TENNIS: Wrapping up the season out West. SEE PAGE 5A. CROSS COUNTRY: NCAA MIDWEST REGIONALS ARE TOMORROW. SEE PAGE 6A.
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TALK TO US: Contact Jay Krall or Sarah Warren at (785) 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com
Commentary
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9,2001
Chris Wristen Columnist sportsakansan.com
When it's time rookie player will rule court
It wasn't Allen Fieldhouse, but Wayne Simien always imagined it was ... you know, his driveway court back home in Leavenworth.
So many times he imagined himself trotting onto the fieldhouse court to the roar of 16,300 fans. He pictured himself going through warm-ups, hearing his name announced as he entered the game and then proceeding to manhandle opponents and score at will while leading his beloved Jayhawks to a victory.
He had played on the fieldhouse court at Roy Williams' summer basketball camps since the sixth grade, working toward that dream. On Wednesday, the dream became reality for Simien as well as for Kansas fans who watched a Kansas big man thrash the EA Sports Central All-Stars, 98-77.
Simien entered the game and provided the spark Kansas needed to put the game away early.
He sank hook shots after making strong pivots in the post. He swished all nine of his free throw tries and looked calm and comfortable from the moment he stepped on to the floor.
Oh yeah, he also looked menacing. With his 6-foot-9, 250-pound frame, Simien was thicker than any one else on the floor and used it to his advantage. He thrashed his elbows through the air as he tore down rebounds, and he glared at opponents and shoved them out of the way when they tried to guard him.
He also used his size to abuse the All-Stars' Marek Ondera. Simien tossed Ondera like a rag doll, swallowed one of his shots on a block, muscled past him for lay-ins, threw down three thunderous dunks that left the goal shaking and tore down rebounds like Karl Malone. He owned Ondera.
"He's got an extremely big advantage coming in as a freshman being built the way he is," senior center Jeff Carey said of Simien's intimidating frame. "Going on through the years, he should be a tank. He's already as strong as any of us."
Simien tallied 25 points, eight rebounds and one block in 19 minutes that drew a standing ovation from the packed fieldhouse. He achieved his boyhood dream in his first college game and in one heck of an impressive performance.
"Let's not get too excited," coach Roy Williams said about Simien's explosive night. "It's not exactly Missouri out there that we're playing or Oklahoma State, so don't get too excited."
And that's the thing Kansas fans need to realize. Savor Simien's first game, because we saw an amazing outing by a man who was in a zone Wednesday night.
But understand this: it was just an exhibition game, and Simien is still a freshman. Enjoy the magic he displayed against the All-Stars, but realize that he will have his ups and downs.
Enjoy watching this superstar-in-theworks as he develops and continues to mature. Don't expect 25 points every night, but continue to expect the workhorse attitude he played with all night.
Simien will be a consistent contributor for the Jayhawks all season because he is well-disciplined and won't let Wednesday's game go to his head. He knows Williams won't let him.
Dominating the All-Stars was a nice start, but now Simien can have bigger dreams to strive toward during the next four years: helping the Jayhawks win a Big 12 Conference title and bringing a national championship to Kansas.
Wristen is a Leawood senior in journalism
Tough loss may end season
After losing to Missouri, soccer team can only hope for at-large bid
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswriter
SAN ANTONIO — After 112 minutes of pure war, the Kansas soccer team dropped a heartbreaker to Missouri, a 1-0 double-overtime defeat in the first round of the Big 12 Conference tournament yesterday.
the loss eliminates the Jayhawks from the tournament, and puts them on the bubble for an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament. The field will be announced Monday.
After a record-setting season of 13 wins, Kansas (13-6) let the stalemate slip away with eight minutes left in the
Tiger forward Karen Bauer knocked the ensuing penalty kick into the back of the net for the victory. Missouri (13-7) now faces first-seeded Texas in the semifinals.
"We started off slow,but we picked
second overtime after junior defender Nikki Wahle was called for a foul in the box.
slow, but we pretend it up in the second half and played really well," said senior forward Natalie Hoogveld. "It's sad that it ended on a PK."
The game was dominated by strong play from both defenses and missed opportunities by both offenses.
Meghan Miller
Missouri outshot Kansas 21-12. Freshman goalkeeper Meghan Miller saved nine shots, and exposed her fearless attitude by breaking up several Tiger opportunities from point-blank range.
"Meghan played awesome," coach Mark Francis said. "She's gotten better every game, and she's obviously emerged into a very good goalkeeper. She kept us in it on more than several occasions."
Missouri had 12 corner kicks, including five in the first half, but the Jayhawk defense prevented any damage from being done.
"The game was pretty even," Francis said. "It was a lot more even than when we played them Friday. It was a great season, but it's disappointing to lose like that. It's just one of those things."
The Jayhawks' fate now lies in the NCAA tournament selection committee. After yesterday's loss, Kansas rests on the
bubble of a possible at-large berth.
"A loss today made it a bit more difficult to get in, but we still have a chance," Hoogveld said. "We seniors hope it's not our last game."
And if it is the end, Francis said he thought this season was anything but a waste.
