SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, March 12.1993
7
'Hawks hope to defend tournament title
Daron J. Bennett/ KANSAN
Colorado sophomore guard Donnie Boyce tries to dribble past Kansas senior guard Rey Walters. Boyce and Walters will face off today when Kansas plays Colorado in the first round of the Big Eight Tournament.
Buffaloes to pose first challenge
By David Dorsey Kansan sportswriter
During the 16-year history of the Big Eight Conference men's basketball tournament, no team has ever defended its title successfully.
"Coach made us well aware of that," said Kansas senior center Eric Pauley.
This season, Kansas is 2-0 at Kemer,
where it won the Golden Harvest
Classic in December.
The dayhawks, already crowned the regular-season conference champions, will try to win a second consecutive tournament title this weekend at Kemper Arena in Kansas City. Mo. The team is ranked seventh in the nation and virtually assured one of the top eight seeds in the NCAA Tournament.
Kansas, 24-5 overall and 11-3 in the conference, is the top seed in the tournament and will play No. 8 Colorado, 10-16 and 2-12, for the third time this season. Kansas won the first two meetings. The game is at 2:20 p.m. today.
Today's game features two guards who received first team all-conference honors, Kansas senior Rex Walters and Colorado sophomore Donnie Boyce.
Walters, the Jayhawks leading scorer with 14.2 points a game, is coming off a career-high 27-point performance Sunday against Oklahoma State.
Boyce is the Buffaloes leading scorer for the second consecutive season. He averages 19 points a game, second in the conference to Oklahoma State.
sophomore center Bryant Reeves.
"Donnie Boyce is one of the top players in the league and one of the young stars in college basketball." Williams said. "He's created some problems for us. But so has Poncho Hodges and so has Tedallen. We're not just concerned about Donnie, but we do have to put a large emphasis on him."
Hodges, a senior center, and Allen, a sophomore forward, are the top two shot blockers in the conference. Hodges has blocked 56 shots this season, and Allen has rejected 51.
Kansas defeated Colorado 82-51 on Jan. 23 in Boulder, Colo., and 72-68 Feb. 27 in Allen Field House. Williams said that playing a team for the third time during a season had its advantages and disadvantages.
surprised if we don't respond."
"It's harder when you're playing somebody for the third time because you know each other so well," Williams said. "But I'd much rather have beaten them the first two times we've played. It's a challenge for us to beat somebody three times, and I'd be
If the Jahawks do respond, they will advance to the semifinal game tomorrow at 1:10 p.m. against the winner of the Nebraska-Kansas State game. The championship game is scheduled for noon Sunday.
Pauley said that the Big Eight Tournament again would be intense and competitive.
"You've got a lot of schools that might not make the NCAA Tournament," he said. "If they win the tournament, they get an automatic berth. A lot of teams are going to be giving it their all to and get that berth, and I think that brings out the best in everyone."
Williams said that his team had improved during the last several games.
"We're feeling better about what we're doing, and we're more enthused," he said. "I do think we're going back on the upswing, and I hope we can keep it going for a long time."
The Kansas men's basketball team begins play today in the 17th annual Big Eight Conference Tournament. Overall, the Jayhawks are 25-12 in conference tournament competition They have won four tournament titles and are the defending champions.
Big Eight Tournament
Kansas 12, Missouri Valley 3
"I thought my motion was pretty good, "Corn said. "That's probably the first time I've thrown nice and easy
Kansas Jayhawks
record: 24-5, 11-3 head coach: Roy Williams
Probable Starters
■ Rex Walters
G Sr. 6-4 14.2 pp
■ Odison Jordan
G Sr. 5-1 11.7 pp
■ Richard Scott
F Jr. 6-7 10.8 pp
■ Darin Hancock
F Jr. 6-7 7.7 pp
■ Eric Pauley
C Er. 6-10 11.9 pp
Colorado Buffaloes
Corn, 1-0, said that he was able to get his curve ball over the plate consistently. He also had a good record in this pitching mechanics earlier in practice paid off yesterday.
Kansas batted 16 times in the inning getting seven hits and scoring eight
Things only got worse for the Vikings.
Kansas continues its home stand this weekend, playing host to Iowa for a three-game series. The Jayhawks play the Hawkeyes at 2 p.m. Saturday, and in a double header Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.
record: 10-16, 2-12
head coach: Joe Harrington
instead of trying too much. I was relaxed today."
Eleven-run inning propels Jayhawks
Freshman Scott Titrington relieved Corn, pitching the sixth and seventh innings. He allowed five hits and two earned runs. Sophomore Mike Greene closed the final two innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.
