SPORTS
University Daily Kansan / Thursday, January 16, 1992
11
Jayhawks upset by Tigers, 57-56
Kansas senior forward Danielle Shareef (32) battles Missouri junior guard Vrantrece Williams for a lo
Big Eight leader scores 17 points, stops Lady 'Hawks at Hearnes Center
By Cody Holt
Kansan sportswriter
Missed shots in the paint and a strong second half from Missouri's Ericka Fields proved to be too much for Kansas to overcome as the Lady Jayhawks dropped their Big Eight Conference opener to the Tigers, 57-56, in Columbia. Mo. last night.
Fields, the Big Eight Conference's second leading scorer, hit 13 of her 17 points in the second half of the game.
"We certainly had hoped to do a better job against her (Fields)," Kansas coach Marian Washington said. "I think that hurt us. We also missed a lot of shots underneath, and I think that hurt us too."
Missouri inbounded the ball and ran out the clock to hold on for the 57-56 victory.
The game was tied at 53 with 2 minutes, 52 seconds left when Fields hit a jump shot, giving Missouri the lead. She added two more points for the Tigers on the next possession when she hit a pair of free throws to give Missouri a 57-53 lead.
Kansas tried several unsuccessful three-pointers with time running out when Trutt hit one. Kansas called a shot with less than 1 second remaining.
The Lady Jayhawks' nation-leading defense, which has held opponents to 55 points or less a game, did its job, holding Missouri to 43 percent shooting.
However, Missouri's defense was even more effective, as the Tigers held Kansas to 35 percent shooting from the field.
"Defensively we kept them within reach," Washington said. "I just don't want to get into trouble."
Freshman forward Angela Aycock and senior forward Terrillyn Johnson returned to the Lady Jayhawks starting line-up after injuries had sidelined them from last week's loss at Creighton.
Aycook, junior guard Stacy Truitt and junior forward Marthea McCloud led the team in scoring with 10 points.
Johnson had a game high 17 rebounds for Kakee. She also shepped in
eight points.
"Our main goal was to keep them off the boards because we knew they were a strong rebounding team," Johnson said.
The loss drops Kansas' record to 11-3 and 0-1 in the conference.
was the Jayhawks second consecutive road loss.
Missouri improves to 10-4 and 1-0 in the Big Eight.
The Lady Jayhawks ended a game road trip with last night's loss and will meet Colorado at 2p.m. Saturday in Allen Field House.
ton said. "We're just going to have to gather ourselves and get ready for Colorado."
"I certainly don't think we played as well as we're capable of playing, but I believe we can."
Tunstall is out, return not likely
Failure to improve academic standing prompts decision, despite eligibility
By Lyle Niedens
Kansan sportswriter
At a news conference yesterday, Williams said Tunstall's suspension stemmed from a series of academic problems.
Tunstall, who is not enrolled in school, had figured prominently in the Jayhawks' plans in 1991-92, but was suspended before the season started for a violation of team and departmental policies.
Williams said he had set forth four stipulations to Tunstall at the time of the suspension and that Tunstall's return was contingent on him meeting each of those four stipulations.
Tunstall met two of the requirements, Williams said, but failed to meet the other two. Therefore, the suspension was not lifted.
Williams said he thought suspending Tunstall for the first semester would have spurred him to work harder in school.
The decision to keep Tunstall off the team was made late last week, Williams said, but he waited until he had a chance to talk to Tunstall and his family before making an announcement.
"I think he's a fine young man," he said. "He just hasn't made very good decisions in a lot of situations."
The situation has left Tunstall at a bit of a loss. Williams said.
Although he is a senior, the suspension means that Tunstall has one year of eligibility remaining. He had practiced with the team for a couple of weeks during Christmas break, but it now appears as if Tunstall's career with the Jayhawks is over.
"Right now I'm not planning on him being here (next year)," Williams said.
Williams said he was unsure if Tunstall would go elsewhere to
"Sean would
Sean would have added something to our basketball team, more defensively than anything."
Roy Williams Kansas basketball coach
complete his final year of eligibility, but that he would do his best to help Tunstall if he made that choice.
Tunstall came to Kansas as a freshman in Williams' first season as coach of the Jayhawks, 1988-89. However, Tunstall sat out his first season because he did not meet Proposition 48 requirements regarding freshman eligibility. He also sat out his sophomore season because the NCAA ruled that there were irregularities in his ACT score.
Last season, as a junior, he averaged 5.7 points and started six games for the Jayhawks. He played an important role in Kansas' advancement to the Final four, scoring a combined 26 point in victories against Indiana and Kansas in the Southeast Regional.
