JAYHAWK
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Basketball
Monday Night Football
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 13-10 last night at chilly Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs improved to 7-2 and the Steelers dropped to 6-3.
Yesterday's game - Kansas vs. Outback All-Stars
KANSAS
0-0
EXHIBITION
117
ALL-STARS
0-2
EXHIBITION
Kangaroo
WWW.KUBASKETBALL.COM
SECTION B, PAGE 1
87
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1997
Kansas stars shine in home opener
'Hawks emerge unscathed from exhibition game
By Tommy Gallagher
tgallagher@kansan.com
Associate sports editor
The Kansas men's basketball team played in practice jerseys in its exhibition game against the Outback All-Stars from Australia last night, but the physical nature of the game was far from a typical practice atmosphere.
The Jayhawks led 48-44 at halftime before coating to a 117-87 victory in their first game of the season in Allen Field House. In the second half,
Kansas' athleticism created problems for the All-Stars' players, who could not defend against the Jayhawks' interior players or create open shots on offense.
The game's physical nature was highlighted when senior guard C.B. McGrath slammed into a pick in the second half. No foul was called on the play, and Williams met with the officials and All-Stars coach Ian Stacker at the next timeout.
"I just thought that one of the plays was unnecessary." Kansas coach
Junior Forward, T.J. Pugh, reverses the ball in mid-air as he tries to avoid an out-stretched hand of a Outback All-Star defender. T.J. had 15 points in 28 minutes as the Jayhawks beat the All-Stars 117-87. Photo by Dan Elavsky/KANSAN
Roy Williams said. "I didn't like this guy wacking one of our players. I guess I should have been careful, going out there on the court. You could say it was solid screen all you want, but this was more than a college screen."
Senior forward Reaf LaFrentz played with a heavily wrapped left leg because of a thigh bruise. The injury did not seem to hurt his performance, though, and he led all scorers with 28 points.
"The biggest problem was the stiffness in the leg." LaFrentz said. "My biggest concern was that the leg would get hit on the court. I took some shots out there, but I'm thankful that none of them hit the leg."
LaFrentz, who was cleared to play by Williams during warmups, was 10-of-14 from the floor and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. LaFrentz had a team-high nine rebounds and played 25 minutes.
But LaFrentz was not the only member of the frontcourt that played well. Junior forward Paul Pierce scored 17 points and six rebounds, and junior forward T.J. Pugh had 15 points and seven rebounds.
Perhaps the star of the game was freshman guard Kenny Gregory, who scored 20 points and was 8-of-11 from the floor. Gregory had two dunks within 10 seconds midway through the second half, which worked the crowd into a frenzy.
"They were all right," Pierce said of Gregory's dunks. "I've seen him do better dunks in practice, so I'll give him a three for those he had tonight. I expect more of him."
Before the game, Williams announced that freshman forward Jeff Carey would redshirt the 1997-98 season. Carey will practice with the team but cannot play.
Chris Martin, Overland Park junior, is a walk-on candidate and played against the All-Stars. Williams said Martin would be evaluated during this week's practices and a final decision about whether he will be added to the team's roster will come by Monday.
When asked to explain the practice jerseys, Williams said the team's new uniforms had not arrived.
"Nike's having enough problems recently without me giving them bad publicity, too," Williams said. "We've been extremely happy with our relationship with them, but Kansas basketball shouldn't have to go out there in practice gear. Needless to say, they have been alerted of that fact by me."
Kenny Gregory takes a pass from Rae LaFrentz straight to the hole. With the help from some new faces like Gregory, the Jayhaws sat on a comfortable load for most of the second half. Photo by Eric B. Howell/KANSAN
Pugh proves proficiency in new team role ready for season
By Harley V. Ratliff
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
On a team loaded with talent, playing between two of the best frontcourt players in the nation and trying to replace a first-round choice in last summer's NBA draft, Kansas forward T.J. Pugh quietly made a statement last night — he belongs.
While his two frontcourt cohorts, Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce, earned their usually super statistics, it was the 6-foot-8 inch junior from Omaha, Neb., who ran, rebounded, dribbled, dished and hustled his way onto center stage.
Pugh, who earned most of his numbers in the first half while the score was still close, finished the game with 15 points.
seven rebounds and two assists. With former Jayhawk center Scot Pollard playing for the Detroit Pistons, LaFrentz still playing slightly hurt and freshman big men Eric Chenowith and Jeff Carey unable to play, Pugh proved to be a more than adequate replacement at center.