Kansan sportswriter
| | ab | r | h | rb |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| ss Crise | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| cf Pettt | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| cf Hairwara | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| cf Hairzwara | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1b J. Reyes | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 3b Baper | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| c Bentzier | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| dr Davis | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
dh Notes | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
br Vezel | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| **37** | **3** | **10** | **0** | **2** |
By Brady Prauser
During most of Missouri Valley's baseball game with Kansas yesterday at Hoglund-Maupin Stadium, the Vikings were able to contain the Kansas offense.
But an 11-run Kansas scoring spree in the bottom of the fifth inning did not help the Missouri Valley cause any, as Kansas crushed to a 12-3 victory, its sixth straight.
Probable Starters:
Johnny Terrell
G Sr. 6-1.45 pp
Donnie Boyce
G So. 6-15 1.91 pp
Randy Robinson
F Sr. 6-17 5.25 pp
Ted Allen
F So. 6-10 7.7 pp
Poncho Hodges
C Sr. 6-19 12 pp
Junior right-hander Chris Cornscattered four hits over five innings, giving up one earned run and striking out five for his first victory. Kansas, 6-0 at home, improved its record to 9-3.
The second baseman finished with a single, double and three RBI, raising his batting average average to 431.
hike, improvise.
With the score tied at one in Kansas' half of the fifth inning and two men on base, senior second baseman Jeff Berblinger lined a shot down the left field line.
Bingham also said he was pleased with Kansas' defense and pitching.
"I think Chris Corn did a good job," he said. "He lent us in the game."
DUR MISSUU Valley left fielder Mike Groh slipped on the pitcher's mound outside the left field foul line and went down with what appeared to be an ankle injury while pursuing the ball. All three Jayhawk runners circled the bases, giving Berbinger an inside-the-park home run and Kansas a 4-1 lead.
more runs to build a 12-1 lead by the time the offensive bombardment ended.
"Berbinger just did so much for us today." Bingham said.
Kansas coach Dave Bingham heralded the performance of the inning's catalyst.
Source: Kansas Sports Information
KANSAIS (4-3)
ab r h rbl
2b Bertinghoff 0 1 0
2b Turney 0 0 0
c Monroe 3 1 0
c Firmee 1 0 0
c Niemeyer 3 1 0
r Tarquino 3 1 0
r Benninghoff 4 1 1
r Wachyck Way 4 1 1
r Soleil 4 1 1
ss Rude 1 0 0
d Wilmot 4 2 1
Kansas
Corn
5.0 4 1 R ER BB SO
Tittitng
2.0 5 2 2 0
Greene
2.0 1 0 R ER BB SO
Missouri
IP H R ER BB RO
Hawks
4.1 5 8 3 2
 Reyes
3.2 3 4 2
E Crise, Nacaway D Missoula V, 2 Kansai I
LDB Missoula V, Kansas 5 BB Bentlinger I,
38 Bentninghoff RW, Hrews I (1), Bentlinger I,
4(B) Sturnio II (2), Morroe I, 6(C), Crise I
Men's golf team struggles in early season outings
Andrew Hodges / KANSAN
Bv Matt Dovle
Kansan sportswriter
upon returning from a disappointing sixth-place finish at the University of Central Florida Invitational, Kansas men's golf coach Ross Randall got a bit of advice from Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams.
"He told me to put this one behind us, and get ready for the next one." Randall said.
Randall has an experienced group of returning players, but the men's golf team has struggled at the start of the spring season.
The Jayhawks finished 11th at the University of South Florida Invitational at the end of last month, and finished in a tie for sixth place at the Central Florida tournament earlier this week after leading the tournament with nine holes left to play.
Randall is not one to make excuses, but he said the lack of preparation on the golf course in the last month had hurt his team.
"Golf is based on confidence, and confidence is based on repetition," he said. "We haven't had the repetitions to gain the confidence because of the weather."
"It's just something we have to deal with," he said. "This has been the worst weather we've had since 1987. For six straight years we were lucky with the weather."
However, one team that Kansass saw at both tournaments in Florida had to deal with similar weather conditions in preparation for the tournaments and fared much better than the Jayhawks.
The snow and cold weather that hit Lawrence in the first two months of the year had put the team at least three weeks behind schedule, Randall said.
Kent University, in northeastern Ohio, finished third at the South Florida invitational, and tied Kansas for sixth at the Central Florida invitational. Kent, however, had the advantage of participating in a tournament before the Jayhawks did.
they are a good team that didn't play too well at Orlando until the final round," said Kansas golfer Matt Gogol. "It showed what kind of team they are to come back in that last round and play well."