"He had an outstanding stretch for us last season," Williams said. "Sean would have added something to our basketball team, more defensively than anything. That happens to be a part I think is very important."
SPORTS BRIEFS
Junior guard Rex Walters, who roomed with Tunstall last year, said that he wished Tunstall the best.
"I consider him a good friend," he said. "I'm there if he needs me."
Big Eight may realign
The plan, which may be finalized this spring, would enhance the conferences' security at a time when the College Football Association's future is threatened, officials said.
The Southwest and Big Eight conferences moved a step closer to an alliance after officials from both leagues announced specific proposals would be exchanged later this month.
"We've agreed verbally," DeLoss Dodds, Texas athletic director, said. "The next step would be to be more definitive. I think we'll primarily be agreeing to be together on TV matters. It will grow from there."
The two leagues, in such an agreement, would be able to negotiate contracts and establish a "friendly relationship" if the CFA dissolves, officials said Tuesday.
The Big Eight and SWC are members of the CFA, which has a contract through 1995 with ABC.
But Southeastern Conference expansion, Notre Dame's independent contract with NBC and Penn State's admission to the Big Ten threaten the CFA.
Walsh to coach Stanford
Bill Walsh, spurning the San Francisco 49ers, has accepted an offer to become the coach at Stanford University, according to media reports yesterday.
Walsh had reportedly reached an agreement to return to the 49ers as a consultant. But on Tuesday he was offered a five-year contract worth $350,000 a year to coach again at Stanford by the university's athletic director, Ted Leland, the San Francisco Examiner reported yesterday.
Walsh, 60, will replace Dennis Green, who resigned as Stanford's head football coach last week to become the coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Walsh coached the 49ers to three Super Bowl victories in 10 years and was known for his innovation.
A news conference was scheduled for today at Maples Pavilion, the university's basketball arena, in anticipation of a large media turnout.
Before changing plans this week, Walsh had all but signed a pact with the 48ers to return to the NFL team in the capacity of a consultant, helping with drafting players and making trades.
Details were announced at news conference at city hall.
Baseballteam may move
"I can't wait to see the first shovel go into the ground." Giants owner Bob Lurie said. "I wish it could be today."
After years of wooing the San Francisco Giants, San Jose city officials yesterday announced an agreement in principle to bring the team south.
Under the plan, which must be approved by voters in June, the city 50 miles south of San Francisco would build a 48,000-seat open-air stadium with natural grass in a public-private partnership with the team. The ballpark would be ready for use in the 1996 season, officials said.
The city would provide $155 million, and the Giants would chip in $30 million to acquire land and build the ballpark, with the Giants responsible for any additional costs.
"While others around us share in the suffering of a deep economic recession, San Jose steps forward to ... put San Jose on the map as a truly major league city," mayor Susan Hammer said in prepared remarks.
Kansas guard says coaching is behind his shooting success
By Lyle Niedens
Kansansportswriter
Prior to Monday's game with No. 13 Missouri, Steve Woodbury, a 47 percent shooter from the field this season, got some advice from the Kansas coaching staff regarding his shooting technique.
The result: a 19-point performance, including 3-of-3 shooting from threepoint range, that helped the Jayhawks to a 92-80 victory.
"I had my stroke tonight," Woodbery said, "and the game. "This was my big game."
Woodberry attributed his success Monday night to advice he received from a Kansas coach on how to place his hands on the basketball before shooting. His scoring outburst added to the list of impressive performances turned in by Kansas guards this season.
Starting guards Rex Walters and Adonis Jordan are leading the Jayhawks with 15.6 and 14.0 points a game, respectively. Added to Woodberry's 6.8 points a game and reserve guard Patrick Richey's 4.9 a game, Kansas
That foursome combined for 53 points against Missouri, with Walters leading the way with 21 points. Walters
guards have accounted for 46 percent of the hawks scoring.
Steve Woodberry
hit a big three-pointer in the second, half and another in overtime. The latter provided the Jayhawks with an 84-72 victory from which Missouri never recovered.
Walters said that his three-pointers came on designed plays in which Jordan drew the defense to the center of the court and then passed off.
"We just let the system take over," Walters said.
Jordan, who scored just nine points but grabbed a career-high eight rebounds against the Tigers, said that part of the system was the many options the Jayahwaks had on offense.
*Every night, we have someone step
Against Missouri, that someone was Woodberry. The 6-foot-4 sophomore gained more playing time because Missouri used a three-guard offense most of the game.
Woodberry, who plays both guard positions as well as small forward coming off the bench, said he had no preference on which position he plaved.
up who plays great," Jordan said
"I'm comfortable wherever Coach Williams puts me," he said.
