SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, March 8, 1993
7
Kansas defeats No.6 Colorado 81-78
Doug Hesse/KANSAN
Junior center Lisa Tate, left, and sophomore forward Caryn Shinn force Colorado's senior forward Mindy Henry to commit a turnover in the Big Eight Championship semifinal game.
Nebraska next hurdle for'Hawks
By Jay Williams
Kansan sportswriter
SALINA — it took awhile, but the Kansas women's basketball team did what it thought it could do — upset the No. 6 team in the nation.
The Jayhawks beat Colorado 81-78 yesterday in the semifinals of the Big Eight Women's Basketball Tournament. The Jayhawks, 20-8-overall, will play at 7 ontnight in the Bicentennial Center against Nebraska.
"Before the game, I felt we were capable of winning," said sophomore forward Angela Avcock.
It was a game that kept many of the 3,656 in attendance tense, as neither team took a lead larger than 10 points during the game. The contest was tied six times, and the lead changed hands 16 times.
Aycock led Kansas with 20 points and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds in 45 minutes of action.
"Angie had a great performance," Washington said. "She's a tremendous catalyst for us."
"It was an incredible game," said Kansas coach Marian Washington.
Kansas looked to Aycock to spark its offense with dribble drives. She shot 6 of 18 from the field, but reached the free-throw line several times, converting 8 of 11 at the line. In the second half, Washington used the first-tem all-conference selection to bring the ball up the court, looking to drive against Colorado's man-to-man defense.
it was just something that developed during the game," Washington said.
When Aycock sat, the Jayhawks sputtered. The Aycock twisted her ankle and went out of the game with 8-45 remaining in regulation, and the Jayhawks holding a 52-4 advantage. Kansas had turnovers on three consecutive possessions as Colorado took the lead 55-54 with 6:30 remaining.
Aycock had the ankle retaped and returned. There was no doubt in Aycock's mind she would return.
"My legs could get chopped off, and I still play," she said.
In the first overtime, Kansas made all eight of its free throws and led by four with 52.7 seconds remaining.
But the Jayhawks turned the ball over against the Colorado press and held a one-point lead until junior center Lisa Tate made two free throws with 10.2 seconds remaining, giving Kansas a three-point lead.
Colorado had the oval with 2.2 seconds remaining and no timeouts.
Junior forward Janillah Lang popped out on the right wing, took the pass and drilled a three-pointer as time expired, sending the game to a second overtime
Lang had attempted just six three-pointers all season.
"That shot could have happened to anyone," she said. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
Lang lled the Lady Buffs with 25 points and seven rebounds.
Kansas used big offensive rebounds in the second overtime that led to Jayhawk baskets and allowed crucial time to tick away when the Jayhawks edged back into the lead. Sophomore forward Alana Slatter pulled down an offensive rebound, and senior guard Shannon Kite made a 16-footer with 1:23 remaining to give Kansas its final margin of victory.
Kite scored 16 points, 11 in the first half, helping Kansas take a 33-32 lead at halftime. Known as one of the best three-point shooters in the conference, Kite drove to the basket yesterday, which seemed to surprise the Lady Buffs.
"It's something I've been working on in practice," she said of her aggressive play. "It's been a positive thing in
Kansas 81, Colorado 78 (2 OT)
Player fgm/fga fm/fta tp
Aycock 6-8 8-11 20
Shinn 0-1 2-2 2
Tate 0-3 3-4 3
Witherspoon 0-2 2-2 2
Leathers 3-9 4-6 10
Slatter 5-9 0-0 10
Muncy 5-9 1-2 10
Kite 6-7 1-2 16
Sampson 4-8 7-9 17
Holmes 0-2 0-8 0
Totals 24-62 20-37 81
COLORADO (25-3)
Henry 5-10 6-16
Mathem 3-4 6-16
Wirfs 1-4 2-1 8
Park 1-4 0-1 4
Sheetz 2-6 0-0 16
Thomas 4-11 5-7 16
Lang 2-6 0-0 4
Paimer 8-22 8-11 25
King 0-2 0-0 0
King 1-5 1-3 3
Totals 26-70 22-30 78
Halftime Kansas 33, Colorado 32 Regulation
Kansas 62, Colorado 62 First overtime
Kansas 72, Colorado 73 Three-point
goals Kansas 5.10) Kite 3.4, Simpson 3.2
Leathers 0.2, Witnesspoon 0.1, Colorado 4.
Sheet 3.7) Sheet 1.1, Lander 0.1
**Rebounds** Kansas 47 A (McClark 12), L30-
orange 40 (Lang 7) Assists Kansas 12,
Kansas 12 (Methat 18) Total fouls Kansas 20,
Colorado 18 (Methat 38) Total fouls Kansas 20,
Colorado 40 Attendance 3,656
practice for me."
