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KANSAN.COM/SPORTS | MONDAY, NOV.28, 2016
Volleyball passed up for No. 4 tournament seed
Bettina Bugatto/KANSAN
Junior right-side hitter Kelsie Payne spikes the ball past two TCU players on Saturday Nov. 12. Kansas won the match 3-1.
▶ TIFFANY LITTLER
@thin33
U unprecedented. That was the word Kansas vol
word Kansas volleyball used frequently to describe its 2015 season. The Jayhawks started off 20-0 before falling to Texas, one of the two teams that brought them their three losses. Kansas went on to make the NCAA Volleyball Tournament for the fourth time in a row and knocked off No.1-seeded USC to advance to the first Final Four in program history.
On Sunday evening, Kansas (26-2) learned its fate for the 2016 NCAA tournament in hopes of continuing the progress the program has made in the last two years. The top four seeds for the NCAA Volleyball Tournament were announced 30 minutes prior to the NCAA Selection Show. It came as a surprise to many when Texas (22-4) came in as the No.4 seed. Nebraska (27-2), Minnesota (25-4) and Wisconsin (25-4) took the top three seeds.
Kansas, who finished the season No. 4 in the AVCA rankings, was left out.
But the Naismith Room of Allen Fieldhouse was full
of excitement when Kansas was announced as the No. 5 seed in the tournament, the highest seeding in program history. Coach Ray Bechard commented on his team's disappointment after being seeded below Texas, which Kansas split the regular-season series with 1-1, but noted that the team is excited
to be hosting the first and second rounds.
"I think our team probably will have to digest that a little bit, but [Texas] played a great pre-conference schedule," Bechard said. "I'll be frank with you, our pre-conference schedule let us down a little bit... We were outright Big 12 champs, I think
that's worth something. But I think they look at all 28-30 matches and that's the way it turned out."
Six of nine teams in the Big 12 conference made the tournament: Kansas, Texas, Kansas State, TCU, Iowa State and Baylor. Kansas, Texas and K-State will be hosting the first two rounds
in their regular home venues.
This is the last chance for three Kansas seniors to clinch the NCAA championship they've been longing for: libero Cassie Wait, middle blocker Tayler Soucie and setter Maggie Anderson.
Wait isn't too upset about
the seeding, but is looking forward more to playing on her home court.
"It's awesome," Wait said. "It's super exciting and just to get to play more games in Horejsi, you know, being a senior that's really special."
It's super exciting and just to get to play more games in Horejsi, you know, being a senior that's really special."
Cassie Wait
Senior libero
The Jayhawks will play Samford (21-13) on Thursday when they host the first round of the tournament in Horejsi Family Athletics Center. Kansas will also host a game between Creighton (26-6) and Northern Iowa (24-9) this week. The Jayhawks will play the winner of that match on Friday at a time to be announced later.
First serve against Samford is set for 6:30 p.m.
- Edited by Chandler Boese
Ashley Hocking/KANSAN
Ashley Hocking/KANSAN Sophomore guard Lagerald Vick dribbles up the court during the game on Nov. 25. Kansas beat UNC Asheville 95-57 at Allen Fieldhouse.
New-look starting five propels KU to victory
▶ SHAUN GOODWIN
@Shaungoodwin96
The new-look Jayhawks could hardly have looked better as senior guard Frank Mason III tallied another game with 20 or more points. Kansas steamrolled UNC Asheville at Allen Fieldhouse, 95-57.
The backcourt trio of Josh Jackson, Mason and Devonte' Graham remained intact, yet forward Udoka Azubuike and guard Lagerald Vick replaced forwards Landen Lucas and Carlton Bragg Jr.
Following a rough couple of games for the Jayhawks' frontcourt, Bill Self went back to the drawing board for Kansas' game against UNC Asheville Friday night.
"I thought Lagerald and Udoka were two of the big reasons why we played better," Self said after the game, regarding his choice to start Vick and Azubuike. "They both earned the right to get the opportunity."
Vick led the team in
Kansas started strong, with Azubuike and Vick contributing five of Kansas' first 10 points. Jackson and Mason began to take over, scoring nine more points between them, until Kansas went on a scoreless streak for four minutes, allowing UNC Asheville to bring the game back to 14-12.
rebounds with nine, and Azubuike went 8-of-9 from the field for 17 points. He brought an emphatic dimension to the game as he threw down seven dunks across his 23 minutes.
