R R R K I
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, March 3, 1994
11
Win or lose men's team needs support
Hey Kansas "fair weather fans" the forecast reports sunny skies today - it's going to get up into the 60s.
So by all means, sport your shorts — it's going to be a beautiful night to head to Allen Field House for the last men's home game of the season.
For the sake of Coach Williams, the team and the reputation of being known as "some of the best fans in the country," the stands better be packed.
When I opened up the sports page of Monday's Kansan and read Williams' comments about Saturday's less-than-capacity crowd of 15,200 at the Colorado game. I was stunned "Com-
"Our team's spoiled rotten, our coaching staff's spoiled rotten, and our fans are spoiled rotten," Williams said.
Yikes. My initial impression was,
"This can't be right."
Just a second here. Are we talking about the smiling guy who coaches brilliantly? You know, the one who salutes fans and throws T-shirts to the students? The man in the great suits and ties who walks onto the court of Phog's Place at every home game to the roar of fans chanting. "Roy, Roy, Roy, Roy ...!"
No way. The god of Kansas basketball said we're all spoiled — and spoiled rotten no less?
And I'd have to say I precisely agree with him. Think about it. We're probably the most spoiled bunch of college students in this sports-loving nation.
We're spoiled rotten because we're not used to losing. We're spoiled rotten because Kansas hasn't lost more than three straight games since the 1989 season.
Well, sure. That's precisely what he said, and that's precisely what he meant.
Sure, it's natural for Kansas to lose a game here and there throughout a season. But three in a row? God ford what, what's the world coming to? All hell breaks loose and the fans go into denial.
After losing to Nebraska Feb. 23, a professor wrote a letter to Williams asking if there would be a ape rally for KU students. He mentioned Nebraska's pep rally, after a two-game losing streak, that had fans going crazy in the Devaney Center when Kansas stepped onto the court.
"It's a little discouraging," Williams said. "We lose three in a row and people are wondering what we're going to do for them."
We depend on the success of Kansas sports to make each year a little more exciting on campus.
We even use Kansas basketball to boost our egos. It's a great conversation piece and it's fun to rub big wins in the face of friends and siblings from rival Big Eight schools.
John Beers, Topeka senior, said that he thought the whole community of Lawrence was spoiled.
Take for example, my two older brothers who go to K-State. When Kansas lost to Kansas State the phone was ringing off the hook, and I could not even bring myself to talk to anyone because I had built that game up or weeks.
Just call me a prime example of a spoiled fan. I talked to a few Jayhawk fans around campus. The consensus: We're spoiled here in College Basketball U.S.A.: Lawrence, Kan.
"KU football is the perfect example," he said. "Nobody used to go to KU football games but the past couple of years they've been winning and the stadium's full. If I was a player on the team—something like that would piss me off."
Williams may have again proven his coaching ability Saturday, when he earned a negative situation for the Kansas men's basketball team into a strong desire to win.
Kansas showed character Saturday beating Colorado 106-62. By halftime the Buffaloes were left behind 52-21, Kansas' largest halftime lead of the season. The Jayhawks also set a school record with 72 team rebounds. Susan Haladay, Colorado Springs sophomore, summed up the true meaning of being a fan. "It has a lot to do with tradition," she said. "We would know by now to have faith in the team. True fans would put on the crimson and blue and get to the games win or lose."
Fair weather fans at Kansas? Surely not.
Even if there was a blizzard tonight,
ad like to think the field house would be packed for the men's last home
name of the year.
Women hold lead in swimming title
Cornhuskers overtake men after day two
By Andrew Gilman
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas women's swimming team remained in first place, but the men's slipped to second Tuesday at the Big Eight swimming and diving championship in Oklahoma City.
After leading 191.5-183.5 after day
The women also led after the second day and they continue to after the third, 471-458.
two, the men now call the Cornhuskers 341.5-366.
Senior Krista Cordsen won her ninth individual conference title in her career and defended her championship in the 400-yard individual medley.
The team won with a time of 6:39:39.
Junior Marc Hensel, senior Curtis Taylor, sophomore Dan Phillips, and freshman Erik Jorgensen, swam well enough to provisionally qualify them for the NCAA meet. $_p$
The team won with a time of 6:39.39.
