Actually, Kansas only touched on Texas A&M's game plan when the Jayhawks worked on their zone defense against the Aggies' offense.
"it's good just to clean up some stuff for a team that's been struggling and for us to get more more offensive reps and more offensive execution," Henrickson said.
Junior guard Sade Morris dribbles across court after a turnover from texas tech during Jan. 17 game in Allen Fieldhouse.
"This week's a long week for us, but it's good because we're focusing on us," sophomore center Krysten Boogaard said.
Perhaps the two biggest beneficiaries from not having a mid-week game are Morris and freshman forward Aishah Sutherland.
Morris began practicing in limited action on Monday. Both Henrickson and Morris said this
week without a game couldn't have come at a better time.
Improve three-point shooting
points for kansas to improve this week
Kansas has made just seven of 31 three-pointers the last three games.
Kansas needs Morris's scoring and defense back in the lineup ASAP.
— Get Sade Morris back into live action.
— Continue working Aishah Sutherland in the post.
suffered in the post.
The freshman needs as many reps in practice as she can get in order to become more comfortable at the center position.
Against K-State on Saturday, McCray played a one-on-one game multiple times. It's a
— Work on McCray's isolation game.
good strategy if McCray can continue improving at finishing.
— Reestablish Krysten Boogaard
The Jayhawks need Boogaard's inside presence for a balanced offensive attack.
"I'm really happy there's no game," Morris said. "I finally can practice and I don't have to worry about 'oh man, am I going to be able to make it'"
Jayson Jenks
After playing the center position for the first time — and after scoring nine points and grabbing 12 rebounds against K State on Saturday — Sutherland has increased her repetitions in the low post this week.
Sutherland's combination of athleticism and length make her a valuable asset for the Jayhawks. But the freshman is still raw and, as Henrickson said, the more reps the better.
"Aishah is a great player," Boogaard, Kansas' starting center, said. "It just shows what she can do offensively and defensively. If I play with her, in transition I can trail and she can handle herself on the block if she's in that position now"
And' while she may not be the biggest fan of this week, Jacobs understands how important the extra time in the gym has been for a Kansas team looking to climb from the bottom of the Big 12 standings.
"We just took a step back from everything and worked on us for a couple of days," Jacobs said. "We've been getting the things right that we need to get right."
Edited by Carly Halvorson
COMMENTARY
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Good eats and tales meet at restaurant
BY STEPHEN MONTEMAYOR
smontemayor@kansan.com
Jim Chappell grabs a pair of menus and greets you when you enter Chappell's Restaurant and Sports Museum. And yes, he has a minute to spare to share any number of the impossible to count memories adorning the walls and ceilings.
Your attention is initially drawn overhead to the more than 1,000 football helmets hanging that range from high school to the pros — including a half dozen layhawk helmets despite the restaurant's location at 323 Armour Road, Kansas City, Mo.
Here liquor bottles are overshadowed by a fleet of framed baseball jerseys and the Kansas City Royals World series trophy behind the bar. As you make your way past the 1984 and 1996 Olympic torches — two items Chappell says patrons often miss — you find your seat near the fireplace where a mounted elk rests above Paul Hornung's Heisman Trophy.
You order the rainbow trout amandine — the best you've had — and your date selects the smokehouse chicken grill. And while Ole Miss seals an upset of Kentucky on television, you spot a chair hanging that was once occupied by fans at the old Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.
"See that wire under the bottom?" Chappell asks. "That was where you put your straw hats."
Chappell takes the time, every day, to meet customers and deliver impromptu tours when asked. When Chappell learns that you are a KU student, another floodgate opens. He can list the entire roster of this year's basketball team and reminisces of the games he has attended this season with Jim Hinrich - Kirk's dad.
This of course inspires another KU story. One captured in a glossy action shot of Bud Stallworth — who once dropped 50 points on Mizzou. The signature reads: To my good friend Jim, I remember the night you held me to 50 points. Always, Bud Stallworth.
Jim coaches up the road at North Kansas City High School and drops by Chappell's twice a day. The only thing keeping him away tonight is a game underway. Chappell says he will accompany the two to see Kirk's number retired in Allen Fieldhouse March 1.
When you finish your curly fries, you've long resigned that one trip is not enough to take it all in and no number of visits will be. As Texas and Baylor * play on television, A.J. Abrams breaks lee Boschee's Big 12 record for three-pocket baskets — inevitably stoking a few more KU memories.
Then the check arrives. You pay, tipping 20 percent, and leave much in the same fashion you entered — eyes glancing everywhere. Near the door, Chappell wishes you a good night and safe journey on your way out into the Kansas City night. You tell him you'll be back soon.
Edited by Realle Roth
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