SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, March 7, 1994
11
Missouri upsets Kansas women
James Wilcox / KANSAN
Jayhawks look toward NCAA tournament
Members of the Kansas women's basketball team hang their faces and cover their faces during the game with Missouri. The Tigers upset the Jayhawks 72-66 in the first round of the Big Eight Tournament.
By Matt Siegel
Kansan sportswriter
SALINA — If basketball were a 20 minute game, the No.12 Kansas women's basketball team still would be playing at the Big Eight Tournament. But a second-half collapse led to a 72-66 loss to Missouri.
"It's always disappointing to have something like this happen because we came here with such great aspirations," Kansas coach Marian Washington said. "Anything can happen when you get to this point. However, this team has been a great team all season, and we have had some really high moments."
The Jayhawks led 43-30 at halftime.
But for a while it looked as if the Jayhawks would defeat the Tigers. The Jayhawks continually fed the ball inside to Lisa Tate in the first half, who responded by shooting 5 of 5.
It was the first time a No. 2 seed had been defeated by the No. 7 seed since the round robin format began in 1982.
The haywag sets 45-50 at half note. Despite the lead, there were problems in the first half that would plague Kansas for the rest of the game. Foul trouble and the inability to stop Missouri sophomore forward Ericka Martin, who scored 18 points in the first half, hurt the jawhaws.
"In the first half we had ten personal half fouls called on us," Washington said. "We have struggled with that situation a lot this season where we find
ourselves stepping back instead of continuing to try and attack."
Kansas built a 17-point lead before the Tigers started their comeback. The Tigers had cut that deficit to four with 14:04 remaining, but the Jayhawks pushed the margin back to 61-50. It looked as though the Jayhawks had survived Missouri's run and would put the game away.
Then the roof caved in.
"It was a rough second half," Washington said. "The ball just wouldn't drop for us."
The Jayhawks went the next nine minutes without a field goal. Missouri capitalized on the Jayhawks' shooting woes. Once the Jayhawks did score, what was an 11-point lead had turned into a one point Missouri lead.
As a team, the Jayhawks shot 18.2 percent from the field in the second half. Martin finished with a game high
28 points. Although Missouri had outscored Kansas 42-23, the Jayhawks still had a chance to beat the Tigers. Down by three with 40.8 seconds, Kansas needed a defensive stop in order to possibly tie on the other end.
Missouri senior guard Amy Fordham dribbed around furiously, looking for someone to pass to. But Kansas had collapsed inside, so Fordham pulled up at the top of the key and drilled a 15-foot jump shot.
"We knew when we came here it was now or never." Missouri coach Joann
Desperation three-point shots by junior forward Angela Aycock, sophomore guard Charisse Sampson and freshmen guard Angela Hallebib were off the mark. After four Missouri free throws and another missed shot by Kansas, the Tigers swarmed the floor in celebration.
Rutherford said. "I thought our players remembered that we were up by 21 in Columbia, and they came back within one, so we knew it could be done. They never quit playing, and that's the key."
Tate, who finished with 11 points, said she thought she should have done more offensively.
"I think I took myself out of the game," Tate said. "I guess I shied away from getting the ball. It's something that I have worked on throughout the season."
The loss put Kansas' record at 21-5 and 11-3 in the conference. Missouri improved to 10-17 and 3-11. Last season, the Jayhawks won the tournament, which guaranteed them a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
This season, the Jayhawks have been ranked in the top 20 all season, finished second in the conference and
MISSOURI(10-17,3-11)
Missouri 72. Kansas 68
Player fgm/fga ftm/ta tp
Smith 4-8 1-5 13
Siemer 2-6 1-2 5
Martin 10-20 8-11 28
Fordham 4-8 4-4 12
Williams 4-11 2-2 12
Wallace 1-3 0-0 2
Turner 0-0 0-0 0
Peterson 0-0 0-0 0
Farlow 0-0 0-0 0
Shaw 0-1 0-0 0
Williams 0-0 0-0 0
TOTAL 25-57 20-26 72
Aycock 3-15 8-9 14
Trapp 3-4 2-2 8
Tate 5-9 1-5 11
Muncy 2-8 0-0 4
Sampson 2-8 3-3 7
Slatter 5-8 0-0 10
Haibleib 3-9 0-0 8
Dixon 2-10 0-0 4
Canada 0-0 0-0 0
Totals 25-71 14-19 66
Halifteh Kansas 43, Missouri 30.3 point goals Missouri 24 (Fordham 10), Williams 2.3) Kansas 2.17 (Sampson 0.4, Aycock 0.2, Slatter 0.1, Halibble 2.8, Dixon 0.2)
Rebounds Missouri 38 (Martin 10) Kansas 40 (Tate 9) Assaleh Missouri 15 (Fordham 8) Kansas 1.4 (Sampon 4) Total fouls Missouri 1.5, Kansas 21
won at least 20 games for the fifth consecutive season.
