SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, February 23, 1994
11
'Huskers hope to upset' Hawks
NCAA berth could be set with victory
By Gerry Fey
Kansan sportswriter
Three years of defeat at Nebraska stare in the Kansas seniors' faces. Kansas coach Roy Williams sees two years of close games in Lincoln, Neb.
The No.10 Jayhawks will attempt to end both streaks at 7:05 tonight at the Devaney Center.
"Some teams just feel more comfortable playing at their own place," Williams said. "For our seniors, I think this is the only place where they haven't won."
The seniors have won a road game against every conference opponent except Nebraska. The Cornhuskers have pulled out narrow victories at home in the past two seasons against Kansas. And each time Nebraska senior guard Jamar Johnson has hit three-pointers to finish the Jayhawks.
Last season, Johnson's 25-foot jump shot with 1.01 left in the game handed Kansas its first conference defeat 68.
MINNESOTA BASKETBALL
No.10 Kansas at Nebraska
21-5, 6-4
14-8, 4-6
GAME TIME: 7:05 tonight
KLZR-FM 105.9 CHANNELS 3, 13
Probable starters
Steve Woodberry G Jamar Johnson G
Jacque Vaughn Erick Strickland G
Greg Otterstag E Eric Platkowski G
Sean Pearson F Bruce Chubbick F
Patrick Richey F Jaron Boone F
64. Johnson's other last-second three-point shot in 1992 defeated Kansas 81-79 in overtime.
The Jayhawks enter the game at 21-5 overall and 6-4 in the conference. The Cornhuskers are 14-8 and 4-4, but Nebraska coach Danny Nee said the team still had a chance to make the NCAA Tournament.
"If we can get the quality wins and win all our games at home, we have a shot," Nee said. "If we get 17 or 18 wins, we'll get in the tournament."
Williams said that he thought Nebraska could get in the tournament. Nebraska has four games left on its schedule with only one road game at Missouri.
"If they go 7-7 in the league, they could go," Williams said. "I will fight."
you're 7-7 in this league and have some good nonconference wins, you should be in the tournament."
Williams said Kansas' goals had changed somewhat. The Jayhawks wanted to win their fourth consecutive regular season title, but Missouri dashed their chances with an 81-74 victory Sunday. Although an NCAA bid may seem locked up for Kansas, Williams said he would not be satisfied if the team did not do well in the conference tournament.
"The goal to win our fourth regular season title is out the window now, but every other goal we had can still be reached," Williams said. "We can win the tournament and try to make the NCAA Tournament with a high seed."
Kansas' goals could be difficult with senior guard Steve Woodberry and senior forward Richard Scott affected by injuries. Woodberry still is bothered by a cut below his left eye, and Scott has a nagging left shoulder injury.
"Hopefully, Steve's eye will get better," Williams said. "But really, we know that Richard's shoulder will not get better."
Woodberry will be depended on against Nebraska to cover senior forward Eric Piakowski, who is averaging 19.6 points and 6.3 rebounds a
game and is seventh in the conference in scoring. He had 26 points against Kansas in the Jayhawks' 94-87 victory Feb. 6.
"We played him a lot with Steve last game," Williams said. "Steve's just a tremendous defensive player. Eric's tough because he moves all the time. Some players stay in the same area, but you never know where Eric is going to be."
Williams said Nebraska was the best three-point shooting team in the conference.
The Cornhuskers are second in the conference in scoring with an 86.9 points a game average, but Nee said defense was a problem, especially against taller teams.
"We're shooting the ball at a higher percentage, but we're not going to beat people by outscoring them," he said. "We feel we have to play better defense. We haven't been able to stop big players on the inside."
Some Kansas players said the Nebraska game would be the start of a new season. Kansas sophomore forward Sean Pearson said all was not lost after Missouri's victory.
"We just have to forget about it and move on," he said. "There's not much we can do about it now. We need to try and win the Big Eight Tournament."
Kansas senior guard Steve Woodberry shoots a jumper between Nebraska senior forward Bruce Chubbick and senior guard Jamar Johnson. Kansas defeated Nebraska 94-87 Feb. 6 at Allen Field House.
KANGAN FILE PHOTO
Freshmen styles differ, but success is the result
By Matt Siegel
By Matt Siegel
Kansan sportswriter
One came from New Jersey, and two others are from Wisconsin and Oklahoma. Yet another is from Lawrence. Although from different parts of the country, the freshmen of the Kansas women's basketball team have made their presence known.
"Out of all the 298 Division I schools, I can't think of anyone who is prouder than I am of their freshman class," Kansas coach Marian Washington said. "They have had to step up in a hurry and have done a tremendous job."
The four freshmen all have contributed in different ways.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
The four freshmen all have contributed in different ways. Tamecka Dixon, a former high school All-American from New Jersey, is a point guard. Colorado coach Ceal Barry said that Dixon's speed added a new dimension to Kansas. Dixon has used that speed and a variety of shifty dribbling moves to average 7.5 points and 4.3 rebounds a game.