Kent was in 12th place after two rounds, but shot 294 in the final round to improve to a sixth-place tie with Kansas.
Despite the disappointment from the Central Florida tournament, Randall sees an opportunity to learn from this tournament.
"This tournament won't matter a month from now if we continue to improve as a team and work on our mistakes," he said.
BRIEF
Royals walk to first victory in preseason
The Associated Press
HAINES CITY, Fla. — Kevin McReynolds walked with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, forcing home the winning run as the Kansas City Royals rallied to defeat the Cleveland Indians 6-5 yesterday.
The Royals, who scored only two runs in the previous three games, stroked 10 hits, including three singles by Jose Land
Kansas City won for the first time in exhibition play this spring, snapping a six-game losing streak.
Weather causes softball cancellation
Kansanstaffreport
Kansas, 5-2, opened its season last weekend at the Texas A&M Invitational, where it took the title.
The Kansas softball team's scheduled home opener against Wichita State tomorrow has been canceled because of inclement weather.
The Jayhawks' next scheduled game is on March 21 against Massachusetts in Fullerton, Calif.
Two of top 10 tennis players to meet in Texas tournament
By Blake Spurney
Kansas sportswriter
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas Texas match will feature a battle between two of the top 10 players in the nation. Kansas 'No. 1 singles player, sophomore Rebecca Jensen, No. 8 in the nation, will face No. 3 Susan Gilchrist of Texas.
The No. 19 Kansas women's tennis team will travel to Texas this weekend for a Lone Star shootout against Texas A&M on Saturday and No. 3 Texas on Sunday.
Texas on Sakaua Kansas coach Chuck Merzbacher said that Texas A&M was a middle-of-the-pack Southwest Conference team, but that Texas was phenomenal.
No. 10 Susanne heads a team that is loaded with talent. Three other players are ranked in the top 30, including No. 10 Kelly Pace, No. 17 Jill Craybas and No. 26 Jackie Moe.
In doubles, Gilchrist and partner Vickie Payter are ranked No. 2, followed by Moe and Pace at No. 5.
No. 19 in the polls. Koves, 14-3 in singles, is ranked No. 62.
Merzbacher said it was a good opportunity for the Jayhawks to close in on a NCAA Championship bid should they defeat the Longhorns.
"It's one of those things where there's nothing to lose and everything to gain," he said. "When you play the best, you see what you need to work on."
Kansas' double tbdies for Jensen and sophomore Nora Koves stands at
Merzbacher said that if the Jay-hawks are going to fulfill their goal of making the NCAA's Kansas needs to play well in its next six matches. After Texas, three of the 'Hawks next four opponents are ranked.
Both Texas and Kansas have played Georgia this season, but with different results. The Longhorns defeated Georgia 5-2, and the Jayhawks lost to Georgia 4-5.
Texas & A.M. 5-3, is not devoid of talent either
Its No.1 singles player is No.42 Janine Burton-Durham, and Merzhacher said that the rest of the Agges' team was solid from top to bottom.
Daron J. Bennett/ KANSAN
John Thompson, Lenaxa sophomore, puts a layer of wood finish on one of the KU Crew's eight-man boats. The men's and women's teams were working on their yesterday for a training trip during spring break to Natchitches, La., where they will practice because the Kansas River is four feet above flood stage and too rough for rowing.
Polishing up
Two track athletes qualify for NCAA meet
By Blake Spurmey
Kansan sportswriter
Two Kansas track athletes qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships that will be held today and tomorrow at the Hoosierdome in Indianapolis.
Senior All-American high jumper MaryBeth Labosky jumped 61-1%, and juniormiller Michael Coxan a 4:01.39 mile to qualify. Each will compete against 15 other athletes in their respective events.
Kansas assistant track coach Steve Guymon said that both athletes had a chance to make All-America status and a chance to this weekend.
Labosky particularly has an excellent chance to win, Guymon said, because she has had experience competing at the national level. Last year, Labosky placed sixth at the NCAA Outdoors meet.
She has cleared the nation's fifth-highest mark this season. In winning the high jump at the Big Eight Conference Indoor Championships, she beat the No. 1 jumper in the nation, Kansas State's Gwen Wendland.
Kansas State is a realistic goal." Labosky said. "I just have to go out and be aggressive and try to take one height at a time."
1
Cox said his primary goal was to make it past today's preliminaries. Of the 15 runners, only one has broken the four-minute barrier in the mile this season. Cox has posted the eighth-best time this season.
"I'm not going to rule it out," he said about winning