SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
9
Tuesday, November 17, 1992
Wolverines atop first AP poll
Four Big Eight teams in Top 25, two more get votes
The Associated Press
Michigan's Fab Five ended their freshman year as close to a national championship as one can get, and they start
The Wolverines, who lost to Duke in the NCAA title game with five fresh starters, finished atop the Associated Press preseason college basketball poll yesterday with Kansas, Duke, Indiana and Kentucky rounding out the top
"I think it says a lot of people recognize the quality of our players and program, and the strengths are perceived to be that good." Michigan coach Steve Fisher said yesterday. "But there are 10 or 12 teams good enough to be considered the No. 1 team. I think we are one of those teams, but how good? I don't know."
Michigan received 23 of the 65 first-place votes and 1,536 points from the nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, Kansas, which was second in the final regular-season poll last year, only to be upset by Texas-Ell Paso in the second round of the NCAA tournament, had 19 first-place votes and 1,513 points.
Two-time defending champion Duke was named first on 15 ballots and had 1.540 points, 15 more than Indiana, which was No. 1 on six ballots. Duke beat Indiana in the tournament but lost by two runs, defeating Michigan 71-51 in the championship game.
Kentucky was fifth followed by Seton Hall, the only other team to get first-place votes. North Carolina, Memphis State, Florida State and Arizona rounded out the top 10.
Iowa led the second group of ten, followed by Georgetown, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, Connecticut,
Cincinnati, the other member of last season's Final Four.
Michigan's impressive sophomore class is led by Chris Webber and Jalen Rose. They will be tested early with a Dec. 5 game at Duke. On the same day, Kansas is at Indiana, making an earl in December Saturday seem like a mockery.
was 21st, followed by UNLV, Massachusetts, UCLA and Nebraska.
Fisher, who won a national championship as Michigan's interim coach in 1989, knows his current team is good, but he also knows they understand the huge task ahead of them.
"We got hot, white hot, at the right time last year and still only finished tied for third in our conference," Fisher said. "I think our players are smart enough to realize we haven't scored a basket or stopped one yet, and those are the things we have to do consistently and very well to be as good a team as I'd like to be."
Michigan, which was never higher than No. 11 last season and entered the NCAA tournament ranked 15th, has not been No. 1 since the final regular-season poll of 1976-77. The Wolverines, then led by Ricky Green, Steve Grove and Phil Hubbard, were beaten in the regional finals by Cornbread Maxwell and North Carolina Charlotte.
Duke ended last season in the No. 1 spot, and the Blue Devils have to replace player of the year Christian Laetner and forward Brian Davis. Kansas lost just one starter from last season, as did Indiana.
At No. 8, Memphis State is the highest ranked of the eight teams in the season poll that weren't in the last regular-season poll. The Tigers, who lost to Cincinnati in the playoffs, beat San Diego man Anfernee Hardaway back among four starters.
Four conferences have four teams each in the rankings. The Big Ten has Michigan, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan State. The Big Eight has Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Nebraska. The Atlantic Coast Conference has Duke, North Carolina, Florida State and Georgia Tech, the first three all in the Top Ten. And the Big East has Seton Hall, Georgetown, Connecticut and Syracuse.
AP Top 25 basketball poll
Kansas received 19 first place votes and is ranked No.2 in the first Associated Press basketball poll.
Other receiving votes: Texas 171, New Mexico St. 158, Illinois 127, N.C. Charity 97, California 91, BVU 84, Ohio State 84, Auburn 80, Utah 62, Wake Forest 61, Florida 60, Arkansas 55, Purdue 45, Georgia 44, Alabama 43, Boston College 43, Evansville 36, Oregon State 26, Tennessee 26, Missouri 19, Kentucky 16, Wisconsin 10, Mississippi State 8, Minnesota 7, Oklahoma State 4, Vanderbilt 4, Rice 3, Temple 3, Xavier 2, Marquette, Miami (Oh.), Pepperdine, Princeton and West Virginia all have 1.
1. Michigan (23) 25-9 1,536 15
2. KANSAS (19) 27-5 1,513 2
3. Duke (15) 34-2 1,504 1
4. Indiana (6) 27-7 1,489 5
5. Kentucky 29-7 1,341 6
6. Seton Hall (2) 29-9 1,300 19
7. North Carolina 23-10 1,171 18
8. Memphis St. 23-11 1,158 —
9. Florida St. 22-10 1,089 20
10. Arizona 24-7 1,053 10
11. Iowa 19-11 738 —
12. Georgetown 22-10 631 —
13. Louisville 19-11 618 —
14. Georgia Tech 23-12 573 —
15. Oklahoma 21-9 545 23 —
16. Connecticut 20-10 470 —
17. Tulane 22-9 469 —
18. Syracuse 22-10 392 —
19. Iowa St. 21-10 374 —
20. Michigan St. 22-8 326 —
21. Columbia 22-9 320 —
22. UNLV 26-2 275 —
23. Massachusetts 30-5 260 —
24. UCLA 28-5 245 —
25. Nebraska 19-10 242 —
Runner finishes season strong
Julia Saul going to championships
Bv David Bartkoski
By David Bartkoski
Kansan sportswriter
But that performance, coupled with four other top-10 finishes this year, enabled Saul to land one of 10 at-large berths for the NCAA Championships in Bloomington, Ind., on Nov. 23.