Cordeson's time of 4:20.24 in the 400 individual medley was good enough to set a conference record and provisionally qualify her for the NCAA championships in Indianapolis March 17-19.
her time for her not to compete.
A provisional qualification does not guarantee Cordsen of competing, but it assures her that someone must beat
But she wasn't done. She went on to finish third in the 100-yard breast-stroke and set a Kansas school record. Her time of 1:03.57 also provisionally qualified her for the NCAA meet. She also was part of the 200-yard medley team that placed second and the 800-yard relay that also placed second. Both relays provisionally qualified them for the NCAA championships.
Kansas coach Gary Kempf was impressed with Cordsen's efforts.
good showing in the 800-yard freestyle.
Sophomore Jennifer Davis won the 200-yard freestyle and provisionally qualified for the NCAA meet. Davis passed Nebraska sophomore Melanie Dodd in the final 10 yards of the race. Her time of 1:49.42 broke an 11-year old school record by one hundredth of a second.
Standings as of Tuesday on the men's side had Nebraska leading with 431.5 points, followed by Kansas with 366, Iowa State was next with 246.5 and Missouri was fourth with 200.
"Krista was great tonight," he said.
"She swam two relays and two individual events and did a phenomenal job."
Other winners for the women
included freshman Rebecca Andrew. Andrew provisionally qualified in the 100-yard butterfly.
Sophomore Michelle Rojohn won the 3-meter diving championship and qualified for the NCAA regional competition. Rojohn also placed fifth in the 1-meter competition Sunday.
Although the men trail the Cornuskers, who are going for their 14th consecutive men's title, Kansas had a
On the women's side Kansas had a slight lead with 471 points, Nebraska was second with 458, Iowa State was third with 210 and Missouri was fourth with 207.
Senior night marks end of successful era
By Gerry Fey
Kansan sportswriter
The end of an era will come at 8:30 tonight against Iowa State. Kansas seniors Patrick Richey, Richard Scott and Steve Woodberry will play as Jayhawks at Allen Field House for the last time.
Senior guard Blake Weichbrodt, a walk-on, will also be playing his last home game.
It happens each season to the seniors at every university.
But Kansas coach Roy Williams says this group of players is different.
"Blake has been important to us and do so many things for us the last two years," Williams said. "But those other three guys have been phenomenal young men."
Those three starters have played in two Final Fours, won three consecutive Big Eight Conference titles and compiled a 105-26 record in four years together.
Williams knows the seniors' importance.
"If you want to say there was one thing that has solidified this program, it has been them," he said. "Those three kids had the faith to come here. Each and every one of them has helped this program."
The three players became Jayahwks despite Kansas being on probation with recruiting restrictions. If they wanted to visit the campus, it had to be at their own expense. For that reason and others, Williams thanked them.
Scott, the 6-foot-6 forward who was not heavily recruited out of high school, said he was happy he had come to Kansas. Woodberry and Richey said they felt the same way.
"I know it's my last game here at the field house," Scott said. "Right now I'm not even thinking about it. It's been a long road, and it's been a tough road, but I'm just looking toward the future, how we're going to do in the
"At that point, it was not exactly the thing to do to say you're coming to Kansas," he said. "This was a pretty dog gone important class, for Roy Williams' first three years. If we would have gone 14-14, 14-16 or 16-14, there's a great possibility that Roy Williams wouldn't be sitting here right now."
NEWS BASKETBALL
No. 13 Kansas at Iowa State
22-6, 7-5 13-11, 3-9
GAME TIME: 8:38 tonight
KLZR — 105.9 FM ESPN, Channel 18
Probable starters
Steve Woodberry G Jason Kimbrough G
Jacquie Vaughn G Derrick Hayes G
Greg Oostering C Julius Michalk F
Richard Scott F Fred Holberg F
Patrick Richey F Saun Jackson F
Big Eight Tournament and the NCAA Tournament."
Williams said he felt bad for Scott, who had been limited with a left shoulder injury during the season. All three seniors have battled injuries throughout their career and this season. Woodberry is healing from a cut below his left eye, and Richey has sore ribs.
The game will pit no.13 Kansas with a 22-6 overall record and 7-5 conference record against Iowa State at 13-11 and 3-9.
The Cyclones are seventh in the conference standings, partly because they have had to play most of the season without junior center Loren Meyer, who broke his collarbone in a car accident. When Iowa State played Kansas on Jan. 22, its second game after Meyer's accident, the Jayhawks won 78-71.
