Section A · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Thursdav. November 2. 2000
Sports
Guard wants leadership role
By Zac Hunter
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas guard Kristen May likes to be the center of attention.
Whether she's on the court or dancing at Late Night, the Kansas City, Mo., sophomore wants the spotlight.
"The ball is like the spotlight," May said. "If I can take care of that and give the ball to my teammates when necessary, I'm doing my job."
May didn't have a lot of time to do her job in the early part of her freshman season and averaged less than five minutes per game.
But May turned up her game when it mattered most — during
the conference season. In Big 12 Conference games, May saw increased minutes, and her numbers went up to match.
Coach Marian Washington said that May played well down the stretch because she was gaining more confidence. She also said that May's play down the stretch was a result of her smart play and her desire to improve.
"One of the things that we try to encourage guards to do is to take more of a leadership role out there," Washington said. "I see her really responding to that challenge. She's very much willing to be a leader."
Now the confidence she built at
the end of last season has to be rebuilt in a different way. Last April during a pick-up game, May tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee and spent the summer rehabilitating it. That's not to say that May doubted that she could return, but major knee surgery has no guarantees.
"I'm still a little apprehensive about my knee," she said.
Since the start of practice, May has worked on regaining confidence back in her knee, but she said some work remained.
"I haven't played in seven or eight months, so it's a new feeling," May said. "Sometimes I get a little pain from some odd movements that my knee is not actually used
May has been working every day to return her knee to its original form, and Washington said May might need to slow down.
to."
"I think she has to be patient with herself because she's wanting to do so much so quickly," Washington said.
While she was working getting her knee back to playing condition, May also worked on her shot. Now she's looking to score, as well as dish the ball off.
"I feel I've improved greatly, especially with my shot." May said. "I'm looking forward to getting in and scoring some points for the team."
— Edited by Warisa Chulindra
Sophomore guard Kristen May hopes to get more minutes this season after rebounding from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Photo by Aaron Lindberg/ KANSAN
Big 12 Conference previews Missouri
Women Tigers band together after loss of last season's starters
By Zac Hunter
Sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Missouri women's basketball team wants respect.
Coming into the season, Big 12 Conference coaches picked the Tigers to finish eighth, and that doesn't sit well with junior guard Natalie Bright.
"I can't wait for the season to begin," she said. "The preseason polls don't mean anything to us. If anything, it motivates us to work hard and prove them wrong."
However, the presseason ranking might be somewhat generous, considering that Missouri finished seventh last season and lost starters Julie Helm and Amy Monsees, both of whom averaged in double figures last season.
The Tigers lost eight letter winners from last season's team that went 18-12 and 7-9 in the Big 12. But Missouri's returning players include starters Bright and senior forward Amanda Lassiter.
Marlena Williams also was an inside force, averaging 11.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Williams scored in double figures 23 times while starting 25 games. She showed her versatility by mixing in 40 assists, 18 blocks and 48 steals.
Athleticism may be the big difference between this year's team and
those of the past, and coach Cindy Stein said she was ready to get her team on the floor and see what they could do.
Stein also said that Missouri had to play consistently against the top teams in the conference.
Last season, the Tigers were an abysmal 1-5 against Kansas, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas. As a result, they ended up in the Women's National Invitational Tournament where Arkansas bounced into the second round.
"Playing in the WNIT was something we didn't want to do." Lassiter said. "We wanted to be in the NCAA tournament."
— Edited by Erin Adamson
Missouri men without star guard
By Chris Wristen sports@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
Coach Quin Snyder's second year at the helm of the Missouri Tigers is shaping up much like his debut season, with one exception — his team is without its star point guard.
Keyon Dooling's departure for the NBA following his sophomore campaign left a gaping hole in the middle of Missouri's game plan.
It's not easy replacing someone who was drafted No. 10 by the NBA and was the one the team was built around, but Snyder is attempting to replace Dooling with senior point guard Brian Grawer. He has grilled Grawer to prepare him
to lead the Tigers.
"I am hard on him," Snyder said. "I hold him accountable for everything. If we get in a drill and the freshmen are late, it is Brian's fault. If he develops that mindset, he will evolve into a role I need him. In if he can take that role, we can be a good team."
The Tigers will also look to sophomore forward Kareem Rush to turn his game up a notch because Missouri lacks a dominant scorer. Snyder said junior guard Clarence Gilbert would need another confident shooting season to compliment Rush's soft shooting touch. Seniors Johnnie Parker and Tajudeen Soyoye will be expected to provide the Tigers with some muscle.
Because Missouri lacks a high-scoring offense, Snyder said his team must pride itself on its defense if it was going to win many games.
With the exception of Soyoye, size is a weakness for Missouri. It has, however, added newcomers Arthur Johnson, a 6-foot-9 forward/center and highly touted 65 guard Rickey Paulding.
Missouri received good news yesterday. Fulltpress.com reported that freshman Travon Bryant, a 6-foot-8 power forward from Long Beach, Calif., has achieved a qualifying SAT score and will be eligible to play for Missouri at the end of the semester.
— Edited by Warisa Chulindra
Painting your face blue could get you on T.V.
Getting caught in a Red Zone could get you a lot more.
Prizes include TV's, stereos, t-shirts, dinner gift certificates, bottle openers, movie tickets and much more.
Hey KU fans. GET CAUGHT IN A RED ZONE by Coca-Cola. If Coke catches you drinking a 20 oz. Coca-Cola Classic at any of the designated Red Zones* you could instantly win a free prize courtesy of KU and Coca-Cola.
*Red Zones Blake Hall Burge Union Daisy Hill Kansas Union Murphy Hall Robinson Wescoe Hall
Look for the Coca-Cola Polar Bear at the next home football game.