Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Wednesday January 21, 1998
Typically, the Missouri Tigers lose after defeating Kansas. What's next for Norm Stewart and company?
Tennis preview
SEE PAGE 4B
B
Kylie Hunt will lead an experienced Kansas women's tennis team this season.
SEE PAGE 3B
Big 12 Statistics
Page 1
An update on Big 12 men's basketball standings and statistics.
SEE PAGE 4B
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Earl's LSU recruitment in question
By Tommy Gallagher
Kansas forward Lester Earl defends Missouri guard Albert White. The NCAA alleged yesterday that Earl received cash payments at Louisiana State before transferring to Kansas last January. Photo by Steve Puppe/KANSAN
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas forward Lester Earl received cash payments while at Louisiana State, and he and his family got improper aid from the school's basketball staff, the NCAA alleged yesterday.
Earl will not lose any eligibility at Kansas because of the alleged actions at LSU, said Steve Mallonee, NCAA director of membership services.
"If some recruiting violation has occurred, it only affects that institution that has engaged in those violations," Mallonee said yesterday.
And if the NCAA's enforcement staff or infractions committee finds those alleged violations to be true, Earl could regain the one year of eligibility lost when he transferred from LSU last January.
Kansas basketball officials declined comment yesterday.
William Jenkins, LSU chancellor, said the university
would comply with the NCAA's investigation into any possible wrongdoings.
"We are taking these allegations very seriously and will address them with great attention," Jenkins said. "LSU has given its full cooperation to the NCAA and will continue to do
Steve Mallonee
"If some recruiting violation has occurred, it only affects that institution that has engaged in those violations."
so throughout this investigation."
NCAA director of membership services
After receiving a list of 10 possible violations in relation to the recruitment of Earl, Jenkins named a five-person committee to investigate the validity of the allegations. The NCAA has asked LSU to respond to the allegations by April 16.
The NCAA said the alleged violations occurred in 1983-96, before any member of the current LSU staff had joined the program.
Alleged NCAA violations
Earl, a McDonald's All-American from Baton Rouge, La., was a highly recruited prospect back home. He said friends and family pressured him to attend LSU.
Earl received medical attention from a former member of the LSU medical staff prior to his enrollment.
■ Earl received cash payments prior to and following his enrollment.
*Former LSU coaches placed telephone calls to Earl in excess of the number.*
allowed by the NCAA during recruitment. ■ Louis Earl, Lester's brother, received medical attention from the LSU medical staff prior to his enrollment.
Earl allegedly received cash before and after enrollment at LSU, but school officials did not say how much money was involved.
■ Former basketball staff members assisted in finding jobs for members of Earl's family.
■ Earl and his family received free meals at a Baton Rouge, La., restaurant.
One former LSU assistant coach engaged in unethical behavior while recruiting Earl.
One former LSU basketball player provided false information to LSU and the NCAA concerning his knowledge of the NCAA's allegations.
which was the hometown school.
Tulane also made a run for Earl, who said Kansas always was his top choice. Regardless, he stayed home and later said that he had reretted the decision.
As a freshman, EarlI quit the team in late December 1996 after being suspended by Tigers' coach Dale Brown for missing practices. Earl was reinstalled, but he never returned. He was kicked off the team Jan. 4, 1997.
About one week later, Kansas coach Roy Williams said on his radio show that Earl would practice with the Jayhawks in the near future. No confirmation of his transfer came until Jan. 13, 1997, when Earl watched the Iowa State-Kansas game in Allen Field House from behind the Jayhawk bench.
"We'll get him enrolled tomorrow and get him started in classes," Williams said after the game.
Enrolling Earl at Kansas was a simple matter. Brown granting Earl a release from his letter of intent was not.
"Lester Earl has not been released from LSU and he will not be released until he fulfills what we have discussed in our office." Brown said soon after the transfer was announced.
Nearly two weeks later on Jan. 27, 1997, Brown said he would not release Earl from his commitment. Kansas then turned to the Collegiate Commissioners Association, which ruled last August that Earl would be eligible to play after the fall semester.
He played his first game as a Jayhawk
on Dec. 20, 1997, against Texas Christian. He recorded five points and six rebounds in 17 minutes.
Earl has played in 11 games this season, starting the last nine. He averages 9.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and has been crucial because of frontcourt injuries to forwards T.J. Pugh and Raef LaFrentz during the past month.
Cowgirls to challenge home-court winning streak
Women to play OSU tonight at Field House
By Kovin C. Wilson
Kansan sportswriter
Roy's boys are not the only Jayhawk team that is perfect this season at Allen Field House.
The Kansas women's basketball team is 5-0 at home this season. It has lost at home only once in the last two years. That loss was a disappointing defeat to Vanderbilt in the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament.
"Our fans are great, and they are louder these ours never
indicate." forward Jaclyn Johnson said. "We definitely have a home-court advantage."
The Jayhawks, 11-3 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 play, are in the midst of a three-game winning streak that began on Jan. 10 against then-No. 16 Nebraska. The team followed that victory with a stunning come-from-behind win against Texas and a crucial 74-62 win Saturday against the Missouri Tigers in Columbia.
Oklahoma State, 11-4 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play, has lost four games in a row to the Jayhawks. The team's last victory was Jan. 22, 1995 in Lawrence. Kansas recently
Kansas will use that home-court privilege tonight when it tangles with Oklahoma State.
