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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2001
Commentary
Brandon Stinnett
Columnist
sportsokanm.com
Kansa beats tough rival, show great potential
Call it a hunch but my gut tells me that if Kansas and Arizona played 10 games this season, Kansas would win nine of them. Furthermore, my gut says that Arizona is one of the best teams in the country and will remain in the top 10 throughout the season.
Gut feelings aside. Kansas' impressive 105-97 victory against Arizona on Saturday is a reason for celebration. Kansas is the real deal and for the first time in four seasons, a legitimate Final Four threat.
Kansas' perfo rmance against Arizona was signifi icant for three reasons. For one, Kansas whipped the Wildcats on th eir home court, in front of thousan ds of wild and crazy Arizona fans. Secondly, Kansas ended Arizona s string of victories against ranked opponents. The Wildcats had alread y knocked off No. 2 Maryland, No. Florida and No. 23 Texas. And final ly, it was Kansas' first victory against a top-10 team since 1997, which wa s he last time the Jayhawks' were am ong the nation's elite teams.
Severalindi idual Kansas players made statement as well.
With each game, it becomes increasingly evident that no player improved more during the off-season than junior forward Drew Gooden. Gooden was Kansas' best player a year ago and now he's even more dominant, controlling the paint with a wide array of moves and a nice shooting touch. He scored 23 points against Arizona and forced the Wildcats to double and triple-team him during the second half. Early in the season, it's evidence that Gooden can be the superstar Kansas needs to make a run the NCAA tournament.
While Go dominated play down low, fr man Keith Langford continued to surpass expectations against Arizona.
Coming in to the year, Langford's athleticism was well-documented, but how well he would fit into coach Roy William controlled offensive scheme was a question mark
So far Larkford, who scored 19 points again in Arizona, has managed to stay away from the pitfalls that often ague young players with exceptional athletic ability. Langford really tries to force plays by driving will dly to the basket. He demonstraces a level of control that many players take years to develop.
Langford and Gooden came up big for Kansas in the victory, but senior guard Jeff Boschee's clutch three-point shoot ing may have made the difference. Boschee hit a big three that helped end off a late Arizona rally and gave Kansas a 92-83 advantage with 2:46 to play. Boschee scored 19 points and was 5-for-10 from three-poin range. If he stays hot, Kansas will be nearly impossible to heat.
Saturday was a great day to be a Kansas ba sketball fan. With Drew Gooden's continued dominance in the paint Langford's continued improvement and Boschee's three-point shooting, there should be many more great days ahead.
Stinnett is a Shawneen senior in journalism and psychology
Kansas tops Arizona
Narrow victory against Wildcats proves to be biggest victory in years
By Ryan Malashock Kansan sportswriter
TUCSON, Ariz. — Kansas men's basketball teams in recent years may have let this game get away.
In fact, the Jayhawks couldn't even hold on to a sure win in their season-opening loss to Ball State.
But following No. 8 Kansas' 105-97 victory against No. 4 Arizona on Saturday in Tucson, the Jayhawks talked about the heart and toughness that spearheaded the program's biggest victory in four years.
Saturday's win snapped a string of six consecutive losses to teams ranked in the Top 10 for Kansas. That streak dated back to 1997.
"That was a game my first two years that would have slipped out of our hands, especially on the road," junior forward Drew Gooden said. "But this team is tough. This was a big win. It was tough to hear. This is the loudest place I've played in my college career."
"It's probably the biggest win we've had since I've been here, overall," junior guard Kirk Hirnrich said.
Kansas sprinted out to a 53-38 half-time lead. Gooden posted 14 of his 25 points and nine of his career-high tying 15 rebounds in the first half alone, while Kansas shot 56.8 percent from the field and held Arizona to 29.3 percent.
After trading baskets for the first 15 minutes of the second half, Arizona made its charge. A 10-2 Wildcat run cut Kansas' lead to 87-83 with 3:43 to play. Kansas put the game out of reach in the next two possessions. In a called play out of a
Drew Gooden
timeout. Hirsch drove the lane and scooped in a layup. After Arizona missed a shot, Hirsch once again drove the lane, but this time kicked the ball out to senior guard Jeff Boschee. Boschee knocked down one of his five crowd-silencing three-pointers, giving the Jawhacks a nine-point lead that they wouldn't relinquish.
