THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2009
SPORTS
5B
WITHEY (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
Fans will have to take Self's word for it, because it's going to be a while before anyone sees Withey compete.
By most accounts, Withey plays like a traditional center.
Withey says he likes to "face up, shoot the ball, drop-step, dunk the ball."
"As you can physically see, he's very tall and he's very long," Self said. "And he's a very good shot-blocker and can alter shots and run, and he has great touch."
During his senior year at Horizon High School in San Diego, Withe averaged 21 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks and four assists. His
productivity made him a highly sought-after recruit out of high school. Rivals.com ranked Withey as the No. 26 player.
NO. 36 prospect and eighth best center in the nation last year.
That's how his topsy-turvy recruiting tale began. Withey took an unofficial visit to Kansas for Late Night in the Phog in 2006.
Withe changed his mind before signing a letter of intent and
"I just ... decided this was the best place for me to get better and hopefully go to the NBA."
Temporarily.
The layhawks were one of the finalists to get Withey's commitment before he decided on Louisville.
JEFF WITHEY Redshirt freshman
obliged.
instead committed to Arizona and coach Lute Olson. Then, Olson announced his retirement before the season.
Withey and his parents said they felt betrayed. He asked to be released from his letter of intent. Eventually, Arizona
Withey re-opened his recruitment and schools such as Kansas,
Texas, Cincinnati and San Diego State courted him. Kansas stuck out because of Withey's relationship with the coaches and the development of sophomore center Cole Aldrich.
"The coaches are a great group of guys." Withey said. "And you can see how great of coaches they are by the way Cole has gotten so much better in the Last year."
Withey first met Aldrich in 2006 while they both were visiting Kansas for Late Night. Now, the two are facing off daily in practice. Withey's recruiting journey has come full circle.
Withey said he knew Aldrich
would help him improve.
Aldrich is similarly joyful to have another near 7-footer to practice against.
"He's a great kid, great athlete and great in the classroom — all around," Aldrich said. "It's exciting to get another big body down there to bang."
Weather be darned, Withey said he believed he wound up in the perfect situation.
"I just looked at it and decided this was the best place for me to get better and hopefully go to the NBA," Withey said.
- Edited by Brandy Entsminger
Those assets are intangibles — something each player must change and decide to instill on her own. But Kansas does have a more tangible — and physical — approach for working on rebounding.
BASKETBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
In practice the layhawks place a plastic bubble, or lid, over the rim so every shot is a missed shot. Then, players work on blocking out and, at the same time, attacking the basket in search of an offensive rebound.
"We do a lot of drills with that, but it's all about effort." Jacobs said. "When you try to go to get offensive rebounds, it's all about effort."
That's an attitude the Jayhawks must reshape quickly.
And Kansas, 1-2 in the conference, can't afford another loss with consecutive games against ranked teams looming on the schedule.
Kansas takes on the struggling Cornhuskers tonight, who at 0-3 constitute the bottom of the Big 12.
Still, regardless of how the Jayhawks shoot against the Cornhuskers, they must be able to create other scoring opportunities through offensive rebounds.
Kansas vs. Nebraska
"When we are struggling from the field, we just have to have another solution, another answer," Jacobs said. "We've got to offensive rebound or something like that to pick up the slack."
| P | No. | Kansas | Ht. | Yr. | PPG | P | No. | Nebraska | Height | Yr. | PPG |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| G | 3 | Ivana Catic | 5-8 | Sr. | 3.2 | G | 24 | 'Dominique Kelley | 5-7 | So. | 10.0 |
| G | 4 | Danielle McCray | 5-11 | Jr. | 17.9 | G | 32 | Tay Hunter | 5-10 | Sr. | 6.0 |
| G | 20 | Sade Morris | 5-11 | Jr. | 12.3 | G | 22 | Yvonne Turner | 5-8 | Jr. | 11.7 |
| F | 24 | Nicollette Smith | 6-2 | So. | 7.4 | F | 40 | Cory Montgomery | 6-2 | Jr. | 13.0 |
| C | 14 | Krysten Boogaard | 6-5 | So. | 10.6 | C | 44 | Catheryn Redmon | 6-3 | So. | 6.3 |
When/Where...
Tipoff scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Devaney Center in Lincoln, Neb.
Who to watch out for...
Junior forward Cory Montgomery. She isn't the fastest or most talented player in the Big 12 North, but she can score buckets in bunches. She averages 13 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. With but with just 13 assists in 16 games, it's apparent that when she gets a touch inside, she's going up.
What Kansas can expect..
A cold shooting night from the Jayhaws still could hang with the Huskers' output on the scoreboard. The Huskers average just 65.9 points per game compared to the Jayhawks' 71.8 per game.
Why Kansas will win...
With Big 12 powers Kansas State and Texas A&M on the schedule in the next week, the Jayhawks will seize an opportunity to even their conference record against a team winless in the Big 12.
How is the game important.
Magic number...
Kansas did not win on the road last season, and a road victory early in the season would give the team confidence outside Allen Fieldhouse.
40 — The number of steals in 16 games for Husker junior Yvonne Turner. With Sade Morris still recovering from a hit to the head, the Jayhawks will have to handle the ball to avoid giving up easy layups to Turner and her teammates.
STRUGGLES ASIDE FROM REBOUNDING
Junior forward Danielle McCray struggled for the third consecutive game, making just seven of 24 shots
A lack of offensive rebounding highlighted Kansas' loss to Texas Tech, but it wasn't the only problem the Jayhawks had.
"She's in the worst funk of her career," Henrickson said. "And I can't tell you she's practiced any differently. She looks just like that in practice."
and turning the ball over seven times. In the past three games, McCray has made just 29 percent of her shots and has 14 turnovers.
Sophomore center Krysten Boogaard had just four field-goal attempts and scored eight points.
— Clark Goble
After the loss to Texas Tech, Henrickson also noted Kansas' lack of an inside presence. For much of the game, the lahayhs settled for outside jump shots.
"I didn't think Krysten worked
and gave us numbers. I saw her jersey number once and I saw Porscha's (Weddington's) jersey number once as far as low-post presences," Henrickson said. "She kept trying to hide behind and have us lob it over the top."
— Edited by Heather Melanson
FOOTBALL
Kerry Locklin to join coach Mangino's staff
Locklin
Coach Mark Mangino completed his 2009 staff Tuesday upon hiring Fresno State defensive line coach Kerry Locklin to hold the
same position at Korea
Kansas.
The
move
comes
a week
after Bill
Miller was
added as
linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator.
The job became available in December when Joe Bob Clements announced he was leaving the Jayhawks to join new Kansas State coach Bill Snyder's coaching staff.
Locklin joins Kansas having spent the previous nine seasons with the Bulldogs. Under his tute- lage, two linemen became Western Athletic Conference Defensive Players of the Year and three currently rank in Fresno State's top five for career sacks.
"Kerry is an outstanding fundamental football coach who has done a tremendous job coaching the defensive line at Fresno State," Mangino said in a statement. "We are excited to have him as part of our coaching staff."
Locklin inherits a Kansas defensive line that returns three starters, including sophomore Jake Laptad, who finished second on the team with seven sacks and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors at season's end.
"I feel this is a school with a rich tradition and is an up-and-coming program," Locklin said.
"Kansas is very similar to Fresno State in getting respect in the conference and around the country."
Stephen Montemayor