Williams said the Cyclones were a changed team since that game. Iowa State junior guard Fred Hoiberg is averaging 20.1 points a game, and junior forward Julius Michalk has a 19.5 points a game average.
"We know how Hoiberg and Michalik can play," Williams said. "We caught them last time about as good as you can catch them, when they were still reeling from Loren Meyer's accident."
Williams said senior night was the best and worst part of the season for him.
"It's the best because I think our fans have always done a great job of telling those kids how much they appreciate what they've done," he said. "And I like that better than winning any game. It's the toughest night for me because I enjoy coaching exceptional kids, and these three kids particularly fit into that category."
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Senior forward Patrick Richey makes a lay-up during the Colorado game in Boulder as Colorado forward Greg Jensen attempts to block it. Tonight will be Richey's last home game.
SPORTS in brief
Aycock, women's basketball team receives honors
Kansas junior forward Angela Aycock was named Big Eight Conference co-player of the year Tuesday. Aycock shared the award with Colorado senior forward Jamillah Lang. Aycock led the No. 12 Jayhawks in scoring and was fifth in the conference with a 17.4 scoring average. She also averages almost 9 rebounds a game.
"I was surprised," Aycock said. "I thought Jamillah would win it because of her stats."
Aycock and Lang were joined on the first team by Oklahoma State sophomore guard Stacy Coffey, Colorado junior guard Shelly Sheetz and Nebraska senior forward Nafeesh Brown.
Lang averages 18.7 points and 7.2 rebounds.
She helped No. 3 Colorado win its second consecutive conference championship.
Kansas sophomore guard Charisse Sampson was a second team all-conference pick and senior center Lisa Tate was an honorable
mention.
Aycock was the first Kansas women's player to win the award since its creation in 1984. Colorado coach Ceal Barry was named coach of the year and Kansas State junior Shawna Decamp was named newcomer of the year.
Tennis cracks top-10
The Kansas women's tennis team has moved into the top-10 rankings for the first time in school history. In the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, released yesterday, the Jayhawks were ranked No. 9 in the nation. The Texas Longhorns, who defeated the Jayhawks earlier in the season, remained No. 1. Kansas is 10-1 overall.
In addition to the team ranking, Kansas had several individual players nationally ranked.
In singles, junior Nora Koves went from No. 17 to No. 10. Senior Mindy Winde is ranked No. 22. Kim Rogers No. 57 and junior Rebecca Jensen is ranked No. 68.
Rogers and senior Aby Woods are ranked No. 12 in doubles. The team of Koves and
Jensen are No.4 in the nation.
Kansas will put its ranking to an early test today when it faces Wisconsin in the USTA/TA National Team Indoors in Madison, Wis. If Kansas defeats the Badgers, its second round opponent would be Pepperdine or Duke, both of which are ranked in the top 10.
Baseball plays today
The Kansas Jayhawks will open their home season at 2 p.m. today against Grandview at Hoglund-Maupin Stadium.
Kansas, 3-4 on the year, will have sophomore Jamie Splittorff pitching against the Vikings. It is the season opener for the Vikings.
The Jayhawks also will play host to Missouri
Western at 3 p.m. tomorrow.
Sploitroff (2-0) has an earned run average of 0.69 in 15 innings of work.
Kansas originally was supposed to play Grandview on Tuesday, but the game was moved to today because of the snow and cold weather.
Sophomore Clay Baird (0-1) will get the start.
Kansas first home series against Arkansas- Little Rock was canceled because of the snow and cold weather.
The Jayhawks swept a three-game series form the Vikings last season. Kansas outscored Grandview 55-4 during the series. Kansas has won nine consecutive home openers.
Tickets still available
Students who are looking for tickets to tonight's men's basketball game against Iowa State can still watch Kansas seniors Patrick Richey, Richard Scott, Blake Weichbrodt and Steve Woodberry play their final game at Allen Field House.
Bernie Kish, director of ticket sales and operations, said there were still about 1,000 student tickets left to tonight's game.
He said students could get tickets one of two ways. If students still had coupons, they could redeem the coupons for tickets. But if students did not have coupons, then they could buy a ticket for $3.
Compiled from Kansan staff research.
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