10C
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28, 2009
BIG 12
Kansas ready to run with conference's best
TEXAS TECH (16-15, 6-10)
Vs. Kansas; Feb. 21, 5 p.m., Lubbock, Texas
Key Losses: F Dominic Seals, G Maria Moore
Junior guard LaChelda Jacobs shuffles with a Colorado quard on defense Feb. 4. Jacobs had one steal and five assists in the Jayhawks' 65-54 victory.
Key newcomers: G Chynna Brown, G Monique Smalls, G Marv Bokencamp
Despite an inauspicious seventh place finish in the Big 12 last season and a team team with eleven underclassmen, seven of whom are new to the program, head coach Kristy Curry has reason to expect improvement in Lubbock. That's because despite the relative youth of the squad, the players aren't lacking in experience. In fact, five letter winners return from last season. Senior guard Jordan Murphree will anchor the Lady Raiders' backcourt, returning as last year's second leading scorer and leader in steals. The frontcourt is less experienced and led by two sophomores: Jordon Barncastle and Kierra Mallard. Barncastle played in all 31 games last season and notched two double-doubles. Mallard led the Lady Raiders in rebounds last season and all Big 12 freshmen in both rebounding and scoring. Predictably, she was named to the conference's all-freshman team. Mallard and Barncastle's combined production should ease the loss of Dominic Seals. The Lady Raiders look to reclaim their comfortable slot among the best of the Big 12 this season and return to the NCAA tournament.
Alex Beecher
OKLAHOMA STATE (17-16,4-12)
Key Losses: F Shaunte' Smith, G Taylor Hardeman
Vs. Kansas: January 12, 11 a.m., Lawrence
Key Newcomers: C Lindsey Keller, Gell Toni Young
Last year, senior Andrea Riley didn't just lead the Cowgirls — she was the Cowgirls. The 5-foot-5 guard led the Big 12 and ranked fifth in the nation in scoring and was an Honorable Mention All-American. She led the team in points, assists, three-pointers and steals. This year, the story shouldn't be any different. Not surprisingly, Riley was named to the All-Pre-season Big 12 team.
Riley's supporting cast will include senior center Megan Byford and senior forward Tegan Cunningham, who will provide the inside presence to replace last year's team rebound leader, Shaunte' Smith. Incoming freshman Toni Young could also provide an immediate boost to the team. Young, a 6-foot-2 forward, was the No.93 recruit in the nation according to ESPN's HoopsGurlz. Two years ago, Oklahoma State made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, but last year it lost in the second round of the WNIT. This year the team's prospects come down to whether or not the Cowgirls can provide enough support for Riley.
Joel Petterson
OKLAHOMA (32-5,15-1)
Vs. Kansas: Jan. 23, 2 p.m.
Norman, Okla.
Key losses: C Courtney Paris, F Ashley Paris
Chance Dibben/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Key newcomers: F Lyndsey Cloman, J Ioanna McFarland
Replacing Courtney and Ashley Paris is no easy task for head coach Sherri Coale, but Oklahoma returns so much talent that they shouldn't fall too much. Junior guard Danielle Robinson won the gold medal with USA Basketball at the World University Games this summer and is one of the scrappiest defenders in college basketball. She was named Preseason All-Big 12. Senior Abi Olayuwon, daughter of former Houston Rockets All-Star Hakeem Olajuwon, will fill the hole left by the Paris twins in the paint. 2008-2009 Big 12 Freshman of the Year Whitney Hand started last season on fire from behind the three-point arc but cooled off in Big 12 play and the postseason after breaking her finger.
The problem the Sooners face is finding a go-to scorer. Seniors Nysiah Stevenson and Amanda Thompson seem the most capable of coming up in the clutch because their experience in big-game situations. While Oklahoma might look a bit different without the Paris twins roaming the floor, Coale expects to win and win often. Don't bet against the Sooners making a deep run in the postseason.
Clark Goble
TEXAS (21-12,8-8)
Vs. Kansas: Feb. 13, 1 p.m.
Lawrence
Key losses: G Carla Cortijo, F Ashlev Lindsev
Key newcomers: C Cokie Reed,
G Lauren Flores
Connecticut as part of the ESPNU Road to the Championship Nov. 17 in San Antonio. The nonconference schedule also includes games against Mississippi State, USC and Rutgers at the Paradise Jam Tournament in the Virgin Islands. Texas has a strong set of core players returning but faces a tough nonconference schedule and it will need consistency if the team expects to make it past the first round of the NCAA tournament this year.
Going into her second season with the Longhorns, head coach Gail Goestenkors will be vying for Texas' second NCAA tournament appearance in the last four years. Senior guard Brittainey Raven was named to the preseason All-Big 12 Team and is expected to lead Texas in scoring as she did last year with 13.4 ppg. Also returning is senior guard Earnesia Williams with a fifth year of eligibility. She was a leader in field goal percentage and rebounds. The Longhorns will face defending champion
Hallie Mann
NEBRASKA (15-16, 6-10)
Vs. Kansas: Feb. 10, 7 p.m., Lawrence; March 3, 7:05 p.m., Lincoln, Neb.
Key newcomers: F Meghin Williams, G Lindsey Moore
Key loses: G Tay Hester
The Nebraska Cornhuskers will return all but one player for the team that clinched a berth in the WNIT before being bounced by UNM in the first round. Defenses will tailor their game plan to the three stars of last season: Cory Montgomery, Yvonne Turner and Dominique Kelley. Montgomery, 6-foot-2 senior forward from Cannon Falls, Minn., and Turner, 5-foot-8 senior guard from Omaha, BNB, highlight a solid senior class. Montgomery led the Cornhuskers with 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while Turned added 11.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Kelley, 5-foot-7 junior guard from Lincoln, Neb., chipped in 9.7 points per game and paced Nebraska with 2.5 assists per game.
— Christian Lucero
IOWA STATE (27-9,11-5)
Vs. Kansas: Jan. 20, 7 p.m., Lawrence; Feb. 25, 6 p.m., Lawrence
Key losses: F Nicky Wieben, G Heather Ezell
Key newcomers: C Anna Prins,
G/F Jessica Schroll
Iowa State's finish in last year's NCAA tournament, making it to the Elite Eight before losing to Stanford 74-53, was led by a senior-laden lineup both starting and coming off the bench. This year's senior class isn't as experienced but is again headlined by Alison Lacey, six-foot senior guard from Canberra, Australia. Lacey is the only statistically relevant senior, averaging 11.2 points per
SEE WOMEN'S ON PAGE 11C
BY KELSEY MURKE
DAVID BARBOSA Overland Park senior "I'm usually at Allen Fieldhouse."
STEPHANIE GREEN Hutchinson junior "I usually watch them from my house or friends' houses."
Where do you usually watch the basketball games?
ARIC TOLER iola senior "Home, or if I'm at work, on the computer"
ALEC VAN ZUIDEN Lawrence freshman "At Allen Fieldhouse."
RICHMOND SALMANS Monterey, Calif., freshman "At home"
EMILY ARNOLD St. Louis sophomore "My apartment."
Good Luck with the '09-10 season Hawks!
If it was good enough for PHOG ALLEN THE HAWK is good enough for you!
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JUSTIN HILL
Lenexa junior
JUSTIN HILL
Lenexa junior
"I'm new here. I'm a transfer, but
I plan on being at the fieldhouse
when they're home and if not I'll
be at my house."
Kansas City, Kan., sophomore "At home games, I watch them at Allen Fieldhouse. If away then we all go to a friend's house to watch them."
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