SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, February 21, 1994
9
SPORTS EDITOR
Aches, pains weigh down senior 'Hawks
Tattered, battered and bruised
Those words apply, in any order, to the Kansas men's basketball team's senior class. Forwards Richard Scott and Patrick Richey and guard Steve Woodberry are veterans of a combined total of 373 games. Lately, the games have taken their toll.
Scott injured his left shoulder in practice Jan. 24. Since then, he has missed one game and has averaged just 4.1 points in his six games since. By doctor's orders, he's been wearing a shoulder brace that serves as protection but hinders his mobility.
Friday before practice, team trainer Mark Cairns handed Scott the brace and helped him secure the velcro straps. Scott acted like a kid who's been told by his mom to fasten his seat belt.
"I'm going to wear it for now," Scott said with a frown. "I guess Doc knows what's best for me."
During yesterday's 81-74 loss to Missouri, however, Caims allowed Scott to play without the brace. Scott finished with six points in 13 minutes of play.
Of course, with Scott's trademark style of intense inside play, each game becomes a physical one.
"It's getting better, but at the same time, it limits me in certain motions on the floor," Scott said. "At least try to play with a little more enthusiasm."
Unlike Scott, Richey has yet to miss a game this season. He is averaging 25 minutes a game and 6.8 rebounds a game in Big Eight Conference play. During his first three seasons, he averaged just 15 minutes a game as a reserve.
Although he clearly won't complain about his increased playing time and role as a starter, he clearly can feel its effects.
“It’s been a lot more physical out there,” Richey said. “It seems like people are a lot stronger. Maybe it’s because I’m getting a lot more playing time. It’s an all-out war out there.”
Richey has been wearing a flak jacket to protect his ribs during practice and games. Wednesday night at Oklahoma State, he should have worn a face mask. His collision with Oklahoma State senior guard Randy Rutherford nearly flattened his face.
"I was going for a loose bake, and I collided with Rutherford," Richey said. "It happened so fast that I can't describe it. I got hit in the nose and mouth. I was bleeding pretty good."
"Tomorrow, my body will probably be aching," Riley said. "Oklahoma State and Missouri are usually the two touchest games."
Yesterday, Richey played 33 minutes and scored six points. He decided to go without the flak jacket. Today, he'll probably wish that he wore it.
Woodberry, who has long been the target of opposing defenses, has plenty of his own alliments. He needed six stitches underneath his left eye courtesy of an unintentional elbow from Oklahoma State's Bryant Reeves on Wednesday night.
After yesterday's game, Woodberry was the last Jayhawk to leave the locker room, and he chose not to talk with the media.
It's hard for fans to notice Woodberry's aiments, however, considering he has led the Jayhawks in scoring and has at times taken the team on his back—his alling back.
Woodberry scored 14 points but made just five of 14 field goal attempts. Most of his shots he created on his own — while he was being double, sometimes triple teamed.
For most of this season he has suffered from back spasms. He also wears a brace to protect his left knee, which he hurt early in the season. He began yesterday's game wearing eye goggles, but removed them because they were uncomfortable.
"Before people play us, the first thing they do is say 'We've got to contain Steve Woodberry,'" Richey said. "I think Steve's done a great job dealing with it. Players like that are hard to come by."
Kansas freshman guard Jacque Vaughn has noticed the pressure and pain that the seniors have endured — and will continue to endure
"It's been real tough for them," Vaughn said. "But they're the type of individuals that will stick it out to the end."
Tigers foil title bid for Jayhawks
Missouri takes four-game lead in conference
By Gerry Fey
Kansan sportswriter
Missouri's 81-74 victory against No. 4 Kansas yesterday disappointed the Jayhawks in more ways than one.
This game, combined with Kansas' overtime loss to Oklahoma State on Wednesday, marked the first time the Jayhawks have lost two consecutive games since 1989. The defeat also eliminated Kansas from the Big Eight title race because Missouri has a four-game lead on the Jayhawks.
Kansas coach Roy Williams said the Tigers had solidified their chances to be ranked in the top 10.
"What they've accomplished this year is mind-boggling to me," Williams said. "They've won at some big-time places. I think they deserve to be a top 10 team, and I think they will be in there this week."
Kansas dropped its record to 21-5 overall and 6-4 in the conference, and Missouri improved to 20-2 and 11-0. Missouri kept its hopes alive for the first undefeated Big Eight season since Kansas went 14-0 in 1971.
Kansas senior guard Steve Woodberry started the game wearing goggles to protect a cut he has below his left eye. Woodberry, who made just five of 14 field goals, suffered the injury against Oklahoma State.
