MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
7A
Henrickson says team needs to find other offense
BY BJ RAINS
brains@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWINTER
Through two exhibition games and one regular season game, junior forward Crystal Kemp has emerged as the number one scoring threat for the Kansas women's basketball team. The only problem? Right now, she is the only scoring threat.
Junior guard Kaylee Brown,
senior guard Aquanita Burras
and senior guard Blair Waltz
went a combined 1-19 from the field in Kansas' 53-49 loss to Texas-Arlington yesterday at Allen Fieldhouse. Besides Kemp, they are the most obvious other scoring options for the Jayhawks and must shoot better if the Jayhawks are going to win many games this season, coach Bonnie Henrickson said.
"We've got options, but the options need to start knocking down shots," Henrickson said. "We have offenses that we run for Aquanita, Blair and Kaylee, but combined those three go 1-
Meanwhile, Kemp tied a career high with 26 points in the game. She played 33 minutes, but would have played almost the entire game had she not been in foul trouble in the second half. When the jayhawks needed a big bucket, Kemp had the answer.
for-19. They got good looks, but just didn't knock down the shots."
seven minutes without making a field goal. Kemp, who sat out most of that time after picking up her third foul, ended the drought with a layup on her first possession back in the game.
When she wasn't in the game,
there was no answer.
"We couldn't stop her," said Texas-Arlington coach Donna Capps. "She is so strong. We're a small team, and we couldn't outsize her in the paint. She dominated us."
In the opening minutes of the second half, Kansas went almost
Afterward, Kemp was pleased with her performance but disappointed with the outcome of the game.
"On an individual basis, yes, I played a good game, but our team lost," Kemp said. "I don't care if I score 26 points or two. We lost the game."
Henrickson will use the next few days to try and find another viable scoring option to accompany Kemp. Although Kemp's dominating performance was impressive, Henrickson said the Jayhawks could not rely on her to carry the team all season.
"We all want to get the ball to Crystal, but we have to find some offense somewhere else."
Rvlan Howe/KANSAN
Henrickson said. "Those three (Burras, Brown, and Waltz) are getting shots. They had 19 shots, and I would say that 75 percent of them were uncontested."
Kemp agreed that she could not do it all. She said the team just needed to shoot better from the field.
"All we can do is go out there and work harder," Kemp said. "We have good shooters on our team. It just a matter of them knocking down some shots."
Senior middle blocker Ashley Michaels spikes the ball past Texas A&M's Laura Jones. Kansas swept Texas A&M in three games 30-28, 32-30 and 31-29. Saturday night at Horesis Family Athletics Center.
— Edited by Ashley Bechard
Break out the broom: 'Hawks win, 3-0
By BILL CROSS
bcross@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIVER
A glint of emotion burned through Kansas volleyball coach Ray Bechard's usually stoic demeanor after his team defeated No. 13 Texas A&M Saturday night at Horesi Family Athletics Center in Lawrence.
"That felt good," the smiling Bechard said as he emerged from his team's locker room.
He said the team played with a sense of urgency and used rejuvenated blocking and efficient hitting to pull out the straight-set victory.
"That's as well as we've played three games in a row maybe all year," Bechard said. "I hope that's a sign of things to come."
The 3-0 match score suggests a Kansas rout, but it won each game by two points, the smallest possible margin of victory, 30-28, 32-20, 31-29.
Bechard said the team would continue to use Morris in a defensive role until she was healthy enough to play closer to the net.
The first game was tied 16 times, and neither team led by more than two points until a kill by Kansas senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Lindsey Morris made the score 27-24. The Jayhawks erupted in celebration when the ball landed. It was Morris' first kill since returning from a knee injury that sidelined her for most of the season.
"We know she can help us across the back," Bechard said. "Our team loves her out there because she brings a real positive energy."