Walters said such versatility off the bench helped the Jayhawks because the starters could be given plenty of rest when needed.
"It helps us because we're at the point where we know we are going to be fresh when we come back into the game." he said.
Woodberry said the victory against Missouri was big in more ways than one.
"This should help us get back in sync," he said. "It's a big plus to get a Big Eight win on the road."
Most Kansas basketball fans miss the complete experience
Through the early months of the basketball season, the Jayhawks remained undefeated despite struggling against the likes of Long Beach State and Pepperdine. Coach Roy Williams repeatedly reaffirmed the team's No. 4 spot in the national polls before Kansas finally fell to Louisville on Saturday.
Allen Field House has long been known as one of the most exciting places to watch collegiate basketball, and Kansas fans are respected as some of the nation's most loyal, if not rabid. How pathetic it must seem to visiting teams that the cradle of college basketball can produce only a handful of fans to watch the Lady Jayhawks
However, the die-hard Kansas fans have packed the raffords of Allen Field House again this season. Even during winter break, 15,800 fans sat through the Jayhawks' overtime bitter against Pepperdee, a team the 'Hawks defeated 88-62 last season.
Kansas could boast of having one of the only programs in the nation with both its men's and women's teams ranked in the top 25. Well, it could.. if anyone cared.
David Mitchell
Sports
columnist
Despite being ranked 24th in the nation, the Lady Jayhawks have gone virtually unnoticed by Kansas basketball fanatics. The team has averaged just 508 fans through six home contests. Meanwhile, Nebraska's third place, 10-3 team is averaging 887 fans a game despite scheduling two home games during Thanksgiving break and two during finals week. The Cornhuskers led the Big Eight Conference in women's attendance last season, averaging 1,254 fans a game. Though the conference fans boast about one of the country's top men's basketball conferences, Nebraska's attendance ranked just 30th in the nation.
However, Kansas fans could still learn a lesson from its conference rivals. Kansas State is close behind the Jayhawks' attendance, averaging 485 fans a game, despite the fact that the Wildcats are 1-3 and 1-second in the Eight Eigh
In their victories, Kansas has won by at least 10 points and is undefeated at home. The team's 10-0 start was the best in team history. Kansas' first defeat came at the hands of undefeated Arizona State. However, the Jayhawks still managed to place third in the Florida International Tournament with heralded freshman Angela Aycock and senior forward Terrilvn Johnson sideline.
The team has shined in tournament play. In addition to the third place finish at Florida, the team finished first at the Texas-Arlington Classic and won the Dial Soap Classic for the fourth consecutive year. Aycock, a favorite for Big Eight Conference Newcomer of the Year, was selected most valuable player in Texas and senior point guard Kay Kay Hart earned top honors in the Dial Classic.
In the final of the Dial Classic, Kansas pulled in its biggest crowd of the season, a less-than impressive 750 people. Of course, it would be
The Lady Jayhawks have not consistently drawn strong crowds since the days of Lynette Woodard, Kansas' four-time All-American. However, Coach Marian Washington and her staff have assembled a team that is feared in its conference and is gaining national respect.
unrealistic to expect to fill the seats of Allen Field House for a women's game, but 500 fans a slap in the face to a team that was voted by the conference coaches to win the Big Eight. Last season's biggest home crowd is 2,400 for the Kansas State game. However, that contest preceded the men's game against the Wildcats.
Aside from the seniors, juniors Marthea McCloud and Lisa Tate have proven themselves as tough inside players and steady rebounders. Junior guards Shannon Kite and Stacy Truitt are proven outside threats to complement the inside game. Backup point guard Jo Je Witherspoon, like Hart, has shown what the 'Hawks can do on the fast break. With this deep and talented team backed by a group of heralded underdogs, led by Aycock, Kansas could return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988.
Hart, Johnson and fellow seniors Danielle Shareef and Tanya Bonham lead a cast with depth similar to the Jayhawk men. Washington has not gone with a set lineup, and a different leading scorer can step forward on any given night.
After playing their fifth straight road game last night at Missouri, Kansas will return to Allen Field House and take on Colorado in their Big Eight home opener Saturday afternoon. For years, Kansas fans have bragged about their support of Jayhawk basketball. If the fans want to back those claims, the Lady Jayhawks should be applauded for their efforts. Men's basketball might always be king at Kansas, but there is room for both teams. Though students must scramble to obtain one of the 6,000 student tickets that are available for men's games, they are admitted for free to women's games with a KUID.
■ David Mitchell is a Desoto senior majoring in journalism.