Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
.
Sports
Indiana coach Bobby Knight faces punishment from the Big Ten conference following a Monday night outburst during a loss to Illinois.
Gillespie resigns
Administrative assistant Dave Gillespie is leaving Kansas football to coach at Nebraska.
SEE PAGE 2B
Thursday
February 26,1998
Section:
B
Page 1
Swimming & Diving
The Kansas men's swimming and diving team begins competition today at the Big 12 championships.
SEE PAGE 3B
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GROWING PAINS Kenny Gregory
Williams pleased but expects more
By Tommy Gallagher
tgallagher@kansan.com
Kansan sportwriter
Kansas guard Kenny Gregory has become more comfortable playing in the system even though now he has Coach Roy Williams expecting him to produce more during games.
Williams said Gregory dug himself into a hole a couple of weeks ago with an impressive defensive performance during practice.
"I stopped him in practice because he really did a fantastic job defensively, and I said, 'You know you've really screwed up now, right?'" Williams said. "He said, 'Why,' I said, 'Because now you' shown me that you can do it once. And if you can do it once, now I expect you to make that ulay every time."
As a freshman, Gregory has had occasional flashes of brilliance sprinkled throughout the season.
He had a career-high 21 points in just 18 minutes against Emporia State on Dec. 4., and he scored 18 points in only 13 minutes against Baylor on Jan. 28.
But recently, Gregory has struggled.
Gregory said he still was far from knowing the system inside and out.
"I've come a long way, but I still have a lot to learn." Gregory said. "I should feel more comfortable about the system now than when the season started, so that's no surprise. But there's so much to learn."
In the seven games since Baylor, Gregory has been in a shooting slump. He has averaged only three points per game, the result of 8-for-25 shooting (32 percent) during that span. He has not scored in either of the last two games, going 0-for-6 from the floor.
Williams said some players had caught on to his system quicker than others, which was expected.
"Jacque Vaughn learned the system by the second day of practice, but others take longer to make that advancement from the high school game to here," Williams said. "I won't say that I'm satisfied with his play, but I will say I'm pleased."
Gregory said the same.
But for Gregory, learning a new system was only one of his problems. His back was another.
Gregory began feeling pain in his back the summer before his senior season in high school, though he played through the pain. Recently, the pain has resurfaced.
Gregory stretches his back in the morning, afternoon and evening as well between classes. He used to see a chiropractor once, sometimes twice, each week early in the season, but those visits are in the past.
He hopes an off-season rehabilitation program can help ease the back pain.
"I just try to play through it," Gregory said. "I haven't been able to do much since summertime, but I've learned to adjust when playing with my back as it is."
Kansas guard Kenny Gregory gets blocked by Missouri center Tate Decker. Gregory has been held scoreless the past two games. Photo by Steve Puppe/KANSAN
Guard jump starts Jayhawks
Suzi Raymant led Kansas' comeback against Oklahoma scoring 35 points
By Kevin C. Wilson
Kansas sportwriter
Welcome back. Suzi.
Guard Suzi Raymant broke a five-game shooting slump by netting a career-high 35 points to lead the Kansas women's basketball team to a critical 78-74 comeback win against Oklahoma last night in Norman, Okla.
After scoring a total of 37 points in her last five games, Raymant regained her outside shooting touch, connecting on a career-high five three-point shots in eight attempts.
"Raymant had a great game," said Sherri Coale, Oklahoma coach. "We did everything we thought possible to shut her down, but she was hitting from everywhere.
Raymant: Shooting touch regained in last night's game
Raymant, who hit 10-of-15 field goals and 10-of-13 from the line, scored 20 points in the second half to help the Jayhawks recover from a 16-point halftime deficit.
Forward Lynn Pride scored 14 of her 20 points during the second half and sealed Kansas' win by hitting two free throws with four seconds left.
Raymant and Pride combined for 55 points last night, a sharp contrast from the 15 points the two combined for in Saturday's 69-49 loss to Iowa State.
