SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, March 18, 1994
11
Jayhawks step all over Moccasins, 102-73
Wake Forest is next opponent for men's team
Amv Solt / KANSAN
By Gerry Fey
Kansan sportswriter
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Just because it was St. Patrick's Day doesn't mean that everybody was lucky in the NGAA Tournament.
Tennessee-Chattanooga coach Mack McCarthy found that out as Kansas rolled over the Moccasins 102-73 westerday in Lexington, Ky.
Things were going bad for McCarthy even before yesterday's tipoff. Senior guard Chad Copeland and junior forward Brandon Born, both starters, were late for practice Sunday morning, so McCarthy benched them to start the game. Born and Copeland combine for a 38.4 points a game average.
Although the two started on the bench, they both entered the game with 16 minutes left in the first half. By that time, Kansas had jumped out to a nine-point lead, thanks in part to two three-pointers by sophomore forward Sean Pearson.
"Slow starts are possible against good teams," McCarthy said. "We have started different combinations all year. It might have hurt us against Kansas. But we are going to do things the way they are supposed to be done."
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he agreed with McCarthy's decision to bench the two starters.
"A lot of people would have ignored that because it is the NCAA Tournament, but I think that says a lot for Mack and the way he is trying to run his program," he said.
The game did not improve McCarthy's luck either.
Kansas improved its record to 26-7 overall and 2-1 postseason play, but for the Moccasins, this is the end of the road.
Kansas freshman center Scot Pollard looks toward the basket against Tennessee-Chattanooga. Pollard scored 17 points and had six rebounds in yesterday's victory against the Moccasins.
"It's very disappointing to go out this wily," Copeland said. "We didn't play well. They got a lot of rebounds and made a lot of shots."
Kansas will play Wake Forest at 1:40 p.m. tomorrow in Rupp Arena. The Demon Deacons defeated Charleston College (S.C.) 68-58 in yesterday's early game.
The Jayhawks didn't do as much damage early against the Moccasins as they could have, Williams said. However, Kansas senior forward Richard Scott did do damage in the middle. He had a career and game high of 26 points.
Kansas 102 Tenn.-Chatt.73
"It's always our first option to look inside," Kansas junior guard Greg Gurley said. "If we are getting those baskets and establishing the inside, it opens up the outside shooting."
UT-CHATTANOOGA(15-8,4-4)
Kansas junior center Greg Ostertag, who ended the game with seven points and seven rebounds, picked up his third foul after only seven minutes
Player fgm/fga ttm/ta tp
Henderson 1-4 1-4 3
Hanson 4-10 6-7 16
Woods 0-2 0-0 0
Robb 4-11 4-8 12
Oliver 0-3 0-0 0
Born 5-3 7-7 21
Smith 2-7 3-4 7
Copeland 1-13 2-2 5
Whitlock 0-1 2-2 2
Moore 2-3 2-2 7
Neal 0-0 0-0 0
Totals 19-63 27-36 73
KANSAS (20-3, 7-1)
Player fgm/fga ftm/ta tp
Pearson 4-10 0-11 11
Scott 11.15 4-7 26
Ostertag 3-7 1-2 7
Vaughn 2-3 3-4 7
Woodberry 4-9 0-0 11
Richey 0-1 0-0 0
Gurley 3-7 1-2 10
Pollard 7-12 3-3 17
Williams 6-8 1-6 13
Rayford 0-4 0-0 13
Whatley 0-2 0-0 0
Weichbrot 0-1 0-0 0
Totals 40-79 13-24 102
Halftime Kansas 47 Tennessee-Chattanoga 20 3-point goals Tenn. Chatt-8 22 (Hanson 26, Robb 0, Born 45, Copeland 18, Moore 1.2) Kansas 92 (Pearson 3.6, Vaughn 0, Woodbury 3.6, Richey 0, Gurley 3.7, Rayford 0, Whale 1.2) Robbens Tenn. Chatt. 41 (Smith 17) Kansas 53 (Williams 9) *AselaTite* Tenn. Chatt. 11 (Robb 6) Kansas 33 (Vaughn 11) Total fouls Tenn. Chatt. 18 23
of play. Williams said that the center's foul trouble helped focus the team.
