Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
The Kansas swimming and diving teams will be looking for revenge this weekend against Iowa State in Ames, Iowa. SEE PAGE 3B
Winter Olympics
OLYMPIC GAMES
The 1998 Winter Olympics begin this weekend in Nagano, Japan.
SEE PAGE 4B
Friday
February 6,1998
Section:
B
Page 1
College Football
Page 1
Kansas State brings in a recruiting class packed with speed at the skill positions.
SEE PAGE 9B
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Commentary
Basketball festivities require full attention
The Rock Chalk chant? It's cool. I dig.
I'll admit as a senior that I still get into the whole college basketball vibe at Allen Field House. But my life doesn't revolve solely around the Kansas men's basketball team. I attend the home games, root for the team and talk about it with friends, but that's where it stops.
But this weekend is different. It will
be one of the most celebrated sports weekends in school history.
Hershman is in Bloomington, Minn. senior in journalism.
Going through the motions merely observing the celebration of 100 years of Kansas basketball won't it
I owe it to myself to be spiritually centered, when walking into the field house for Suddenly watch
Sunday's rematch against Missouri.
Adam Hershman
sports@kansan.com
Sunday's rematch against Missouri.
For the next three days, I will eat basketball, sleep basketball, speak basketball, watch basketball and do virtually everything basketball except play basketball.
Naturally, with this new outlook, I had to change my old plans.
And, although I dread to even think it, breakdance practice is canceled for Sunday. Although this will disrupt my coordination, the time away from my Addidas gear will be good for me.
My nature walk along Massachusetts Street that was scheduled for this afternoon will have to wait until next week. Tonight's Boggle game has been canceled as has tomorrow's NBA Live '98 tournament of champions on Sony Playstation.
After classes today I will settle into the lotus position and get into the right frame of mind through Zen meditation. Afterward, I will visualize the outcome of the Kansas-Missouri game.
James Naismith Court comes into focus: Kenny Gregory dunking an alley-oop pass from Paul Pierce; Billy Thomas making six threes; and fans yelling "Sit down Norm" until Norm Stewart is ejected after two technical fouls — in Javahawk victory.
Later, I will meet with some friends at Quinton's to talk about X's and O's, and the return of Jayhawk greats like Dean Smith, Alonzo Jamison and Danny Manning.
The debate at dinner about whether man-to-man or zone defense is more effective against Missouri may get me off track. So afterward, I'll do some breathing exercises (breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth).
Tomorrow morning, after putting cucumbers on my eyelids (I have to cleanse my body as well), the party really begins.
The Kansas women's basketball game against Kansas State at 1 p.m. will ignite the festive weekend. The Legends Game will follow at 5 p.m. in the field house. (Quick prediction: If Milt Newton is playing, his team will win, and the former member of the 1988 All-Tournament team will capture MVP honors.)
Although I've taken our basketball tradition for granted at times, the celebration of 100 years of Kansas basketball will remind me why, after four years, I still make plans around James Naismith's invention.
Sunday will be the pinnacle of the weekend.
'Hawks rev up for rematch
By Tommy Gallagher
By Tommy Gallagher
tgallagher@kansas.com
Kansas sportswriter
No. 3 Kansas will try to avenge its only Big 12 Conference loss this season when it plays the Missouri Tigers at 12:05 p.m. on Sunday in Allen Field House.
But the Jayhawks must deal with the distractions of ceremonies and events that will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Kansas basketball this weekend.
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he would take away some of his assistants' responsibilities because of the busy weekend.
Williams said he also would protect his players from the hype. The Jayhawks have experience dealing with distractions
— they prepared for a Jan. 17 game against Kansas State with Wilt Chamberlain returning to have his jersey retired.
Williams also said he would try to enjoy the weekend with former Javahawks.
"I am really looking forward to having those guys back and to share their feelings about this place at our banquet," Williams said. "I'll get a chance to giggle a while at the Legends Game, though it's my responsibility to not make this weekend a distraction."
Missouri could be the biggest distraction of the weekend.
The Tigers defeated Kansas 74-73 on Jan. 19. Kansas forward Paul Pierce was stripped of the ball in the game's final seconds as Missouri held on to win.
The game was Kansas' last without forward Raef LaFrentz who returned to the starting lineup the next game after being sidelined with a broken right hand Dec. 26.
Despite the Jayhawks 100 years celebration, Missouri coach Norm Stewart said he never thought there was a good time to play in the field house.
"I'd have reservations about playing there no matter when we played," Stewart said. "I hate playing there."
Kansas center Rafal LoFrentz goes up for a shot in last year's game against Missouri. The Jayhawks will face Missouri at 12:05 p.m. Sunday in Allen Field House. The Jayhawks lost to Missouri 74-73 earlier this season in Columbia, Mo. Photo by Steve Puppe/KANSAN
Forward Kelly Thames, who averages 14.5 points and 6.4 rebounds a game, leads the Tigers. Guard Tyron Lee, who made the game-winning free throws in the first meeting, averages 12.6 points and 5.4 rebounds a game.