Junior Julia Saul, winner of two cross country meets this year, may not have run her best race Saturday at the District V Championships where she finished sixth in the 5-kilometer event.
"I felt like I had a good chance to get the at-large bid," Saul said. "I thought my overall performance this year was good, and that I ran against some pretty tough competition."
Saul took the individual titles at the Jayhawk Invitational on Sept. 12 and the Michigan Interregional on Oct. 18. She finished seventh at the Nike Invitational on Oct. 3 and placed third at the Big Eight Championships on Oct. 31.
Kansas coach Gary Schwartz said Saul's NaCIA berth was no surprise.
her wav."
"For someone of her ability, it's a natural end to the season," he said. "She deserves to be there." She earned
Saul will be making her second straight appearance in the NCAA meet. Last year, the junior from Lawrence finished 32nd at the national meet, missing All-American status by one place in the race.
Schwartz said that Saul had an excellent chance to improve on last year's finish.
"Being an All-American is a very realistic goal for her," he said.
Before Saul came to Kansas, she ran at the University of Oregon for a year. Saul earned a spot on the Ducks' varsity squad, which finished fifth at the 1990 NCAA Championships.
But Oregon canceled its cross country program, and Saul came to
Since becoming a Jayhawk, Saul has been the top finisher for Kansas in 12 consecutive races.
She captured the individual title in five of those matches. Aside from last year's 32nd-place finish at the NCAA meet, her lowest finish in the 12 meets has been 7th place.
Saul said that she did not feel pressured going into this year's NCAA Championships.
"I was in the same position last year," she said, "I have nothing to lose."
Out for a drive
Daron J. Bennett / KANSAN
In a KU women's basketball scrimmage, Amelia Holmes, freshman forward, toward the basket. Yesterday's scrimmage at Allen Field House gave the coaches and players a chance to evaluate the team's progress and weaknesses before the first home game on Saturday against a Czechoslovakian队.
Kansas could spend Christmas in Hawaii
Aloha Bowl remains top prospect for 'Hawks
By David Bartkoski Kansan sportswriter
Aloha - it means both hello and goodbye.
"It's just real sad," senior tailback Maurice Douglas said. "Midway through that game, we were playing for an Orange Bowl berth."
The second meaning of the word may be what the Jayhawks said to their hopes of a Big Eight Championship after Colorado defeated them 25-18 Saturday.
As a result of their loss to the Buffaloes, the first meaning of aloha might pertain to what the Jayhawks may be saying to the Aloha Bowl on Christmas Day in Honduras.
The Altoa Bowl has the right to pick the third available Big Eight team after the seas
Kansas is third in the Big Eight with a 4-2 conference record. Whether they win or lose Saturday at Missouri, there remains a strong possibility that the Jahawks will remain third in the conference and pack their bags for a Christmas game in Hawaii.
Mike Long, selection chair for the Aloha Bowl, said that Kansas would be an excel-
"Obviously, we're leaning heavily towardansas," he said. "I think it'd be great to have a team."
Marcia J. Cherner, executive director of the 11th annual Aloha Bowl, said she expected a sellout crowd for the game at Aloa Stadium, which holds 50,000 people.
If Kansas should gain an Aloha Bowl berth, its most likely opponent would be the New York Giants.
Chermer said that this might be the first year that the Albaohai Bowl would play host
The teams will probably arrive on Dec. 19 and then participate in the pre-game parade on Dec. 20, she said.
Although Kansas may be the leading candidate for the Aloba Bowl, the bowl committee might have to wait some time before making its selection.
Nebraska, Oklahoma and Colorado, the traditional top three teams, have opted for more prestigious bowls in the past.
Depending on the results of the remaining Big Eight games, the Jayhawks could finish anywhere between first and fourth in the conference.
"The conference has only had three teams to choose from for quite some time," she said.
■ Junior linebacker Larry Thiel suffered a broken leg in the Colorado game and will not play against Missouri. Junior defensive tackle Chris Maumalaung and junior defensive end Ty Moeder will miss the Missouri game because of knee injuries. Senior full-back Monte Cozzens also has a knee injury and is doubtful for Saturday's contest.
