TANSAN
3, 2008
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WWW.KANSAN.COM
Then something happened. Three days later, I'm still not sure what exactly took place, but we do know this: Texas Tech shut down Todd Reesing and the Kansas offense and strolled by the Kansas defense to revenge last year's basketball loss by shellacking the Jayhawks 63-21.
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COMMENTARY
Let's wish Texas Tech luck this Saturday
On Saturday, Kansas football players and fans got a chance to experience what Texas Tech basketball players and fans felt on March 3.
Initially, it all seemed routine for Kansas. In the opening 10 minutes of the first half Kansas slowly built up a solid lead against the Raiders. With 9:55 left in the first half, Kansas led 25-16. Following a Texas Tech timeout the Hawkys exploded, going on a 26-10 run to end the half leading 51-26.
A similar situation to the basketball blowout occurred early in the game. In the first quarter, the teams appeared to be exactly what they were on paper. Tied 14-14 at the end of the first, both offenses were cruising down the field at will with few defensive barriers standing between them and the end zone. It seemed as though we would hold a track meet more exciting than the Kansas Relays.
Sometimes it's hard to look at a situation through someone else's eyes.
The Jayhawks would go on to crush the Red Raiders 109-51. Rare scoring threats broke loose for the Hawks, Jeremy Case went lights out, scoring 9 points. Russell Robinson went a perfect 5-5 from the field and 2-2 from the foul line to chip in 15 points. When the massacre was finally over, 15 out of the 16 players on the Jayhawk roster scored. The loss was the most lopsided in Texas Tech history.
The Red Raiders arrived in Lawrence last March after an inconsistent season. On Feb.27, the team lost to Texas A&M 98-54, the largest margin of defeat in school history at the time, and on March 1, they knocked off No. 7 Texas 83-80 in the team's only victory against a ranked opponent last season.
They entered Allen Fieldhouse with a 16-12 (7-7) record to take on No. 4 Kansas. The Jayhawks were undefeated at home and clearly the favorite, but no one could have anticipated the beatdown that took place on the court that night.
Kansas shot a sizzling 59.7 percent from the field and unthinkable 58.3 percent from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Texas Tech shot a miserable 29 percent on the night on its way to suffering the biggest rout in the history of the Big 12.
After the game, coach Bill Self said he didn't enjoy winning by such a large margin. As someone who experienced a blowout loss or two during his coaching and playing career, it was apparent that he empathized with Texas Tech.
Ironically karma, in combination with the zany undeniable balance we all experience in life, lashed back at the jayhawks Saturday — on the football field, not on the court. Again, no one saw it coming. The odds-makers certainly didn't; No. 23 Kansas entered the showdown against No. 8 Texas Tech as slight favorites. Kansas had a 5-2 (2-1) record, was holding onto a 13-game home winning streak and had sole possession of first-place in the Big 12 North. Texas Tech came in at 7-0 (3-0), tied for the nation's longest winning streak at nine games straight.
However, Self's compassion didn't rub off on the Kansas fans or players. Allen Fieldhouse rocked all game long, the Kansas sideline was all smiles, and I doubt there were many good Samaritans on campus worried about the feelings of the Texas Tech faithful back in Lubbock.
AFTER THE SHOT
Self relives the dream
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
Coach Bill Self's life has been a frenzy since leading Kansas in its 75-68 overtime victory against Memphis six months ago to win the national championship. This year, Self faces a different challenge: molding team out of mostly newcomers. "As long as they try hard I can live with anything, because they are going to be nood over time" Self said.
Veteran players say Self is prepared to coach young basketball team
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
Don't ask Bill Self how many times he's watched the film of the national championship game. He's lost count.
Maybe 50 times. Maybe more. Put it this way: Kansas' coach has watched his team's 75-68 overtime victory against Memphis so many times that his wife and children are sick of it.
"That's how I go to bed at night, I turn on the game tape and watch it." Self said. "I play the first part where we're playing well; I fast-forward through all the parts we're playing bad."
