Tell us your news
Contact Levi Chronister or
Jessica Tims at (785) 864-
4858 or jtims@kansan.com
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
1B
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2002
SPORTS COMMENTARY
Joey Berlin
jberlin@kansan.com
Academics not crucial for athletes
Every year, college athletes across the nation impede their own athletic progress and sabotage their team's shot at championship glory — by studying more than they have to. This could be happening anywhere, to any college team — even our beloved Kansas men's basketball team.
When you get dedicated scholars who play on your school's squad, they divide their attention between academics and athletics. When athletes have to divide their attention, as a natural consequence one of their activities gets shortchanged. Just ask Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson.
But which scholar athletes are hurting their team the most? I decided to invent an Academic Detriment Rating, or ADR, for college basketball. I tried to come up with a stat that factors in a player's GPA and playing time. After writing a lot numbers, I felt like Russell Crowe's character in A Beautiful Mind, only I was using index cards instead of a chalkboard, and the people I was talking to were real — I hope. Anyway, after my head began to hurt, I went with a very simple ADR formula.
First, you take the difference between the player's GPA and the minimum GPA required for graduation in his school and multiply by 100. Then, you multiply that by the player's percentage of playing time in minutes per game.
Voila — a player's basic ADR.
So who's an example of a player who might hurt his team with excessive classroom excellence? Let's look at Jacque Vaughn's 1997 season. Vaughn, Kansas' all-time assists leader, graduated in 1997 with a 3.72 GPA, 1.52 points over the minimum required for graduation, a 2.2 GPA, from the business school. So, multiplying by 100, that 1.52 difference becomes 152.
Now, the playing time percentage: In 1997, Vaughn averaged 31.5 minutes per game out of 40 possible minutes, a rounded playing time percentage of .79. So you multiply the GPA part, 1.52, by the playing time percentage to get Vaughn's ADR: 120.08.
That's a high ADR. If Vaughn had allowed his GPA to come down a little to spend time working on his one weakness, his scoring, maybe he could have provided the deciding points in Kansas' 85-82 loss to Arizona in the 1997 NCAA Tournament. This isn't to say that Vaughn wasn't a dedicated player, or that he should have sacrificed his studies for basketball. But when coaches recruit dedicated students, they take the risk that they won't fully develop as players.
By contrast, Jeff Carey excelled in school, but because he wasn't as important a player, his studies didn't do as much harm to the 'Hawks. Plus, he was a graduate student with a higher academic standard to live up to. So even though his GPA was somewhere between 3.2 and 4.0, his ADR only rates somewhere between 3.6 and 17.82, a very low, healthy ADR range.
Unfortunately, I can't run the exact ADR numbers for anyone on the current Kansas team. The University won't just release their GPAs to anyone who asks. But other than Nick Collison, who was named second-team Academic All-Big 12 last year, none of these Hawks have made headlines for their academic prowess.
This means Kansas players probably have a group of low ADRs and are concentrating more on excelling on the court than in the classroom. As fans who want a national championship, let's hope it stays that way.
Berlin is a Leawood senior in journalism.
'Hawks on Duck hunt
Aaron Miles, sophomore guard, keeps a close eye on Jeremy McFall, Central Missouri junior guard, during Wednesday's game. Miles and Michael Lee will return to their home state tomorrow to face the Oregon Ducks.
Kansan file photo
Aaron Miles, Michael Lee will play in home state against No.7 Oregon
By Jessica Scott
jscott@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Two of Oregon's finest are creating quite a buzz on the West coast, even though they are half a country away.
Kansas sophomores Aaron Miles and Michael Lee return to their home state today in preparation for a 2:30 p.m. game tomorrow in Portland, Ore., against the University of Oregon.
The two Jayhawks, who have been friends since early childhood, said they don't exactly know what to expect, though Lee said he foresaw a welcome reception.
"I really don't want to say it will be too great and have it be less than that, but I think we'll get a good reception from the crowd," Lee said. "They'll appreciate us being home."
Lee got a little warmed up for this game Wednesday night. The 6-foot-3 guard logged a career-high 16 minutes and tied a career-high of three rebounds. He also showed a lot of hustle and defensive prowess as he knocked away passes and nagged his player on the perimeter.
Miles, who began playing basketball with Lee in the third grade, said he pulls for his life-long friend out on the court.
"Mike's been my boy since when I was real young so you know I love him," Miles said. "I want to see him succeed, so anytime he does anything I'm really happy for him. I think it helps when I talk to him and encourage him because I know he's going to listen to me."
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 6B
Record year ends too soon
Bv Jason Hwang
jhwang@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Jayhawks didn't make it into the NCAA Tournament this year, but they will go down in history.
The Jayhawks finished the season 19-10 overall and 10-10 in the Big 12 Conference. They set a team record with 10 conference victories, and the .500 conference-winning percentage tied the school record. Kansas' four conference victories on the road are the most ever in a single season for a Jayhawk squad. Its 12-match sweeps are an all-time high.