Kansas freshman guard Jacque Vaughn matched up with Missouri senior guard Melvin Booker for almost the entire game. Vaughn led Kesas with 21 points, a career high, and had four assists. But it was Booker who led Missouri to victory, scoring a game-high 32 points.
Junior Calvin Rayford, who shared duty with Vaughn at point guard, said Booker was a tough player to handle.
"When his team is down, he's the one that's got to step up," Rayford said. "He is their senior leadership, and he did the job tonight."
Kansas' frontcourt got into foul trouble in the first half, when senior forward Richard Scott and freshman center Scot Pollard both had three fouls.
Despite the foul trouble, Scott ended the game with six points and five rebounds. Because Scott's play has been limited because of a shoulder injury, it was the first time in two games that he has scored. But Scott said that putting points on the board was not very important to him.
"It's getting better," he said of his left shoulder. "It's good to score, but at the same time, defense is the most important. I could have gone out and scored 100 points, but we still lost."
The foults took their toll on the Jayhawks. Missouri was 15 for 19 from the free-throw line in the first half. That, and two three-pointers by
Missouri 81, Kansas 74
MISSOURI (20-2, 11-0)
Player fgm/fga ftm/fta tp
Winfield 0-2 2-4 2
Thames 5-7 1-2 11
Crusid 3-10 6-8 12
Booker 8-15 13-14 32
Frazier 4-7 2-2 10
O'Leyn 3-7 0-0 8
Finner 0-0 0-0 0
Atkins 2-5 0-0 6
Smith 0-0 0-0 0
Heller 0-0 0-0 0
Totals 25-53 24-30 81
KANSAS (21-5, 6-4)
Player fgm/fga tfm/fta tp
Vaughn 7-10 3-4 12
Woodberry 5-14 2-4 14
Richey 2-5 1-2 6
Pearson 4-11 1-2 11
Ostertag 5-8 1-5 11
Scott 3-6 0-2 6
Pollard 0-1 0-0 0
Rayford 2-2 0-0 4
Gurley 2-2 0-0 0
Williams 0-1 1-3 1
Totals 28-80 9-22 74
Maltime Missouri 39 Kansas 34 point
goals Missouri 7-17 (Booster 3, O'Liney 2,
Attkins 4) - Kansas 9-19 (Richey 1-2,
Pearson 2, Vaughn 4, Woodberry 2,
Gurley 2) - Robbinsville Missouri 40 (Crup
shoe 12) - Jacksonville Missouri 12 (Frazer 4) - Kansas 14 (Vaughn 4)
Total fouls Missouri 20, Kansas 22 Attendance
15,800
senior guard Mark Atkins helped the Tigers to a 39-94 lead at halftime.
Free throws hurt Kansas throughout the game, whether it was the Tigers making them or the Jayhawks missing. Kansas was nine for 19 from the three-point line and nine for 22 from the free-throw line.
"It's the tempo of the game and the importance of the game," Williams said. "When you're out there at the three-point line, you're shooting, and you don't feel that there are 16,000 people watching. You have more time to think at the free-throw line."
Williams said he was happy with Kansas' performance in the beginning of the second half. Kansas went on an 18-8 run, taking a 54-47 lead. Defense was the key for Kansas, as it caused 15 Missouri turnovers in the game.
Missouri came back on the play of Booker and senior center Jevon Crudup, tying the game 69-69. At one time, Booker scored 10 consecutive points for the Tigers.
"Probably eight of his points may have come in a minute." Williams said. "We must have had them by eight or nine. On two of his three-pointers I thought Jacque played pretty good defense on him."
Booker hit a three-pointer, taking the lead 72-69, and the Tigers did not trail the rest of the way. Missouri coach Norm Stewart said Missouri's comeback had been a team effort.
"We dug ourselves a hole, and we made a rally," Stewart said. "Everyone had a hand in it. We showed a lot of hard work today, but there's a lot of season left."
William Alix / KANSAN
With Kansas senior guard Steve Woodberry in pursuit, Missouri senior guard Melvin Booker attempts a shot over Kansas center Scott Pollard. Booker scored 32 points in yesterday at Allen Field House.
Missouri guard dominates Jayhawks
Kansansportswriter
By Andrew Gilman
Missouri senior guard Melvin Booker had never beaten Kansas in Allen Field House.
Now, after his fourth trip to Lawrence he has. Booker scored 32 points and almost single-handedly kept the Tigers in the game when it looked as though they might be out of it.
With Kansas leading 61-53 and 8-53 remaining, Booker found his shooting touch and brought Missouri back.
Booker scored 10 consecutive Missouri points, including two three-point baskets and an 18-foot jumper that gave the Tigers a tie at 63-63. Not
even two minutes had elapsed, and the Tigers had erased an eight-point lead.
Booker, who had 24 points in the second half, said that he had met a great challenge.