Texas A&M battled back to get within one point in the game,
trailing 29-28, but Kansas junior outside hitter Paula Caten ended the set with a kill. She and junior middle blocker Josi Lima led the team with five kills apiece in game one.
The Aggies jumped out to a quick three-point lead in the second game, but Kansas senior middle blocker Ashley Michaels scored her 1,000th career kill and followed it with a block assist to tie the game, 12-12. After the Aggies scored three straight kills, Michaels reeled off six straight points of her own from the service line to give the Jayhawks a three-point advantage. Texas A&M again fought back and took the lead, but three late service errors let Kansas stay close.
Trailing 29-30, the Jayhawks needed a Caten kill and two blocks by Michaels to end the set.
"Our block was really working tonight," Lima said. "The key for us is just to stay calm."
The Jayhawks out-blocked the Aggies, the second-best blocking team in the Big 12 Conference, 6-0 in the second set.
Bechard said such close victories could help his team in the Jayhawks' remaining two matches.
"You build a little character when the other team's serving for the game and you side out a couple times," he said.
The Jayhawks would have to come from behind again in the match's third set to earn the sweep.
The Aggies took a late 28-27 lead in game three after a service ace. Texas A&M had five aces in the final set.
After a kill by Lima tied the score, the Aggies were called for an illegal hit, and the Jayhawks
took the lead. Texas A&M junior libero Holly Clay set the ball in front of the 10-foot line, and a teammate hit the ball above the net, a play that has been illegal since the NCAA instituted the libero in 2002.
Caten closed out the match with two straight kills. She was one of four Kansas players with double-digit kills in the match.
"We did a great job tonight distributing the ball," Bechard said. "We had a good scouting report, and the kids did as good a job as we've done carrying that plan out."
"The adrenaline gets rolling, and you're not feeling much after that," she said as she held her injured arm against her side. "It's good to be back out there."
Kansas senior libero Jill Dorsey, who tore ligaments in her left elbow last week against Nebraska, returned to the starting lineup after sitting out against Texas on Wednesday. She led the team with 16 digs.
Dorsey said she was still far
from complete recovery, and she could face surgery after the season if she further damaged the joint, but none of that fazed her in her play.
"That's just a chance I will im-
ing to take," she said. "We've got two matches left, hopefully more."
Saturday's victory was the first time in almost a year that the Jayhawks swept a ranked team. The last time was also against the Aggies, on Nov. 22, 2003.
"It's going to be their senior night," Bechard said. "But we feel like we've got a whole lot more to play for."
The Jawahars next visit Texas Tech, a team they swept earlier this season in Lawrence, on Wednesday.
Dorsey said the Jayhawks needed to win against Texas Tech and on Saturday at home against Colorado to ensure a place in December's NCAA Tournament.
—Edited by Ryan Greene
two, and sophomore guard J.R. Giddens delivered on the next possession with a three from the top of the key to give the Jayhawks a 59-58 lead.
After Vermont senior forward Taylor Coppenrath's free throw tied the score, Kansas again relied on an upperclassman to come through.
BASKETBALL: Upperclassmen make big plays late in the game
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10A
This time it was junior forward Christian Moody, who made the first start of his collegiate career in the game.
With 2:49 remaining, Moody was fouled after grabbing an offensive rebound and had a one-and-one opportunity from the free-throw line.
The forward had struggled from the line in the past, making just 44 percent of his free-throws in his Kansas career, but he stepped up and sank both shots to put Kansas back up by two.
"I knew I was going to get put on the line for some kind of big shot," Moody said. "I just felt like I really had to focus on those."
After a missed three-pointer by Vermont senior guard T.J. Sorrentine, Miles buried the jumper and also the Catamounts' chances of an upset.
"We knew that they were good coming in, and they really brought it," Moody said. "We got fortunate at the end with some clutch plays by our seniors."
Simien was the offensive force for Kansas throughout, scoring 25 points to go along with 14 rebounds. The preseason Big 12 player of the year achieved a double-double — 10 points and 11 rebounds — by halftime.
