THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports Poll
With the 100 year anniversary of Kansas basketball just around the corner, the Kansan is curious about what
Sports
Tuesday January 27,1998
fans think.
Section:
Compile your list of the Top 5 players, teams and games in Jayhawk
College Baseball
Believe it or not, baseball season is almost here. Find out how the Jayhawks are preparing.
SEE PAGE 4B
B
history and e-mail us with the results at sports@kansan.com
Women's basketball
Page 1
The Jayhawks will be in action against Texas A&M at 7 tonight in Allen Field House.
SEE PAGE 3B
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MEN'S AP TOP 25
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' men's basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through yesterday, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
rank team rec pts pvs
1. Duke (4) 18-1 1,724 1
2. N. Carolina (18) 20-1 1,686 2
3. Utah (2) 17-0 1,527 4
4. Stanford (2) 18-0 1,511 5
5. Kansas (1) 22-3 1,474 3
6. Arizona 17-3 1,450 6
7. Kentucky 18-2 1,389 7
8. UCLA 15-3 1,169 9
9. Connecticut 17-3 1,128 8
10. Purdue 17-4 1,084 12
11. Princeton 13-1 1,050 11
12. Mississippi 14-2 965 13
13. South Carolina 13-3 832 14
14. New Mexico 14-3 772 17
15. Arkansas 16-3 739 18
16. Iowa 15-4 637 10
17. West Virginia 17-3 528 23
18. Cincinnati 15-5 502 21
19. Michigan 15-5 483 16
20. Syracuse 15-4 341 15
21. Rhode Island 13-4 284 22
22. Michigan State 13-4 266 NR
23. Maryland 12-6 250 NR
24. Xavier 12-5 173 19
25. Indiana 14-5 153 NR
USA TODAY/ESPN POLL
The top 25 teams in the USA Today/ESPN men's basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through yesterday, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
rank team rec pts pvs
1. Duke (19) 18-1 763 1
2. N. Carolina (6) 20-1 722 2
3. Utah (3) 17-0 675 4
4. Kansas **22-3** **647** 3
5. Stanford 18-0 640 6
6. Arizona 17-3 617 5
7. Kentucky 18-2 578 7
8. Connecticut 17-3 512 8
9. UCLA 15-3 492 10
10. Purdue 17-4 466 9
11. Princeton 17-1 463 11
12. Mississippi 14-2 401 14
13. New Mexico 14-3 384 13
14. South Carolina 13-3 327 17
15. Arkansas 16-3 292 19
16. Iowa 15-4 270 12
17. Michigan 15-5 241 16
18. Syracuse 15-4 225 15
19. West Virginia 17-3 207 21
20. Cincinnati 15-3 159 25
21. Rhode Island 13-4 117 22
22. Xavier 12-5 92 18
23. Florida State 14-6 79 20
24. Maryland 12-6 71 NR
25. Michigan State 13-4 69 NR
WOMEN'S AP TOP 25
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' women's basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through yesterday, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
rank team rec pta pvs
1. Tennessee (39) 21-0 975 1
2. Connecticut 19-1 933 3
3. Old Dominion 16-1 900 2
4. Louisiana Tech 15-3 832 4
5. Texas Tech 13-3 832 5
6. North Carolina 15-4 679 11
7. Vanderbilt 14-3 679 9
8. Illinois 14-5 656 6
9. Stanford 10-5 633 13
10. Arizona 12-4 621 7
11. Utah 12-4 653 14
12. N. Carolina St. 16-3 525 8
13. Duke 14-5 452 24
14. Florida 14-5 442 10
15. W. Kentucky 16-5 386 16
16. Virginia 13-4 384 11
17. Georgia 13-5 340 18
18. Washington 12-4 273 15
19. Fla. Intern. 16-1 248 22
20. Wisconsin 16-5 245 17
21. Clemson 15-4 191 19
22. Stephen Austin 15-2 161 25
23. Hawaii 16-1 137 NR
24. Iowa State 16-3 100 NR
25. SW Missouri St. 13-3 98 20
Former Kansas players Jacque Vaughn and Greg Oostergt share a laugh during pre-game practice. The Jazz defeated the Bulls 101-19 4Sunday in Chicago. Photo by Steve Puppen/KANSAN
Utah Jazz guards John Stockton and Jacque Vaughn watch the game from the bench. Although Vaughn was a starter at the University of Kansas, he now spends most of his time on the bench. Photo by Steve Puppe/KANSAN
All that Jazz
Vaughn, Ostertag vie for stardom in NBA
By John Wilson
By John Wilson Kansan sportswriter
his man and glides down the lane.
Arguably the greatest basketball
CHICAGO — Michael Jordan jukes his man and glides down the lane.
Arguably the greatest player who has ever lived, Jordan launches toward the rim and embarrasses Kansas alumnus and Utah Jazz center Greg Ostertag with a jack-hammer thunder dunk that riccots off Ostertag's crew cut into the first row after exploding through the hoop.