"I was focused," Williams said. "The staff was focused, and, fortunately, the team was too."
Despite being without its 7-foot-2 shot blocker, Kansas increased its lead to 25-10 with the help of freshman center Scot Pollard. Pollard and Scott combined to be a force that Tennessee-Chattanooga could not shut down.
The Moccasins cut the lead to 32-22 as Born scored seven of Tennessee-Chattanooga's next 12 points. The Jayhawks went on a run of their own and led at halftime 47-26. Kansas freshman guard Jacque Vaughn hit an 18-footer at the buzzer.
Things didn't change much in the second half. In fact, things got worse for the Moccasins.
Kansas continued to build on its lead until it reached 26 points. Pearson capped off the Jayhawks' scoring just as he had started it, by hitting a three-pointer. The Moccasins did not score after that.
In the last 10 minutes, Gurley hit two three-pointers, as well. He made three of seven shots from three-point range. The game had essentially ended before he hit his first trey, but Gurley said that it didn't matter when he made the baskets.
"I think it helps me a lot," Gurley said. "It helps me get used to the goals and get a feel for my shot."
Gurley said that he had heard only good things about Kansas' next opponent, Wake Forest. Wake Forest beat Charleston by 10 points, but Charleston was ahead with five minutes remaining. Thanks to scoring
from junior guard Randolph Childress, who scored eight of his 14 points in the second half, Wake Forest advanced to the second round.
"That was our best win of the year."
Wake Forest coach Dave Odom said.
"Because it was in the first round of the NCAA? Yes. Because we were down 16-4 and came back to win? Yes. But mostly because we played a very fine basketball team, and when the horn sounded, we were on top."
Underclassmen come through for men's team
By Gerry Fey Kansan sportswriter
LEXINGTON, Ky — Kansas coach Roy Williams has said that the way to have depth was to create it
His theory was put to the test yesterday during Kansas' 102-73 victory over Tennessee-Chattanooga
Kansas junior center Greg Ostertag,
a starter who has had double-figure points and rebounds in nine games this season, picked up his third foul with 13:16 remaining in the first half.
Williams had to put freshman center Scot Pollard in the game. This was nothing new for Pollard, who has averaged 16.8 minutes a game this season.
"After Greg got those fouls, we seemed to become more focussed," Williams said "Scot and B.J. did a tremendous job."
Pollard ended with 17 points and six rebounds, and freshman forward B.J. Williams scored 13 points and had nine rebounds.
"Scot and B.J. really stepped up," Ostertag said. "They played like two sophomores. Scot did a great job coming in for me since I was over there with a couple of Cokes."
When Pollard entered the game, he made an immediate impact. He kept the ball alive on an offensive rebound that ended up in sophomore guard Calvin Rayford's hands. The ball got back to Pollard, who drained a turnaround one-handed hook shot. He made a similar shot on the other side of the basket that gave Kansas a 25-10 lead.
Pollard said that he wasn't nervous on the court but that off the court was a different story.
"Before the game I did have butterflies," he said. "I thought, 'It's finally here.' I'm finally here. This is what I've worked for since high school.' But when I was on the court I just thought about basketball."
The other Jayhawk freshman, guard Jacque Vaughn, had seven points and a career-high 11 assists.
"That's the best part of being a point guard," Vaughn said. "Watching the other players complete the play after you pass it is great."
Vaughn said before last weekend's Big Eight Tournament that he was a little nervous at the beginning of the Kansas State game. It was different yesterday.
"I felt great today," he said. "I was enthused and excited."
Vaughn said the Jayhawks' excitement translated into Kansas' best performance this season.
"And this is the best time to play well," he said. "It's coming from our freshman, and it goes all the way down to our senior leadership."
Women ready to face top seed
Second round is new ground for Jayhawks
By Matt Siegel
Kansan sportswriter
For the first time in school history, the No. 15 Kansas women's basketball team has advanced beyond the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks defeated Stephen F. Austin 72-63 Wednesday night in Nacogdoches, Texas.
The 9th-seeded Jayhaws traveled to State College, Penn., yesterday to prepare for their matchup with the top-seeded Nittany Lions. The Jayhawks play at 1 p.m. tomorrow in the second round of the Midwest region of the NCAA Tournament.