"Oklahoma State is a ball club that has a great record in this conference," Washington said. "This is a team with great quickness out front, maybe the quickest point guard we'll face so far this season with (Sara) Jackson."
has dominated the Cowgirls, but Coach Marian Washington said Oklahoma State would present the Jayhawks with a difficult game.
Jackson is third on the team in steals with 17, and she has 51 assists. She is second to Renee Roberts, who has 54 assists and leads the Cowgirls in rebounding with 6.8 each game.
Kansas guard Lynn Pride reaches for a loose ball against Arkansas State in Allen Field House. The women's basketball team will try to defend its home-court win-ning streak against Oklahoma State tonight. Photo by Geoff Krieger/KANSAN
"Renee will do most of their scoring for them," Washington said. "And they have a 5-foot-7-inch player (Devon Magness) that makes it real challenging with their high-light situation."
Oklahoma State holds a balanced scoring attack with four players averaging in double figures. Jennifer Crow leads the team with 12.0 points per game. Roberts' 11.9 points, Cheri Edwards' 11.0 points and Magness' 10.3 points per game round out the Cowgirls leading scorers.
Washington said that the team strategy would be to disrupt Oklahoma State's high-low offense for the full 40 minutes and to make them think about what defense the Jayhawks are running.
Kansas is led by forward Lynn Pride and guard Suzi Raymant, who pace the club with 16.4 and 15.1 points per game respectively. The duo scores 45 percent of all of the team's points, and they rank second and third in rebounding for Kansas behind forward/center Nakia Sanford.
Although Washington said she depended on Pride and Raymant to have big games, she said the play of her freshmen had been a pleasant surprise.
The Starting Lineup
"Jennifer Jackson has done a great job of
KANSAS
JAYHAWKS
3-2 Big 12, 11-3 overall
OKLAHOMA
STATE
COWBOYS
4-1 Big 12, 11-4 overall
**Alien Field House · Lawrence**
TV: Ch. 3, 13 and 29
Radio: KLWN, 1320 AM
Washington said that her young players had a lot of confidence in themselves, and that they knew what it took to win.
quarterbacking this team," Washington said. "And then you have Jaclyn coming off of some really spectacular games where she has ignited us with her performances."
"Overall, I think that this team realizes that if we come out and we work hard, we're able to be in the ball games," Washington said. "That's the bottom line for us. We must work hard in every ball game."
Changes keeping Kansas off-key
One day, you're on top of the world.
And the next day?
One day, you're on top of the world.
Everything you could want — big wins,
a famous alumnus, huge celebrations, high
rankings, star players — it all seems to be
resting firmly in the palm of your hand.
And the next day?
Well, in the blink of an eye that big ol' world is resting square on top of your shoulders — just waiting for you to break.
Thirty-six hours ago, the Kansas men's basketball team had its feet nestled comfortably on top of its world. The Jayhawks were coming off a 69-62 victory against instate rival Kansas State, they were undefeated in Big 12 Conference play, and everyone within a 100-mile radius of Lawrence still was basking in the afterglow of Wilt Chamberlain's triumphant return to Allen Field House, better known as Kansas Lovefest '98.
The news about Raef LaFrentz's possible early return from injury was like icing on an already seriously sublime cake.
How quickly things change.
Needless to say, life was good.
Déja vu. Again.
First, Kansas stumbles on the road, losing round one of the 1998 border war to Missouri 74-73. The loss, the Jayhawks'
How Missouri does it remains a mystery. For one game in each of the last three seasons, a mediocre Tiger team has somehow found a way to topple Kansas. It's hard to explain
first in conference play, was the third consecutive stunning defeat at the Hearnes Center — each one a heartbreaker.
Harley
Rattliff
sports@kansan.com
Mull this over:
- Maryland, who beat the Jayhawks 86-
83 on Dec. 7, lost to the Tigers 83-79 on Dec.
30.
Kansas State, whom the Jayhawks had beaten two days earlier, pounded the Tigers 111-62 on Jan. 3.
You can't
I tend to think it's something else all together. Maybe the heavens were misaligned. Maybe it's because the recently crowned "Unhappy Student Body in the Nation" needs something to cheer about.
Don't try to figure it out
"They play like a top 10 team when they play us," said Kansas guard Ryan Robertson. "I don't know why it's like that, but you have to give them credit."
Well put, Ryan.
Today, every local media outlet will be running stories about the NCAA's investigation into recruiting improprieties at Louisiana State concerning Jayhawk forward Lester Earl.
And then, just when Missouri hits you with the sucker punch, here comes the NCAA to kick you when you're down.
Who knows? Maybe it's karma. We've got Ryan Robertson. The Tigers are stuck with Brian Grawer.
The NCAA has given the school until April 16 to respond to a slew of allegations ranging from unethical recruiting behavior to cash payments for Earl.
However, it appears as if Earl's eligibility will remain intact.
Steve Mallonee, NCAA director of membership services, said that NCAA regulations would affect only the school under investigation—LSU.
But when you're dealing with the NCAA, never count your chickens before they hatch. Until further information comes from the LSU investigation, it may be too early to start making predictions.
Ideally, the Jayhawks can rebound from the Missouri loss, and Earl will remain a permanent fixture in the Kansas front-court. And it's not as if good times are too far away. A win this Saturday against Texas Tech would break the school record for most consecutive home wins, with 56.
But if you're having a tough time shaking these winter Jayhawk blues and you're worried it won't get better, remember:
How quickly things change.
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