"You'll see that one on Sportscenter," a loud fan bellows from the stands. As Ostertag shakes his head in disgust, fellow Jayhawk and Jazz teammate Jacque Vaughn waits out
all season long for Ostertag and Vaughn as role-players in the NBA.
Air Jordan danced for 32 points during the game while a sea of photo flashes from the stands captured his every vvetch. Bulls forward Dennis
"This is a test of our abilities to succeed at the highest level."
his rookie season at the end of the bench behind John Stockton, arguably the greatest passer in the history of the game, and Howard Isley.
This was life at the United Center Sunday for Ostertag and Vaughn, as the Jazz beat the World Champion Chicago Bulls 101-94. This has been life
Jacque Vaughn
Utah guard
Rodman caused a stir after he missed a game earlier in the week while recuperating from the flu. The flu was not a problem, but it was a problem that he was spotted gambling later that night.
Rodman apologized and said that at least he had had a better week than President Clinton.
"I wish I could have sex with all those girls and get away with it," Rodman said.
The Bulls cheerleaders resembled the cast of Baywatch. A Gilbert Brown-sized blimp called Benny the Bull floated around the upper reaches of the arena like a rabid floating elephant. All of this was in the name of entertainment.
See VAUGHN on page 6B
LaFrentz earns player of the week
Missed games don't hurt playing style or plans for April's NBA draft
By Tommy Gallagher
tgallagher@kansan.com
Kansas turfsurfer
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas forward Raef LaFrentz was named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week yesterday, not bad considering that he played just one game last week.
Although he missed nine games because of a stress fracture in his right hand, LaFrentz said he still considered himself a candidate for NCAA Player of the Year and All-America honors.
LaFrentz made an impressive return against Texas Tech on Saturday. He had 31 points, 15 rebounds and three steals in just 24 minutes of Kansas' 88-49 rout.
"I don't think (missing games) hurt me that much because I'll play as hard as did before," LaFrentz said. "I think the player of the year should go to the best player. And whoever that is, they should be deserving of it if they play 20 games, 30 games or 40 games. The person should show that they deserve the award in the games he played."
LaFrentz was averaging 21.2 points and
14.2 rebounds when he broke his hand Dec.
28 during practice in Honolulu, where the team was preparing for the Rainbow Classic. He had been expected to miss six to eight weeks because of the injury, but a bone stimulator helped him recover quicker.
Small electrical currents were sent through LaFrentz's hand using the bone stimulator, speeding the regrowth of the broken bone. LaFrentz said team physicians thought the bone was as strong, if not stronger, than what it was before the injury.
"That's probably the reason I came back so early, and I didn't sit out out six weeks like they had originally thought," LaFrentz said. "It's got a beeping light on it, and I would just study the pattern of the beeping light for hours. Does that sound like fun?"
The treatment might not have been all that stimulating to undergo, but LaFrentz said he had more fun on the court Saturday than he had in a long time.
Although LaFrentz bypassed the NBA last spring, many scouts, coaches and analysts still think LaFrentz will be a high lottery pick in April's NBA Draft.
Texas Tech coach James Dickey said the recent injury would not hamper LaFrentz's value to NBA franchises.
"Rae will be the first player taken in the draft," Dickey said. "He made great plays and great shots. That is tough to do when you have been out for nine games, to come back like that."
LaFentz Has had an up-and-down season because of an injury.
RAEF'S STATS
Career Statistics
Career Statistics
Games played: 117
Games Started: 117
Shooting percentage:
55.00
Assists: 74
Steals: 88
Blocks: 120
Rebounds:1,020
Points per game: 15.5
Rebounds per game:
8.8
By Erin Thompson
Healthy team, strong defense assist in Texas Tech victory
Kansan sportswriter
After defeating Texas Tech 88-49 Saturday in Allen Field House, Kansas showed the rest of the Big 12 Conference what it is capable of with a healthy team.
The Jayhawks showed defensive dominance against the Red Raiders and continued to separate themselves from the rest of the conference.
"There is Kansas, and then there is the rest." Texas Tech coach James Dickey said. "They have been unlucky with a rash of injuries over the last two years, with Pollard and Vaughn last year and then Pugh and LaFrentz this year.
"But when it comes time for the Big 12 tournament, every win goes through Kansas."
Two years ago, the school celebrated when Jacque Vaughn announced his plans to return to Kansas for his senior year. That season, Vaughn missed 10 games with a broken wrist. Senior Scot Pollard missed eight games with a foot injury. The team lost only one of 18 games that it played with an injured senior starter.
Fast forward to the 1997-38 season: The school celebrates when Raef LaFrentz announces his plans to return for his senior year. But he misses nine games with an injured wrist. Lester Earl is not eligible for the first 13 games of the season. T.J. Pugh also misses nine games with an injury.
Saturday LaFrentz returned, and the Jayhawks finally had all of their players eligible. With a full roster, Kansas showed its capabilities.
See JAYHAWKS on page 2B