VOLLEYBALL Kansas has an opportunity for postseason play with its victory over Oklahoma on Saturday. PAGE 2B
SPORTS
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8,2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
JEAN SHORT MADNESS
www.kansan.com
RYAN GREENE
rgreene@kansan.com
Women's basketball: a chance worth taking
Do you remember the time you were sitting in a movie theater during the previews, and you saw a coming attraction for a movie that looked like a complete and utter train wreck?
For me, that movie was The Matrix.
For one, it starred Keanu Reeves. That caused an immediate gag reflex, as I consider him the only actor in the past 10 years worse and more overrated than Colin Ferrell. Second — well actually make it second, third and fourth — it just looked stupid.
When it came out, it did surprisingly well, and just because people were talking it up so much, I figured I might as well see what it was all about. I actually liked it — a lot — and had officially bought into the saying 'never judge a book by its cover.' Now, I own it on DVD and it's in my regular rotation.
The same can be said for the Kansas women's basketball team, which tips off its season Tuesday night in an exhibition game against Fort Hays State.
My Matrix experience and the 2004- 05 women's team are eerily similar.
Does it look like a potential train wreck? Well, there are certainly some red flags. There's the first-year coach leading a group of players comprised mostly of kids she didn't recruit. Plus, there's the fact that that group only consists of nine players. Also, the Jayhawks play in the Big 12 conference, which automatically presents one of the nation's toughest schedules. On top of playing conference foes, Kansas' non-conference schedule is no cake walk. There is even a Dec. 5 game at Minnesota, which played in last year's Final Four.
This season could either be as ugly as the last two, or a pleasant surprise.
But coach Bonnie Henrickson has already scored her first victory of the season, in that she has created a slight buzz on campus. There's no question that her shortened roster will get exposed by the Big 12's deeper teams, but Henrickson knows how to spin everything off as a positive.
Hentrickson's first two moves to get some momentum going have been talking about her team's re-vamped work ethic and treating them as an elite team
While Marian Washington was a great people person and an outstanding recruiter, Henrickson is more of a drill sergeant who will squeeze every last drop of effort from her players.
Henrickson is making her players feel that the effort will be worth it by talking about their potential. The Jayhawks have some players who could be very solid collegiate ballers.
Junior point guard Erica Hallman and freshman backup Sharita Smith both can become outstanding leaders, and both have above average natural playmaking abilities. Senior Aquanita Burras is a potential 17 point per game two-tuard who is a solid defender, and junior forward Crystal Kemp is still a raw talent who can get tough points inside.
However, these girls have heard the same things about their individual games ever since arriving on campus. Henrickson will actually help them realize it.
Both Kansas basketball teams open up their seasons this week. The women open tomorrow night against Fort Hays State. For my money, there ought to be more interest in the women's opener anyway, because you don't know what you're going to get just yet.
Could the women be a box office bit? Probably not.
Will this season be a massacre?
There's certainly a chance. But remember, just because it looks that way from a distance, don't be fooled just yet.
Greene is a Vernon Hills, Ill., senior in journalism
Courtney Kublen/KANSAN
Senior guard Keith Langford slams in a two-handed dunk during the first half of last night's 115-7 victory against Emporia State. Langford scored 15 points in the game.
'Hawks fly in opener
Giddens leads triumphant effort
BY JESSE NEWELL
jnewell@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWINTER
Sophomore guard J.R. Giddens said he didn't feel like he had that extra kick in this step last night.
"I'm 100 percent healthy," Giddens said. "But I'm not back in the J.R. form — what I think is me."
A scary thought for opposing teams, as Emporia State saw more than enough of Giddens in Kansas' first exhibition game.
Coming off the bench for the Jayhawks, Gidens stole the show in the first half, scoring 10 straight points in a 96-second stretch as Kansas rolled to a 115-70 victory against Emporia State.
"He's still got a lot to work on," Kansas coach Bill Self said, "but when he can stretch the defense and make shots like that, we'll be hard to guard."
The 6-foot-5 guard started to heat up at the 3:17 mark of the first half. Giddens made four consecutive shots, including a deep three-point shot for his 10th straight point. He gave his jersey a single tug for the crowd while running back to the defensive end.
"I was letting everything go that touched my hand." Giddens said.
Freshman guard Russell Robinson sank a pair of free throws to finish a four-minute 19-0 run, giving Kansas a
Kansas' size and depth inside, however. would prove to be too much.
61-28 advantage after the first half.
With the help of good shooting, Division II Emporia State kept it close early. Senior Hornet guard Tyrell Sledge's one-handed slam off a rebound made it 25-19 with 11:30 to go in the first half.