"Suzi and Lynn had great scoring
KANSAS 78, OKLAHOMA 74
Kansas (10-7, 10-5 Big 1)
Pride 7-14 6-6 20, 6-10, Stanford 3-9 2-4, 8, Sanford 1-4 0-0, 2, Raymant 10-15 10-13 35, Jackson 3-7 0-0, Pruitt 0-2 0-0, Scott 0-0 0-0, Robbins 1-5 2-2, White 1-4 0-0, Totals 26-60 20-25 78.
Halftime — Oklahoma 46, Kansas 32. Three-Point goals — Kansas 6-17 (Raymant 5-8,
Robbins 1-3, Pride 0-3, Privid 0-2, Jackson 0-1), Kansas 10-18 (Whale 4-5, Long 2-6,
Breedlove 2-2, K. Workman 1-3, Anderson 1-1, M. Workman 0-1). Fouled out — K. Workman.
Rebounds — Kansas 38 (Pride 7), Oklahoma 33 (Whale 11). Assists — Kansas 9
(Pride 3), Oklahoma 16 (Anderson 6). Total foul's — Kansas 21, Oklahoma 23.
Attendance — 778.
Oklahoma (8-17, 4-11 Big 12)
M. Workman 3-9 4-5 10, Whaley 10-19 5-6 29, Anderson 3-8 1-1 7, Breedlove 3-6 1-2 9,
Long 3-10 2-1 10, Taylor 1-1 2-3 4, Hardeman 0-0 0-0 0, K. Workman 1-3 2-4 5, Totals 24-56
16-22 74.
nights," Kansas coach Marian Washington said. "I am proud of our squad, who took on a determined squad and found a way to win."
Yesterday's victory, coupled with Baylor's 88-73 loss to Iowa State on Tuesday night, vaulted the Jayhawks into fourth place in the Big 12. The win also gave the Jayhawks a one game lead against the Bears for a first-round bye in the conference tournament.
The Jayhawks, 18-7 overall and 10-5 in the Big 12, have a chance to clinch a bye on Saturday when they play the Missouri Tigers at Allen Field House.
The Sooners came out scorching on their senior night and bombarded the Jayhawks from three-point range. Oklahoma pumped in 10-of-15 shots from beyond the arc in the first half — a school record— establishing a 46-32 lead at intermission.
Oklahoma went 0-for-2 from long range after the break, and the Jayhaws' pressing defense forced the Sooners into 12 second-half turnovers.
The same Sooner team did not return from the locker room in the second half.
"OU was not as sharp in the second half, and that's when we were at our best," Washington said.
Kansas hit 20-of-25 on free-throw attempts in the second half after not
Pride: Second half play seals Kansas' win in Norman
"KU is so big and strong, and they play a physical inside game," Coale said.
The Sooners, 8-17 overall and 4-11 in Big 12 play, were led by sophomore forward Phylesha Whaley, who scored 29 points. Whaley shot 10-of-19 from the field and grabbed a game-high 11
attempting a single one during the first.
Coale said the inside
presence of the Jay:
hawks was a factor.
rebounds. She also tied a career high with three three pointers.
Guard Roxanne Long and forward Michele Workman scored 10 points each, and senior Shonika Breedlove added nine points and a team-high four steals in her final game at the Lloyd Noble Center.
"I would like to congratulate Oklahoma on how great of a game they played." Washington said. "They played very hard."
The Sooners' next stop is Saturday in Stillwater, Okla., where they will take on Oklahoma State in their final game of the regular season.
New banners to fly above Kansas court as part of 100 years of Jayhawk basketball
Thirty-four new banners will hang from the Allen Field House rafters next season as Kansas continues with its 100 years of basketball celebration, Kansas officials announced yesterday.
Thirty-two banners will represent all 32 first team All-Americans in Kansas history, including 29 men's players and three women's players.