Boschee ended the game with 19 points and killed Arizona's momentum by sticking several shots while the McHale Center crowd was on its feet and screaming.
"Everybody feels like when he shoots it, it's going in," Kansas coach Roy Williams said about Bossche. "It'a quiet confidence he gives everybody."
Gooden, Hinrich and Boschee weren't Kansas' only stars Saturday. Freshman Ken Langford showed why he's an inside-outside threat with his career-high 19 points, which included a three-pointer and two driving dunks.
With Boschee and junior forward Nick Collison in trouble, senior guard Brett Ballard and senior forward Jeff Carey stepped in during crucial moments. Ballard banked in a three-pointer late in the game: Carey finished with five rebounds in 22 minutes and hit two key free throws with a minute to play.
Kansas escaped Tucson with a victory despite a 34-point performance from Arizona guard Jason Gardner. Gardner set a school record by hitting eight three-pointers.
"He's so quick and has such range on his jump shot," Williams said. "He gets his shot off so quickly. I don't know that I've played against a guard who can dominate scoring-wise like Jason Gardner."
Contact Malashock at 864-4858
KANSAS 105, ARIZONA 97
KANSAS (4-1)
Gooden 9-19 5-7 23, Collison 6-10 2-4 14, Hinrich
5-8 5-16, Miles 4-6 0-8, Boschsen 6-12 2-19,
Ballard 1-0-2 0-0, Langford 7-11 4-1 49, Nash 0-1
0-0, Carey 1-1 2-2 4, Lee 0-1 0-0, Totals 39-70
20-15 105
ARIZONA (3-1)
**LUNA (1-3)**
Walton 5-12 9-9 20, Anderson 5-13 5-6 17,
Fox 2-5 1-5 13, Stoudamire 2-19 0-0 6, Gardner
11-2 22 4-94, Bynum 2-9 0-0, Liatore 1-2
3-4 5, Fry 2-3 1-1, Tables 30-8 25-32 97.
Halftime - Kansas 53-38, 3-Point goals -
Kansas 7-19 (Boschese 5-10, Llandorf 1-
Hirinch 1-3, Gooden 1-0, Miles 1-0, Ballard 0-
Lee 0-1), Arizona 14-38 (Gardner 8-16,
Anderson 2-5, Stoundame 2-9, Wailton 1-
Bynum 1-6), Fouled out — Collison, Miles,
Anderson, Gardner, Rebounds - Kansas 45
(Gooden 15), Arizona 44 (Walton 11), Assists -
Kansas 22 (Hirnich 9), Arizona 18 (Wailton 9).
Total fouls - Kansas 26, Arizona 22, A — 14,562
Jayhawks fall to Ducks in tourney championship
By Jessica Scott Kansan sportswriter
KC Hilgenkamp's career-high 21 points weren't enough to boost Kansas past Oregon Saturday night.
In the championship game of the Holiday Inn Jayhawk Classic, the Kansas senior surpassed the personal best she had set the previous night, when she scored 16 points in the Jayhawks' win against Alabama State.
AARON SHOWALTER/KANSAN
Against Oregon, freshman Blair Waltz scored a career-high 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Four Jayhawks reached double figures, but Oregon's 63 percent shooting in the second half helped the Ducks earn a 67-60 victory against Kansas (3-4).
"There were some crucial breakdowns from the guard spots," said Kansas coach Marian Washington. "We really felt like our defense could have been stronger in the second half and we might have had a chance to make it tough on them."
KU freshman guard Blair Waltz drives past the defense of Oregon's Edniesha Curry during the championship game of the Jayhawk Classic. The Ducks beat the Jayhawks 67-60 Saturday night at Allen Field House.
In Friday's game, the Jayhawks squeaked past Alabama State 62-61 and advanced to Saturday's meeting with Oregon (4-3).
Late in the second half, the Hornets (1-2) grabbed the lead at 59-58. After Alabama State hit two free throws and Kansas missed a layup, the Jayhawks trailed 61-60 with 24 seconds remaining. On the inbounds pass, senior guard Selena Scott stole the ball and scored, giving the Jayhawks their closest win of the season.
