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SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
12A
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2002
Students opt to go home not attend home game
By Steve Vockrodt svockrodt@kansan.com Kansans sportwriter
Despite the men's basketball team's victory last night over Tulsa, many students will leave town instead of sticking around for Dec. 21's home game against UCLA.
Students said they would go elsewhere after their last finals instead of attending the game. Some cited the poor scheduling of the game, taking place one day after the last final of the fall semester
"I don't understand why they do that," Josh Vignery, Goodland junior, said. "I can understand early January but right after finals?"
Vignery will not attend the game because he will leave Lawrence in the middle of next week, in part to attend a friend's graduation ceremony in Fort Coll
"I don't understand why they do that I can understand early January, but right after finals?" Josh Vignery Goodland junior
Officials at the Allen Fieldhouse ticket office could not say how many students had claimed their tickets for the game. Vignery said he had given his extra ticket away to a local friend who could easily attend the game.
mony in Fort Collins, Colo
Kansas senior forward Nick Collison drives against Oregon's Robert Johnson on Saturday. Collison scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Tulsa last night in the Jayhawks' 89-80 victory in Tulsa.
Vignery also echoed the sentiment of many students for another reason not to attend the game.
"I think because of the way KU has played, more people will be going home instead," he said.
One student tentatively plans on sticking around for the remainder of finals week to attend the game, yet has some reservations about the atmosphere at the game.
crowd.
"I still think it will be a good game," Boyle said. "But you won't be seeing the regular crowd support."
Vignery cited the lack of crowd enthusiasm in last year's winter break home game against Valparasio, in which crowd energy was at a low point without the usual complement of the student body.
"I might go to the game, but I do not sense a whole lot of excitement for it," J.D. Boyle, Shaker Heights, Ohio, senior, said.
Without the support of avid fans because of the team's slow start and the questionable scheduling of the game, Boyle said, he thought the game would lack the usual enthusiasm from the crowd.
Kansas weathers Hurricane
-Edited by Lauren Beatty
Kansas avoids three-game losing streak thanks to Collison's 26-point effort
By Jessica Scott
jscott@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Nick Collison must have realized something important between Saturday's and last night's game at Tulsa — it's easier to score points when you're on the court.
And score he did.
With the threat of a three-game losing streak on the line, Collison showed up huge in every way and helped turn the Jayhawks' recent turmoilsoars as No.19 Kansas defeated No.18 Tulsa 89-80.
"It's a great feeling in that locker room," coach Roy Williams said after the game. "This is the kind of moments that I really coach for. It's a heck of a feeling. We needed this one to say the least."
Collison showed up looking like a preseason All-American should against the Golden Hurricane, wiping out any memory of his unusual seven-point performance at Oregon last week. Collison managed to elude the foul problems that plagued him against the Ducks, as he did not pick up his first foul until the second half. Collison's lack of fouls led to more playing time, which in turn allowed him to score 14 points – seven more than his total from the previous game – in the first half.
Collison ended with an impressive
all-around game, scoring 26 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in 37 minutes. He nailed two shots behind the three-point arc and hit all eight of his free throw attempts.
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he told Collison to play how he knows he can, and Collison responded.
"Nick had a great day." Williams said. "He struggled on Saturday
against Oregon, felt like he had really cost us the game, but he was big time for us tonight."
Kansas heavily denied the basketball on the perimeter - a skill the Jayhawks have struggled with this season but the pressure did not phase Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane nailed all five of its three-point attempts in the opening 20 minutes, including a 35-foot shot bv
Antonio Reed at the buzzer.
Sophomores Keith Langford and Wayne Simien rejuvenated the Jayhawk offense, scoring a combined 10 straight points, which gave Kansas a 48-45 lead with 15:20 left in the game. The Jayhawks outscored Tulsa 12-5 in the opening five minutes of the second
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 13A
Kansan file photo
Kansas guard Erica Hallman, right, defends a Western Illinois guard. Hallman scored 13 points and had four assists against Wichita State last night in an 84-58 loss in Wichita.
