FUNDRAISER The Kansas men's club volleyball team is hosting a date auction tomorrow. PAGE 6A
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
www.kansan.com
Jayhawks drop game to All-Stars
Senior guard Aquanita Burras lines up a shot over West Coast All-Stars Reshaunde Richardson. The Jayhawks lost to the West Coast All-Stars last night in Allen Fieldhouse.
Ginnv Weatherman/KANSAN
BY PAUL BRAND
bPRand@ku.edu
kPANANDSWITERWRIER
In the game's opening minutes, the Kansas women's basketball team looked assured of a victory. The Jayhawks jumped out to a 15-4 lead to start its exhibition matchup against the West Coast All-Stars, but shooting problems and a lack of intensity eventually led to a 60-58 defeat.
"It didn't seem like we came to play at all," said junior forward Crystal Kemp, who led Kansas with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Coach Bonnie Henrickson said she agreed, but thought the Jayhawks could take something important from the mental collapse that hindered their effort.
One of the most obvious mental issues that faced the Jayhawks showed at the free-throw line where Kansas finished 11-25.
"We learned a lesson about coming right and being ready to play," Henrickson said.
Long range shooting also hurt the Jayhawks as the team shot only 3-21 from three-point range.
After leading the entire first half, an unfocused Jayhawk team allowed the All-Stars to close within three at the break by not responding well to the All-Stars' full-court press and changing defensive scheme and giving up 10 turnovers.
Simien battles double teams
SEE ALL-STARS ON PAGE 7A
Senior forward Wayne Simm pulls down a rebound during last Sunday's game against Wachburn. TheIchabobs doable-teamed Simlin during most of the game. The Jayhawks face the Vermont Datamats at 7 p.m. Friday in Allen Fieldhouse.
BY MIRANDA LENNING
mlenning@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Wayne Simien will see a lot of double teams this year. Because of the hype surrounding the 6-foot-9, 255-pound preseason All-American, opposing teams will likely put two defenders on Simien when he gets near the basket.
Simien will have to do a better job getting around those double teams than he did against Washburn Sunday night. The Ichabods doubled-up on Simien for most of the first half and held him scoreless until he got his first field goal with six minutes to go before halftime. His back-to-back buckets at that point were his only field goals in the first half.
Simien said he knew he would face double teams this season, so he should be reacy for it.
"We know people are going do it, so we are going to work on that and be ready for it," he said.
Self said the team had not spent much time working on double-team sit-
"We know people are going to do
it, so we are going to work on that be ready for it."
Wayne Simen Senior forward
uations in practice. He said that was one of the reasons Simien struggled in the post Sunday, and the team would work more on it this week.
The Jayhawks face the Vermont Catamount Friday, and they will likely double-team Simien, Vermont coach Tom Brennan said.
"He is definitely a problem because he likes to get the ball inside, and he is hard to guard in there," he said. "We will have two of our guys on him."
Vermont's starting big men, sophomore center Martin Klimes and senior forward Taylor Coppenrath, are both about 6-foot-8. Coppenrath may be
the best player to ever play for Vermont, Brennan said. He averaged 20.1 points per game last season. He joins Simien on preseason watch lists for the Wooden and Naismith awards, given to college basketball's best players.
Klimes started seven games for the Catamounts last season, and played in all of the other games in a reserve role.
Brennan said Vermont would play some man-to-man defense with a double team on Simien, but he would consider playing zone.
"We are not really a zone team, but we are going to have to do whatever works to stop Simien and prevent those other guys from scoring from the outside," Brennan said.
Brennan said he was most worried about his players fouling out. Other than Coppenrath and Klimes, the Catamounts are thin at frontcourt positions.
SEE SIMIEN ON PAGE 6A
Luke determined to break QB curse
BY JONATHAN KEELING
jkealing@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWER
The curse of the Kans is quarterback strikes again. And again. And again.
For the fourth consecutive week, Karsas will start a different quarterback. This week: it will be junior Brian Luke, who came on to relieve senior John Nielsen last week. Luke went 14-of-21 for 225 yards with a touchdown and finished his first game since a preseason injury.Luke said he was convinced he could be the first quarterback to play through an entire game.
"The way I look at it, I already had my injury this year." he said.
Luke's first appearance of the season came against Iowa State two weeks ago. He lasted only a short period of time, fumbling and losing the ball out of bounds.
Last week, he looked much more prepared to be playing in a Division-I game.
"I felt really comfortable going into the game," Luke said. "I prepared last
"
Brian Luke Quarterback
prepared last week like I was going to start."
felt really comfortable going into the game.I
Mangito was perfectly clear yesterday at his weekly press conference that Luke would start this Saturday. But he said players who could replace Luke in an emergency were up in the air.
Take sophomore Adam Barmann. Mangino said there was a chance he could be released by his doctors to participate in the game, but he would likely not be prepared to start a game or contribute as much as the team demanded.
week like I was going to start."
"He's a possible emergency guy." Mangino said.
Landon Harness/KANSAN
Kansas quarterback Brian Luke calls a play during last Saturday's loss to Texas. The Jayhawks are gearing up for Saturday's game in Columbia, Mo., against border rival Missouri.
SEE QB ON PAGE 6A
ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
Fourth-string quarterback John Nielsen appeared surprisingly comfortable considering the position he was in. Although he was not the dominating quarterback of the afternoon, his team did hold the lead in the only quarter he finished. It was the first quarter and the Kansas defense did not believe in letting the opposing team score until at least the second quarter.
Stats don't explain defeat
The Jayhawks played in a way that did not reflect the final score. They were playing No. 6 Texas, the almighty Longhorns, and they were not supposed to win.
Although the Kansas football team was predicted to lose by more than 20 points to Texas on Saturday, it seemed like the Jayhawks should have finished their senior day victoriously.
By looking at the numbers, Kansas did not deserve to lose. Most of Saturday's stats point to the 'Hawks as the victors, but obviously they were not. Was it a curse, a bad omen, a phobia of winning?
Exit Nielsen, enter Brian Luke. Shudders probably went through the entire Kansas crowd to see this after his performance in the Iowa State game. He settled fears, however, by picking up 225 yards and succumbing to just one sack. Together, the pair of quarterbacks racked up 308 yards passing. Texas starter Vincent Young did not match the third and fourth string duo, throwing for 289 yards and getting砂挫 twice.
So is that why Kansas lost? Because they were supposed to?
Nonetheless, Nielsen survived the first quarter and eight minutes of the second quarter without getting sacked or without fumbling, and accumulated 83 yards of total offense.
SEE BAUER ON PAGE 6A
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