Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Scoreless periods hurt team
Gaps allow opponents too great a lead. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL | 6B
WWW.KANSAN.COM
TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2010
PAGE 1B
WAR GAMES
Kansas battles for the Big 12
Weston White/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Junior center Cole Aldrich stands his ground to force a turnover in the lane during the first half against Kansas State in January. The Wildcats turned the ball over 13 times against the Jayhawks in a 81-79 overtime loss.
Wednesday's game will be a challenge for Jayhawks, Catc
BY COREY THIBODEAUX
cthibodeaux@kansan.com
twitter.com/c/cthibodeaux
More attention is falling on Sherron Collins' last night in Allen Fieldhouse than the game itself.
"Obviously since this is senior day, this is 'Stroke Sherron Day,' coach Bill Self said during Monday's press conference.
No. 2 Kansas has a high stakes matchup on the schedule against No. 5 Kansas State in this year's second installment of the Sunflower Showdown.
The first one was more than anyone could ask for: An earsplitting Bramlage Coliseum, College Gameday in the house and two rivals going into overtime. But the end result was in favor of the Jayhawks when Collins had an and-one layup, sealing the Wildcat's fate. 81-79.
As far as talent goes, Self said both teams are better than they were during their Jan. 30 matchup, even though Kansas looked terrible at Oklahoma State. But it's been a while since Kansas State has seen defeat.
"When we won in Manhattan, I told our staff they will not lose again and when we play them, they will have three losses." Self said. "And that's exactly what played out."
The Wildcats are now ranked in the Associated Press top five thanks to a seven-game win streak. They are the only team capable of capturing a portion of the regular season Big 12 title, and they have to win the rest of their games, while the Jayhawks lose the rest of their.
Sophomore forward Markieff Morris said the two teams are pretty much the same as they were, but the conditions have completely changed with the title on the line.
"We have something to close out and I guess they have something to prove," Morris said.
Markieff's brother, Marcus, will not settle for having a share of the title. He said the Jayhawks have something to prove, too.
"We have the title right now and we're trying to keep it," Marcus said. "We're not trying to share it with anybody."
Marcus is coming off a game where he scored 10 points and was in foul trouble, essentially throughout the entire game. Most
players were off against Oklahoma State, but Marcus took some of the blame for himself.
"I feel like I have to prove myself all over again," he said.
The main focus: rebounding. The layhawks were out-rebounded by 10 against the Cowboys, considering they were a vastly smaller team.
Self said the Wildcats are one of the best teams in the country because they do consistently what the Jayhawks failed to do Saturday. They can rebound, they can defend and they can execute on offense.
But what Self witnessed wasn't on the stat sheet. He said Kansas State had intangibles that enable
"I didn't see anybody upsetting Kansas State because I think they're really good at making other teams play poorly when they're not at their best, better than anybody in our league." Self said.
them to compete with any team in the nation.
With all the celebrations of
Senior Night aside, the lajawhaws
still have a job to do. They are poised for a rebound game, but it will be the toughest opportunity they've had at home all season.
"Playing against K-State is like preparing for war," Markieff Morris said. "Those guys work so hard."
Edited by Anna Archibald
BASEBALL
Jayhawks back on the road
Team travels today to Fayetteville, Ark. to face Razorbacks
BY ANDREW HAMMOND
ahammond@kansan.com
twitter.com/ahammradiostar
One Jayhawk who will be the focus in this game will be starting pitcher Thomas Taylor, who is getting his first career start. Taylor, a redshirt freshman from Overland Park, will be going up against a squad that has outscored its opponents 48-25 in the first six games of this season. Taylor is coming off
The Jayhawks battled the weather in Arizona this weekend. Today, Kansas is back out on the road as the team travels to face the Arkansas Razorbacks at 3:05 p.m. today in Fayetteville, Ark.
elbow surgery in the fall of 2008.
"He's had a great recovery and I told him to be ready because he will get some pitching time this season," coach Ritch Price said.
support Taylor in his first start and will look to senior infielder Brett Lisher and sophomore catcher Chris Manship who played key roles in the Arizona sweep. Lisher
Arkansas is coming off of a three-game we e k e n d sweep of Troy. Both teams come in with hot bats and pitching will be a deciding factor in this one-game matchup.
"The key to Arkansas is getting their lead-off man out. They are very fast and a well-coached running team."
The key to Arkansas is getting their lead-off man out," Price said. "They are very fast and a well coached running team. They play in a great atmosphere and our guys are thrilled to play there."
RITCH PRICE Kansas coach
was 3 of 4 ver-
"The key to
was 5 or 4 for
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Manship led the
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he was 4 of 4
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with a double
The bats of Kansas will have to
His serve
and three runs batted in. Arkansas is 5-1 on the season and comes in averaging 8 runs per game.Today's match up will be the first
COMMENTARY
SEE GAME ON PAGE 5B
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
David Turvey, a junior from Lawrence, crushes the ball in a game of racquetball at Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center Monday evening. "I come here often to work out and I like to try and play racquetball two or three times a week. I also plan on starting to play some intramurals," says Turvey.
Get hyped about baseball games
BY MAX VOSBURGH
are warming up, the grass is green the infield dirt is fresh and the Kansas lahaywks will be there for the first time this weekend when they play the Iowa Hawkeyes in a four-game series.
H oglund Ballpark is waiting for you. The temperatures outside
With exciting players, a poten tally potent offense and free admission for students, the ball park should be a great place to spend warm spring days.
Kansas is predicted to finish second in the Big 12, behind perennial contender Texas, in the preseason conference coaches' poll. The layhawks are 4-1 this year. They've been ranked or been close to it for duration of the season. Kansas made the NCAA Tournament last year, losing in the Chapel Hill regional to North Carolina, and should make it again this year.
Kansas has great players, players that have previously been drafted out of high school by major league teams but chose to come to Kansas.
The Jlayhawks play great at home. Last year, they were 25-3 at home. This year they have big home games against rival Missouri in early May and Oklahoma in late May, which is currently No. 22 in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll.
Kansas can score runs. An exciting offense can get casual fans to come out and watch games. The Jayhawks have scored nine or more runs in three of their first five games this season.
The team is led by junior third baseman Tony Thompson. Thompson was selected to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association preseason All-American Second Team. Only four other Big 12 players were named to a NBCWA All-American team. Last year, he became the first Big 12 player ever to hit for the league's Triple Crown, leading the league in batting average .389).home runs (21) and RBIs (82).
Other players such as junior outfielder Brian Heere should be drafted by Major League Baseball teams this summer and Thompson may not be the only one with the potential to make it to the big leagues some day.
Thompson suffered a hairline fracture in his left kneecap a little less than a month ago and should be able to resume playing sometime in the next couple weeks. He may possess the ability to catch the other players in the Big 12 in home runs and RBIs even after missing the first part of the season. It will be exciting to see him chase his second straight Big 12 Triple Crown.
Admission is free for students with a KUID. Grab something to eat at the dollar concessions and for the next few months, take a break from studying and take in the sights and sounds of spring and enjoy baseball season.
Edited by Jesse Rangel