Second loss shock for women's team
Loss to Wichita sends Jayhawks to other end of the win/loss spectrum
By Ryan Greene
rggreene@kansan.com
Kansan Sportswriter
After a 4-0 start gave the young Kansas women's basketball team some early season confidence, the Jayhawks are now seeing the other end of the spectrum after Wichita State handed Kansas its second straight defeat.
The Jayhawks (4-2) were unable to overcome three Shockers scoring in double figures, including 26 points from junior forward Carlesa Dixon. Dixon also added 13 rebounds in the 84-58 win.
The Jayhawks were led by three freshman scoring in double figures. Forward Crystal Kemp led Kansas with 15 points, point guard Erica Hallman added 13, and forward Tamara Ransburg had 11. Defensively, Ransburg added a team-high three blocked shots, extending her season total to 27.
After being outrebounded in both of their games in last weekend's Holiday Inn Jayhawk Classic, the team was outrebounded once again. 44-32.
A combination of turnover and foul trouble hurt the Jayhawks in the first half as they fell behind 44-26 going into the break.
Kansas will next play at 2 p.m. Saturday against Creigh-
— Edited by Katie Teske
Kansas' fall sports provide split when it comes to grades
With the semester drawing to a close, it's time for The University Daily Kansan to grade each Kansas athletic team.
Levi Chronister
lwalker@kansan.com
The fall semester is usually an easy call, with the football team losing a large majority of its games and the men's basketball team rolling over cupcakes and a few ranked teams in preseason tournaments.
SPORTS COMMENTARY
While the Jayhawks have held to tradition on the gridiron, Roy Williams' boys have surprised fans by dropping three of their first six games. Also surprising is the women's basketball team, which has not only defeated some weak teams on the season but also looks as if it may quickly rebound from last season 5-25 record.
Kansas' soccer and volleyball teams both played well before getting shut out of their respective NCAA tournaments, and both the men's and women's golf teams played well with young Jayhawks seeing significant time on the courses.
You lose to Baylor — which had loss 29 straight conference games — and you get a failing grade. It's that easy, but there are plenty of other reasons the Jayhawks deserve the worst possible mark. Kansas was last or next-to-last in the Big 12 Conference in scoring offense, scoring defense, rushing defense, total
Football----F
offense, total defense, passing efficiency, pass defense efficiency, third down conversions, field goals and point-after touchdown attempts. There's nowhere to go but up for Mark Mangino and his Jayhawks, but it may be a long time before they get there.
Jessica Tims Jims@kansan.com
SPORTS COMMENTARY
What can you say? Two losses in the preseason NIT followed by a loss to No. 6 Oregon. The most-loved coach and team at Kansas has come under fire by fans because of a dismal — in terms of Kansas basketball standards — 4-3 start. Roy's Boys may not be where any Kansas fan expected them to be at this point in the season, but the sad truth is if it were
Men's basketball-C
Kansas football that was off to a 4-3 start it would have received A+.
Women's basketball-C+
The mere fact that the women's basketball team's record is better than that of the men's team could cause any Kansas fan to take notice. Last night's 84- 58 loss to Wichita State knocked the Jayhawks down a notch, though. This grade is bound to rise even more in coming seasons as coach Marian Washington's team of seven freshmen, five sophomores and two juniors gain experience.
Soccer—P
Mark Francis' squad took a step back from 2001's
record-setting 13 victories and 7-3-0 record in the Big 12, but an 11-7-2 record was still commendable. So was a 1-1 tie with Nebraska, the Jayhawks' first nonloss to the Cornhuskers in the nine times they've faced off. Two road losses, one to Baylor and one late in the season to Missouri, and a 4-5-1 conference record cost the team a chance in the NCAA tournament. Though Caroline Smith and Jessica Smith aren't related, the two freshmen forwards nearly were equally impressive in their first season, helping give Kansas hope that next year may be its season to finally win a postseason game.
Volleyball — B+
The "Most Cheated of the Semester" award from the Kansan sports department is a prize this team would rather not have won. The Jayhawks finished 19-10 overall and 10-10 in the Big 12, good enough for sixth place in the conference. No Big 12 team that had finished sixth or higher with a .500 record had not been selected for the NCAA Tournament — until this season. Kansas was shutout of the postseason despite defeating then No. 22-ranked Colorado on the road and picking up other road confer
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SEE GRADES ON PAGE 13A
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