SPORTS
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KANSAS TAKES ON KENT STATE
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
The Golden Flashes pose the biggest threat out of the non-BCS teams. MEN'S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY 11A
SENIORS SAY ADIOS WITH VICTORY
WWW.KANSAN.COM
See game highlights against Baylor and Iowa State online at KANSAN.COM
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2008
COMMENTARY
PAGE 12A
A game for Border Lore
Junior receiver Kerry Meier pulls in the game-winning touchdown to put Kansas ahead 39-37. Meier recorded 106 yards receiving and had two touchdowns with an injured hamstring in a 40-37 victory against the Tigers on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Only 33 seconds left? No problem for Hawks
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Through the falling snow, the clock read 00:33. Just longer than half a minute. What can you do in 33 seconds? Warm up a bowl of soup? Take out the trash? Turn the fortunes of two schools and two states on a single play?
The scoreboard said Missouri 37, Kansas 33. The snow fell, and more than 75,000 breathed warm air into their hands. It was a frozen fourth-and-seven from the 26 yard line. Mark Mangino didn't need a Hail Marw. He needed a rosary.
Todd Reesing stood in the shotgun, Kerry Meier stood 20 feet to his right. And it might be a good time to tell you that Reesing couldn't lift his right arm last Monday. It had been killing him since the Nebraska game. And if this story isn't dramatic enough, Meier's hamstring was shot. Hed barely practiced since the Texas game two weeks ago. But this wasn't the time to think about injuries. This was Kansas vs. Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium. This was the Border Showdown. And the clock read 00:33.
Reeing had already led Kansas to one come-from-behind drive. Kansas' leader had already thrown for 349 yards. Meier had already caught one come-from-behind touchdown — an eight-yard corner of the end zone strike with 4:26 remaining in the fourth. He had already caught 13 passes.
But behind the speed of Jeremy Maclin, the strength of Chase Coffman and the arm of Chase Daniel, Missouri's brilliant offense responded with a seven-play, 73 yard touchdown drive.
"They had been bluffing a lot all day." Reesing would say.
So Reesing stood in the shotgun, and looked across the line as two Missouri linebackers crept towards the line of scrimmage. Would they blitz?
If they blitzed, Reesing knew theyd have to drop into man coverage. Thered only be five defenders to cover Kansas' four wide receivers. But Reesing had seen this before. Twelve months ago to be exact. He had stood in the shotgun during last year's Border War, futilely attempting to save Kansas' undefeated 2007. But 12 months ago, Kansas' line collapsed and Reesing ended up with a facemask full of Arrowhead turf.
The clock read 0:33. Reesing looked to his left.
and back to the line. Reeing took the snap, and as a thousand chilled faces looked on, Missouri blitzed. This time, Kansas' line stood firm.
Reesing looked to his left for Dezmon Briscoe and began to throw.
"The initial read wasn't there," Reesing would say. "I just started moving around and praying."
At that moment, as the pocket began to collapse, Meier — sensing a breakdown — streaked past Missouri safety Justin Garrett to the end zone. And that was it. Reesing — in classic Todd-fashion — bought a second of extra time and stepped up in the pocket. Meier — in classic Kerry-fashion — looked up into the snow and cradled Reesing's perfectly lofted ball for a touchdown.
"He played tonight on one good leg." Mangino would say of Meier.
Of course, the Jayhawks would have to stop one final Chase Daniel charge. And of course, they would
And then, as the celebration raged, Kansas senior Joe Mortensen grabbed the Indian War Drum, the trophy given to the winner of the Border Showdown, and headed for the stands. The Jayhawks danced around the faded grass at Arrowhead Stadium. At that moment, maybe Reesing's shoulder didn't feel so sore, and maybe Meier's hamstring didn't throb quite as much. In a matter of seconds, they crushed the hopes of a million Tigers, and made sure a million Jayhawks would never forget Reesing to Meier with 33 seconds left.
"I'm so proud," Mangino would say.
"I'm so proud," Mangino would say.
Through the snow and tears, the clock read 00:00.