Although the players said that they were upset with the loss, Aycock put it in perspective.
"It's always difficult when you lose," Aycock said. "This loss hurts, but it's not the end of the world. Now, we are looking forward to playing in the NCAA."
'Hawks shut down Sooners 84-81
Bench scores 26, lifts Kansas past Oklahoma
Kansan sportswriter
Bv Gerrv Fev
NORMAN, Okla. — Sometimes a ciche is the only way to describe a victory like the one Kansas pulled on yesterday.
"If I had to think of one thing to say about this game, it would be that this was a total team effort," Kansas coach Joy Williams said.
The Jayhawks defeated Oklahoma 84-81 and won its last game of the regular season. Senior forward Richard Scott had a team-high 20 points and senior guard Steve Woodberry had 19 points. But to win, Kansas needed all 26 points that the bench players could produce.
; No. 13 Kansas improved its record to 24-6 overall and wrapped up its Big Eight Conference season at 9-5. The Sooners, who also played their last game of the regular season, finished 15-11 overall and 6-8 in the conference.
Oklahoma senior forward Jeff Webster, averaging a conference-high 23 points a game, went to work after that. He scored eight of the Sooners' first 15 points, mostly off of his trademark fade-away shot. Webster ended with a game-high 30 points.
Both teams started the game at a fast pace but produced very few points. The Jayhawks won the tipoff, and Woodberry found senior forward Patrick Richey for an easy layup.
Kansas did not have an answer for Oklahoma junior forward Calvin Curry's shooting range. He had made all three of the Sooners' treys in the first half — but not from normal range. He hit NBA-range three-pointers. Meanwhile Kansas couldn't buy a three-pointer, going zero for 10 in the first half. At aftheturn, the Sooners had a 37-33 lead.
Oklahoma built up a 22-14 lead using its man-to-man press and physical play. At the end of the first half, both teams were shooting poorly from the field. Kansas was shooting 33.3 percent, and Oklahoma was shooting 35.9 percent.
Oklahoma came out for the second half and went on an 8-1 run. Williams had seen enough. He took all five starters out of the game.
"I was ticked off at the first five," Williams said. "I put in five new guys, and they did a tremendous job."
"He had the confidence in us," Rayford said of Williams. "Our second team is good enough to start for most college teams. I think the starters
One of those players inserted was junior guard Calvin Rayford. He ended with only two points, but he also had two assists and two steals in 13 minutes of play.
Kansas 84, Oklahoma 81
KANSAS (24-6, 9-5)
Player fgm/lga ftm/fta tp
Vaughn 1-5 4-4 6
Woodberry 7-17 3-4 19
Richey 2-4 0-4 4
Scott 10-14 0-6 20
Ostertag 4-11 1-2 9
Pollard 4-1 1-2 9
Rayford 1-9 1-2 2
Gurley 1-4 0-0 3
Pearson 1-6 1-4 5
Williams 3-3 1-1 7
Totals 34-74 12-21 84
OKLAHOMA (15-11. 6-8)
Player fgm/fga tfm/fta tp
Minor 4-9 3-4 12
Webster 13-27 4-5 30
Conley 3-8 4-5 10
Lewis 1-2 4-4 6
Curry 5-22 0-0 15
Mayden 0-2 0-0 0
Ontjes 0-2 6-6 6
Barnes 1-1 6-6 2
Yanish 0-0 0-0 0
Totals 27-71 20-24 81
Halftime Oklahoma 37, Kansas 33-point goals Kansas 4-20 (Woodberry 2-9, Gurley 1-3, Pearson 4-1, Vaughn 0-3, Richley 0-1), Oklahoma 7-17 (Curry 5-14, Minor 2) Rebounds Kansas 52 (Vaughn 11), Oklahoma 8-16 (Lovett 10), Oklahoma 18 (Vaughn 7), Oklahoma 12 (Minor 4)
Total foulkes Kansas 19, Oklahoma 19
Attendance 10,250
said, 'Hey, if they can do it, we can do it too.'
Kansas was able to put together a rally with 16:39 left in the game. It was an extended rally as the Jayhawks' outside shooting showed glimpses of revival. Woodberry hit his first three-pointer of the game with 12:14 left, which cut Oklahoma's lead to 54-15. Kansas took its first lead since its opening baskets when Kansas sophomore forward Sean Pearson took Scott's pass and canned a three-pointer that made the score 64-62.
Despite the bench scoring, things continued to bounce the Sooners' way. One of Curry's passes hit Richer in the back. The ball came right back to Curry, who hit a fade-away threepointer from NBA range.
Kansas junior guard Calvin Rayford kept the ball away from Oklahoma senior center Ken Conley in the first half of the Jayhawks' 84-81 victory at Oklahoma. Rayford and the rest of the Kansas bench combined to score 26 points.
