Volume 124 Issue 67
kansan.com
Monday, November 28, 2011
COMMENTARY
MU rivalry should continue
It's sad that the 120-year Border War is over ... for now. The Kansas City Star's Sam Mellinger is calling it the Border Cold War, which is probably more realistic than just saying Saturday was the final one.
This absence of play may go on for three, five or maybe ten years. But both the Jayhawks and Tigers will eventually come to their senses and get something worked out. Right now, Missouri will get to keep the Indian War Drum until the two play again. And Missouri can stop complaining about who holds the series lead, because if you take Missouri or Kansas' word, both say Missouri leads.
These two schools will figure it out because, as much as they "hate" each other, these two need each other. Kansas doesn't need Missouri for basketball because the Jayhawks can sell out any venue they play in, but Missouri needs Kansas for basketball. Missouri may sell out at home because teams in the Southeastern Conference have fans that travel well. The Tigers have a top 25 team in basketball and failed to fill the Sprint Center last week for the CBE Classic. What Kansas needs Missouri for is football. There is no way Arrowhead Stadium would be filled two or three years ago if it was Kansas and another team not named Missouri.
Kansas can't replace Missouri on its schedule for any sport. Kansas State can't become Missouri because who would become Kansas State? The most logical replacement would be West Virginia, but it's way out east. What will this game be called? "The Border War if Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky weren't states and the two were bordering each other?" That has a nice ring to it. Clearly, Missouri and West Virginia have so much in common. Kansas' last game can't be against Kansas State because the Wildcats play Iowa State. Texas and Texas A&M's rivalry is dead and Texas will play TCU. Baylor and Texas Tech and Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will continue their traditions.
Missouri also plays a yearly game with Illinois. There is a mutual dislike between the two, but nothing like Kansas and Missouri. Who cares if Kansas loses to Missouri? There is more to lose than just a notch in the win-loss column. This rivalry is a priority and would be great to play in early- to mid-September.
I would even be OK with Kansas and Missouri playing twice in basketball each year, but in November and December.
The Kansas and Missouri rivalry needs to continue, but not in Kansas City. It needs to continue on the campuses. Lew Perkins really screwed that one up because getting to Kansas City from Lawrence or Columbia, Mo., isn't the most convenient.
Edited by Josh Kantor
BREAKING DOWN THE BORDER WAR LOSS
Kansas falls in the last scheduled meeting with Missouri PAGE 6
MAYFIELD'S RECORD KILLS LEAD VOLLEYBALL TEAM PAST BAYLOR PAGE 12
BEHIND IN THE SERIES
MIKE GUNNOE/KANSAN
Sophomore quarterback Jordan Webb is sacked during the second half Saturday. Webb was sacked three times in the loss. The Jayhawks lost 24-10.
BORDER WAR LETDOWN
MIKE VERNON mvernon@kansan.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As the remaining minutes of the Jayhawks' season ticked closer to zero, Missouri fans at Arrowhead Stadium handed the Jayhawks and Turner Gill their goodbye message for the foreseeable future, repeatedly chanting "SEC". Missouri left archival Kansas behind in more ways than one.
The defeat — a 24-10 loss to Missouri — left the Jayhawks behind in the all-time series 55-56-9 against Missouri. The 120 year rivalry will most likely stay that way for the future because Missouri will leave the Big 12 conference for the Southeastern Conference next
season.
For the meantime, the spotlight will stay firmly planted on Kansas coach Turner Gill, who was relieved of his duties as head football coach Sunday afternoon after a 2-10 season with the Jayhawks. After the game, Gill said he believed that he will be given another opportunity to coach the Jayhawks, even though, at the time, he had not yet discussed his future at Kansas with Kansas Athletic Director Sheahon Zenger.
"I still believe that we can get some things done here and move this program in the right direction." Gill said.
While there has been talk amongst the media and fans of Gill not returning for his third season at
There was yet another third quarter setback, which has happened all too often this season. The Jayhawks lost their 10-3 half-time lead, and the collapse helped turn the spotlight toward Gill once again.
