Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
The Baylor men's basketball team must replace a star player, while the women will be shooting for the stars this season.
Friday
November 6, 1998
Section:
B
See Page 3B
It was announced Wednesday that long-time Royals broadcaster Fred White was fired unexpectedly.
Major League Baseball
SEE PAGE 8B
Page 1
Pro Football
The first-half of the NFL season has been highlighted by some unexpected quarterback heroes.
SEE PAGE 4B
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Surgeries hobble 'Hawks
Injuries will test team's stamina vs. California All-Stars
By Erin Thompson
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas men's basketball team will finally get an opportunity to play outside of practice Saturday, but the biggest challenge could come from the injuries the team has suffered.
The Jayhawks have their first exhibition game against the California All-Stars at Allen Field House and continue to search for answers to the injury question. The team is happy to have a chance to play in a non-practice situation, Kansas coach Rov Williams said.
"It's good just to get to play somebody different, when you're playing against your teammates every day. And they're definitely tired of hearing me," Williams said. "We're throwing a lot of different things at them right now trying to get them caught up. The excitement of playing in front of a
See EXHIBITION on page 2B
The Starting Lineup
KANSAS
JAYHAWKS
G RYAN ROBERTSON 6-5 SR.
G JEFF BOSCHEE 6-1 FR.
F KENNY GREGORY 6-5 SOPH.
F NICK BRADFORD 6-6 Jr.
C ERIC CHOWNWIT 7-0 SOPH.
CALIFORNIA ALL-STARS
G CARL RAY HARRIS 6-2
Allen Field House • Lawrence
TV: Ch. 13 and 62
Radio: 1320 AM and 105.9 FM
Forward Lester Earl jumps for a rebound in a game last season. Kansas will start the 1998-99 season Saturday against the California All-Stars at 7 p.m. tomorrow in Allen Field House. The Jayhawks already have been troubled with injuries. Earl is playing at only 75 percet because of an injured knee and is not expected to start Saturday. Kansan file photo/Steve Puppe
Volleyball goes deep into heart of Texas
By Laura Bokenkroger
Kansan sportswriter
First things first.
The Kansas volleyball team takes on Baylor at 7:30 tonight in Waco and No. 24 Texas Tech at 7 tomorrow night in Lubbock. Coach Ray Bechard said that the team and coaches had focused mainly on their first opponent.
"That's been our philosophy all year dealing with Friday and Saturday matches," Bechard said. "We can't look to our Saturday match before we deal with Friday on purpose."
Beachard said that both matches would be challenging for different reasons.
"Baylor doesn't have the big, physical size that Texas Tech has," he said. "But they have a little more ball control. They're extremely good in transition. Texas Tech is omposite."
This weekend, the Jay hawks, 14-10 overall, 4-8 in the Big 12 Conference, face two teams that provide a contrast in playing styles.
Bechard: Says weekend matches will be challenging
Baylor, 11-13 overall and 4-8 in the Big 12, is tied with
in the Big 12, it is well within Kansas for seventh place in the Big 10.
As the end of the season approaches, Bechard said that every match left was important for the teams fighting to move up in the conference.
"I think the top three spots in the conference are stable but after that it gets interesting." Bechard said. "We're not looking past this season. They want to finish as strong as they can. The motivation is that you never know. If you can finish in the middle or upper tier of the conference, you might extend your season to the tournament."
Baylor and Kansas haven't played each other yet this year. Although the Bears have a losing record, they have won four of their last five matches.
Texas Tech (17-8 overall, 6-4 in the Big 12) enters tomorrow's match ranked fifth in the Big 12.
Last season, Baylor swept the Jayhawks at home 17-15, 15-5 and 17-15 and then later defeated them in four games in Waco 9-10, 15-4, 15-7 and 16-14.
Last season, Texas Tech swept the Jayhawks in Lawrence and in Lubbock, and the Red Raiders lead the all-time series 4-0.
Middle blocker Amanda Reves said the Jayhawks would have support each other more this weekend.
"We just need to push each other," Reves said.