Wooden Award finalist Taylor Coppenrath battled Kansas to the end, finishing with 23 points and seven
The senior struggled from the line, however, hitting only five of his 12 free-throw attempts after shooting 75 percent last season.
rebounds on 9-of-18 shooting.
Kansas senior guard Keith Langford and sophomore guard J.R. Giddens added 12 points apiece for the Jayhawks.
"The first game is supposed to ease into the season." Simien said. "But that was a great team, and we knew they were going to come out and play us tough."
Kansas basketball notes
Senior guard Mike Lee received a surprise start over Giddens, who did not practice the day before the game.
"J.R. said he was too sore to practice." Self said, "so I started Mike because he's been out there every day.
- Giddens played the second half without his customary headband after having problems with it early in the game.
"I was dribbling, and my man just slapped me across my face," Giddens said. "My headband covered my eyes, and I had to make a blind pass. I just ripped it off and continued playing.
Giddens said he would go back to his normal routine of wearing the headband against St. Joseph's on Tuesday.
"I didn't put it back on, even though I kind of wanted it," Giddens said.
Vermont coach Tom Brennan had high praise for Kansas and its crowd after the game.
"The fans here are so classy," Brennan said. "On my way out it seemed like I had 100 people tell me how good my team played. This is a class act and I will root for Kansas all year long."
— Edited by Ashley Bechard
OPENER: Kemp only offensive weapon in yesterday's game
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10A
Outside of Kemp and junior guard Erica Hallman, who scored 11 points and recorded five assists before fouling out, no Jayhawk posted more than four points. The trio of senior guard Aquanita Burras, senior guard Blair Waltz and junior guard Kaylee Brown shot a combined 1-19 from the floor.
"We shoot well under pressure in practice, but they were forcing us to shoot off-balance
shots," said Kemp, who shot 11-19. "Sometimes our shot selection wasn't very good."
The poor shooting resulted in long spans without scoring for Kansas. The Jayhawks endured a scoreless streak of 5:08 in the first half and went nearly seven minutes without a field goal in the second half to allow Texas-Arlington to take control late.
After extending its six-point halftime lead to 10 at the 15:42 mark with a 34-24 advantage, Kansas slowly gave away the
Texas-Arlington, behind a 21-point effort by Ogunoye, pushed ahead to 48-42 with a sophomore guard Terra Wallace jumper at the 4:15 mark.
lead. A fade-away jumper by senior forward Rola Ogunoye put the Lady Mavs up for the first time in the second half, 38- 37, and the lead changed hands three more times.
Kemp and sophomore forward Alicia Rhymes each scored a basket to cut the lead
to 48-46, but an Ogunoye offensive rebound and putback stretched it back to four.
The Jayhawks were back within one with less than a minute left after an Erica Hallman three-point shot.
A free throw by senior guard Krystal Buchanan put the Lady Mavs ahead 51-49.
On the next possession, Hallman scored what appeared to be a game-tying bucket, but officials called her for an offensive foul. The questionable call
Henrickson said that the Hallman charge was not the downfall of the Jayhawks.
took the points off the scoreboard and left Texas-Arlington with a lead and only 24 seconds left on the clock.
"A lot of people will talk about the call at the end of the game, but it never should have come down to a one-possession game," she said. "That's not the reason we lost the game. It was all the other things we did, the 39 minutes before it.
The Lady Mavs made 16 steals and forced 22 Kansas turnovers in a tough defensive
"We depend on our quickness and speed," Capps said. "The whole trick is to try to control the opponent's runs."
effort. They also held the Jayhawks to only 20-51 shooting including 3-12 from three-point range.
In addition to the defensive effort, Texas-Arlington gathered 19 offensive rebounds to overcome its 19-55 shooting performance.
Kansas' next game is at 7 p.m. against Sacred Heart on Wednesday at home.
Edited by Ashley Bechard
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