"My role has had to change a little bit," Pugh said. "Last year I knew that my minutes were going to be in and out. I knew intensity-wise that I going to have to go 100 percent. With Scot gone and B.J. gone I have to look to score a little bit more to take some pressure off Raef."
LaFrentz said he knows Pugh is up to the challenge.
"T.J. is very capable," LaFrentz said.
"He's fundamentally sound, and he can do whatever we need him to do." He's a great
defender, but he can score a little bit too."
Still, Pugh understands his role. He needs to score, but he won't be expected to be the Javahawks' No 1 option on offense.
"I'm not the type of guy who's going to score 30 anyway," he said. "But everyone expects me to make the shot. With the way we play, easy baskets should come."
While he knows he must increase his low-post scoring. Pugh said he wasn't the only player who felt the burden of having to replace departed players.
"It's not really pressure," Pugh said. "As a team there is the pressure to pick up guys real fast. We've got a lot of new guys, so it's pressure across the board."
In order to add more diversity and mobility to his new role as potential scorer. Pugh shed 15 pounds in the offea-
son. While he said he is the same player as last season, his new, lighter frame clearly made him more fluid on the court last night.
"I didn't feel comfortable being that big." Pugh said. "It helped as far as rebounding and post defense, but at the speed we want to play I feel more comfortable.
In addition to losing weight, Pugh seems to have added a new move to his ever-expanding offensive repertoire: the baby-hook — courtesy of Pollard.
"Scot taught it to me," Pugh said of the move. "In high school I just had to turn around and shoot, but now that everyone is so much bigger than I am, I have to adjust to it. Scott forced me to use if because if I didn't he would turn around and block it."
Allen likes underdog position in K-State rivalry
Upset would secure bowl bid for 'Hawks
By Kely Cannon
kcannon@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
By Kelly Cannon
Willie the Wildcat and the Jayhawk go back a long way, and so does their rivalry.
When the Kansas football team travels to Manhattan this weekend, it will attempt to break a four-game losing streak against Kansas State.
Free safety Tony Blevins said Kansas wouldn't need much hype to get excited
"Usually around K-State time, you don't need too much pepping up, trying to prepare," Blevins said. "Guys kind of do it on their own because it's such a rivalry."
for the game.
When Missouri came to Lawrence Sept. 13, the game was touted as a huge rivalry. But many Kansas fans may tell you that during football season K-State is a bigger, but less publicized, rivalry.
Cornerback Jason Harris, who was named Big 12 Conference special-teams player of the week for his two blocked punts against Iowa State, said Kansas' last two games were big ones. The Jayhawks need one more win to make themselves eligible for a bowl.
"Now, we have to put a chip on our shoulder," Harris said. "We've got to want to go out there and get this win, no matter who it's against."
Kansas is going into this weekend's game as an underdog, a position it has grown accustomed to this season. K-State is 7-1 and is ranked fifth in the nation in defense.
Allen said he preferred to be an underdog when facing a rival because there was nothing to lose.
"We have a history, our coaching staff, of being able to go in and get it done as underdogs." Allen said.
Several things will have to come together for Kansas to have a shot at the 11th-ranked team in the nation. The
"The play of their corners allows them to shut down the run inside." Alla said.
Allen said K-State's defense was quick and played well.
Jayhawk offense was productive against Iowa State, but the Cyclone defense is not known for its superiority.
to shut down the run inside," Allen said.
If the run is shut down, then Kansas may have to rely on its passing. Quarterback Zac Wegner was 10 of 16 against Iowa State, including a touchdown pass to wide receiver Termaine Fulton.
Kansas had practiced the pass play to Fulton, but it came up short several times Saturday. Fulton eventually connected on a 46-yard pass for a touchdown. Fulton also had a 60-yard touchdown catch from Wegner against Texas Christian Sept. 6.
Allen said the failed passes to Fulton before the touchdown were frustrating.
"We had three or four times where we could have had a big touchdown pass and Zac didn't get it there." Allen said.
"Then the one time he's (Fulton) covered, we get it into him pretty good, and we end up getting a touchdown."
Allen said the team was eager to go to K-State and try for win No. 6.
"We're kind of the second sister in the state of Kansas in college football, and I kind of like being in that position." Allen said. "There are some great things that can happen, and the season is by no means over."
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