SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, February 14, 1994
11
Jayhawk lovebirds have special plans for Valentine's Dav
Valentine's Day has arrived, and Sean Pearson already has made his plans.
Pearson, a sophomore forward on the Kansas men's basketball team, is engaged to Alana Slatter, a junior forward on the women's team. The two try to balance their romantic lives with their basketball careers, which is a tough task considering that both have different practice and game schedules.
Pearson, who is a junior by academic standing, met Slatter during their freshmen year. The two had study hall at the same time, and whenever Slater would enter the room, Pearson's eyes would meet hers. Then they would say hello to one another before studying on their own.
It was not until two months into school that they first started talking to each other.
"One day I went to a volleyball game," Slatter said. "I was sitting in the stands with two of my friends when Sean walked in. We waved to each other, but he sat by himself on the other side of the gym. We went over and talked to him during the game."
"We didn't get along at first at all," Slatter said. "For whatever reason, he had a bad impression of me, and I had a bad impression of him. Whenever we saw each other, he would just look at me and walk on by."
But since then, their relationship has grown.
It grew even deeper on Aug. 28 when the two agreed to get engaged. But it was Slatter, not Pearson, who made the proposal.
"I had asked him prior to that, and we went and sized his ring." Slatter said, "As of now, we're going to make some plans this summer on setting the date."
Pearson said that he immediately agreed to Slatter's proposal.
"We were just sitting there watching TV one day," Pearson said. "She gave me ring, I was being serious when I said 'yes,' but then it finally dawned on me what it really meant. I was very surprised. It's usually the guy that asks the girl first."
Pearson plans on making his own proposal, however.
"I'm going to get her a ring and make it official," he said.
Pearson and Slatter both agreed that having each other helped during the basketball season. Both players opened the season struggling, and both players subsequently have improved.
When Slatter plays, Pearson can be found in the stands, usually behind the Kansas bench.
Slatter missed the first five games of the season with a right knee injury. Now she's averaging almost six points a game and steadily has worked her way back into the rotation.
"Sometimes he sits near the bench, but a lot of times he sits up high in the stands," Slatter said. "When he sits down low, the children bombard him and ask him for autographs."
Slatter watches all of the men's home games that she can, and the two forwards sometimes discuss their performances with each other.
Pearson, who is establishing himself as one of the Jayhawks' best outside shooters, pulled out of a slump Jan. 26 against Oklahoma State by hitting five of five three-pointers.
"We talk after one of my games or one of her games," Pearson said. "But other than that, we don't talk much about basketball."
Now he is averaging almost seven points a game and should see an increase in playing time because of a shoulder injury to senior forward Richard Scott.
Today, Pearson and Slatter most likely won't see each other until the men's team finishes practice. The women practice from 2 to 4 p.m., and the men go from 4 to 7 p.m.
"It's hard," Pearson said. "We try to spend as much time together as we can."
Slatter said she was not sure about her Valentine's Dav plans.
"I don't know about his plans," Slatter said. "I probably won't see him all day because of practice."
But Pearson let me in on a little secret; he plans on making this Valentine's Day a memorable one for his fiancee. The two most likely will meet after Pearson is finished with practice.
"I've got something special planned, but you can't write that," Pearson said of the specific details. "I want it to be a surprise."
Jayhawk defense holds upset-minded 'Huskers
Kansas regains conference lead with victories
By Matt Siegel
Kansan sportswriter
The No. 10 Kansas women's basketball team found the ingredient to success yesterday and defeated Nebraska 64-56 in Allen Field House.
Down 6, with about 12 minutes left, the Jayhawks looked primed for an upset. But that's when junior forward Angela Aycock took over the game. She continually gave ways to score against the Nebraska defense and wound up with a game high 27 points. The output matched her career high.
Aycock scored on drives, put backs, foul shots and especially effective was a 12-foot baseline jump shot in which she simply elevated over, the waving arms of the Nebraska defenders.
Kansas did exactly that, holding Nebraska to 32.1 percent shooting in the second half. The Jayhawks also kept Brown in check. She finished the game with 18 points, two below her average.
up was going in," senior center Lisa Tate said. "I started to wonder if they were going to miss."
Kansas, after losing twice last weekend, found themselves down by one point at halftime. The Big Eight Conference leading scorer, Nebraska's senior forward Nafessah Brown, already had scored 9 points. Even more troubling for the Jayhawks, ranked No.1 in the conference in field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to 35 percent shooting, was that they had allowed the Cornhuskers to shoot 45.2 percent.