Despite the record-breaking year, Kansas fell short of making the NCAA Tournament. But coach Ray Bechard said it should not take away how much the team accomplished this season.
"We had an awesome year. The senior class will be missed," junior outside hitter Sarah Rome said. "It was good being on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament. But none of us want to be left out next season."
Molly Scavuiz, senior outside hitter, and Lindsey Morris, sophomore outside hitter, attempt to block a spike against Colorado. The Jahayhins finished their season with 10 Big 12 Conference victories.
Bechard said he was impressed by the senior leadership that Jennifer Kraft, Jamie Morningstar, Molly Scavuzzo and Kylie Thomas have displayed during the season.
Kansan file photo
Senior defensive specialist Jennifer Kraft was selected as the Big 12 Defensive
SEE VOLLEYBALL ON PAGE 2B
Jayhawks tip-off in Classic
By Doyle Murphy
dmurphy@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
It's already been a year of firsts for the Kansas newcomers: first game in Jayhawk uniforms, first game with their new teammates, first practice with coach Marian Washington, first time the team has started a season 3-0 since 1999-2000. Now the young Jayhawks are chasing another first, as in first place at this weekend's Holiday Inn Jayhawk Classic basketball tournament at Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas will meet Texas Southern for the first time in the opening round at 7:05 tonight. If the Jayhawks defeat Texas Southern (2-1) they will face the winner of the Western Illinois (2-2)—Western Michigan (2-0) game in the championship at 4:05 p.m., tomorrow. If not, they will play the consolation game at 2:05 p.m.
The Jayhawks own an 11-3 overall record in the Classic, but two victories this weekend may have additional significance. A tournament championship would improve Kansas' record to 5-0, tying the 1999-2000 team's start. The prospect hasn't escaped the notice of sophomore forward Blair Waltz.
"When we won at the University of San Diego, I was like 'Coach we have over half the wins we had last year,'" she told reporters after Wednesday's practice. "It's a great feeling."
An undefeated weekend is not out of the realm of possibility. In their three games, the young Jayhawks have shown uncommon maturity in come-from-behind victories against the University of Texas-El Paso and the University of San Diego, Washington said. That mental toughness combined with improved athleticism, team chemistry and work ethic have helped keep Kansas in the black this season.
"Right now we're winning because of our heart and our determination," Washington said. "We're not necessarily winning because we're executing real well yet, but were going to get there."
Kansass's four leading scorers have been a tremendous source of Jayhawk's athleticism and enthusiasm. Freshman forwards Crystal Kemp and Tamara Ransburg have started since the exhibition season. Kemp is the squad's leading scorer, averaging 15 points per game, and sophomore transfer Aquanita Burras isn't far behind with 13. Kemp and Burras have been successful on the offensive end of the floor, and Ransburg has been dominant on the defensive side. She is tied for Big 12 lead in shots blocked with 3.33 per game and is fourth in defensive rebounds per game with seven.
"It's been a long time since we have had that kind of an impact class," Washington said."And when you think about the foundation, they are a really good starting place for us."
— Edited by Matt Gehrke
Mangino's contract extended through 2007
Kansas football coach Mark Mangino has been given a contract extension through the 2007 season, University of Kansas athletics directory Al Bohl announced yesterday.
"It is important that we demonstrate our commitment to coach Mangino and our football program for the future," Bohl said in a statement. "Mark has made a very positive impact in developing the blueprint for our future success on the football field."
University of Kansas chancellor Robert Hemenway said in a statement that he wanted to ensure that Mangino had the time and support to develop a winning football program.
— Kansan staff report
More to manager than model
by Duyen murphy
dmurphy@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Bv Dovle Murphv
Shannon O'Connor's eyes give her away.
At first glance, you might miss them. She looks like one of the lucky ones.
She could be. A glowing smile, framed by delicate features and olive skin, has undoubtedly led many to that conclusion.
Then there are the layouts in the Women of KU calendar O'Connor is one of two models to make a second appearance in the swimsuit and fashion calendar worthy of a PG-13 rating.
Kansan file photo
Shannon O'Connor, men's basketball manager, sits on the sidelines at a game. She appeared in the Women of KU calendar for the second time.
But there are those eyes.
Sports fans recognize her from her other job as a manager for the men's basketball team. They gossip about her on the message boards of Web sites devoted to sports. A search at press time revealed
343 threads singing her praises on Kansas basketball rumor mill Phog.网.
Still, those mahogany eyes keep staring from across the table, never blinking.
Along with modeling and managing the men's basketball team, she is working toward degrees in communications and Spanish and works four to 10 hours a week at a part time job.
It seems blinking is the only thing O'Connor doesn't do.
Rob Curly is the general manager for KUsports.com, the company responsible for producing the Women of KU calendar with the Jayhawk Bookstore. Curly said 70 to 80 percent of the Web site hits resulted from the calendar.
"I don't sleep much," O'Connor said.
Despite separating basketball practice, photo shoots, homework and her job by mere minutes during her day, O'Connor said she tried to keep her activities from interfering with each other.
SEE CALENDAR ON PAGE 6B
---