8A SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7. 2008
NBA (CONTINUED FROM 10A)
have high hopes for Rush in the future.
Ford, who said he had talked to Pacers sources recently, said Indiana was trying to ease him into the NBA. The Pacers are afforded that luxury because they already have Danny Granger and Mike Dunleave at Rush's small forward position.
Give it a few years, however,
and Rush could be one of the
faces of the franchise.
"They envision him playing a Reggie Miller-type role," Ford said. "You're going to see Brandon shooting the ball a lot."
Rush has played steadily this season. But he hasn't had a breakout game like Chalmers and Arthur.
Arthur opened the season coming off the bench and grabbed 15 rebounds. That's how he earned his starting spot.
"He never had 15 rebounds here," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "I am amazed."
Likewise, Chalmers put together an early-career breakout game Wednesday night when Miami beat Philadelphia 106-83. He initiated the Heat's offensive attack by making six assists.
He also set a franchise-record with nine steals.
"He didn't ever have nine steals here," Self said. "I think it's awesome. He's the best ever at anticipating to steal the ball."
If Chalmers doesn't keep it up, he can expect a text message from Aldrich.
Edited by Adam Mowder
Texas Tech. It was more than a month ago, and it was one of the ugliest matches Kansas has played all year. Both teams hit below the 200 mark and had a combined 53 errors in the four-set Kansas victory.
A loss on Saturday would all but silence the Jayhawks' chance at a postseason berth. Letting Texas Tech get its first Big 12 victory against Kansas would be a huge shot to the Kansas' momentum.
VOLLEYBALL (CONTINUED FROM 10A)
Also, six of the 11 teams in the conference — Oklahoma State does not have a volleyball team — have either five or six victories. The time is right for Kansas to have its first winning streak in its conference and to keep momentum and spirits high, according to sophomore outside hitter Karina Garlington:
"We have another home match this weekend so hopefully it'll be another momentum builder for us," she said.
GARLINGTON EARNS ACADEMIC HONORS
The sophomore outside hitter hasn't just been hitting volleyballs hard. She's done an admirable job with the books as well.
Garlington was named to ESPN The Magazine's Third Team Academic All-District team on Thursday. Garlington achieved an impressive 3.61 cumulative grade point average at Kansas.
Edited by Adam Mowder
DENT (CONTINUED FROM 10A)
Coach Mark Francis demanded she change. He wanted her to turn into a complete player, one who could make a difference when she didn't have the ball, a player who could add a physical edge to her polished offensive skills.
rest of the year.
So he hammered that into her. He made her watch tapes. He singled her out at practice. And the process worked.
The junior has surpassed all of Francis' expectations in terms of
her physicality and ability to play without the ball. She defends as well as any midfielder in the Big 12 and leads the team in assists.
"I think it's part of her game now," Francis said. "Something she doesn't even think about anymore."
Wednesday night's game was the biggest of the year. For Dolliskay, it was probably the biggest of her career. Kansas' season would've ended if it lost. It had to beat a vengeful team. To top everything off, she had just received All-
Big 12 honors two days earlier.
She knew there was pressure. It didn't matter. Dolinsky knocked out the Aggies. She was too tough for them.
West went down in the first half. In the second, Dolinsky leveled Raven Tatum, who is five inches taller.
She had three assists as well, but those two moments of intense emotion against Tatum and West tell more. Dolinsky doesn't get scared.
Today's game is as big as Wednesday's. The Jayhawks will probably seal a spot in the NCAA Tournament with a victory.
CROSS COUNTRY
Missouri is a notoriously physical team. Dolinsky's type. At some point, she'll probably rush into the action, and the Tigers bench will stomp and complain when she does it. She will keep playing, until someone else challenges her, then she'll do it again.
Runner earns accolades at conference championships
Edited by Brieun Scott
BY JASON BAKER
jbaker@kansan.com
"It's a testament to how much hard work she puts in. She's one of the most dedicated runners, men or women," former cross country runner Paul Hefferon said.
Her teammates call her one of the most hard working and dedicated members of the team. Many of the freshmen look up to her — and how could they not? After this past weekend, junior Lauren Bonds did what only one other woman in the history of Kansas cross country has done — she earned All-Big 12 Honors at the Big 12 Conference Championships.
"It was one of my goals since being in college," she said. "It was one of the more elusive goals. I didn't think it was going to happen."
At the conference championships, Bonds placed 15th overall in the women's 6K with a time of 21:31. The top 15 men's and women's performances at the meet make the All-Big 12 team. The last time a women's cross country runner at the University earned All-Big 12 honors was in 2002, when Laura Lavioe placed eighth overall.
Hefferon said she's arguably one of the best female runners Kansas has ever had.
So far it appears to be paying off for Bonds. Bonds has been the top runner on the women's side of every meet for the lajhawks.
"She's got talent, but she doesn't rest on talent. She puts in a lot of work," Hefferson said.
Bonds said her family was proud when she told them about her honors, especially her older sister Morgan. Morgan Bonds was a middle distance runner at Kansas State from 2004 to 2007.
"She knows how hard cross country is, being in track. She's proud of me and has been very supportive of me," Bonds said.
Although Bonds was happy and believed her selection was a huge honor, she's not celebrating quite yet.
"I'm just taking it in stride, and now it's on to the next thing," she said.
The Midwest Regionals win be Nov. 15 in Stillwater, Okla., which is the last meet on Kansas' schedule. A good enough finish could land Bonds at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.
Edited by Rachel Burchfield
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SOCCER (CONTINUED FROM 10A)
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Johnson said. "I think our coaching staff and everyone else is getting us ready to succeed."
Losing 6-0 to Missouri on Halloween night to close out the regular season seemed to have extinguished any hope of Kansas earning an at-large bid. But by beating No.11 Texas A&M Wednesday night, Francis's team reached the 12-victory threshold that he said is often the cutoff point for at-large teams.
The layhawks also came into this week's tournament ranked
40th nationally in RPI. That number figures to drop considering the Aggies were ranked ninth in the nation, the best mark in the Big 12. Francis's team could make an even bigger jump with a victory against their border rivals, who occupy the 28th spot.
Although the Jayhawks claim revenge won't play a factor tonight against the Tigers. Francis said his team's eagerness to prove their performance in Columbia, Mo., was an aberration rather than a true indication of their abilities.
"I think our kids' were disappointed after last Friday's game so I think they are very excited about the opportunity to play them again just a week later," Francis said. "After you play a game like that you just want to get back on the field as quickly as possible."
Francis said Kansas needed to deny service from the flanks tonight to succeed defensively, something Missouri's wide players provided at will on Oct. 31.
Edited by Andy Greenhaw
THE SEARCH FOR THE SHIRT YOU
the students have submitted your gameday slogans and now it's time to vote for your favorite! The slogan that receives the most votes will then be released as the new "official" gameday shirt of the student body.
THE TOP 5 SUBMISSIONS ARE:
29% ● “The Swagger Is Back”
13% ● “Rock Chalkin’ Your Socks Off Since 1865”
14.5% ● “My Favorite Subject in School Was Always Gameday”
29% ● “The University of Kansas: Majoring in Championships Since 1865”
14.5% ● “Fly Like A Jayhawk, Sting Like A Beak”
VOTING STARTS NOW
Ends Thurs, Nov. 13th
GO TO KANSAN.COM/THESHIRT to vote on your favorite
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