Freshman guard Charise Sampson also came through for the Jayhawks, finishing with 17 points and five rebounds. The Jayhawks will face a No. 21 Nebraska team that defeated No. 23 Oklahoma State 66-64.
Nebraska coach Angela Beck praised the Jayhawks' performance against Colorado.
"Kansas looked like an All-American team," she said. "They played awesome."
The winner of tonight's game will receive an automatic invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
Kansas might have played itself into an at-large bid with yesterday's victory
"I would hope that by beating highly ranked teams, like Colorado and playing a fine schedule, we would get a strong look," Washington said.
Jayhawks sneak past Cowboys
Walters scores career-high 27 in one-point victory
By David Dorsey Kansan sportswriter
STILLWATER, Okla. — The No. 19 Oklahoma State men's basketball team could not get the ball to sophomore center Bryant Reeves during the final five seconds like it wanted to.
Nor could it overcome the hot shooting hand of Rex Walters. The senior guard scored a career-high 27 points on five of seven shooting from three-point range, leading the Jayhawks to a 74-73 victory.
On the Jayhawks' final possession, Kansas junior forward Steve Woodberry missed a 16-foot jump shot. The Cowbies got the rebound, and junior guard Brooks Thompson called a timeout.
With five seconds left, Kansas sophomore center Greg Ostertag guarded the inbounds play, one intended for Reeves. Oklahoma State's Fred Burley grabbed the ball off the inbounds pass, turned around and threw it toward the basket in desperation as the buzzer sounded. The attempt turned into an airball.
Kansas finished the regular season 24-5 overall and 11-3 in the conference. Oklahoma State, 19-7 and 8-6 was picked during the preseason to finish sixth in the conference. It finished second, tied with Nebraska and Iowa State.
"This was a great ballgame," he said. "This just shows the type of kids we have. When you see us as a team denying out on the floor, you know we're playing with enthusiasm. There's no doubt we were motivated."
Kansas coach Roy Williams said that the victory showed his team's determination.
The first half was up and down for both teams. There were eight lead changes and eight ties before Kansas went to the locker room with a 47-43 lead
With 7 minutes left in the game, the Cowboys had regained the lead and were up 65-59 when Walters hit a three-pointer. Less than a minute later, after Reeves scored inside, Walters bit another one, bringing the Jayhawks to within two points.
Rachel G. Thompson / KANSAN
Kansas junior forward Steve Wood-
berry stole the ball and passed to
Kansas 74, Oklahoma State 73
KANSAS (24-5, 11-3)
Player fgm/fga ftm/fta tp
Hancock 2-4 0-4 0
Scott 1-2 2-4 4
Pauley 3-8 2-4 8
Walters 8-12 6-6 27
ORDAN 3-7 2-2 15
Riekey 1-9 0-2 0
Rayford 0-1 0-0 12
Ostertag 1-3 1-2 0
Gurtley 2-2 2-2 7
Woodberry 3-7 2-2 9
Pearson 0-0 0-0 0
Totals 24-51 17-24 74
Oklahoma State (19-7, 8-6)
Bennet 1-2 3-4 5
Brown 1-4 0-0 2
Breen 10-17 8-10 28
Rutherford 2-10 2-12 7
Tromsion 3-9 2-3 8
Burley 9-10 1-2 17
Collins 0-2 2-4 2
Sutton 0-2 0-0 0
Manzer 2-3 0-0 4
Totals 27-57 18-25 73
Senior guard Rex Walters goes up for a two-point shot over Oklahoma State's Terry Collins. Walters scored a career-high 27 as the Jayhawks nudged past the Cowboys for a 74-73 victory in Stillwater, Okla.
Halftime Kansas 47, Oklahoma State 43
Three-point game Kansas 9.14 (Walters 5, Jordan 2:3, Gurley 1:3, Woodberry 1:3)
Fourth-place game Kansas 3.14 (Milner 2:0, Robbenda 33, Pauley 17, Oklahoma State 32 (Reeves 9) Assale Kansas 14 (Woodbury 4, Ryford 3), Oakland 14 (Woodbury 4, Ryford 3), Oklahoma State 20, Oklahoma State 20 Attendance 6.381
senior guard Adonis Jordan, who laid it in and tied the game at 67.
Reeves scored 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting. He made 8 of 10 free throws and finished with nine rebounds. Reeves said that he liked playing against the Jayhawks, and that he hoped to play against them next weekend in the Big Eight Tournament. The teams will be the top two seeds.