Edited by Arthur Hur
KU discovers tough identity
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There was Kerry Meier's broken-route run toward the end zone on a hobbled lanes, lake
Sharp's rushing touchdown that must have aggravated his cracked ribs and Todd Reesing's late touchdown throws from a cut-up hand that would require stitches. Those all showed KU's toughness.
But Kansas players and coaches never like to discuss aches and pains, so for now we'll stick to the tangible evidence, the mud and grass stains.
You know, the ones the KU players wore on their snow-soaked jerseys like camouflage as they sprinted toward midfield after the blocked field goal, where some cried, some laughed, some cheered and some banged the Mizzou drum. Those stains told the story.
It began with a long shot, a team that was supposed to lose by 16 points. It ended in the middle of that field Saturday afternoon with an improbable 40-37 victory for Kansas against its archival, and the stains acting as a perfect symbol for an identity, the one the Jayhawks had wanted to forge all season.
Finally, they had dug deeper than an opponent. Finally, they were tougher.
"This," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said, "is the guttiest win we've ever had."
Before Saturday, when the games were close, they folded. South Florida edged them out at the end. Nebraska knocked them around for an entire second half. The Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma games aren't even worth discussing.
So nobody expected much on Saturday. Yeah, it was the Border Showdown, and Mizzou and KU fans would tailgate early and yell at each other from opposite parking lots about William Quantrill and John Brown and claim their state was better, but that was about the only reason for excitement. This was not 2007. Last year's Border Showdown was a seminal sporting moment. It was supposed to be the game the players would tell their grandkids about in 50 years.
SEE DENT ON PAGE 8A
Junior guard Sade Morris goes up for two during Sunday's victory against New Orleans at Allen Fieldhouse. Morris led Kansas with 20 points.
Jon Goering/KANSAN
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
BY DANNY NORDSTROM
dnordstrom@kansan.com
Second-half rally gives Jayhawks 64-42 victory Kansas continues undefeated season
Sade Morris knew it was time to step up. The Jayhawks were tied with the New Orleans Privateers 34-34 with only 13 minutes left in the game.
Fortunately for Kansas (4-0), the punch they were looking for came in the form of a 26-2 scoring run to close out the second half and give the Jayhawks a decisive 64-42 victory Sunday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.
"We knew they weren't going to back down," Morris said. "Once they threw a punch, we had to throw a punch right back, but our punch just had to be more powerful."
After a disappointing first half in which the Jayhawks shot only 26 percent from the field and looked sloppy defensively, the team came together and outscored New Orleans 38 to 20 in the second half, shooting 13-for-23 from the field.
"We knew in the second half in order to get a win wed have to come out and change things," Morris said. "We couldn't play that same way we were because it wasn't getting us anywhere."
Morris led the Jayhawks in scoring with 20 points and a career-high eight rebounds. She was also flawless from the free-throw line, making all eight free throws.
Sophomore forward Nicollette Smith aided Kansas' efforts as well, posting the second double-double of her career. Smith pulled down 10 rebounds and scored 13 points, replacing sophomore center
"Great teams defend and rebound," Henrickson said. "We need to embrace who we are. It's not that we're a bad offensive team, but we need to commit to being good defensively, creating some offense from our defense, forcing tough shots and rebounding. That's what great teams do."
"I thought the best kid on our team was the kid who didn't practice all week," coach Bonnie Henrickson said of Smith. "Offensively she hit some big shots and did a pretty good defense."
As a team, Kansas played well defensively, outrebounding New Orleans 54-37 with 20 offensive rebounds. Henrickson emphasized the importance of being sharp — not only offensively but defensively as well.
After a sloppy defensive first half, the Jayhawks were able to regroup and play well in the second period.
Krysten Boogaard, who did not play because of a stress reaction in her left femur. Smith had her own injury to deal with after undergoing surgery on her broken nose earlier last week.
Henrickson stressed that maturity comes with the ability to play well from the beginning.
"This team's got to grow up and show some maturity," she said. "Every single night might be different defensively."
The Jayhawks play San Jose State Thursday at Allen Fieldhouse in Kansas' fifth game of the season.
Edited by Adam Mowder
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