The score was tied at 48 with 10:45 left to play when the momentum swung in the Jayhawks favor for good. Once again it was Aycock who supplied the heroes. Nebraska had possession of the ball, but Aycock came up with one of her 3 steals, and spotted senior guard Erica Muncy for a layup. Kansas never trailed again as key free throw shooting by Muncy, Aycock and Tate finally outdid the Cornhuskers.
"Angela Aycock is just an athlete on a different level," said Nebraska senior guard Megan Yedsena. "She showed that tonight."
"It seemed like every shot they put
"They got some good shots in the first half," Kansas coach Marian Washington said. "I'm really happy about the way our team regained their composure and came back in the second half."
The victory improved Kansas' record to 18-3 overall and 9-2 in conference play and dropped Nebraska to 14-11 and 5-6.
Kansas 64, Nebraska 56
KANSAS (18-3 9-2)
Despite the loss, Yedsena said that she was happy the Cornhuskers were able to hang with the Jayhawks and show they were able to play with the top teams in the conference. She issued a warning to the top teams in the conference.
However, the tournament did not seem to be on the minds of the Jayhawks. The players just said they
Player fgm/fga ftm/fta tp
Aycock 12-19 3-8 27
Trapp 2-5 1-2 5
Tate 1-6 1-3 3
Sampson 3-5 0-0 6
Muncy 4-7 5-6 13
Slatter 3-6 0-0 6
Dixon 1-2 0-0 2
Halbleib 1-4 0-0 2
Leathers 0-0 0-0 0
**Totals** **27-54** **10-19** **64**
"The thing about the Big Eight Tournament is that usually the first two teams get upset," Yedsena said. "I think we're going to be a strong contender for the championship at the tournament."
NEBRASKA(14-11,5-6)
Player fgm/tga ftm/taa tp
McClain 3-13 2-2 8
Brown 7-13 3-4 18
Thompson 3-5 0-0 6
Galligan 2-10 2-2 6
Yedensa 3-8 0-0 6
Aarmn 5-9 2-2 12
Bynum 0-1 0-0 0
Haselip 0-0 0-0 0
Totals 23-59 9-10 56
Kansas junior forward Angela Aycock rebounds the ball as senior center Lisa Tate picks for her in the final minutes of the Jayhawk's 64-56 victory against Nebraska in Allen Field House.
Halftime Kansas 3, Nebraska 3, 13-point goals
goalbanks 1-8 (Brown 1-1, Galligan 0-
4, Yedesaena 0), Kansas 3 (Sampson 0,
Habitable 0). Rebounds Nebraska 36
(Brown 11), Kansas 32 (Ayock 7, Tate 7).
Assists Nebraska 18 (Gardenia 6, Yedessaena
5), Game 5, Muncy 3). Total
fouls Kansas 14, Missouri 17. Attendance
1.350.
were going for the Nebraska victory before preparing for Oklahoma State
"They came out with a lot of intensity" Aycock said. "But all that matters is that we got the win."
On Friday, Kansas also was victorious, pasting the Iowa State Cyclones 82-50. The Jayhawks were leading 61-44 with 5:22 remaining and then went on a 15-0 run, sealing the victory.
The game marked a distinction for the Jayhawk defense. It was the 100th
straight game in which the Jayhawks defense held their opponent under 50 percent shooting. Aycock had a game high 18, freshmen guard Angela Hallebib had 15 and sophomore guard Charisse Sampson finished with 11 points. Kansas also outbounded the
Cyclones 52-40.
"We just need to focus on ourselves," Washington said. "We worked on blocking out all week during practice, and we will continue to work on it for the remainder of the season."
Kansas junior center Greg Ostertag kept the ball away from Kansas State's senior forward Denyl Cunningham during the second half of Saturday nights' Jayhawk victory in Manhattan. Ostertag had 16 points and 10 rebounds in the game. Ostertag's inside game helped Kansas maintain second place in the Big Eight Conference race behind Missouri.
Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams, senior guard Blake Weichbrodt and senior forward Richard Scott found plenty to cheer for during Saturday's game.
Tom leininger / KANSAN
Jayhawks declaw Wildcats in Manhattan
By Gerry Fey
Kansan sportswriter
MANHATTAN - One streak ended for Kansas and another one continued after the Jayhawks defeated Kansas State 65-56 Saturday night.
However, Kansas continued its winning streak at K-State. The Jayhawks now have won 11 consecutive games in Manhattan. Kansas sophomore forward Sean Pearson started in place of Scott, who has an allied left shoulder.
Kansas senior forward Richard Scott spent the entire game pacing the Jayhawk sideline, yelling frantically and jumping up and down. His streak of 126 games played was finished.