"I knocked them in," he said. "They were great passes. The ball was right where I wanted it. This is probably one of the most memorable games for me individually, especially because we won."
"I think that I can catch the ball on them and get in scoring position." Reeves said "The reason I think it works so well against Kausas is that they put so much pressure on our
Walters said he was wide open during the one-minute stretch.
"When we got out on them, it looked like we had momentum," he said. "Then Walters showed the competitive spirit that he has and hit a couple of gigantic threes. From then on it was anybody's ball game."
Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton said that he again was impressed with Kansas. The Jayhawks looked better, he said, than they did earlier this season at Allen Field House.
guards. When they get out and pressure you, the floor is open more, and pressure you.
Kansas senior guard Adonis Jordan, who finished with 10 points, was the only Jayhawk other than Walters to reach double figures. Jordan said that the biggest game of the season would be next week against Colorado.
"Right now, we've got to be on the way up," Jordan said. "It's tournament time. Each game has got to be our best game."
The No. 1 Jayhawks play the No. 8 Buffaloes at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Big Eight Tournament.
The winner will advance Saturday to play the winner of the game between No. 4 Nebraska and No. 5 Kansas State.
On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 Oklahoma State will play No. 7 Missouri before No. 3 Iowa State takes on No. 6 Oklahoma. Oklahoma State was seeded higher than Iowa State and Nebraska because it had swept Nebraska and had gone 1-1 with the Cyclones.
Women swimmers claim Big 8 crown
Kansan sportswriter
By Matt Doyle
OKLAHOMA CITY—Kansas sophomore diver Amy Graham did not expect that the pressure of a second consecutive women's Big Eight Conference Swimming and Diving Championship would be resting on her 11th and final dive in three-meter event Saturday night at the Oklahoma City Community College Aquatic Center.
"I knew I had to hit that last dive, which is a pretty good dive for me, for us to keep our lead," she said.
Graham, who stood in fourth place entering the final round of dives, came through with a score of 57.40 on her final dive to earn a second-place finish. Her performance allowed Kansas to maintain its lead against Nebraska and eventually defend its conference championship, winning by a margin of 685-679.5 against the Huskers. Iowa State finished third at 313.5, and Missouri was fourth at 201.
"Amy Graham did the thing that allows good teams to become champions," said Kansas coach
"We won it, and we're proud of them. But we were off this weekend as a team," Kempf said. "The mark of the champion, though, is to win even when things aren't always going in your favor."
Gary Kempf.
Nebraska kept chipping away at the Kansas lead throughout Saturday night but never was able to catch the 'Hawks.
Nebraska won the 400-freestyle relay. Despite the Jayhawks' second-place finish in that relay, they clinched the championship. However, the road to the championship was not as easy as the Jayhawks thought it might have been.
When Kansas needed a victory, freshman Jennifer Davis produced one in the 200 breaststroke with a meet record of 2:17.71.
Graham's second place finish put the Jayhawks up 10.5 points entering the final event, the 400-yard relay. The point differential in the relay between a first- and fourthplace finish is 10 points, meaning all Kansas has to do was finish the four-time relay and not get disqualified.
'Husker men sink Kansas swimmers
Bv Matt Dovle
Kansan sportswrite
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kansas swimming coach Gary Kempf jumped for joy after sophomore Marc Bontrager edged out Nebraska's Francis Boshoff in the final leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay. Bontrager finished with a winning time of 2:56.17 Saturday night at the Oklahoma City Community College Aquatic Center.
"We had a tough day today," Kempt
The victory in the relay salvaged a disappointing day and meet for the Jayhawks, who finished second to Nebraska for the seventh consecutive year.
It was only the second time that night Kempf could celebrate a Jayhawk victory. Nebraska's men won their 14th consecutive Big Eight Conference Swimming and Diving Championship with a point total of 726. Kansas finished second with 628 points.
said. "We struggled in the morning and continued to struggle tonight."
Bontrager said the Jayhawks were not able to bounce back after losing in the 800-freestyle relay on Friday night and after a poor preliminary round Saturday morning, when Kansas got 12 swimmers in the finals compared to 15 for Nebraska.
"The past 24 hours really hurt us a lot," Bontrager said after the meet Saturday. "It took a lot of character and heart to come back tonight."
Any hopes for a come-from-behind victory by the Jayhawks were dashed after the first two events in Saturday night's finals. Nebraska won the top three spots in the 1, 500 freestyle.
The 'Huskers added the final nail to the coffin in the 200 backstroke with another one-two-three finish.
"Nebraska met every challenge we issued, but we never gave up." Kempf said. "I am proud of the effort our gays gave."