Volume 125 Issue 49
kansan.com
Thursday, November 15, 2012
COMMENTARY Give seniors a send-off
KANSAS 68 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 58
Edited by Ryan McCarthy
As I sat down to write a column on why the University student body should attend the Kansas football Senior Night game against Iowa State this Saturday, I had a considerably tough time coming up with a way to convince students that it is going to be worth it.
What kind of Jayhawk would I be if I don't support the Jayhawks who are struggling?
Saturday night is the prime time to spend all of your parents' hard-earned cash at the bars while also trying to pick up a member of whatever gender you totally dig.
When I was growing up, my grandfather, who played for Kansas, told me "once a Jayhawk, always a Jayhawk."
Obviously, some things haven't changed. The Jayhawks still don't have a quarterback who they can trust, but the team is making do with the talent it has.
So why would anyone waste their time at a football game?
I'm a senior, and this is my last opportunity to see the Jayhawks play a football game at home as a totally-careless-not-worried-about-the-future-OMG-do-I need-to-find-a-job-soon? student. I like to think of it as my Senior Night, too. I haven't had to deal with the struggles this team has dealt with, but I know the players would appreciate my support.
For the seniors who have just spent four years dealing with one of the darkest times in Kansas football history — that's why.
SEASON STARTS SOLID
But things are changing. Charlie Weis' first season doesn't look good at first look, but the truth is that this football team has made a lot of progress. Defensive coordinator Dave Campo inherited the worst defense in the country, and yet he has somehow found a way to make these Jayhawks somewhat competitive. And last week, running backs James Sims and Tony Pierson ran all over Texas Tech, one of the best defenses in the Big 12.
See you Saturday.
Saturday night is Senior Night for the Jayhawks, and the players who are being celebrated have endured one of the toughest, most bleak and most embarrassing stretches of power conference collegiate football in recent memory (affectionately known as the end of Mark Mangino's reign and The Turner Gill Era). Those unsung heroes who make up the senior class had to deal with two coaching changes, long seasons, and worst of all disrespect from the student body.
I get it, football games are long, and this team isn't very good. A lot of students are embarrassed by the performance of this football team for the past three seasons.
I'm just as guilty as most of the student body. I haven't sat through a full football game at Memorial Stadium since I was a freshman and the Jayhawks were undefeated and touting a top-25 ranking. But I'm changing that this weekend, and it's all because of Charlie Weis and the seniors who have worked their tails off.
TRAVIS YOUNG/KANSAN
Coach Bonnie Henrickson gives the team encouragement during the second half of the match against Southeast Missouri State Redhawks Wednesday night. Kansas defeated the Redhawks 68-58.
The Jayhawks manage to push past the Redhawks in the second game of the year
NATHAN FORDYCE
nfordyce@kansan.com
The No. 25 ranked Kansas Jayhawks got all they could handle from Southeast Missouri State last night inside Allen Fieldhouse.
The tandem of senior forwards Carolyn Davis and Tania Jackson fueled the lajahwaks to a 68-58 victory over the Redhawks. The two combined for 44 points with Davis having a game-high 27 points.
"Tania was the rock star tonight. She was good and good when we weren't. She's probably the reason we get out of here tonight alive," Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said after the game.
Jackson's big energetic moment came when the game was tied at 44 with 13:03 left to play. Jackson hit back to back shots, grabs some rebounds and the Jayhawks didn't
have to look back.
"We needed some kind of energy. I wasn't looking to score, I was just trying to bring any type of emotions I could. So for Angel [Goodrich] to find me and for me to hit those open J's, really helped the energy level," Jackson said.
As for Davis' 27 points, 12-of-16 on the night, Henrickson said Davis "has to score in order for us to win." Davis was aware that Southeast Missouri State didn't have the size to contain her and used to that her advantage.
"I saw they had a lot of smaller players and I just felt it was time to dominate," Davis said.
Despite Davis having a productive night on offense, she said she was disappointed in her lack of defensive aggression as she only had two rebounds in her 21 minutes on the hardwood.
Between Davis and Jackson, senior guard Angel Goodrich and sophomore guard Natalie Knight picked up the rest of the scoring for the Jahwhaws.
Goodrich tallied 17 points with all her points coming in the first half. Knight added 10 points going 3-of-9 shooting.
Between those four players, they scored all but two of the Jayhawks' points going 25-of-51 from the field and 5-of-12 from the 3-point range. The rest of the Jayhawks' shots just 1-of-14, something that could be taken from players not knowing their role on the squad.
"I feel like everyone has the talents and opportunities to score but Bonnie always talks about that not everybody has to score. And if you're that go-to player to score, that's your role. If you're that go-to player to rebound, that's your role," Jackson
said. "She doesn't expect everyone to score, but she does expect everyone to play hard."