"Selena came up with a great steal but
most importantly, she finished it." Washington said. "It was just big-time."
Hilgenkamp, who along with Scott earned all-tournament honors, said she wasn't surprised by Scott's performance.
"Selena has been playing great all season." Hillgenkamp said. "She's a great leader and that play shows what kind of a player she is."
Scott finished with 8 points while fellow seniors Hilgenkamp, Nikki White and Kristin Geoffroy contributed 16, 10 and 8 points, respectively.
Washington said she was pleased with the progress she has seen from her seniors, particularly Hilgenkamp.
Contact Scott at 864-4858
Hayes takes name off list as coaching candidate
Kansas interim football coach Tom Hayes withdrew his name last night from the list of candidates in the search for a permanent replacement for coach Terry Allen.
"It has been a good experience and one that I will always remember in a positive way, but I think it's time for me and my family to move in a different direction." Hayes said in a statement released yesterday. He was not available for comment last night.
In three games with Hayes as head coach, Kansas lost 59-0 to Texas and 49-7 to Iowa State before topping Wyoming 27-14.
Hayes joined the Kansas coaching staff in February as defensive coordinator, secondary coach and assistant head coach.
"I want to thank all of the wonderful people in the KU athletic department and our fans for their great support in recent weeks," he said.
Hayes had spent the previous four years as an assistant coach with the Washington Redskins. He took the helm for Kansas after Allen led the Jayhawks to a 2-6 start in his fifth year as Kansas' coach.
Meanwhile, two candidates have been added and two have dropped from the list of prospects for Kansas football's head coach job.
Mark Mangino, the offensive coordinator for defending national-champion Oklahoma, removed his name from the Kansas coaching search on Saturday. Alabama coach Dennis Franchione announced late Thursday night that he was not interested in the job.
Two new candidates, both from the NFL, surfaced last weekend. ESPN.com reported on Saturday that Nolan Cromwell, wide receivers coach for the Seattle Seahawks, was high on Kansas' list. Cromwell starred as Kansas' starting quarterback in the mid-70s. He was the Big 8 Offensive Player of the Year in 1975 and also excelled at track.
Bill Callahan, 45, was the other prospect added. Callahan, offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders, leads one of the league's most potent offenses. Only the St. Louis Rams' 26.9 points per game tops the Raiders' 25.3. The University of California-Berkeley has also expressed interest in Callahan.
The other names that have been linked to the Kansas coaching job include Charlie Strong, defensive coordinator at South Carolina, and Pat Hill, Fresno State coach, who has publicly denied having interest in the job.
Al Bohl, Kansas athletics director, has not said when he intends to announce the new coach.
Jeff Denton
Students give two-cents worth on new coach
By Ryan Greene Kansan sportswriter
It is a search that started nearly a month ago, but could be coming to a close.
The search is the one being conducted for the new Kansas football coach, and it's a search some KU students care about.
Doug Donahoo, Overland Park junior, did not have a particular name in mind, but knows the type of coach he would like roming the Memorial Stadium sidelines next fall.
"I'd like to see a disciplinarian, totally devoted to running a strict program, which is something KU football has been missing for over a decade," Donahoo said. "Best case scenario, Dennis Franchione, who probably should have been hired five years ago while he was at Pittsburg State. If he wants to escape from Alabama, KU would be foolish not to go after him."
A student adamant as to who he would like to see hired was Matt Norman, Rochester Hills, Michigan, sophomore.
"He has experience at a big-time school, which was in the Big Ten, and he is a proven winner," Norman said.
"I would say either Phil Bennett or Mike Stoops. I think they're both young
Norman said he would like to see former Ohio State coach John Cooper at the helm of the football program next season.
Kenny Short, Topeka sophomore considers himself a hardcore KU football fan and has his mind well set on the type of coach he wants.
The University of Kansas has the opportunity to bring in any of the coaches these KU students have mentioned because of being in the Big 12 Conference.
guys which is good, and we need a defens-
gency-minded coach," Short said.
It should only be a matter of weeks until the University knows whether the students will get what they want out of the decision.
Contact Greene at 864-4858