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Volume 127 Issue 29
kansan.com
Wednesday. October 15, 2014
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COMMENTARY
Ellis, Gardner need to stand tall this season
Night in the PhoG is one of Kansas basketball's most exciting
kebalas most exciting events. Like many before it, Friday night's 30th installation of Late Night included a men's and a women's scrimage. The scrimimages aren't carbon copies of what to expect during the regular season, but they can be a good preview into individual player's performances. Friday night, the focus was on two players in particular
— junior forward Perry Ellis and senior forward Chelsea Gardner.
Ellis and Gardner were the only Kansas players named to the preseason All-Big 12 team. They have similar roles on their respective teams this year as well. Ellis and Gardner are two of the older and more experienced players on their rosters this season. The men's side, in particular, has a very young team. With only one senior on the team, Ellis will be propelled into a leadership role as a junior. Gardner is one of four seniors on the team, so she will have more of a natural leadership role.
"Perry is never going to be a vocal leader," men's basketball coach Bill Self said. "But on the court, he's our guy."
It was clear right off the opening tip that Ellis will be the focal point in offense for the upcoming season. When teammate Cliff Alexander won the tip, Ellis caught the ball and immediately took it to the rim. Ellis missed, but his intentions were clear.
He ranked 16th in the conference and second on the team, scoring 13.5 points per game last season. He also ranked second in rebounds with 6.7 per game.
Ellis struggled converting, going 2-for-6 from the floor, but he will be more involved during the season.
In the women's scrimmage, the box score was a little more expected. Gardner led her team in scoring, with 10 points.
The senior comes into this season with impressive credentials. She averaged 17.1 points and 8.4 rebounds last season, which each ranked as fourth-best in the Big 12.
During the scrimmage, she went 5-for-8 from the field and pulled down five boards. She received most of the attention down low and was the most talented scorer on the floor.
Another player who is looking to assert himself more is sophomore guard Wayne Selden, who led all players in scoring.
In the post-scrimmage press conference, Selden was asked about his big scoring night, putting up 17.
"I felt good out there." Selden said. "But I wasn't on Perry's team. During the regular season, he's obviously going to be our go to guy."
Edited by Kelsie Jennings
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
Senior wide receiver Tony Pierson hurdles a defender for the first down. Pierson ended the game with 10 carries and two receptions for a total of 54 yards.
SHANE JACKSON
@JacksonShane3
Big plays can change the momentum of the game. In college football, momentum is the often the difference between winning close games and losing them.
Both of his touchdowns mark the longest scoring plays
Senior Kansas receiver Tony Pierson has the ability to do just that. Fans have seen that already this year. In the season opener, sophomore quarterback Montell Cozart connected with Pierson for a 67-yard completion that turned out to be the deciding play of the game.
On the opening play from scrimmage against Central Michigan, Pierson took a handoff out of the backfield and sprinted 74 yards down the opposing sideline, untouched, for a score. It was the longest play of his Kansas career, and the Jayhawks wound up winning that game, 24-10.
from the Kansas offense this season.
"He's arguably the most explosive player we have on the field," interim coach Clint Bowen said. "He's one of those guys that has a chance at making a special play for us."
In the 41-3 loss against Duke, Pierson touched the ball twice. In the 24-0 loss against Texas in Charlie Weis's final game at Kansas, Pierson had four plays called for him.
But what has been the biggest threat to Pierson's big-play ability this year is Kansas offense itself.
Even Bowen struggled to get Pierson involved in his head-coaching debut against West Virginia, where he had three touches for a combined eight yards.
"He's one of our better players on the team, so having him get his touches is important," senior quarterback Michael Cummings said. "Having his big-play ability on the edge respected creates lanes up the
middle."
Bowen made more of a concerted effort to get his best offensive player involved in his second game as interim head coach. In the near upset against No. 16 Oklahoma State, Pierson had a season-high 12 touches. Though none of those touches resulted in scores, it was enough for the Cowboys to respect the Kansas offense.
"He's arguably the most explosive player we have on the field. He's one of those guys that has a chance at making a special play for us."
CLINT BOWEN Interim football coach
But perhaps the most intriguing thing about Pierson's performance was the fact that a majority of it came
as running back. He carried the ball 10 times Saturday and split backfield time all day with running backs DeAndre Mann and Corey Avery.
