Volume 124 Issue 42
kansan.com
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Edited by Jonathan Shorman
COMMENTARY
Big hope for new season
WILL THOMAS ROBINSON LIVE UP TO EXPECTATIONS?
Late Night in the Phog has come and gone and that means only one thing: College basketball is upon us. We have 143 days until Selection Sunday, but don't worry. Kansas fans have plenty to look forward to this year. Matchups are possible with UCLA and Duke in the Maui Invitational, a showdown with Kentucky in Madison Square Garden, and maybe the best of all: Thomas Robinson and Ohio State's Jarred Sullinger — two first team All-Americans — battling it out in Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 10. Here are just a few questions heading into the season.
I think he will. Robinson was named to the CBS all-American first team on Monday and people across the country are expecting a breakout year for the junior from Washington D.C. He played fewer than 15 minutes a game last year, but the same could be said about the Morris twins while Cole Aldrich was in the fold. Or Aldrich while Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun were here, and on and on. As long as Danny Manning is on the coaching staff, all-American big men shouldn't be a surprise.
I'll go with forward Kevin Young, the transfer from Loyola Marymount. Coach Bill Self said Young has a chance to be a starter, and he will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself this season. With forward Jamari Traylor ineligible, Young looks to be the third scholarship forward on the roster, garnering him plenty of playing time. Thomas Robinson will be consistent, somewhere around 12 points and eight rebounds a game. The rest of the production down low will have to come from Jeff Withey and Young. At Loyola in 2009, Young broke freshmen records in total rebounds (224) and rebounds per game (7.2). He's also played for the Puerto Rican under-19 team, so the experience is there.
WHAT PLAYER COULD SURPRISE FANS THIS SEASON?
WHICH TYSHAWN TAYLOR WILL FANS SEE THIS YEAR?
When Taylor is on, he's as good as any point guard in the Big 12. When he isn't? Well, it's not pretty. He was sometimes overshadowed on his own high school team at St. Anthony's in New Jersey. When he arrived at Kansas, it was the Sherron Collins show. Last season, the Morris twins were the go-to guys. But now as a senior, it's Taylor time. He has one season to cement his legacy among Kansas fans and significantly boost his NBA time. There's simply too much to lose for Taylor not to be really good all season. Don't expect anything else.
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES
MAX MIKULECKY/KANSAN
Red shirt senior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc misses a spike from Alex Muff of Kansas State in Wednesday night's game. The Jayhawks were defeated 3-1 by Kansas State.
MATT GALLOWAY
mgalloway@kansan.com
twitter.com/DK_vball
Sara McClinton was the embodiment of the Kansas volleyball team after Wednesday night's game. The freshman outside hitter was battered and bruised to the point that she needed to have three oversized ice packs wrapped onto various parts of her body.
But on the heels of a seventh consecutive loss in the Big 12, the banged up McClinton struggled to find answers.
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"It's similar habits that are transferring from each game,"
McClinton said. "Until it's fixed, we're going to have similar outcomes. We need to make the changes now while we still have season left."
The Jayhawks (12-8, 0-7) lost to rival K-State (15-6, 4-3) at home on Wednesday night, 25-19, 21-25, 20-25, 12-25.
"I feel like we let Jayhawk nation down today," coach Ray Bechard said.
After out-attacking the Wildcats in the first set at a .371 to .065 clip, the Jayhawks tumbled down the stretch. The Wildcats would finish the game with seven aces and two service errors, while the
"Those are we all have complete control over, like shooting a free throw," Bechard said. "They require a bit of concentration, and tonight we weren't where we needed to be."
Jayhawks would have only one ace and seven service errors. Bechard said that was the most telling statistic of the evening.
The Wildcats stormed past the Jayhawks in the fourth set, notching 15 kills, thanks to 10 assists in the frame by junior setter Caitlyn Donahue. The game ended on an emphatic kill from sophomore middle blocker Kaitlynn Pelger, which sent the Wildcat fans at the
Bechard said Wednesday's loss could not be pinned on preparation.
game into a frenzy.
"We had great practices on Monday and Tuesday," Bechard said. "So to not respond in its entirety is disappointing."
Despite a game-high 18 digs from sophomore libero Brianne Riley, the balanced Wildcats would out-dig the Jayhawks 61-58. Senior outside hitter Allison Mayfield said some of K-State's point-saving digs were demoralizing.
"That's really frustrating." Mayfield said. "You have a good hit
and somebody comes up with a good dig and it kind of takes a hit to your morale. You think, 'What else do I have to do to score?'"
There is a sense of urgency for Bechard and his staff, who said time is running out for his squad to make corrections.
"Obviously we still think we've got a quality team, but quality teams need to get quality wins," Bechard said. "And we need to figure it out sooner rather than later."
Edited by Jennifer DiDonato
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Coaches discuss potential rival loss
Henrickson said Big 12 realignment could be challenging but motivating
KATHLEEN GIER
kgier@kansan.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — At the Big 12 women's basketball media day, coaches from around the league sat down behind the microphone and dodged the inevitable conference-reallignment questions. Though the moves were based on football, women's basketball was also affected by the changes.
Coaches such as Oklahoma's Sherri Coale stressed the strength of the conference that sent seven of its 12
Coach Bonnie Henrickson watches on as the one-on-one interviews progress at the 2011 Big 12 media day at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. This is Henrickson's eighth season as coach. The Jayhawks look to improve on their 21-13 record of last year.
When the conference shrank with the loss of Colorado and Nebraska, the schools changed their schedules to face the 10 remaining schools twice. Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said that the change would be exciting but difficult.
for the game."
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
"If a man wants to divorce me and says our relationship has no value to him, and then he asks to sleep with me, the answer is: no."
KIM MULKEY
Baylor coach
"From a competitive standpoint, it is even more challenging because of the strength that the southern part of the league has and how talented those teams are," Henrickson said.
"When you play in a league that has the strength that the women's basketball conference or the Big 12 Conference and women's basketball has, you don't want to see that broken up for any reason," Coale said. "And that's not good
teams to the NCAA tournament last season.
The Jayhawks feature seven players from Texas and one from Oklahoma. Henrickson said the additions of
southern games would be more motivating for those athletes and would be a good opportunity for recruiting.
As the conference continues to change, the rivalries that have lasted through the existence of the conference will also be affected.
When asked about whether she
would continue to schedule Missouri if the school left the conference, she paused and winked.
Tensions were highest regarding the decision of Texas A&M to leave the Big 12 for the SEC. The Aggies are the defending national champions and are predicted to
"Our rivalry belongs in the Big 12." Henrickson said.
finish second in the conference despite the loss of two starters.
Baylor coach Kim Mulkey compared the abandoned rivalry with Texas A&M to an ended marriage and admitted that she did not want to continue the competition beyond the conference.
"If a man wants to divorce me and says our relationship has no
value to him, and then he asks to sleep with me, the answer is: no," Mulkey said. "We are not going to play them anymore, because they decided that playing us was not important to them."
— Edited by Sarah McCabe
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