The Big 12 Conference Soccer Tournament kicks off today in San Antonio. Mark Dent previews the tournament and what the Jayhawks must do to win.
COLORADO
Things are looking grim for the Jayhawk volleyball team, and may not get any better as they face a top-ranked team tonight.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1,2006 WWW.KANSAN.COM
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
PAGE 12A
》 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Exhibition to predict season's stars
BY CASE KEEFER
Wednesday night's women's basketball game will offer answers to questions about who the team's starting players will be this season when it plays the Fort Hays State Tigers in its first exhibition game of the season. The game tips off at 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.
The main concern is finding players who can match the production of graduated standouts Crystal Kemp, Erica Hallman and Kaylee Brown. One answer could be junior forward Taylor McIntosh, who is a two-year returning starter and averaged 4.5 points and 5 rebounds per game last season.
McIntosh was elected as a co-captain of this year's team along with sophomore guard Ivana Catic. Catic is the squad's top returning scorer with 7.7 points per game. The two captains are this year's only returning starters. McIntosh has noticed the added pressure of leadership, but she relishing the opportunity.
"I've enjoyed taking on the role," she said. "it's harder than I thought, but I'm happy that everyone feels comfortable coming to me with their issues."
Another question is how much the Jayhawks' seven freshmen will be able to contribute immediately. The standout performance from the team's Late Night At The Phog scrimmage came from freshman guard Lindsay Ballweg, who led the blue team to victory with five points.
Another freshman guard, Michigan's Kelly Kohn, played well with four points and an assist. The third freshman guard, LaChelda Jacobs, is also expected to see a fair amount of playtime against the Tigers. Jacobs is confident that she and her fellow freshmen will prove why they were ranked the 20th recruiting class in the nation by AllStar Girls Report.
"I think definitely the coaches have high expectations for us. We just have to come out there and not be nervous and play our game," Jacobs said.
Sophomore forward Marija Zinic, who averaged 19.1 minutes off the bench last season, will lead the Jayhawks' frontcourt. Junior Jamie Boyd and 6-foot-2 freshman center Rebecca Feickert will join Zinic as the primary weapons down low.
Fort Hays State faces many of the same challenges as the Jayhawks. Its roster includes two returning starters and five freshmen.
Two of the 'Tigers' freshmen, Raychel Boling and Kayla Klug, are highly touted athletes who participated in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association's all-star game this summer. Klug and Boling should provide an indication of exactly where Kansas players like Jacobs and Ballweg are at this point.
The Tigers have enjoyed two consecutive 20-win seasons in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Fort Hays State leads the all time series
SEE KEEFER ON PAGE 8A
FOOTBALL
Kansan file photo
Sohomore cornerback Aqib Talib and the Kansas defense will get the chance to prove whether they have really improved when they face Iowa State on Saturday.
Defense to test its strength
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
The Kansas defense claims it has made a transition.
Gone is the defense that surrendered leads in four straight games. In its place is the defense that didn't allow a touchdown in the game against Colorado.
But whether the defense will revert to its old, disappointing form should be revealed Saturday against a reeling Iowa State square. With the Cyclones struggling, the Jayhawk defense thinks it can take advantage and prove last week wasn't a fluke.
"I'm really pleased with the progress on all areas of the defense"
Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. "The pass defense continues to improve."
The key for the pass defense seems to be repetitions.
Sophomore cornerback Aqib Talib said he's seen Kansas' younger defensive players make the same transition he made just a year ago.
"The more games you play, the slower the games get," Talib said. "As a defense, we just maturing."
Aside from the Jayhawks continued improvement on defense, Kansas should also benefit by facing an Iowa State squad that has been decimated by injuries to key offensive players.
Iowa State coach Dan McCarney said All-Big 12 wide receiver Todd Blythe is "day-to-day" still dealing with the effects of an undisclosed virus. He did not play last week against Kansas State, but McCarney thinks Blythe might play this weekend against the Jayhawks. Blyte leads the Cyclones with 436 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.
