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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
MEN'S BASKETBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Jayhawks have high expectations for upcoming season
Top freshman recruit Wiggins hopes to fill big shoes, make it to national championship with new team
MAX GOODWIN
mgoodwin@kansan.com
Andrew Wiggins didn't back down from putting high expectations on himself and his teammates in his media day appearance.
"We can be the best," Wiggins said. "The main goal for all of us is to win the national championship."
There is more anticipation among the fans than any season in Bill Self's career at Kansas, as far as he can tell, he said in his press conference before the players spoke on Wednesday afternoon.
"This team hasn't proven itself at all, but still the unknown of having a good recruiting class, I think, has everybody excited." Self said.
Self said the recruiting class was already one of the best he had brought in, but Wiggins became the icing on the cake when he announced he would be a jayhawk.
The ceiling is high, and Wiggins doesn't have to look far to find motivation to reach college basketball's highest achievement. He watched as his older brother, Nick, made the Final Four with Wichita State last season.
"I got to see how much joy and happiness it brought him. So I want to be a part of that too." Wiggins said. "I want to make it to the Final Four."
But it's still September, and for now Wiggins is focused on perfecting his game and enjoying college life.
Despite the hype that has surrounded Wiggins, he still feels like he can appreciate being a college student.
"Ive never experienced nothing like it," Wiggins said. "I've been able to enjoy it. We have practice and weights and stuff like that, but after that it's college. It's known to
be the best years of a lot of people's lives."
There is pressure on Wiggins from all angles, including from himself, but he welcomes it and uses it to make himself a better player.
"There's pressure, but for me it's motivating pressure," Wiggins said. "People give me big shoes to fill, and I'm just doing my best to fill them."
He's been compared to the greatest players in the game right now. But Burrigins said he hasn't had any conversations with players like LeBron James or Kevin Durant, but for now it's enough that they know his name.
"They know of me," Wiggins said. "That's a blessing. The best players in the world know about you."
All of the pressure and expectations could seem overwhelming, but Wiggins credits his family for keeping it from getting to him.
No matter what happens this season he knows where they stand.
"Throughout this year when I have bad games or good games, people are going to love me, people are going to hate me, but my family is going to be there regardless," Wiggins said.
As a freshman, Wiggins already knows how to handle the media. He said that sometimes he enjoys it, but other times it's not much fun.
At one point he was asked what he knew about the tradition and history surrounding Kansas basketball, and whether he planned on his name being mentioned among the best to ever play at Allen Fieldhouse.
"Hopefully when it's all said and done I will be," Wiggins responded. "Before the year is done I'll get all the history."
— Edited by Hannah Barling
Freshman Andrew Wiggins walks back to join his teammates on the bench during Kansas Basketball Media Day, Wiggins was the No.1 recruit for 2013.
VOLLEYBALL
Kansas falls to Under-23 Italian national team at home
BRENT BURFORD/KANSAN
The Jayhawks confer on the court during Saturday's game against the Under-23 Italian national team. Kansas lost the match in five sets.
BRIAN HILLIX
bhillix@kansan.com
With the game not affecting their record, the Jayhawks came into the match with little expectation and simply the goal of getting better and gaining experience. Every player received extended playing time as the reserves got a chance to contribute. Redshirt freshman setter Maggie Anderson and redshirt freshman Janae Hall, in particular, played pivotal roles in the match. Coach Ray Bechard said he enjoyed the opportunity to put different lineups out there and give his players experience against a quality team.
"It was good to get the entire roster in there," Bechard said. "It's good to see all those guys work together."
Facing one of the tallest and most physical teams it will play all season, Kansas fell in five sets to the Italian U-23 national team in an exhibition match at Horejsi Family Athletics Center on Wednesday.
Featuring multiple players that stood at 6'2" or taller, the Italians
The two teams traded leads throughout the first set as no team held a lead more than three points. Down 12-10 in the set, Kansas only allowed six more points the rest of the way as they took the set 21-18. Freshman outside hitter Tiana Dockery's five kills led the way with redshirt senior Caroline larmoc and junior outside hitter Sara McClinton chipping in four kills each. The defense held the Italians to a .257 hitting percentage and quieted them late in the set.
At the beginning of the second set, theItalians跑出 to an 8-4 lead. Two kills by McClinton and kills by Hall and Jarmoc erased the early deficit. Tied at 17-17, the italians reeled off the next three points to take a 20-17 lead. The Jayhawks fought off two set points with a kill by senior outside hitter Chelsea Al-
hit the ball with high velocity as they pounded 55 kills in the match. Valentia Diouf, $ 67^{\prime \prime} $ , led the Italian team with 19 kills.
"We don't see a lot of 6'7" in our conference," Bechard said. "Not just 6'7" but also a good player with a heavy arm."
pers and a block by McClinton and Hall, but the Italians won a back-and-forth point to take the set 21-19.
With strong serving from Anderson and back-to-back-to-back blocks, the layhawks sprinted to a 7-0 lead to open the fourth set. Albers and Hall had four blocks each in the set as the Italian's hitting percentage was .094 for the set while their overall percentage dipped to .228. Kansas did not commit an error in the set.
Using a majority of their second unit, the Jayhawks fell behind 3-13 early in the set and couldn't recover. Senior Amy Wehrs, senior Kara Wehrs, freshman outside hitter Emma Hanson and Anderson all saw action in the set. After posting 15 kills in each of the first two sets, the Jayhawks had just seven in the third set to go along with five errors.
Tied 8-8 in the fifth and decisive set, the Italians took five of the next six points to open up a lead and eventually take the set 15-11 and win the match. The Jayhawks had eight errors in the set to just six
The Italians also defeated Kansas State on Tuesday in five sets.
kills.
Brianne Riley set the tone on defense with 17 digs while McClinton and junior outside hitter Chelsea Albers reached double-digit kills in limited time with 10 and 11, respectively. Hall had a team-high six blocks, and Anderson stepped in to contribute nine assists, five digs and a service ace. Anderson said she benefitted from the extra playing time.
"I got a lot of confidence in myself," Anderson said. "When I go out there and serve the way I did tonight, it boosts my confidence."
Beachard said the Italianes were the equivalent of a high-level Division I volleyball team. He noted they play similar to Texas and Pennsylvania State—two traditional powerhouses in collegiate volleyball.
Kansas (10-3) begins conference play on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m. at home against Texas Christian University.
- Edited by Hannah Barling
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