Kansas also received good production from its three freshmen forwards. C.J. Giles, Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson provided the Jayhawks with a combined 16 points and 17 rebounds in their first game at Allen Fieldhouse.
Jayhawk senior forward Wayne Simien dominated in the paint, scoring 17 points on perfect seven-of-seven shooting from the field.
"I thought they did great," Self said. "I didn't think there was a big dropoff when we went to our bench."
Freshman guard Russell Robinson had an impressive debut despite playing with jammed fingers on both hands. Robinson scored 11 points — hitting three of four shots from the floor including both of his three-point attempts — and also contributed four assists and a team-high three steals on the defensive end.
Giddens led all scorers with 22 points in just 16 minutes of action. Senior guard Keith Langford added 15 points, while senior Michael Lee added 11
Senior teammate Aaron Miles also had a good showing at the guard position, scoring two points but pacing the offense with 12 assists and one turnover.
Edited by Anna Clovis
Buffs trample Hawks, 30-21
Kansas offense goes into hibernation after injury to Swanson
BY JONATHAN KEALING
jkealing@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWITER
The Kansas football team's dreams of back-to-back bowl trips disappeared at about the same time as this week's starting quarterback, junior Jason Swanson, left the field injured.
"We felt really good coming into the game about our preparation on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball," coach Mark Mangino said. "We practiced very well this week, but we just couldn't make enough plays to win the game."
Kansas (3-6 overall, 1-5 Big 12 Conference) jumped to an early lead with an offense which looked the best it had since a 63-14 victory over Toledo
on Sept. 11.
On the first drive of the game, Kansas drove 80 yards in eight plays. It was the first time an opening drive for Kansas led to a touchdown since conference play began. The drive was capped by a two-yard touchdown run by sophomore tailback John Randle.
Setting up the drive was a flea flicker which Swanson completed to junior receiver Mark Simmons for 33 yards. Simmons and Swanson hooked up repeatedly before Swanson was forced out of the game.
Simmons, who hauled in Swanson's first two passes, had 48 of his 52 total receiving yards on those two grabs. Simmons downplayed his ability to connect with Swanson.
"It was luck of the game," Simmons said. "He was able to read the defense, find open receivers and it happened to be me on the plays he was in."
SEE TRAMPLE ON PAGE 6B
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
Austine Nwabuisi,
senior fullback, falls
over Colorado junior
safety Tom Hubbard,
while Akarika Dawn,
Colorado junior
linebacker, goes for
the tackle.
Nwabuisi carried
the ball three times
for 17 yards during
the Jayhawks' 30-21
loss against the
Buffaloes.
Soccer defeated, misses title game
Longhorns beat Hawks 3-2 in double overtime of tournament semifinal
BY KELLI ROBINETT
krobinett@kansan.com
KANSAN SWISSPORTWRIER
Fox Sports televised the Big 12 Tournament second round game between Kansas and Texas live, but they could have shown a tape of the game the two teams played two weeks earlier and few would have been the wiser.
Both games ended with a Texas senior named Kelly scoring a golden goal with two minutes remaining in double overtime.
"Déjà vu," senior forward Monica Brothers said. "It was almost the same goal."
This time around Kelly McDonald scored the game winning goal instead of Kelly Wilson. And the final score was 3-2 instead of 1-0.
This game seemed to hurt the Jayhawks more than the first one, mostly because they held a 2-0 lead late in the contest. Texas managed to score two goals in the last 20 minutes, though, and forced overtime.
"We outshot them, outdefended them and outplayed them," Brothers said. "But they scored when they had to. You can't take that away from them."
Wilson remained the Jayhawks' nemesis, as she played a part in all three Texas goals. She sent the game to overtime by scoring on a penalty kick in the game's 83rd minute and recorded assists on the Longhorns' two other scores.
"I don't want to see Kelly Wilson
Mark Francis Women's soccer coach
"I don't want to see Kelly Wilson again. Or Kelly
--again." coach Mark Francis said. "Or Kelly McDonald for that matter. They're solid players that finish the chances they get, and that's why they get the kind of recognition they do."
McDonald for that matter. They're solid players that finish the chances they get, and that's why they get the kind of recognition they do."
With the loss, Kansas remained winless in 10 games against Texas. The Jayhawks also kept alive their streak of never reaching the tournament's title game.
The good news for Kansas, Francis said, is the team will get two extra days of rest as they prepare for the NCAA Tournament, which begins on Friday.
"In the big picture of things the team that lost this game got a blessing in disguise," Francis said. "Now we don't have to worry about banging ourselves up in the title game."
Kansas struggled offensively at the start of the game. Texas consistently attacked for the first 15 minutes and kept senior goalie Meghan Miller and the rest of the Jayhawks' defense on their heels. Kansas didn't get its first
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