Self said he was stunned by the number of coaches who won championships but didn't take the time to relish the experience. He wanted to make sure he wasn't one of them.
"I've gotten to a point now where I fall asleep before I see Mario's shot," Self said.
The championship victory has turned Self's life into a constant frenzy in the six months since it happened. He has written a book, visited the White House, held a fund-raising event, attended an award show and made public appearances.
Not to mention the time already
allotted for recruiting and preparing for the upcoming season. But he's not exhausted. After a week and a half of practice with this year's team, he's energized.
"I hope I'm busy every off-season like this. That means we probably had a successful run," Self said. "But it's nice to get back to coaching your team and knowing where you're going to spend the night."
newcomers and only one returning player who averaged more than nine minutes per game last season — junior guard Sherron Collins.
Self emphasized the coaching part. He faces a much more daunting challenge than dealing with post-championship attention this season. He must mold a basketball team out of seven
With such a young roster, Self's job will change. He said he would have to be more patient. Self will be more of an instructor than an overseer.
Instead of watching to see whether his players are doing everything right, he has to teach them how to do it right to begin with. Self knows it's going to be frustrating at times.
But his veteran players believe in
SEE SELF ON PAGE 6B
BASEBALL
Price becomes head coach at SDSU After year as assistant, former Kansas player is tapped for position
BY B.J. RAINS
rains@kansan.com
Ritchie Price always wanted to be a head coach. He just had no idea it would happen this soon.
Price, a shortstop at Kansas from 2003 to 2006 and the son of baseball coach Ritch Price, was named the interim head
baseball coach at South Dakota State after only one year as an assistant. And at 24 years old, Ritchie is the youngest NCAA Division I head coach in the country.
"I didn't think it would happen this quickly, but I was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time," he said. "Even though I've only been a coach for one year, I've been in a Division I dugout for 15 years."
Price
now. As far as on-the-field things go, I've seen a lot."
Ritch has coached for 30 years and has been the head coach at Kansas since 2003. Ritchie grew up loving the game of baseball and attended most of the 1,100 games that his father coached along the way.
"He's the smartest player I've ever coached." Ritch said. "And I'm not just saying that because he's my son."
Ritchie holds Kansas career records for games played (255), at bats (1,022), runs scored (204) and hits (312). He was a four-time All-Big 12 selection and was chosen as the Big 12 Conference's best defensive stopshort after his senior season in 2006.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
"He was basically a coach on the field while he was at KU," said Ritchie's brother Ryne, who played at Kansas from 2006 to 2008 before being drafted by the San Francisco Giants last June. "He always knew where everyone should and made sure everyone knew what was going on and what base the ball should be thrown to."
Soon after, Ritchie was drafted by the New York Mets in the 18th round of the 2006 MLB Draft. But after a successful first season in the minor leagues, he was released by the Mets and decided to retire from the game he had played his entire life.
"It was pretty tough for him to give up the game." Rvne said
Ritchie Price, junior infelder, takes a rare swing at a pitch during the first game of Friday's doubleheader against South Dakota State. Price was 1-2 with a single and four walks during the 15-2 victory at Hoglund Ballpark. Kansas swept the four-game series.
"I think it took him a while to get over it, but now I think he looks back at it, and he's glad he got the chance to play pro ball, but it just wasn't for him."
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SOCCER
Senior Jessica Bush has seen her share of memories on the shortly cut grass at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex over the last four years.
compared with just 13 losses. It's where they scored 76 goals in just 38 games, and it was on this field where Kansas knocked off the highest-ranked team in school history.
Seniors eye tournament as they get ready to say good-bye
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
It's where the Jayhawks won 24 games.
Bush
Oh, and it's also the site Bush's fiancé chose
to make his marriage proposal. Throw it all together and it's easy to see why each of the six members of the senior class showed a hint of sadness after a 1-0 win against Baylor on Senior Day.
"It's the ending of my career," Bush said. "It's where my best friends and my family are."
True, Sunday marked the seniors' final game at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
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