The celebration that followed the victory, however, was short-lived. Immediately after the game, the team talked about one thing.
Penn State.
"We know we are facing a major challenge," said Kansas coach Marian Washington. "They are a great team. We are just going to play with a lot of pride. We don't have a thing to lose."
For 35 minutes against Stephen F. Austin, the Jayhawks looked as if they weren't going to lose. But the Lumberjacks, once 18 points down, rallied and managed to tie the score at 55. It looked like a replay of the first
round of the Big Eight Conference Tournament, when Kansas bolted to a big leag against Missouri but then fell anap.
The Jayhawks rattled off seven consecutive points and never trailed again, much to the delight of the small contingent of Jayhawk fans that made the trip.
Not this time.
Before leaving the Fredonia Hotel, the team received a sendoff from the spirit squad and band. That seemed to set the tone for the entire evening. Kansas did not have a large crowd, but the crowd was vocal.
With 1:30 remaining and the boisterous Steven F. Austin fans filing out., the Rock Chalk chant be heard throughout the arena. In the news conference after the game, Washington said that the support helped out the team immensely and that she hoped there would be the same kind of enthusiasm in Pennsylvania.
The Jayhawks enter uncharted territory when they prepare to play Penn State. Kansas has no experience in the second round, and Penn State has enough for both teams. Under Penn State Coach Rene Portland, the Nittany Lions have participated in the NCAA Tournament 11 times and have won eight tournament games.
"I want to thank everyone, particularly our people who drove or flew all the way down here with us," Washington said. "Our administrators, our band, it meant an awful lot."
The Kansas players said that the first round of the tournament was difficult and that they now had some momentum to build on. But will momentum be enough to stop Penn State?
"We are just going to play with a lot of pride. We don't have a thing to lose."
Marian Washington Kansas women's basketball coach
The Nittany Lions are 16-2 and 12-0 at home. Four players average in double figures, and the team is averaging 83.5 points a game. The Nittany Lions pounded Fordham, its first round opponent, 94-41.
"Penn State is one of those teams that they have suggested is a Final Four team," Washington said. "We know we have got our hands full. But I'm real proud of these young ladies."
As the Jayhawks closed in on their victory against the Lumberjacks, Gary Richards, who does the play-by-play for Stephen F. Austin, said, "I think whoever wins tonight is just prolonging the agony."
But the only thing Kansas did Wednesday night was prolong the dream that every team wishes would come true — the dream for at least one more game.
Kansas sophomore guard Charisse Sampson, center, rises above senior guard Roxanne White, left, and sophomore forward LaTosha Lewis during the Wednesday's first round victory. Sampson scored a career high 34 points.
Kansas established its early lead when senior center fielder Darryl Monroe powered his sixth home run of the season. Sophomore second baseman Brian Turney hit his fifth homer of the season in the fourth inning.
Kansas had a 5-1 lead heading into the seventh inning, thanks to the pitching of senior left-hander David Meyer.
Kansas baseball wins 11th straight
By Andrew Gilman Kansan sportswriter
Meyer gave up just two hits and an unearned run in six innings of work. He is 3-1 on the season.
Kansas won its team-record 11th consecutive game while improving its record to 14-4. The Bluejays fell to 6-11.
But Creighton struck back. The Bluejays added two runs in the eighth inning and matched Kansas' three-run eighth inning as well. The tying run was at first base before junior reliever Dan Rude retired the final batter.
The Kansas baseball team survived its final timeup by the Big Eight Conference season yesterday by beating Creighton 9-7 in Omaha, Neb.
The bullpen pitching of freshman Jason Schreiber and Rude was something Kansas coach Dave Bingham said the team needed to improve on.
"I'm a little worried about our bullpen." Bingham said. "We struggled somewhat today. I thought Jason hung in there, and Dan obviously got the job done."
Schreiber came in to start the seventh inning and pitched two innings. Rude started the ninth and recorded the save.
Schreiber gave up five runs on four hits. He struck out two.
In the ninth inning, Rude gave up a one-out walk to second baseman Jon Duntop before allowing a Chad Huebner RBI double. He then walked first baseman Andy Vosik, which brought the winning run to the plate.
Kansas will begin its conference play with a two-game series against Oklahoma tomorrow and Sunday in Norman