"He got us back in the game," Missouri senior center Jevon Crudup said. "We knew he had the hot hand so we got him the ball."
"The shots were falling," he said. "I wanted to step up and do it for the team."
Booker was constantly at battle with Kansas' freshman guard Jacque Vaughn. Vaughn scored a career-high
The rest of the Tigers recognized Booker as the go-to guy.
21 points and impressed the senior.
"He did a good job of accepting the challenge we gave him," Booker said. "I told him after the game that he stepped up."
Vaughn, who scored 13 points in the second half and guarded Booker most of the game, said he had had a tough time stopping him.
"You feel like after he makes the first three-pointer that you've got to stop him," Vaughn said. "I said that two times, and then he came back and made a third. He was in the zone and knocked the shots down."
Booker's play allowed the Tigers to beat Kansas twice this season and gave the Jayhawks their third home loss of the season, something that has
not happened since 1989. But Booker earned the respect of Kansas players and Coach Roy Williams.
"He was sensational," Williams said. "All those recruiting experts and the guys that read everything in the newspapers, it just shows what they know."
Sophomore forward Sean Pearson also was impressed with Booker's performance.
"I think he was determined to score," Pearson said. "He was unconscious. He was making everything."
Kansas junior guard Calvin Rayford, who also spent time on the floor against Booker, realized the potential of Booker's game.
"You've got to respect the shooter and the drive," Rayford said. "He's very quick, and that makes him hard to guard."
But Missouri coach Norm Stewart put it all together.
"He can run the ball club," Stewart said. "He can score, he can get rebounds, he can set plays, he can do everything. He made some outstanding plays."
But Booker wasn't concerned with his own play. He said it had been the team that he thought of.
"The team stayed poised," Booker said. "It's been a team effort all year long, and maybe now we'll get some respect."
Sophomore pitcher leads Jayhawks to series' victories
Sophomore pitcher Jamie Splittorff struck out 10 players and gave up only seven hits on his way to pitching a complete game victory for the Jayhawks Friday in Fayetteville, Ark., against the University of Arkansas.
The Jayhawks won the opening game of the three-game series 5-3.
Coach Dave Bingham was impressed with Splitter's (2-0) performance.
SPORTS BRIEFS
Kansas improved its record to 2-3. Arkansas dropped to 0-4.
"Jamie is one of the premier pitchers in college baseball," Bingham said. "There's some
thing magical about him when he's on the mound."
The Jayhawks managed just four hits in the game but were aided by Arkansas' starting pitcher Scott Cunningham (0-1). Cunningham issued six walks in the game, including three in a four-run second inning for Kansas. He also threw a wild pitch during the inning.
Junior shortstop Dan Rude had two RBF's for the Jayhawks, who dealt Arkansas its first season-opening home loss since 1981.
In the second game, Kansas scored single runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, winning 4-2 against Arkansas, pushed to 0-5.
Kansas, 3-3 on the year, got eight innings out of senior left-handed pitcher David Meyer. Meyer gave up just two hits and one earned run, evening up his record at 1-1.
Junior third baseman Brent Wilhelm knocked in two runs for the Jayhawks.
Men and women Jayhawks get weekend tennis victories
The No. 15 Kansas women's tennis team defeated unranked Arkansas on Friday in Fayetteville, Ark., by a 5-2 count.
The Jayhawks lost only two games in No.1 and No.2 singles.
Mindy Weiner, playing in the No.1 singles spot, won 6-2, 6-0. Weiner, who is ranked No.35 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, improved her record to 20-6, the most wins of any Kansas player.
The Jayhawks followed up their first victory with another on Sunday against No. 9 Mississippi, 5-1, and improved their overall record to 5-1.
The No. 33 Kansas men's tennis team won two matches Friday at the Indiana Invitational in Bloomington, Ind.
Rebecca Jensen, playing in the No. 2 spot, remained undefeated in dual competition this year and moved to 5-0.
The Jayhawks defeated No. 47 Vanderbilt 6-1 and unranked Indiana 4-3.
Kansas won all of its matches except at the No. 1 singles spot against Vanderblit.
Martin Erickson, playing in the No. 2 spot, won both of his matches and improved his record to 12-4, 8-1 in dual matches.
The Kansas men won all six of their doubles matches during the weekend.
Kansas first in five events
Kansas freshman Marcus Scheid led the Kansas track team to five first-place finishes this weekend in Manhattan at the Kansas State Invitational.
Scheid won the long jump and the triple jump.
Seniorpole vaulter John Bazzoni won for the sixth time this season, vaulting 15-11 for the Jayhaws.
Junior Cassandra Bryant-Wans set a meet record in the triple jump, jumping 38/1/2.1
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