At one moment it looked like the tides had turned for the worse as the Redhawks started heating up from behind the arc. Sophomore guard Allyson Bradshaw led the furious charge from the outside as she went 5-of-5 from behind the arc for and a team-high 17 points.
"Little No. 11 wasn't suppose to be wide open. I knew she was going to have the night of her life," Henrickson said. "That kid came in here and had a big night. We didn't make it too hard on her that's for sure."
All but one of the Redhawks who saw minutes put points on the board, as they shot 37.5 percent and 53.3 percent from behind the arc.
Defensive intensity isn't where it should be and it was apparent by
looking at Bradshaw's shooting performance. Jackson said the lack of focus could be avoided if they would communicate better.
"It always reverts back to defense. It's going to take a while, it's only our second game. Communicating will help all of that. We have to fix that now in order to do it now and not in multiple games," Jackson said.
Although defensive problems still exist, getting out with a victory is something Knight is going to take from it.
"Struggled on the defensive end, struggled with the energy," Knight said. "But being able to grind it out and get the win is what really helped us tonight."
- Edited by Laken Rapier
VOLLEYBALL
Hustle plays lead to another sweep
GEOFFREY CALVERT
ecalvert@kansan.com
One look at the stat sheet wouldn't do any justice to the Jayhawks' performance around the net Wednesday against Oklahoma.
Although Oklahoma outblocked Kansas 10-5, the Jayhawks' front line routinely got touches on the Sooners' attack, slowing the ball down by the time it reached Kansas' back row. Although touches are not an official stat, they proved just as important as blocking in the Jayhawks' 3-0 victory.
"Not only does it help to get a good touch, but it helps when they funnel the ball to our diggers," coach Ray Bechard said. "I thought we were organized with our front row. I thought when they did have a clean swing, at least we angled the ball to where our defense was set up."
Because Kansas' front line got its hands on so many Sooner attacks, the Jayhawks' back line had a much easier time making first contact and getting the ball in-system to junior setter Erin McNorton. She recorded 49 assists, and four Jayhawks benefited from her ball distribution by getting double-digit kills. In its five-set loss to Texas last Saturday, only two Jayhawks had double digit kills.
Conversely, because Kansas was running such a smooth offense, Oklahoma had trouble receiving the ball and getting into its system. The Sooners' two main setters combined for only 25 assists, because their attackers had a hard time getting powerful attacks cleanly past the lavhawks' block.
the ball, and a lot of the time I don't even know where it's going," junior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc said. "Erin was sending me behind on the wides because they were having a hard time closing, and I was just working the seams"
Junior libero Brianne Riley led Kansas with 19 digs, and Kansas outdug Oklahoma 58-44. She said the front row made her job easier by slowing down the Sooners' attack, which in turn helped Kansas establish a balanced attack and convert opportunities for transition kills.
BRANDON SMITH/KANSAN
"Erin does a great job distributing
Junior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc attempts to hit the ball over the Oklahoma blockers on Wednesday. The Jayhawks won the match 3-0 to improve the overall record to 22-6.
"Obviously, when our block gets a touch and it's straight up in the air, to me it's a lot easier to dig." Riley said. "I always tell Jarmoc, 'You block, and I'll watch.' They did a pretty good job of that."
Although Kansas swept Oklahoma for the first time since 2005, Kansas had to win two extended sets to do so. The Sooners led 23-19 in the second set before Kansas roared back
with five straight points.
"You can't look at the big picture like, 'Oh my gosh, we're down four'." Jarmoc said. "You just go point-by-point, and then the momentum slowly comes back your way. It was just being really disciplined, because in volleyball it's a game of errors."
The teams traded points, with Kansas and Oklahoma each having two set points. On Kansas' third set point, sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Albers converted a kill, giving the lajayhawks a 29-27 set victory.
The two teams reversed roles in the third set, but Kansas emerged on top once again. After Oklahoma scored three straight points to tie the set at 19, Kansas responded with a 4-0 run and eventually had triple match point with a 24-21 lead.
But Oklahoma tied the set with two kills and a block. Just like the second set, Kansas closed the match by relying on its attackers to come through, and they did. A kill from Albers put Kansas on the brink of victory, and Jarmoc finished the match with her 16th kill. In keeping with the match's theme, Kansas won the set after its attackers slowed down Oklahoma attacks during long rallies late in the set by getting touches on the ball before it reached the Jayhawks' back line.
"Close games like this at this time of year, when you have success, I think it's a good sign," Bechard said. "There was some extended rallies that they fought hard and we fought hard. That's one of the signatures of their team is how hard they play and how they keep the ball off the floor."
overall and 10-4 in Big 12 play, with its next match Saturday at 1 p.m. against CUF in Fort Worth, Texas.
The win moved Kansas to 22-6
Edited by Brian Sisk
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