THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS
VOLLEYBALL|8B
Team routs Red Raiders
KANSAS
Seniors Karina Garlington and Jenna Kaiser led the Jayhawks in offense in their three-set win over Texas Tech on Saturday. They take on Nebraska at home on Wednesday.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1,2010
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 1B
STORMY WEATHER
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Senior running back Annus Quinlev fumbles the ball in the first half Saturday against Iowa State. The fumble was recovered by the quarterback Quinn Mecham. After a strong first half, the Jayhawks lost 28-16.
Cyclones uproot the Jayhawks
BY KORY CARPENTER kcarpenter@kansan.com
The Kansas football team didn't want to miss out on Halloween festivities in Ames on Saturday. It decided to dress up like a good football team. For the first half, anyway.
On Iowa State's first play from scrummage, Lubbock Smith forced a fumble of Darius Reynolds, and Kansas capitalized with a field goal to take an early lead, the team's first since beating New Mexico State on Sept. 25.
The Jayhawks added another field goal — due in part to converting one of their two success- fourth down play before half
to go up six. After converting both fourth down attempts, Kansas coach Turner Gill decided not to press his luck in the waning seconds of the opening half.
On first down from the Cyclones' 21-yard line with around 25 seconds left, Gill decided to run the clock down to three seconds before calling his final timeout and sending in kicker Jacob Branstetter for his third field goal of the day. The kick gave the Jayhawks a 9-7 half-time lead.
The conservative play-calling could have been foreshadowing by the offensive staff. Quinn Meam's
debut (on the road no less) almost certainly influenced first half playcalling, where Kansas ran the football 27 times, almost doubling Mecham's 14 pass attempts.
With the defense holding the Cyclones scoreless, the run-happy offensive philosophy was working for the Jayhawks, something Gill thought his team could do.
"We thought we would be able to [run the ball]," Gill said. "I thought we had some pretty good success but we just needed to make a few more plays."
While the defense kept Kansas close, Angus Quigley and James Sims were able to chew up yards and the clock, gaining a combined
99 yards in the first half to go with KU's 21 minutes of possession.
That defensive headlock only lasted until halftime, however.
Iowa State received the second half's opening kickoff and went on a tear, not letting up until the Jayhawks were in a position they've known all too well this season; down double digits in the second half.
"That third quarter was huge," defensive end Jake Laptad said after the 28-16 loss. "Going in ahead at the half was huge, but we just didn't come out to play after that."
After scoring on back to back drives in the third quarter, Kansas found themselves down 21-9. The
running game had to be scrapped in favor of Mechan's right arm.
The end-of-half decision to run out the clock suddenly made sense. On first and ten from his own 46-yard line, Mecham was picked off by Jake Knott, who returned it to the line of scrimmage.
Three plays later, hopes for a Kansas comeback a la 2008 in Ames were dashed as Cyclone running back Shontrelle Johnson scampered 33 yards into the KU end zone.
The 12-point loss was a far cry from the last three Kansas games,
SEE STORMY ON PAGE 5B
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Davis leads Kansas to victory over Fort Hays
Jayhawks win first game of season, and expect more to come
BY KATHLEEN GIER kgier@kansan.com
Sophomore Carolyn Davis shattered her own records for points and rebounds, leading the Kansas women's basketball team to an 83-62 victory in its first game of the season over Fort Hays State Sunday. This game was the first of two exhibition games Kansas is scheduled to play this season.
ending the first half with 26, 11 and two. After the game, Davis was still unaware of this achievement.
Davis finished with 35 points,
17 rebounds and six assists after
"She will be a point of focus," said coach Bonnie Henrickson. "We have to have some patience at times to find her on a ball reversal or maybe high-low, but I love the fact that our young kids have embraced two things: guard and throw it inside."
"I am excited that I came out and played well this first game and I want to
Davis worked with a size advantage in the post, which gave her opportunities to score and rebound.
"It helps a lot when no one is up there hassling you around
With seniors Krysten Boogaard and Nicollette Smith out for the game, Davis had to step up on an already guard heavy team. Boogaard has been struggling with patellar tendonitis.