Kansas, the decision to keep Gill or not is ultimately made by Zenger
"It itemed like there hasn't been a consistency at halftime, making adjustments," Gill said.
The collapse started four plays into the third quarter when freshman long snapper Tanner Gibas botched his second snap in two games. The ball sailed over sophomore punter Ron Donderty's head for a 12-yard loss and gave Missouri the ball on the Kansas 14-yard line.
Missouri could only muster a field goal on the turnover to tie the game at 10-10, but the momentum had already swung, and on its way, it nailed Turner Gill.
The following possession, Kansas drove the ball to the Missouri 44-yard line and had a crucial fourth-and-one play lying ahead. Instead of immediately going for it, Gill called a timeout and discussed the important play with his team.
Instead of regrouping, the timeout stunted any momentum Kansas had, as a false start pushed the Jayhawks back five-yards, forcing the Jayhawks to punt and keeping
"I was kind of questioning it," Beshears said. "But I can see why he did it. He just wanted to have everybody regroup."
the team from having any chance of taking the lead.
Missouri scored on its next two possessions to take the lead and extend it to 24-10.
All the while, the historical significance made the loss that much tougher for a Kansas team that has seen five victories and 19 losses in its two seasons with Gill.
"Everything about this whole game was frustrating," senior center Jeremiah Hatch said. "The whole day was just pretty bad."
The loss would be the last for Gill and the 15 Kansas seniors, and it wasn't an easy one to swallow.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Edited by C.J. Matson
Kansas defeats Florida Atlantic University
KATHLEEN GIER
kgier@kansan.com
The Kansas women's basketball team defeated Florida Atlantic University in an 82-63 rout, which saw record-breaking performances from senior forward Aishah Sutherland and junior Carolyn Davis. Sutherland set personal records in steals and shooting percentage and Davis became the 23rd player in program history to score 1,000 points.
Sutherland led Jayhawks in every category. She scored 21 points and shot 10 of 11 from the field. She added 12 rebounds, four blocks and four steals in 28 minutes of play.
"I know she can be that person scoring double figures and get double-doubles," Davis said. "She can get every rebound and score easily. I feel like it opened her eyes and she can do that for us every night."
Junior guard Angel Goodrich said she has been waiting for this kind of performance from Sutherland.
"I love when she plays this
game," Goodrich said. "She has the potential and everybody sees that she has the potential. She is amazing. She can just bring it out and go to the boards."
Davis scored 13 points and became the 23rd player in program history to score 1,000 career points. She started the season just 43 points shy of the mark.
Goodrich scored 13 and added 10 assists. She was named MVP of the Basketball Travelers Tip-Off Classic.
"I just think from a confidence standpoint, she is playing at a really, really high level right now," Davis said.
Davis and Sutherland were named to the All-Tournament team after three days of impressive performances.
"It is an honor," Davis said. "This is a big accomplishment. My teammates are proud of me and I am proud of me."
Sophomore guard Keena Mays hit the court hard in the second half. She was down crying and went to the bench to work with trainers. She came up holding her left arm. She sat on
the bench the remainder of the game.
Junior guard CeCe Harper started her first career game and just over a minute into the game she dished her first assist. She has served as a defensive presence for the Jayhawks and pitched in five points. She started instead of junior guard Monica Engelman, who failed to score in 28 minutes against IU-PUI on Saturday.
Engelman entered at the 14:19 mark in the first half. This was the first game in her Kansas career she had not started. She finished the game with eight points and three turnovers in 15 minutes.
"You are a junior in the program and you have played a lot of minutes, I expect more," Coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "She's got to fight herself through it, fight and compete."
Kansas will take a day off before returning to practice. They host SMU at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
- Edited by Mandy Matney
NICK SMITH/KANSAN
Freshman guard Donielle Breaux attempts to steal the ball from an FAU Guard during their matchup on Sunday at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.