"It's been a very good season whether we make the tournament or not," he said. "We have come a long way. Compared from last year to this year, it's a huge difference. We can use that as a benchmark for what we expect from here on out and to continue to improve
"Anything less than fourth in the conference after this is not going to be acceptable."
Cornerback seeks revenge
Shown up last year, Andrew Davison is seeking redemption
Contact Wood at 864-4858
By Jeff Denton Kansan sportswriter
Andrew Davison has waited 364 days for this rematch.
On Nov. 11 of last year, a Texas freshman humbled Davison as he torched the cornerback for two touchdowns and four receptions for 180 yards. Wide receiver Roy Williams' performance stunned Davison, who had told the media two weeks before the game he was the best cornerback in the Big 12 Conference.
Davison was defeated that day. He had allowed a young wide receiver to come into Lawrence and make a mockery out of a one-on-one match-up. The game helped Roy Williams to stardom and had Davison seething, hoping for one more shot against the wide receiver in his senior season.
Davison's day of reckoning will come tomorrow.
Kansas plays No. 5 Texas on its home turf this time around, but Davison will once again be responsible for shadowing Williams, the 6-foot-5 monster who has 14 touchdown grabs in less than two years at Texas.
"This will be the most important challenge for me this year," Davison said Wednesday. "I've been looking forward to this since last year. He is the best receiver in the
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
SEE DAVISON PAGE 5A
Kansas senior cornerback Andrew Davison works out at practice. The Jayhawks practiced yesterday for tomorrow's 11:30 a.m. game in Austin, Texas, against the No. 5 Texas Longhorns.
Hayes brings big changes to team
By Brent Briggeman
Kansas sportswriter
Kansan sportswriter
Even with a smooth flight to Austin, Texas, one of the most turbulent weeks in the history of Kansas football could get even bumper tomorrow.
Kansas, not yet a week removed from the firing of coach Terry Allen, will implement a series of changes in hopes of improving its chances against a charged-up No. 5 Texas.
Interim coach Tom Hayes, in his first week on the job after replacing coach Terry Allen, announced that
freshman Mario Kinsey and sophomore Zach Dyer would again split time at quarterback. The two battled for the position early in the season with Kinsey taking over full-time duties in the season's third game. However, after completing just 17 of his last 32 passes, Kinsey must fight for playing time once again.
"I've been a little concerned with Mario's confidence, and I think that's reflected in his play," said offensive coordinator Rip Scherer. He said Kinsey's performance had reached a
The Jayhawks will begin huddling between plays, scrapping the no-huddle approach that was implemented at the beginning of the season.
The starting quarterback won't be named until tomorrow, but both Dyer and Kinsey expect to see playing time.
plateau and a switch could help his game.
"I want those three guys to be out there in the huddle when it gets hot and things aren't going well," said Hayes, who promoted wide receivers Termaine Fulton and Roger Ross, as well as tackle Justin Hartwig.
The quarterback position won't be the extent of the changes for Kansas.
The offensive play calling will now be entrusted entirely to Scherer, who had
previously split the job with Allen.
Hayes also named three additional senior offensive captains for this week in an attempt to increase the onfield leadership.
The changes come as the Jayhawks' offense, ranked 109th in the nation.
SEE HAYES PAGE 5A
Women's team to rework offense
By Jessica Scott Kansan sportswriter
Going into tomorrow afternoon's game against Fort Hays State, Kansas women's basketball coach Marian Washington has one main concern.
"I've been worried as to where we're going to get some scoring, and I think that we'll be able to find it," she said. "Hopefully we'll find enough of it throughout the year."
The Jayhawks have one preseason game left to jump start their offense. Kansas has not faced Fort Hays State since 1976. In the nine times these teams have met, the Tigers lead the series 5 to 4. Kansas has won the last two meetings by an average of 38.5 points. Washington said she was looking forward to finally playing the in-state Division II team again.
The Jayhawks, coming off a sevenpoint loss Tuesday to a talented Houston Jaguars, had only two players reach double figures. Senior guard Selena Scott scored 13 while senior center Kristin Geoffroy added 10. Senior guard K.C. Hilgenkamp and freshman guard/forward Chelsey Thompson both ended with nine points. Washington said she had already recognized the weakest area of her team's offensive game.
"The concern I really have right now is in our four spot, and I'm not sure how I'm going to get it fixed," she said. "That's a big concern I have."
"When I got started here, Fort Hays State was a great program for women's basketball," Washington said. "They've had very fine women's teams so it will be fun to see them. It's kind of neat just to — for at least one game — bring one of the smaller schools in."
Whether the caliber of the preseason competition is WNBA or Division II quality, the purpose of the game remains the same.
Washington said one strategy to fix her offensive woes was to get freshman guard/forward Blair Waltz more involved.
"I think that with Blair, we're going to consider playing around with her position a little bit, maybe to get her on the floor a little bit longer," Washington said.
"The young players need to get the experience on the floor playing this type of aggressive basketball." Scott said. "Our main focus for the exhibition games is mainly to get them in the flow of college basketball."
Contact Scott at 864-4858
NCAA BASKETBALL
Arizona 71
3 Maryland 67
NCAA BASKETBALL
5 Florida 72
17 Temple 64
NBA
Milwaukee 86
Miami 82
NBA
Dallas 105
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Denver 91