"What she did today is what great players do: She made it look really easy."
keep it up," Davis said. "I have to stay consistent and keep finishing around the basket."
BONNIE HENRICKSON Coach
the rim so I took advantage of the size advantage and scored some easy baskets," Davis said.
Henrickson has seen great improvements from Davis in the off-season.
"She is much more confident and much more aggressive," Henrickson said. "Her ceiling is still really high about one-on-one moves and working your guy up the lane a little bit. I think she took advantage of the fact that she was bigger and longer than other players in the gym today. What she did
today is what great players do; she made it look really easy"
"All three of them want to lead and embrace how important that is to us, but I also think it is important that we have seniors that are leading too," Henrickson said. "They all lead by example and are all learning how to be more vocal."
This season, Davis is one of three captains, along with fellow sophomores Monica Engelman and Angel Goodrich.
"I am only a sophomore, but I played a lot last year so I think that [with] the experience I have and the things I did last year I can lead the freshman and even some of the returners." Davis said.
Davis was also named Presseason
Honorable Mention All-Big 12.
Goodrich finished with nine points and six assists in her first game returning after a knee injury in January.
"It is so exciting. Just getting out there and feeling my teammates and playing together, it has been phenomenal," Goodrich said. "It has been exciting and I am looking toward the season and I just can't wait to continue the season."
Edited by Michael Bednar
Sophomore forward Carolyn Davis shoots over Fort Hays State guard Crista Bechard during the second half. Davis led the team with 35 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks as the Jayhawks defeated the Tigers 83-62 in the season opening Sunday afternoon.
COMMENTARY
Johnson Robinson show extra motivation
BY COREYTHIBODEAUX
The way sophomores Thomas Robinson and Elijah Johnson looked
Enjajohnson looked at the end of last season, you could've sworn it was their last game as lavahaws.
We saw glimpses of the talent that resides in these two blooming youngsters last year. In all likelihood, we will see a huge jump from them this year, fueled by missing out on a national title last year.
Sitting side by side in the locker room after the loss against Northern Iowa, any question asked of them was returned with silence, their focus on the floor.
Johnson still hasn't forgotten. "We get another chance," he said.
The two sophomores could be as flashy as any player on last year's team, but they could make a lot of mistakes too.
Robinson's massive yet athletic frame got him in foul trouble when he fell for blocks or tried too hard to score.
They have their problems, but no one can question their work ethic.
For Johnson, who started two games last season, his ball handling and speed was a strength, but he struggled to control the ball and often turned it over.
"I think he's grown-up." Self said. "I think Thomas was one of the kids that wanted to come in and really do good right when he got here."
"I want no doubts that when I'm out there," Robinson said. "I'll be the hardest working player on the floor."
Robinson is a beast. As coach Bill Self has always said, he has a great motor. He just needs a chance to stay on the floor by playing smarter on defense and patient offense.
He went home to Las Vegas and worked out twice, maybe three times a day just because there was nothing else to do.
"Where I am right now isn't where I want to finish at," Robinson said.
T-Rob, as his teammates call him, has probably the highest ceiling on the team. The biggest jump players make is the freshman to sophomore year, so this year may show if Robinson has NBA talent in him.
"I did stuff when I didn't want to," Johnson said. "Late nights, putting up shots when I was most tired."
Johnson, on the other hand,
won't overwhelm you from first
glance. But he spent the summer
working off the frustration from
the Norther Iowa loss..
That's why he worked with the veteran big men and coaches this year to get that under control.
Everyone is looking at Josh Selby and the Morris twins to determine how the Jayhawks will fare in 2010-11. Well, Selby wasn't here last year to share in the agonizing defeat and all eyes have been on the Morris twins since the team began preparing for this season.
As far as talent goes, the jump last year's true freshmen make this year will do a lot more than improve the Jayhawk bench. The pain of loss these guys have already felt could be the difference-makers come March.
Edited by Joel Petterson