Missouri is 11-2 at home, including victories against Kansas and N. 25 Maryland. But the Tigers are 2-7 on the road, including a 55-point loss at Kansas State.
And though Missouri has notched some impressive victories this season, most of the team's success has come in Columbia, Mo.
LaFrentz told Sunday's game, despite the loss earlier in the season, would not
The Starting Lineup Allen Field House Lawrence TV: Ch. 5 (CBS)
KANSAS
JAYHAWKS
9-1 Big 12, 25-3 overall
be about revenge.
"The next game is always the most important game," LaFrentz said. "We need to keep winning these conference
MISSOURI
TIGERS
5-4 Big 12, 13-9 overall
games since we haven't accomplished anything yet. As long as we come out and play hard, everything should take care of itself."
Historic weekend to include legends
By Tommy Gallagher
tgallagher@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
The season-long celebration of 100 years of Kansas basketball will reach its climax this weekend with a full slate of ceremonies and events.
Former Jayhawk forward Danny Manning, one of the 274 former players, coaches and managers returning for this season.
weekend, said he was eager to see the University of Kansas again.
"I want to see Allen Field House again," Manning said. "I really want to see the fans at the game because that was part of what made playing at the
field house so special. To relive that will be exciting."
The weekend's festivities will begin when the Kansas women's basketball team plays Kansas State at 1 p.m. tomorrow in Allen Field House. School officials said they expected at least 7,000 fans to attend the game.
The Legends Game, which will feature former Jayhawk standouts Ron Kellogg and Bud Stallworth, will follow at 5 p.m. It will be held as a separate event from the women's game.
There were more than 2,500 unsold tickets as of Tuesday, but the game now is officially listed as a sellout.
A private banquet for the former Jayhawks will be held tomorrow night, and they will be honored Sunday afternoon at halftime of the men's game against Missouri.
Among the biggest names scheduled to return include Manning, Kellogg, Stallworth, Tony Guy, Clyde Lovellette, Larry Brown, John Calipari, Alonzo Jamison, Greg Ostertag and Jacque Vaughn.
Former Kansas forward Scot Pollard said he would return this weekend to rekindle some old friendships.
"More than anyone else, I want to see last year's senior class and Coach (Roy) Williams," Pollard said. "I spent four years with them while I was there, and I haven't kept up with them as much as I should have been."
Women aim to avenge loss to Wildcats
Kansas guard, Shandy Robbins fight for control of the ball with a player from Athletes in Action. The Kansas women will have a rematch with Kansas State tomorrow at 1p.m. in Allen Field House.
Photo by Geoff Krieger/ KANSAN
By Kevin C. Wilson Kansan sportswriter
Bad blood permeates the Kansas and Kansas State rivalry. At 1 p.m. tomorrow, revenge takes center stage in Lawrence.
The Kansas women's basketball team will be looking to avenge its 53-47 loss to the Wildcats, which occurred on Jan. 7 in Manhattan.
"We really don't like K-State," guard Suzi Raymant said. "It's a big rivalry for us. We don't just want to beat them. We want to blow them out."
Raymant said fatigue played a major part in the Jayhawks' loss in January.
"We were really tired, and no one was up for the game," Raymant said. "We were flat and it really showed."
Coach Marian Washington said it was a poor game for her team.
"We were not aggressive, and we didn't shoot the ball very well." Washington said. "It really did help us though in a lot
of ways. It was a wake-up call."
The defeat served as a springboard, as the Jayhawks have won six of their last eight games, with their only losses coming to top 10 teams.
The Jayhawks will be looking to stay undefeated at home this season, and Washington said a large crowd is expected for tomorrow's game.
Kansas, 14-5 overall and 6-3 in the Big 12 Conference, is coming off a 65-45 victory Wednesday night against Colorado.
The Wildcats are led by guard Brit Jacobson who averages 13.2 points per game and center Angie Finkes who chips in 11.7 points.
"Any time you can get nice crowd out I think you always have an advantage," Washington said. "When you're at home you know the court, and you know your surroundings."
Kansas State, 9-10 overall and 3-6 in Big 12 play, is coming off a 69-67 loss to Oklahoma on Wednesday night and is still searching for its first conference road win.
The Starting Lineup
KANSAS
JAYHAWKS
6-3 Big 12, 14-5 overall
G JENNIFER JACKSON 5-10 FR.
G JENNIFER JACKSON 5-10 FR.
G SUZI JAYMANT 5-11 JR
F LYNN PRIDE 6-2 So.
F JACLYN JOHNSON 6-1 FR
C NAKIA SANFORD 6-3 JR.
Kansas State
WILDCATS
3-6 Big 12, 9-10 overall
BRYD JOBSON 5-7 Sr.
G KIM WOODLE 5-8 F
F BRANDY HARRIS 5-11 Fr.
JENNY COKSON 5-11 J
LILLIET FINKES 6-1 So.
Allen Field House • Lawrence
TV: Ch. 45
Radio: JKH 90.7 FM