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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
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Boogaard stands out as threat in the post
BY JAYSON JENKS jjenks@kansan.com
FINDING HIS PLACE
Late in the first half against Missouri on Thursday, coach Bonnie Henrickson pleaded with point guard Ivana Catic to take a glance near the basket, where Kansas' 6-foot-5 center Krysten Booaga staked her ground.
"Look inside," Henrickson said.
"Throw it inside!"
It's not that Catic was being selfish — she took zero shots in the game, while finishing with a team-high six assists. But Henrickson wanted to make certain that Boogaard, the Jayhawks' best threat to score inside, at least got her hands on the ball.
To some degree, that's been a problem for Kansas since Boogaard returned to the lineup on Dec. 10 after missing four games with a stress reaction in her leg. And it should be noted that Henrickson said Boogaard isn't "completely back to playing with the balance and strength" she had before the injury.
"We always need to look inside in transition," Henrickson said. "Right now, my frustration is we don't often do that, or often enough. And a lot of times that's just an easy play."
If the Jayhawks want to be successful against Big 12 opponents such as Texas Tech, which Kansas plays host to on Saturday, Henrickson said they must find Boogaard inside.
Much of the problem deals with entry passes. With defenses sagging and constantly trying to disrupt passing lanes into the post, Kansas has struggled with consistently feeding Boogaard the ball.
In Kansas' past two games, Boogaard has made 50 percent of her attempts yet taken only 10 shots. Both Kansas State and Missouri played high-side defense against Kansas, meaning defenders played in front of Boogaard, forcing perimeter players to throw lob passes over her head. And both teams exposed a rather noticeable flaw in the Jayhawks' offense.
The Jayhawks appeared slightly more at ease against Missouri Wednesday, but guards often failed to recognize Boogaard open inside. And as much as Kansas relies on scoring from perimeter players, the Jayhawks must balance that with
"We shoot a ball in a rim that's really pretty small, but we can't make a pass with six feet room for error," Henrickson said. "There's just no excuse for that."
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Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
Sophmore guard Brady Momingstar struggles for a basket against Kansas State defenders during the Jayhawks' 87-71 victory against the Wildcats in Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday. Momingstar, who took areshift last year, has shown consistency on defense and is often thought of by teammates as 'operating under the radar.'
Homegrown star emerging
Morningstar, a strong shooter all along, is impressing teammates, coaches with defense
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
Marcus Morris first started to become familiar with his teammates in pickup games over the summer.
NCAA rules prohibit coaches from holding official practices so the layhawks, like most teams, spent hours of their time splitting into teams and playing against
"I didn't see him missing too many shots when we were playing pickup so I thought he was going to be a great player." Morris said. "But I didn't know hed be a great defender."
each other informally at Allen Fieldhouse. Morris, a freshman forward, learned early that he wanted sophomore guard Brady Morningstar on his side. The guy could shoot.
Add Morris to the list of Kansas players, fans and coaches surprised by the emergence of Morningstar. The hometown product — Morningstar grew up in Lawrence and attended Lawrence Free State High School — has started in every game this season and has played more minutes than everyone except junior guard Sherron Collins.
No one is more excited about it
than Kansas coach Bill Self, who called Morningstar "a very pleasant surprise."
Morningstar ranked as one of the least-heralded recruits of Self's tenure at Kansas when he committed in 2006 after spending a year at prep school in New Hampshire. Fans questioned
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Kansas faces Missouri in Border Showdown today
TRACK & FIELD
Dane Bell, Pittsburgh freshman, practices his shot put Wednesday afternoon in the Anschutz Sports Pavilion. Kansas track and field athletes will compete against the University of Missouri in an all-day Border Showdown event today.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
BY JASON BAKER
jbaker@kansan.com
Kansas Track and Field will kick off the spring semester with the Border Showdown today on the indoor track at Anschutz Sports Pavilion.
A track and field showdown against Missouri hasn't happened since 1976 and coach Stanley Redwine said he was excited about the renewed rivalry.
"It's a great opportunity to have the fans come out and support KU track and field," he said. "Missouri wants to win and we want to win, so we're going to be ready to do our best."
Redwine said he was impressed
What: Kansas vs. Missouri
When: Today, all day
Where: Anschutz Sports
Pavilion
"All the pressure off," Scott said.
"So I'm looking to have fun."
Freshman Keith Hayes took first place in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.02 seconds. Hayes said he wasn't focused on winning.
with some of the layhawks' performances last weekend in Arkansas at the Razorback Invitational. Jordan Scott, junior pole vaulter, qualified for Indoor Nationals with a jump of 5.40 meters.
SEE TRACK ON PAGE 8B
COMMENTARY
Great fans give home court its advantage
That's all well and good, but why shouldn't the faithful of Allen Fieldhouse get their time in the sun? The University of Kansas is a perennial contender, just like Duke, and tradition flows from
It's as inevitable as hot dogs and fireworks on the Fourth of July that ESPN will do its annual search for the biggest home-court advantage in college basketball. In recent years that search has seemed to favor Duke University's Cameron Crazies, the student section at the Blue Devils' Cameron Indoor Stadium.
flows from the rafters of the "Phog".
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The fans make the games at Allen Fieldhouse special, and with conference play just starting, the Jayhawks need that home-court
advantage now more than ever.
advantage now more than ever. Here are three guidelines straight from the student section on how to cheer on the Jayhawks.
1. Get to the game early. That comes straight from the mouth of Mark Pacey, Manhattan graduate student, who helps run a camping group for games at Allen Fieldhouse.
2. Blue is the color, Devin Burns, Wichita sophomore, said, "You definitely have to wear blue. I think that's pretty assumed."
3. Make some noise. Paul Brookman, Wichita sophomore, said, "If you're not loud and crazy and supporting your team, why are you here?"
Nick Marlo, Overland Park freshman, knows there is no other place to experience a game quite like Allen Fieldhouse.
Other fans covered the intricate details of being a fan. Joseph Louth, St. Louis freshman, recommended bringing a newspaper.
Robel Melessa, Olathe freshman, urged fans to remain silent while the Jayhawks were shooting free throws and reminded fans to stand on the ground, not the bleachers.
"If it's your first time, just drink it in," he said.
Marlo said he has been lucky enough to know nothing but success in his time at Allen Fieldhouse.
"I've never been to a game that we've lost, and I've been to, probably, over 100 games," Marlo said.
KU fans have come to picture the Fieldhouse as synonymous with victory. KU's win against Kansas State marked the team's 34th consecutive win in Allen Fieldhouse. Even in a year where none of the starters from the national championship team have returned, the Jayhawks handed a loss to the ranked Tennessee Volunteers in Allen Fieldhouse.
On Tuesday night, the KU Student-Athlete Advisory
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