Angela Halbleib, Wisconsin's all-time women's high school scoring leader, plays at the off-guard position for the Jayhawks. Washington said Halbleib was one of the finest shooters the Big Eight Conference would see this season. Halbleib's prolific jump shot has made her the third leading scorer on the team, averaging 11.5 points a game.
Forward Jennifer Trapp, who is from Lawrence, is the only freshman to start for Kansas. Trapp is averaging 8.5 points and 4.3 rebounds a game and is the only Kansas freshman to record more than 10 points and 10 rebounds in a single game this season.
Shelly Canada, who was a four-year letter winner as a high school basketball player in Oklahoma, plays the forward or center spot for the Jayhawks. Canada, after playing six-on-six basketball in high school, has had to adapt to the conventional five-on-five format. Canada averages 2 points per game and more than 11 minutes of playing time.
"I'm not really surprised by our success," Trapp said. "I think we all knew that we could contribute. I think in our situation it was a must that we contribute, but we don't look at it that way. As freshmen we're excited to get playing time and contribute. It's a great opportunity for all of us."
The freshmen have helped the Jayhawks earn a No. 12 national ranking along with a 19-4 overall record and a 10-3 conference record. Some players such as sophomore guard Charisse Sampson and junior forward Angela Aycock admitted that they had trouble sustaining their production for an entire year as freshmen. Trapp said the freshman class had, for the most part, been able to avoid
Kansas freshman forward Jennifer Trapp looks on as fellow freshman forward Shelly Canada posts up against Oklahoma junior forward Angie Guffy.
that pitfall because each freshman did their own thing.
"Tamecka has tremendous ball handling skills and can run the floor like nobody," Trapp said. "Angela, with her three-pointers, always lights it up. Shelly and I are always working hard inside. We're going to have our freshman mistakes of course, but we are pretty optimistic. We're not looking to hit a wall."
"I think with Michigan it was unbelievable that they got the 'Fab Five,' Trapp said. "I think that we have a really great class here. We will continue to improve and possibly be the 'Fab Four' our senior year."
Even though Kansas' freshmen are confident, none of them would go so far as to say that they were a women's version of Michigan's "Fab Five."
Hableib credited the freshmen's success to confidence that the other Javahawks had instilled in them.
Kansas track teams hoping for 'crazy things' at meet
By Andrew Gilman
Kansan sportswriter
Anything can happen.
Kansas track coach Gary Schwartz is saying that about this weekend's Indoor Big Eight Conference championships Feb. 25-26 in Oklahoma City.
"We'll be at a facility where crazy things can happen," Schwartz said.
Schwartz is referring to the indoor track at the Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City. The track has banked boards that allow for more things to happen, he said.
The track in Oklahoma City is a raised track on the turns. Each lane is higher than the next but evens out on the straight aways.
"With the boards, people get bumped around," he said. "The races are more strategic."
Kansas will need a lot of those "crazy" things to happen if they are to upset the favorites in this weekend's championships.
In a prechampionship coaches poll, defending champion Iowa State was the favorite for the men's title, and Nebraska received the edge on the women's side. Nebraska will be looking to win its 14th consecutive indoor title.
Schwartz agreed with the predictions.
"Nebraska and Iowa State are the ones to beat," he
"This year's team has better depth and quality than before," he said. "Potentially, this could be the best finish since I've been here."
Schwartz said that the men's team was as good as it had been in a while.
The Jayhawks were picked to finish fifth on the men's side and second on the women's.
One of those top finishes could go to junior triple jumper Harum Hazim. Hazim has placed third the last two years at the indoor conference meet.
"I see the title as rightfully mine," he said. "I'm looking for the big jump this weekend. I'm thinking more and using my speed more."
Junior Cassandra Bryant-Wans, who won the triple jump conference indoor title in 1992, will be jumping in the same event. She said that this year's women's team was capable of beating the Cornhuskers.
"I'll have some big jumps this weekend," she said. "We're after Nebraska and, hopefully, we'll be able to take them."
John Gamble / KANSAN
Junior high jumper Erik Lundgren clears the bar in practice at Anschutz Sports Pavilion. The team was practicing yesterday in preparation for the Big Eight Championships Friday and Saturday in Oklahoma City.
Kansas will have two conference indoor track champions from the 1993 season hoping to repeat when the Javahaws travel to Oklahoma City.
Senior Julia Saul will defend her title in the 5,000-meter run, and senior Michael Cox will try to duplicate last year's performance in the mile run.
But Schwartz said that there were many others who could compete well.
Schwartz mentioned senior John Bazzoni as a threat to place well in the pole vault. Bazzoni vaulted to the conference's outdoor title last year and has the conference's best indoor vault this season at 17-7.
Schwartz said the women jumpers were strong, along with the distance runners, junior Kristi Kloster and senior Daniela Daggy. He also mentioned Saul.
"She hasn't raced very much this year, bust she doesn't need to," he said. "She is a major scoring threat in the 5,000- and 3,000-meter runs."
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