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THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2008
SPORTS
5B
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
Junior guard Sade Morris looks to drive during the victory against New Orleans in Allen Fieldhouse on Sunday, Morris and the Jayhawks will play San Jose State on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Henrickson looking for more intensity against lesser foes
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
At halftime against New Orleans on Sunday, Kansas' players jogged toward the locker room holding a lead. Normally in those situations, players and coaches view the first 20 minutes as, at worst, a minor success.
But facing the Lady Privateers
a team coming off a 30-point loss to Oklahoma State the Jayhawks fourpoint lead left Kansas wondering why couldn't put lesser teams away early in games.
"The true
"We don't necessarily underestimate teams, but we don't come out and smell blood."
last in the Atlantic 10 Conference hang around for so long is alarming.
test of maturity would have been to come in here and blow someone out of the water right away", coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "My definition of this team being mature we're not even in that situation."
In both games the Jayhawks failed to establish and sustain a healthy lead in the first half. And as much as the Jayhawks insist that the problem needs to be fixed, nobody can quite pinpoint the root.
"We don't necessarily underestimate teams, but we don't
LACHELDA JACOBS Junior Guard
we can come out and,
smell blood,",
junior guard
L a C he d l a
Jacobs said.
"It's going to affect us in
the Big 12 if
we don't have that mentality."
The same scenario unfolded in Kansas' second game of the season against St. Louis. The Jayhawks led the Billikens by just two points at halftime before pulling away for a 75-56 win. That Kansas let St. Louis — a team picked to finish
But Kansas is worrying about its lack
of killer instinct early in games sooner rather than later.
Thursday, Kansas faces San Jose State, who — on paper — is another team the Jayhawks should handle with relative ease. Last year, however, the Spartans nearly knocked off the Jayhawks. San Jose State finished the season 3-28.
"I've challenged them and called them out on it, but I don't know." Henrickson said.
She said she had not seen
the same commitment that the Jayhawks showed when they knocked off Iowa 76-55 on Nov. 18, just more than two weeks ago. Yet it's fair to wonder if the Jayhawks became satisfied with that win.
Not only has Kansas' focus wavered in the two games following Iowa, but so has the layhawks' defense — though statistics don't appear to solidify that claim.
True, the Jayhawks held St. Louis and New Orleans to lower shooting percentages than against Iowa, but they also allowed more easy baskets.
"It's been back-to-back games driving one-on-one, playing one-on-one," Henrickson said. "Now we're not containing very well... at all."
With tough road games — Marquette on Dec. 7 and UCLA on Dec. 23 — looming on the schedule, the lack of a killer instinct is something the jayhawks need to correct in a hurry. And Henrickson plans to make sure of that.
"They're probably lucky we don't have a whole week (of practice)," Henrickson said, a sylm creeping across her face. "They might want to move the game up to (today)."
Edited by Scott R. Toland
BEECHER (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
must admit that, in light of Kansas winning the national championship last season, they can no longer pretend the Jayhawks are chokers. Furthermore, they must reassign that label to their own program and build a statue of Tyus Edny in the middle of campus.
Article Six: Chase Daniel must finally admit to eating boogers. There is video documentation of
this fact, so denial is not a plausible option.
Article Seven: It's not Missourah. It's Missouri.
Article Eight: Missouri fans must finally admit that William Quarrill was a bad guy. It seems this should go without saying, but this is Missouri we're talking about.
Article Nine: Missouri fans
must finally admit that they wish they were Jayhawk fans, but that they simply aren't good enough to make the cut.
Article Ten: The University of Kansas reserves the right to unilaterally enforce and create other articles on an arbitrary whim. Rock Chalk.
BASKETBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
been an issue for the whole team.
ten an issue for the whole team. Kansas' two leading scorers, junior guard Sherron Collins and sophomore center Cole Aldrich, both missed layups early in the 89-81 overtime loss to Syracuse last week.
Of course, the issue didn't play a significant role in the game against Kent State or Coppin State because Kansas won by 27 and 32 points, respectively.
But the Jayhawks are eager to improve their close-range accuracy immediately. The belief is that if they keep missing, it could hurt them in a game against a better team.
Sophomore guard Brady Morningstar has also missed a couple.
- Edited by Mary Sorrick
And actually, it already has. Self
"It's something that needs to be taken seriously," Collins said. "We can't be missing those shots. Especially in a game like Texas — we've got to have those shots."
But five missed shots from right below the basket in the opening 10 minutes are just as much at fault.
Make only one of those five and the game doesn't go into overtime. Kansas wins. The Jayhawks, however, aren't dwelling on that now. They know the importance of "bunnies."
and Collins point towards numerous missed free throws down the stretch against Syracuse to explain the defeat.
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NFL season heads into final stretch Offensive stars, Pittsburgh defense shine in Week 13
As the playoffs approach. each set of NFL games gains more importance. Here is the weekend "rap" of the biggest NFL action with some help from the members of G-Unit.
'LET ME IN'
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams took Young Buck's lyrics to heart. He forced the Green Bay defense to let him into the end zone four times over the weekend. Williams helped the Panthers squeak out the victory over Green Bay, 35-31. Kudos to you if you drafted Williams back at the start of the season. After a drop-off in quarterback Jake DelHomme's production, the Panthers needed to lean heavily on the rush offense coming into this season. Williams and teammate Jonathan Stewart have led the two-headed rushing attack and have been big factors in Carolin's tie for the divisional lead. Both backs have lived up to Young Buck's lyrics: "I know you gonn let me shine and get mine." Williams has "shined" indeed with nearly 1,000 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the season.
'OUTTA CONTROL'
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith (91) and linebacker James Farrior (51)
sack New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel during the first quarter of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., on Sunday.
50 Cent and Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress now have something in common. They have both taken a bullet and lived to tell about it. Burress, though, took a bullet under completely different circumstances. He shot himself in the thigh during the weekend. Burress' behavior has been out of control all season, which has led to diminished results for the team and fantasy owners alike. This latest incident is just another part of an already-disappointing season for Burress.
'ON FIRE'
Since their bye week, the Minnesota Vikings have been on fire. They have won four of their last five games, and with their victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday night they took the divisional lead. Wide receiver Bernard Berrian had a 99-yard touchdown reception as the Minnesota pass offense continues to be resuscitated by quarterback Gus Frerotte. Running back Adrian Peterson also continued his torrid production streak on Sunday with 131 rushing yards and a touchdown. The entire Minnesota team is starting to come together and it is showing.
This song is probably the most memorable collaboration from G-Unit in its entirety, and describes Pittsburgh's victory against New England on Sunday well. The entire team put up a strong effort to earn the victory. The running and passing games were balanced and the Pittsburgh defense continued its strong play. It dominated New England and brought the quarterback, Matt Cassel, back down to earth. According to Urbandictionary, com., "stuntin" is "to look real good," and Pittsburgh definitely looks good heading into the playoffs.
'STUNT 101'
Edited by Scott R. Toland
Pay heed
the Championship Visa $ ^{ \textcircled{R}} $ hath arrived.