"It was different not being in there," Scott said. "I was just trying to cheer the team on. The coaches told me to calm down a little bit."
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he had wanted the victory badly. Kansas avenged its defeat against K-State in Lawrence earlier this season.
With the victory, Kansas improved its record to 21-3 and 6-2 in the Big Eight Conference. K-State dropped to 14-8 and 3-7.
"It was important for me," he said.
"I didn't want to lose three straight
games against Kansas State. And I know that the freshmen didn't want to lose again. But we didn't do anything differently in the first half. They were still more aggressive than we were."
The Wildcats had 12 offensive rebounds in the first half. K-State senior center Deryl Cunningham and junior forward Demond Davis combined for 18 rebounds in the game, 11 of which came on the offensive end.
It seemed Kansas might miss Scott's presence in the lineup. It was K-State's ability to get the offensive rebound that hurt Kansas early in the game.
Kansas built a 16-1 lead in the first half but let it slip away. The Wildcats came back with a 13-0 run with two three-pointers by senior guard Askia Jones, one of which hit the rim and bounced seven feet in the air before dropping through the net. K-State tied the game on a three-point basket from the top of the key by senior guard Anthony Beane.
"They're not the biggest team." Williams said of K-State. "But they may be the best rebounding team in the Big Eight."
K-State regained the lead with a slam dunk by Cunningham after he rebounded a miss by Davis. Despite
Kansas' 52.2 percent shooting display in the first half, K-State had a 30-28 halftime lead.
"Coach told us at half that they were killing us on the offensive boards," Kansas freshman center Scot Pollard said. "He told us we had to get a body on them."
Using its dominant strength inside, Kansas built a 56-43 lead in the second half. Kansas junior Greg Ostertag had 16 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in the game. Pearson capped off the run when he took a pass from freshman guard Jacque Vaughn and drained a three-pointer.
"We knew we had a height advantage against them," Pollard said. "That was our focus the whole game."
Besides using its size underneath, Kansas buckled down on K-State's two scorers, Jones and Beane. The two combined for only seven points in the second half.
"They were definitely a factor in Lawrence," Vaughn said. "We concentrated on them. It shut them down, which stagnates their offense a little bit."
The Jayhawks seemed more alive after that run, but K-State pulled back into the game by causing several turnovers that led to easy bas
kets.
"We had that 12-point lead, and suddenly it was down to six," Williams said. "We did the dumbest things that a team could do. We helped them, but I'm not saying that they didn't cause some of those turnovers."
The Jayhawks finally ended KState's comeback with 2:19 left. Kansas senior guard Steve Woodberry found senior forward Patrick Richey, who passed up an open three-point shot and saw Vaughn at the top of the key. Vaughn took Richey's pass and slammed the door with a three-pointer.
"I'm just glad Pat had the confidence in me to swing the ball to me," Vaughn said. "He had an open shot too. When we came into the locker room he was hitting me on the head. He said that I better have made that."
"I'm just happy to get out of here with a win," he said. "I think we still have a shot. Two games in the Big Eight is nothing. Missouri still has to come to our place."
The victory kept Kansas in pace with Missouri for the conference title. The Tigers are 9-0 and two games ahead of the Jayhawks in the loss column. Richey said it was still possible to win the conference title.
Kansas 65, Kansas State 56
Player fgm/fga ftm/ta tp
Vaughn 3-5 1-3 8
Woodberry 5-11 3-4 15
Richey 2-3 1-3 5
Ostertag 7-10 2-4 16
Pollard 3-5 3-4 9
Rayford 3-5 2-2 2
Gurley 1-2 0-0 3
Pearson 3-9 0-0 7
Williams 0-1 0-0 0
Totals 24-26 11-19 65
Kansas State (14-8.3-7)
Player fgm/fga ftm/fta tp
Davis 1-6 0-2 2
Beane 4-15 0-0 10
Jones 5-11 0-2 15
Cunningham 5-15 0-2 10
Noland 7-12 0-2 15
Lucas 2-3 0-0 4
Gavin 0-0 0-0 0
Totals **24-62** **2-8** **56**
Halftime Kansas 28, Kansas State 30. 3-point goals Kansas State 6-22 Jones 3-7, Beane 2-10, Nolan 1-3, Davis 0,2) Kansas 4-11 (Woodberry 3-4, Vaughn 1-2, Guley 1-2, Pearson 1.3). Rebounds Kansas State 32 (Cunningham 12), Kansas 37 (Cestergat 10). Assists Kansas State 10 (Beane 4, Jones 3), Kansas 16 (Vaughn 6, richie 3). Total foults Kansas State 18, Kansas 11. Attendance 13,553.
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