Tom Leininger/ KANSAN
Both teams traded scores after that, and it all came down to Vaughn at the free-throw line. His first one rolled delicately around the rim and went in for a two-point lead. The second one was almost a carbon copy and gave the Jayhawks a three-point lead.
Oklahoma had a chance at the end, but Kansas junior center Greg Ostertag partially blocked sophomore guard Ryan Minor's three-point
Williams said that guard Jacque Vaughn and forward B.J. Williams were playing above their freshman status. Vaughn ended with six points and Williams had seven points, including a crucial baseline jump shot that gave Kansas an 82-79 lead.
"B.J. steps up as a freshman and hits that shot," Roy Williams said. "And Jacque hits those two key free-throws. At this point in the season, you're no longer a freshman."
Oklahoma coach Billy Tubbs said Kansas' defense caused problems throughout the game, not just at the game's end. Curry took two three-point shots in the final minutes with Woodberry in his face each time.
shot.
"On the offensive end, we failed to execute, and you have to give Kansas a lot of credit," Tubbs said. "I thought our shot selection was fine. I think if some of those threes had dropped, we would be giving a lot of high-fives right now."
Williams said that the Sooners were tough
"I think they are just as good or better than the 64 teams that will go to the tournament." Williams said.
Kansas now looks toward the third portion of the season, the postseason. This game, like the ones before, may have been a confidence builder for Vaughn.
SPORTS EDITOR
"Confidence-wise, I don't think I'm a freshman," he said. "They say at this point you're not a freshman anymore, you're more like a sophomore. I hope that's what I am."
Tom Leininger / KANSAN
Kansas senior forward Richard Scott went up for a shot, while Oklahoma junior forward Calvin Curv looked on. Scott led the Javahawks with 20 points.
Injuries won't keep freshman forward down
Nick Proud hobbled to the center of the Allen Field House court, bounced the ball several times and then launched it with both hands from 45 feet.
He missed
The ball hit the back of the rim, ricocheted off the backboard and landed on the court. Kyle Hogan, one of the Kansas men's basketball team's managers, got the rebound and passed it back to Proud, who tried the shot again.
Proud, a 6-foot-10 freshman forward from Sydney, Australia, has struggled with injuries and illness this season. While others in his situation might have become depressed, Proud has kept an upbeat attitude.
"I think it's good to get out and relax a bit," Proud said of goofing around with Hogan. "Even when I was playing I would do that just to relax. Throwing the ball up from half-court is just fun-to-do."
Nick Proud
Proud has missed the last 12 games with a knee injury. His last points came Jan. 10 against Oklahoma, a game in which he played two minutes and scored two points. Translate those numbers to 40 minutes, and you get 40 points.
When he scores, he scores in a hurry. He has never been in a game for more than 12 minutes, yet his top two scoring games are 12 and 11 points. Against California Nov. 19, in his second college game, he scored his career high 12 points in just five minutes of action.
Things were going well for the freshman until several weeks ago, when Proud came down wrong on his right knee in practice.
His senior season, he averaged 26 points, 17 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in two games. He had to sit out the rest of the season because of a right knee injury.
He arrived at Kansas last fall with a rehabilitated knee and a case of mononucleosis. He missed much of preseason conditioning but impressed the Kansas fans with the 12 points in his second college game.
"I like to think of myself as a scorer," Proud said. "I can shoot the ball well from anywhere."
"I was in practice a few weeks ago, and my right knee locked up at a 90 degree angle," Proud said. "It hurt a bit, and I kept playing on it for the rest of the practice."
Last season, center Eric Pauley often attempted, and made, 19-foot jump shots. Proud said that the 18-to-19-foot jump shot was his favorite. But he also isn't afraid to shoot three-pointers.
"I'm glad I didn't redshirt," Proud said. "I just didn't want to. I might have lost half a season, but I wanted to plav."
The following morning, it had locked up again. Although his condition is improving, Proud likely won't play the rest of this season. And because he has played in too many games, he cannot qualify for a medical redshirt. But the freshman has no regrets.
"Maybe not like Rex Walters," Proud said, referring to the former Kansas guard. "But when I'm open, I'll take the shot. In high school, I shot some from the three-point line. But I like to take it to the hole, too."
The desire to play college basketball in the United States brought Proud from his home in Sydney to Sandy, Utah, where he played at Alta High School for two seasons. His junior season, he averaged 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots per game.
"I felt that I had gone as far as I could in Australia," Proud said. "I had gotten to the highest level, and I wanted to play college basketball in America."
So far, Proud has enjoyed being at Kansas. He said that with the exception of being landlocked, it wasn't too different from Australia.
"I've always lived by the beach, and I like to hang out there." Proud said. "In Utah, it was a change not having water all around me. With the mountains, I felt claustrophobic."
17
Looking back, this season may have been as tough for Proud as making that 45-footer. But next season, he'll be back in action. And he'll be playing at least 25 feet closer to the basket.