"We have to go hard for every single ball."
Seniors want a win to end their careers
Outside linebacker Tim Bowers and defensive back Muhammad Abdul-Rahim tackle Kansas State wide receiver Gavin Peries. Kansas plays North Texas at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Memorial Stadium. Photo by Kate Levenson/KANSAN
Kansas football ready to battle North Texas
Kansan sportswriter
By Jodi M. Smith
It will be a Saturday of mixed emotions.
The Kansas football will play its last home game of the season tomorrow.
"I'm sure it will be a bittersweet memory for me, something I'll always remember," senior offensive tackle Dan Dercher said. "But I've still got a game to play, and we want to go out there and win that for our memories."
Some are trying not to Senior running back Dustin Curry said it probably wouldn't even hit him until the season was finished.
For the seniors, the 1 p.m. kickoff against the North Texas Eagles will be their last at Memorial Stadium.
Some are trying not to think about it.
"I haven't really thought about it too much yet," he said. "I'm more concentrating on getting these last two wins, but it's going to be exciting — your last home game ever. It'll probably hit me more after the season's over and when they start spring ball."
Others, like senior inside linebacker Steve Bratten, have been preparing for this game.
Bratten, who has had knee injuries his entire career at Kansas, has known that every game might be his
"I've already dealt with it," Bratten said. "Three games preceding the K-State game, I was pretty emotional as far as, 'Is this going to be it,' so I think I've already dealt with that."
last.
And now, with no chance at a bow bid, the Kansas football team wants to end the season on a high note — with two more wins.
"I think now they're in a situation where they're strictly playing for
pride and to develop the future of the program," coach Terry Allen said. "To get two wins right here would be critical for us to try to talk about the future and playing with pride and the things we need to do to kind of get to that next level."
For the seniors, there is no next level at Kansas, which makes these last two games all the more important.
the eagles are standing in their way The North Texas football team, with
"My impression is that they're an interesting football team." Allen said
"My impression is that they're interesting football team." Allen said. "You have to have respect for them because they've played three Big 12 teams and Arizona State and have played those teams very competitively. Obviously, they haven't beaten any of those teams, but nor have they gone in and physically gotten beat to death."
a record of 2-6, one game behind the Javahawks' 3-6 record.
To some they may seem like a team to be walked upon, but Kansas is not looking past them.
The same can be said for Kansas.
For one final day, the team will be focused on playing for the seniors who have led the Jayhawks through a disappointing season.
"We just have to try and live it up right now and have a good time with it because it is the last time I will play, maybe forever," Dercher said.
When it all comes down to it, Bratten wants to win the game for himself, not for records or trophies.
The game will not be broadcast on TV,but it will be broadcast on The Lazer 105.9.
"Wins and losses, that's what defines a good program," he said. "But 10 years from now, more than the record really, I'll be thinking about all of the guys, the seniors, that I've played with, and that's going to mean more than any of the wins and losses."
The Kansas men are ranked 25th in Speedo America's preseason polls while the A&M men are ranked 15th. The A&M women rank 22nd.
Kansas swimmers plunge into season against Texas teams
The Kansas men's and women's swimming and diving team will compete against Texas A&Mat 7 tonight in the Robinson Center.
"This is a great opportunity for two teams that are ranked in the top 25 to compete against one another," coach Gary Kempf said. "With the tradition and ranking of our program and the strong positive rivalry that has developed between us and A&M, it should be a great meet."
Last season, the Aggies beat both Kansas teams in College Station, Texas.
Junior Tyler Painter, who is ranked 14th in the world in the 1500 free, will lead the Kansas men in the 500-meter and 1650-meter freestyle races.
Senior Adrienne Turner, three-time All-American will lead the women in the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly and the 400-meter individual medley.
The Jayhawks placed fifth in the men's and third in the women's competition at the Big 12 Relays and Invitational in Lincoln, Neb.
The women also will compete 9 a.m. Saturday in Robinson against North Texas.
3
North Texas' women's program is in its inaugural season.
— Kansan staff report