One large banner with the names of every Kansas Academic All-America selection and another large banner with the names of 13 Jayhawks who are members of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will be dedicated at the men's home opener next season.
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he thought the banners would enhance the school's rich basketball tradition.
"The banners are one way of preserving that tradition and history." Williams said. "I also think it is important to recognize Kansas' contingent in the Basketball Hall of Fame and our Academic All-Americans."
In addition, the conference championship, Final Four and national championship banners will be replaced and updated for next season.
Other news:
Kansas forwards Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce are among the finalists for the 1998 Naismith Player of the Year. The winner will be honored April 4 in Atlanta.
Other finalists include Mike Biby and Miles Simon of Arizona, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison of North Carolina, Pat Garrity of Notre Dame, Matt Harpring of Georgia Tech, Trajan Langdon of Duke and Kenny Thomas of New Mexico.
-Tommy Gallagher
Commentary
NFL hot lines just a tease for desperate sports fans
Tuesday night I couldn't sleep, and it was making me ornery.
So at 2.05 a.m., I picked up the telephone and dialed a 1-900 hot line.
I got through on the first try and waited ...
After many deep breaths, I hung up the phone at 2:18 a.m., dissatisfied.
Although you may find this tough to believe, this isn't something I normally do. This sports columnist is pretty conservative when it comes to calling hotlines, but I was desperate.
I had just wasted more than $10 on Mel Kiper Jr.'s NFL Draft hot line.
In an attempt to find out Kansas outside linebacker Ron Warner's projected draft stock, I figured Kiper (ESPN Draft Guru) would have updated information. Unfortunately, he didn't mention Kansas all-time career sack leader in the prerecorded message.
Adam
Herschman
sports @ kansan.com
However, I managed to scrounge up a couple opinions about Warner from a few of the leading NFL Draft experts.
On Jan. 27, Kiper ranked Warner #31 on his list of the top 60 football players entering the draft. He said, in his January newsletter, "Warner came through with a fine showing at the East-West Shrine practices. In fact, he may have been the most impressive natural athlete on either squad at any position. He looks like a solid second-rounder."
However, in Kiper's new update, which came out yesterday, Warner had dropped out of his top 60 because of questions about an injured knee suffered in the East-West Shrine game.
The rise and fall of a player's draft stock is normal in the weeks leading up to the April 18-19 NFL Draft.
The truth is, grading NFL talent is a guessing game. No one knows for sure who's going to be a NFL impact player. Injuries, 40-yard dashes, individual workouts and season statistics are just a few things that can affect the draft stock of a football player.
In a February newsletter, *Ourdad's Scooting Services* said of the East-West Shrine Practices, "Ron Warner had a good week at OLB. He showed good speed and the ability to react quickly in run defense. And when he was given the opportunity to rush the passer from a DE position, he more than held his own."
The former junior-college transfer was selected first-team All-American by Football News after crushing opposing quarterbacks for 14.5 sacks. Warner, who spent time at defensive end and linebacker at Kansas, could be the next in line of great Javahawk defensive players.
Former Jayhawk Dana Stubblefield recently signed a six-year, $36 million contract with the Washington Redskins. Stubblefield, last year's NFL Defensive Player of the Year, was a late first-round pick in 1993. Stubblefield's college teammate Gilbert Brown signed a hefty contract with the Green Bay Packers after they won the Super Bowl in 1997. He was a third-round pick in 1993.
Since the injury, Warner has been taking it easy.
As his knee gets better, Warner's draft stock will continue to fluctuate. Although NFL Draft analysts seem to think that Warner likely will be selected closer to where Brown was picked five years ago, only one say really matters — the NFL team that selects him in the upcoming draft.
No matter in what round Warner is picked, he'll be given a chance to play professional football if he's healthy. Warner, who proved himself at Kansas during his two years, has shown that an opportunity is all that he needs.
By the way, I learned my lesson - 1-900 hotlines are nothing but a big tease.
Herschman is an Minnetonka, Minn., junior in journalism.