SPORTS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Jayhawks to face No.18 Gophers, All-American center after loss
Taylor McIntosh, freshman guard, attempts to pass to teammate Crystal Kemp, junior forward, at Allen Fieldhouse last night.
By B.J.RAINS
brains@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWITTER
The Kansas women's basketball team has lost 29 straight games to ranked opponents. It will have an opportunity to end the streak when Kansas faces the No.18 Minnesota at 2 p.m. Sunday in the first road game of the season.
"They've got great balance," Kansas coach Bonnie Hendrickson said. "They shoot the three very well and have a great inside game. We've got our hands full."
Last season, the Gophers had one of the best seasons in the history of the program. Before losing in the Final Four to the eventual National Champion, Connecticut, Minnesota upset Duke in the regional finals. After losing three-time All-American Lindsay Whalen, now a star point guard for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun, the Gophers must find a way to replace their all-time leading scorer.
They may have found Whalen's replacement in senior Janel McCarville. The 6-foot-2 center is one of the best players in the NCAA. Coaches voted her Big 10 Conference Preseason Player of the Year. She was a first-team All-American last season and the leading candidate for National Player of the Year this year.
Besides being one of the most dominating inside players in the country, McCarville has the
passing skills of a perimeter plaver.
Henrickson said the Jayhawks would have their hands full in trying to stop the All-American.
"She's a big girl," Henrickson said. "She is ridiculously athletic for as big as she is. She's going to give us a matchup problem."
Injuries have taken a toll on the Gophers this season. McCarville missed more than a month earlier in the season after breaking her left hand. Other Gophers have also had injuries, coach Pam Borton said.
"We've had a lot of injuries so far season, and haven't really had our top 8 or 9 players on the court together," Borton said. "We don't have the continuity that we need to have, but it's only Dec. 1."
looks like a mismatch, but the Jayhawks say a strong effort could lead to a victory.
"We've got nothing to lose," junior guard Erica Hallman said. "We're going to go out and play hard, and hopefully be able to come away with the upset."
The Gophers are not taking the Jayhawks lightly. Borton has great respect for Henrickson and knows that she will have her team ready for the challenge. Henrickson was the perfect replacement for Marian Washington, Borton said.
"I have so much respect for Bonnie," Borton said. "Her kids are going to work hard, and I'm sure she's put them in a system that is going to work well for them."
"It feels good to be honored on defense because I've worked so hard at that position," Gordon said.
Gordon also played on offense occasionally in situations when the Jayhawks needed a big play. Coach Mark Mangino said repeatedly that he used Gordon with no particular pattern.
AP TEAM: Eight Jayhawks receive AP honors
"I shoot from the hip." Mangino said after the Toledo game on Sept. 11 and several other games.
On offense, Gordon threw a pass and had 15 catches for 150 yards. He also caught two touchdowns, fifth best on the team. He returned punts as well.
Reid finished as the team leader in tackles with 109, second in the Big 12. He also led the team with tackles for a loss with 15.
While Gordon and Reid are only the second and third Jayhawks to ever make the AP first team for the Big 12, Gordon said he was not as excited for this honor as he was for Wednesday's coaches' honor.
"There are some big-time coaches in the Big 12," Gordon said. "Some of them were big-time players, too."
Gordon intends to celebrate his honor with his family when he goes home to Carson, Calif., during winter break.
In addition to Gordon and Reid, six other Jayhawks received honors. Senior center Joe Vaughn and senior defensive lineman David McMillan were both named to the AP second
team. Gordon was an honorable mention as an all-purpose back as well, giving the Jayhawks nine total AP recognitions with eight players recognized.
This is the first year that all Big 12 teams had at least one player on the AP first team, but the conference's South division had most of the first-team selections. The South had 19 selections to the North's eight.
Kansas and Missouri had two first-team selections. Iowa State, Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas State had one each.
Oklahoma had the most selections of any Big 12 school with nine. According to AP, this is only the second time a school in the conference has had that many. K-State had nine in 1998.
Edited by Anna Clovis
TRICKS: Match-up to be tough
- Edited by Bill Cross
CONTINUED FROM 1B
"He hasn't been that player this year," Thomason said. "We are waiting for him to come around. He has always rose to occasions, but he really hasn't played great."
"They hurt us on the boards last time," Thomason said. "We have to figure out some way to get a loose ball, a rebound or a
Pacific played its last game on Nov. 23, so it would have had 11 days to prepare for Kansas. Thomason said the team took three days off for Thanksgiving, and spent the rest of the time working on its offense and getting ready for the Jayhawks.
Coach Bill Self said he expected Saturday's match-up to be a tough game.
"They will be the best test to date." Self said.
"They stuck around last year," Langford said. "I am sure with the nucleus they have and the coach that they have and being in the NCAA Tournament, they will be a good team."
Self said the tricky thing about the Tigers was that they run a variety of offenses. In the games that he has scouted, Self said that
Senior guard Keith Langford said the Jayhawks respected the Tigers.
he had seen Pacific run 15 to 18 looks offensive.
"You can't guard all of that." Self said. "You can just teach principles and try to guard it."
Thomason said one of his biggest concerns turnovers Pacific has turned the ball over 36 times through its first two games. On Nov. 25 against St. Joseph's, Kansas scored 21 points off turnovers.
But Self said that he wouldn't be surprised if Thomason threw the Jayhawks a couple of curveballs on the basketball court.
"Everyone you talk to says that he will have something up his sleeve for you," Self said.
Edited by Neil Mulka
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