Also expected to miss Saturday's game is starting wide receiver Jon Davis, who suffered a collapsed lung against Kansas State. Starting running back Stevie Hicks underwent surgery on his right knee Tuesday
SEE SCHNEIDER ON PAGE 8A
Players of the Week
Every Tuesday, coach Mark Mangino and his staff select players of the week from the previous week's game. Selections are made on offense, defense and special teams. This week's winners were:
**Offense:** Quarterback Todd Reesing
**Defense:** Cornerback Agib Talb
**Special Teams:** Wide receiver Jeff Foster
Talib
Reesing
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Diverse heights provide strong lineup rotations
BY SHAWN SHROYER
As the first tip off of the season nears for coach Bill Self, his options are becoming more limited. But barring any future injuries or suspensions, Kansas could possess one of the most dynamic lineups in the country.
While Self's starting five will normally consist of returning starters Russell Robinson, Mario Chalmers.
BASKETBALL PREVIEW
The Kansan tips this year's basketball season on Thursday with the annual basketball preview issue.
Brandon Rush, Julian Wright and Sasha Kaun, the depth on this year's roster will allow Self to get creative with the players he puts on the court together.
"Coach is going to try to do some new things just to see how he can use all of our talents," Wright said.
Find out about all your
favorite players and coaches on both the men's and women's teams as the 2006-07 season meets underway.
Although Kansas will have to play small until Kaun returns from a knee injury, Kansas could use rotations that include no player taller than 6-foot-8 or no player shorter than 6-foot-6. Such lineups would prove problematic for Kansas competition.
As of right now, Self will be without junior centers Kaun and C.J. Giles, who are 6-11 and 6-10. He will be forced to play an undersized lineup, with either 6-8 junior Darnell Jackson or 6-9 freshman Darrell Arthur at center, but he could go even smaller.
If Self wants a lineup fit to run opponents out of the gym, he could go with junior guard Robinson, sophomore guard Chalmers, freshman guard Sherron Collins, sophomore guard Rush, and sophomore forward Wright.
Rush and Wright would force opposing low-post defenders to play uncomfortable far from the basket, while Robinson, Chalmers and Collins pressure opposing guards to play flawless on offense and defense. One mistake and the trio will lead a fast break the other way or drive the lane in Kansas' half court set.
Rush and Wright would be the tallest players on the court at 6-6 and 6-8. For fans waiting to see Kansas run the floor, this lineup is a dream come true.
In conference play, such a lineup could come in handy against Texas, which has only four players taller than 6-foot-7. Three are freshman and the fourth is a sophomore. With such inexperience, Texas could be tempted to play with a small lineup. Of the eight remaining players on Texas' roster, five are underclassmen. The experience of Robinson, Chalmers, Rusk and Wright, along with the talent of Collins, could easily overwhelm the Longhorns.
Nationally, North Carolina sits one step ahead of Kansas in the ESPN USA Today Coachs Poll
This lineup might also save Kansas' NCAA tournament woes. In the last two seasons, Kansas has shot 8-for-29 from three-point range and, in effect, beounced from the tourney in the first round both years.
It's no secret that Tar Heel coach Roy Williams loves to run and he may have to with a team that has only five players — and three freshmen — taller than 6-foot-7. If Kansas and North Carolina ever meet this season, Williams won't be able to outrun the lavwhacks.
and could also play with a smaller lineup.
Robinson, Chalmers and Rush have a 38.5 career-shooting-percentage from three and Collins was a threat from behind the arc in high school. With an improved shot, Wright could make this group even more dangerous from downtown.
The only problem with such a lineup is that, one basketball might not be enough for five players with a knack for scoring to share.
We're got guys who play really well with the ball.
Kansas file photo
Although Sasha Kaun is out with a knee injury, Bill Self can still create solid lineups with a mix of taller and shorter players.
think we have as many guys who play well without the ball"
To solve this problem — when and if all of his options are available — Self could go with a lineup consisting of Rush, Wright, Arthur, Giles
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