THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013
PAGE 13
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
ayhawks look to improve on recent success
EVAN DUNBAR
edunbar@kansan.com
Back-to-back Sweet Sixteens. When you hear this phrase you immediately think of Kansas basketball — but usually the men, not the women.
But that is exactly what coach Bonnie Henrickson and the Jayhawks women's basketball team have accomplished the past two seasons — two deep postseason runs filled with upsets over top-notch programs. Because of the success of the past two seasons, expectations are at a level that has not been seen at Kansas since before Henrickson took over the program in 2004. This season, Kansas adds five new players to the roster.
It is the seven veterans that Kansas will have to rely on in the early part of this season if the Jayhawks want to be successful.
tuble cats' en led the storage.
Losing three 1,000 point scorers in Angel Goodrich, Monica Engelman and Carolyn Davis will not go unnoticed, but returning players like CeCe Harper, Natalie Knight and
Gardner recorded a doubledouble with 18 points and 11 rebounds against Pittsburg State and followed that performance with 11 points against Emporia state on Sunday.
numbers,the outlook for this season becomes much brighter.
and the tempo was lacking throughout much of the game.
The competition in nonconference play and the Big 12 will be much tougher than these two exhibitions, and it seems that as Gardner goes, so will the Jayhawks this season. The Jayhawks begin their season this Sunday against Oral Roberts in Allen Fieldhouse, and their Big 12 conference play begins Jan. 2 against West Virginia.
Edited by Emma McElhaney
Chelsea Gardner will have to step up if the Jayhawks want the chance to advance to the postseason for a straight year.
increase our ball pressure and boxing out is going to be big for us down the stretch"
nguiano
Gardner played in all 34 of the jayhawks' games last season and started 19 of them. She averaged just under nine points and seven rebounds a game, which were both nearly double her totals from her freshman season. If Gardner can improve these
"I think at times we were really good, but we've just got to bring it every night," junior guard Natalie Knight said. "We need to
The most important component in that respect will be junior
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
Kansas will need to come out stronger than it did against Emporia State
Sophomore guard Lamaria Cole hopes to play an important role with this season's Jayhawks.
"I think at times we're really good, but we've just got to bring it every night."
on Sunday, when the Hornets jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game, flustering the Jayhawks with good defense and good ball movement on offense.
NATALIE KNIGHT junior guard
forward Chelsea Gardner.
Although Kansas won the exhibition game 61-53, the offense looked sluggish at best.
The Oklahoma State Cowgirls' 9-9 finish in the 2012-13 Big 12 campaign gave the team a fifth place finish in the conference. Overall, the team finished 22-11 with a second round loss to the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils.
VS
HOME: Jan. 22 at 7 p.m.
AWAY: Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.
KANSAS
The Cowgirls beat the Jayhawks twice by double digits, led by the team's junior point guard Tiffany Bias and sophomore forward Liz Donohoe. In the first matchup in Lawrence, both the Jayhawks and Cowgirls were ranked, but the Cowgirls never trailed in the game.
comes in at an athletic 6-2 big that has been said to be a dominating force down low, averaging 21 points, 12 board, and 4 blocks her senior year in high school.
As far as the veterans are concerned, Ellenberg is the one who will most likely lead this team. Coming off a season in which she averaged 18.7 points per game and shot over 40% from both the field and beyond
HOME: Feb. 9 at 2 p.m.
AWAY: Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.
Liz Donohoe scored 24 points and the Cowgirls won on the road 76-59. In the second matchup in Stillwater, Okla., senior forward Toni Young scored 15 points and secured 15 rebounds on top of junior point guard Tiffany Bias' 12 points. The Jayhaws lost to the No. 12-ranked Cowgirls 65-52.
the arc, she is going to need to be a key part of this offense if this team wants to do well this year. Judging by the Sooners' success last season, it looks like the young freshmen will be a good compliment to the returning veterans, as the Sooners should have another great year.
Last season the Cowgirls were successful with an experienced lineup, but have lost three main contributors. With the addition of several new freshmen, the young Cowgirls squad will look to senior
point guard Tiffany Bias and junior forward Liz Donohoe to lead the team. The youth didn't keep them from a No. 21 ranking in the Associated Press preseason poll.
Last season, Bias - who is from Andover, Kan. - was selected as an All-American honorable mention by the Associated Press, and was a second-team All-Big 12 pick for the second season in a row. She was also the third player in Cowgirl history to reach 500 assists.
— Dylan Lysen
VS
OKLAHOMA
KANSAS
Led by the focal point of their team in seniors Morgan Hook, Aaryn Ellenberg, Nicole Griffin, and junior Sharane Campbell, the preseason coaches poll winner's of the Big 12, hope to take the young core of five new freshman, and hope to make another deep NCAA Tournament run. The freshmen of the Oklahoma Sooners are said to be some of the best, as one their standout forward Felisha Gibbs is a top talent. She
Ryan Levine
VS
TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
TCU received a rude welcoming to the Big 12 last season, finishing last, with a 2-16 conference record. Overall, the Lady Horned Frogs went 9-21 and failed to win a road game.
HOME: Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.
AWAY: Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.
Their disastrous 2012 campaign is leading to renewed hope this season. Head coach Jeff Mittie started three freshmen last season to prepare for the future. TCU should expect an improved record with its highly-touted freshman class and four starters returning.
KANSAS
As a freshman, guard Zahna Medley led the team in scoring and assists. Center Laticria Lovings finished third in the NCAA with 3.63 blocks per game last year and is regarded as one of the best defensive players in the nation. She also recorded 9.2 rebounds per game.
Mittie's rebuilding plan was bolstered this offseason by signing guard AJ Alix, a top-50 recruit, and guard forward Jada Butts, a top-100 recruit, in the off-season. Guard Alexia Standish, a 2011 top-30
recruit and U16 Olympic basketball gold medalist, transferred to TCU for this season after two years at Texas A&M.
The team may not be challenging for the Big 12 this year, but it should be in the next two or three years. If the young starters from last year improve and the recruits continue to roll in, TCU could be a force in the years to come.
— Nick Chadbourne
TEXAS TECH
VS
HOME: Jan. 11 at 7 p.m.
AWAY: Feb. 2 at 4 p.m.
KANSAS
HOME: Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.
AWAY: Jan. 15 at 7 p.m.
VS
KANSAS
TEXAS
VS
KANSAS
HOME: Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.
AWAY: March 4 at 6 p.m.