NOTES:
■ Junior kicker Dan Eichlöch has been named one of five finalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, given to the best kicker in the nation. Eichlöch has made 15 of 17 field goals this year, and he tied Bruce Kallmeier's career scoring record of 233 points against Colorado.
Justin Knupo / KANSAN
Kansas senior quarterback Chip Hilley, 18, makes a hand off to senior running back Maurice Douriez. Kansas lost 25-18 in Saturday's game against Colorado.
Big Eight may see shakeup Pac-10 eyes Texas, Colorado; SWC, Big Eight may merge
The Associated Press
BOULDER, Colo. — University of Colorado officials are carefully monitoring two athletic conferences seeking to add Colorado to their respective folds and trying to determine how best to proceed
The Southwest Conference voted Nov. 5 to pursue a merger with the Bie Eight.
Colorado is a satisfied member of the Big Eight Conference. Colorado President, Judith Albino said. But the Pacific-10 Conference voted unofficially 9-0 last month to add Colorado and Texas.
There is a strong sense that confidence around the country are reshaping and moving toward larger conferences," Albino said. "And perhaps it's better that we all think about how we best position our teams."
The Big Eight has had eight members since 1958. But other conferences have seen plenty of shakeups
Albino says Colorado isn't exactly being courted yet, but Colorado officials are studying the best way for the university to position itself if an offer is made.
Arkansas recently left the Southwest Conference and joined the Southeastern conference, creating a 12-team, two-division league with a championship game that is expected to generate $12 million.
So naturally, change was among the key topics at the Big Eight presidents meeting in New Orleans last week. Albino was asked if she is confident that Colorado will remain in the Big Eight.
"No, I'm not confident," she said. "I think our discussions among Big Eight presidents reflect the question that's in all our minds: Can we stay the same? Do we need to do something? If we do, what do we need to do? That's the question for the Big Eight."
Although she hasn't fully investigated any potential issue, said she is "intrigued" by the Pac-10 proposition.
"We have a large number of alumni on the West Coast," she said. "This would be a natural attraction. It would be another conference comprising not exclusively public universities, but universities the size and caliber of the University of Colorado."
Albino spoke in more glowing terms about the Southwest Conference merger. Officials from the Big Eight and the SWC began meeting two years ago to discuss scheduling alliances for football and basketball. An agreement was reached in which every big Eight would play a SWC school at least once by
The SWC believes that the merger could entice Texas and Texas A&M to stay in the conference. And the merger would create a conference that affect 16 percent of the nation's TV sets, Alboo said.
"The Southwest Conference issue is the most logical for us to pursue because of our ongoing agreement," she said. "The advantages would be control of a larger market share and income potential. Plus, it would really add to the excitement of the conference. It would reach more people, reach more alums."
Colorado's coaches have heard the rumblings of a possible conference shakeup. While some may favor a change, head football coach Bill McCartney flatly insists on staying in the Big Eight.
"I want to play Nebraska every year." he said.
"Picture this," McCartney said. "The Southeastern Conference has a champion, the Big Ten has a champion, but it's not the Big Ten, its the Big Twelve. Then the Pac-12 has a champion. That might be a way to get a playoff."
"I want to play Pirakebra every year, he said. But McCartney admits that he isn't satisfied with the current bowl-game alliance. The system is designed to produce a national champion, but another conference shakeup could produce a real title game.
Kansas signs two women swimmers
Kansanstaffreport
Kansas swimming and diving coach Gary Kempf announced the signings of two swimmers to national letters of intent yesterday.
Emily Peters, Bloomington, Minn., and Andrea Greves,
Davis, Calif., will swim for Kansas next season.
Peters was named the Outstanding Swimmer at this summer's National Junior Olympics after placing first in the 200.400 and 1.500 meter freestyles.
"I think she is one of the most aggressively-moving freestylers in the country," Kempt said.
Greves is a Senior National qualifier and a Junior National finalist. She will swim the individual medley, breaststroke and freestyle events for the Jayhawks.
"Andrea is extremely talented in a number of areas," Kempf said. "Andrea is the type of athlete that our program has traditionally been very successful with. She's very versatile. We just have to find the right area for her to become more specific."
Kempf said the Jahayahs would not sign any more swimmers during the early signing period.
"We've set the precedent for what will be the best recruiting xwe've ever bad," he said.
in other swimming and diving news, three Jayhawks divers qualified last weekend for the NCAA Zone Meet while competing at the Dual Meet Extravaganza in Champaign, IL. The Zone meet will be held March 13-14.
Michelle Roijohn, Olathe freshman, set a Kansas dual meet record in the three-meter board on her way to qualifying. Amy Graham, Blue Springs, Mo., sophomore, also qualified in the three-meter board.
rum davidson, Ann Arbor, Mich., junior, was the sole qualifier for the he. He also qualified in the three-meter