As Kansas prepares for a crucial matchup against Texas Tech, Bowen appears to have the same mindset — get Pierson the ball at all costs. Because of this, Pierson will once again see a lot of plays from the backfield.
"Putting him at tailback a little more guarantees that they can't keep us from turning around and handing it off to him," Bowen said.
Pierson is no stranger to running back. As a sophomore he was selected to All-Big 12 Honorable Mention after starting nine games at running back. He rushed for 760 yards on 117 carries and four touchdowns. He recorded three 100-yard performances on the ground.
"Running back is just like home to me," Pierson said. "At receiver you have to depend on quarterback and the
offensive line to get the ball; at running back it is much easier to just get handoffs."
Out of East St. Louis High School, he was ranked as the nation's No. 8 athlete according to Rivals.com. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his four years and scored a total of 76 touchdowns.
Under Weis, Pierson was used mostly as a receiver. Much of that was due to the lack of production from that position as well as having a guy like James Sims at running back.
"At that time, the philosophy was that he was more valuable on the outside." Bowen said. "I just saw it differently."
With Bowen calling the shots, Pierson's role has begun to change.
After outperforming the No. 16 Cowboys in terms of totals yards (379-274) Saturday, perhaps change is for the best.
Edited by Alyssa Scott
Kansas volleyball looks to build on first Big 12 win against West Virginia
KYLE PAPPAS
@KylePap
Outside hitter Tiana Dockery is congratulated after scoring a point against Texas on Oct. 14. Dockery had her best match of the season this week end in Kansas' victory against the Baylor Bears in Waco, Texas.
After notching its first conference win of the season last Saturday at Baylor, the Kansas volleyball team (13-5, 1-3) will look to continue its momentum as it takes on West Virginia (12-7, 2-3) in Morgantown, W.Va., on Wednesday evening.
The Jayhawks, currently ranked eighth in the conference, defeated the Baylor Bears in four sets over the weekend to climb their way out of the Big 12 cellar. Junior outside hitter Tiana Dockery led the way with a season-high 19 kills on a .255 hitting percentage. It was the third consecutive game with double-digit kill for the junior, who has begun to come on as of late.
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
"As we've found out, anybody in this league can beat anybody at any point in time, but it's the way that we did it with a really gutty effort in set three and then a big run to end set four that is really satisfying," coach Ray Bechard said after the match. "It's what we needed."
With one win in the bag, Kansas has a great opportunity to secure back-to-back victories on its trip to Morgantown. After beginning the season 10-1, the Mountaineers have fallen apart as their competition has stiffened. They've now dropped six of their last eight contests and were swept in the ACC-Big 12 Challenge earlier this season.
Anderson, a Big 12 All-Freshman team selection in 2013, is the centerpiece of the Mountaineers' offensive attack as she currently leads the league in. kills (4.85 per set) and points (5.34 per set).
West Virginia is led by sophomore outside hitter
Konstantinidou, from Thessaloniki, Greece has been among the best newcomers in the conference this season, currently sitting atop the Big 12 in assists (11.19 per set) and landing
Jordan Anderson and freshman setter Lamprini Konstantinidou.
For the Jayhawks, freshman setter Ainise Havili and senior outside hitter Sara McClinton will look to build on strong performances from last Saturday's match.
Havili, who was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week for the week of Oct. 6, picked up her ninth double-double of the year (third in the Big 12) against the Bears. She's been crucial in setting up kill opportunities for Kansas' middle and outside hitters
McClinton, a 2013 Honorable Mention All-America selection, has been quiet for much of the season; she's not among the conference's top 10 in any major statistical category, and her .172 hitting percentage is well below her career average. But she had a stellar showing against Baylor, recording 16 kills while finishing with a .371 hitting percentage. Both are
this year, ranking second in the conference in assists (11.18 per set).
eighth in service aces (0.31 per set).
her second-highest marks of the season.
If she can consistently manage this kind of attack efficiency, a resurgence from McClinton could be a major boost for this Kansas squad as it dives deeper into Big 12 play.
The match begins at 5:30 p.m. CST at the WVU Coliseum and can be live-streamed through WVUsports.com.
Edited by Alyssa Scott