The Jayhawks' back-court trio continued to impress, combining for 41 of Kansas' 95 points. Mason led the team in scoring with 21 points.
Missy Minear/KANSAN Freshman quarterback Carter Stanley finds a receiver against Iowa State on Nov. 12. Kansas lost 31-24.
That was the closest UNC Asheville came to competing with Kansas, as the Jayhawks closed out the half on a 33-9 run.
Kansas continued to pull ahead as the game went on, with Graham acting as quarterback for the Jayhawks, dishing out a career-high 11 assists.
"I like throwing lobs and giving assists," Graham said. "Coach said I had six assists at halftime so I was trying to get ten, and I ended up getting 11."
Kansas continued to show its improvement in three-point shooting, as Mason drilled 5-of-5 from beyond the arc and the Jayhawks finished shooting 62 percent from the three.
The scoring onslaught from starters like Jackson, who recorded his fifth straight game in double digits, allowed Self to reduce their minutes after a grueling road trip to start the season.
With 7:23 left to play, Kansas led 82-43. Self switched out the starters to allow forwards Dwight Coleby and Mitch Lightfoot and guards Tyler Self, Tucker Vang and Clay Young.
Kansas unable to contain K-State rushing attack
Kansas returns to the court Tuesday night against Long Beach State in Allen Fieldhouse at 7 p.m.
► WESLEY DOTSON @WesleyDee23
Kansas knew it was going to be a challenge trying to stop K-State's rushing attack on Saturday. That was especially true when it came to K-State quarterback Jesse Ertz, who has been better with his legs than his arm this season.
In the first half, Ertz proved why he has been one of the best rushing quarterbacks in the Big 12 this season in the Wildeats' (7-4, 5-3 Big 12) 34-19 win over the Jayhawks (2-10, 1-8 Big 12) at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium.
Ertz contributed 99 rushing yards on 10 attempts in a dominant first half for the Wildcats, but he left the game late in the second quarter with an apparent knee injury.
Despite that, the team took a 20-3 lead into halftime behind 160 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. On the Wildcats' first drive, fullback Winston Dimel scampered into the end zone for his first touchdown of the day after Ertz broke free for a 21-yard gain on the previous play.
As for the Jayhawks, the only positive of the first half was their opening drive, which went 11 plays for 58 yards and was capped off with a 34-yard field goal from senior kicker Matthew Wyman.
K-State running back Alex Barnes, who had four touchdowns against Baylor last week, produced one of two K-State second-quarter touchdowns with his 31-yard score. Barnes led all rushers with 103 yards on 10 carries.
Kansas freshman quarterback Carter Stanley threw
interceptions on back-toback drives in the second quarter, one of which was returned by K-State defensive back Donnie Starks for a 39-yard touchdown.
In the second half, injuries again plagued the Wildcats at the quarterback position. Joe Hubener, who entered the game for Ertz, left the game in the team's first drive of the third quarter.
As for the Jayhawks, the only positive of the first half was their opening drive."
Still, the Wildcats didn't miss a beat rushing the football against the Jayhawks. Quarterback Alex Delton came in and followed suit, rushing for 50 yards on 10 carries. He did not attempt a pass while in at quarterback.
However, Hubener would return with 4:18 remaining in the third quarter, and on the first play of the fourth quarter, he gave the Wildcats their fourth rushing touchdown of the day when he inched in for a one-yard score.
The Wildcats' dominance rushing the ball didn't allow the Jayhawk offense to find any type of rhythm. One of the two Kansas touchdowns came on a 95-yard quick strike from Stanley to junior wide receiver LaQuivionte Gonzalez out of his own end zone in the third quarter.
The Wildcats won the time of possession handily, controlling the ball for 36:23. The Jayhawks possessed the ball for only 23:37.
The game was already out of reach when the Jayhawks went 10 plays for 75 yards in a fourth-quarter drive, which finished with a touchdown throw from Stanley to senior fullback Michael Zunica.
Kansas allowed 342 total rushing yards and 5.9 yards per carry.
Stanley, the lone bright spot for the Jayhawks who found a hot hand in the second half, completed 24-of-44 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns, but he fumbled on the final drive of the game and left the game with an apparent shoulder injury.
The Jayhawks finished their season improving upon last season when they went winless overall and in the Big 12.
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