THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2008
SPORTS
BASEBALL
3B
Players display power at the plate
BY TYLER PASSMORE
If there was any question whether the Jayhawks could score runs this year, Kansas has answered its critics with a resounding "yes."
The Kansas baseball team faced No. 2 Texas A&M last weekend and went blow for blow with this offensive powerhouse. Although Kansas was swept, it was in large part because of its pitching inadequacies. The Jayhawk batters delivered runs in flurries. Being the victims of defensive big innings, the Hawks' high-octane attack was ignited by an array of players. Leading the pack for the Jayhawks has been senior left fielder John Allman, who has ascended his batting average to .388 with 27 RBIs and two long balls.
The rest of the team is also making the Jayhawks a force to be reckoned with from the batters box. Junior first baseman Preston Land has been on fire as of late and has raised his batting average to .283 this season.
While his batting average has been climbing, so has the quality of his plate appearances. With patience being a virtue, Land has used his three years to become a disciplined hitter and reinstated himself as someone the Big 12 should label a concern.
NBA
Western conference heats up late in the season
Familiar faces complete
Coinciding with Land's recent success is highly recruited freshman third basemen Tony Thompson. Thompson had two hits in the first two games of the Aggies' series and has proved he can swing the lumber against some of the Big
12's finest.
The surging San Antonio Spurs and surprising New Orleans Hornets are in a virtual tie at the top of the Western Conference. At the other end of the West playoff race, the Nuggets, Warriors and Mavericks are even.
Familiar faces complete the core of the 2008 Jayhawk offensive stars. As they have done throughout their successful years at Kansas, junior center fielder Nick Faunce, junior catcher Buck Afenir, senior right fielder Ryne Price and senior shortstop Erik Morrison complete the heart of the Jayhawks' order. The ability to score runs in bunches is something this team has benefited from this year.
Going into Big 12 play, the Jayhawks will have to go against other strong offensive teams and remain consistent in trying to win slugfests. The Big 12 Conference is the best it has been in recent history and arguably the best in the nation this year. Having all the ingredients in the mix, the Jayhawks may be a contender to go on a run in the Big 12 Tournament because of their offensive savvy.
The Hornets reached 50 victories for the first time since 1997- 98 by beating the Toronto Raptors 118-111, behind 32 points from
With players starting to catch fire and veteran hitters gracing their presence, my bet would be to go all in.
The Spurs (51-23) have won seven straight and are percentage points behind New Orleans (50-22) at the top of both the Southwest Division and the West
However, to be a contender, consistency will continue to be the key. While I have never been a betting man, my money is on the Jayhawks' ability in continuing to hit.
The defending champion Spurs turned a much-hyped matchup with the Houston Rockets in San Antonio into a rout Sunday, as Tony Parker and Michael Finley scored 22 points in a 109-88 victory.
Edited by Sasha Roe
David West.
"It's huge for us." West said of reaching 50. "I don't know if many people expected us to be where we are. We feel good about it but we're not settling for just 50. We're trying to win the West, trying to seal up the Southwest division. We're going to have to continue to play at a high level."
In Oakland, Calif., Monta Ellis scored 30 points and Kelenna Azubuike hit two clutch shots down the stretch to help Golden State beat the Mavericks 114-104 and create a three-way tie with Dallas and Denver for seventh place in the Western Conference
In other NBA games, Minnesota 110, Utah 103; Atlanta 114, New York 109; Boston 88, Miami 62; Cleveland 91, Philadelphia 88; Sacramento 120, Seattle 107; and the L.A. Lakers 126, Washington 120 in overtime.
Associated Press
Nebraska boasts 21-4 record after close victory and 2-0 shutout
Cornhuskers sit on top of division
BIG 12 BASEBALL
BY TYLER PASSMORE
tpassmore@kansan.com
ONE
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
After going 4-1 last week, including a 2-1 series with the Texas Longhorns, the Corpus Christi found
with the texas longhorns, the Cornhuskers found themselves at the top of the Big 12. Playing two different styles in the Texas series. Usually, the team relies primarily on its offense or primarily on its defense. The Cornhuskers opened with a 14-12 victory and followed it with a 2-0 shutout. They will attempt to continue this streak as they play host to Texas Tech this weekend. Record 21-4-1
TWO
TEXAS A&M AGGIES
After they dropped their series to Oklahoma State last weekend, the Aggies came back this week to go 4-0. The Aggies swept the Kansas Jayhawks this weekend. The hitting that had carried the Angies all season continued as
they scored 33 runs in three games in Lawrence.The Aggies will play a home series this weekend against Kansas State. Record 21-6
THREE
MISSOURI TIGERS
The Missouri Tigers had a rough week last week, going 2-3. After they dropped a midweek game to Minnesota, the Tigers lost two of three to
Texas Tech. In two of their losses, the Tigers gave up more than 10 runs. The Tigers will face the rising Oklahoma State Cowboys come to town for a weekend series. Record 20-5
Director of the Dole Institute of Politics & Presidential Campaign Manager of former Senator Fred Thompson
FOUR
TEXAS LONGHORNS
The Longhorns had a long weekend, dropping two games to the Nebraska Cornhuskers and losing ground in the Big 12. The Texas bats were
silenced as they got shut out in one game and scored only four and three runs in the others. The Longhorns will need their bats to ignite as they travel to Oklahoma this weekend. Record 18-8
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 7:30 PM
FIVE
OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
An Evening With... Bill Lacy
after starting the season strong, the Cowboys
dropped
game series.
SIX
TEXAS
TECH RED
RAIDERS
The Red Raider's bats came
two of three to Kansas State last weekend. The Cowboys got shut out in two of those three games and could not muster any offense. If the Cowboys will be successful this year, they are going to need production from the heart of their order. The Kansas Jayhawks will be in Stillwater, Okla., this weekend for a three-
alive in the Missouri series. They finally to beat the highly rated Tigers and won the series. Hanging 15 runs on the board, Texas Tech proved that their win the day before was no fluke. Texas Tech will travel to Lincoln, Neb., this weekend to battle the Cornhuskers in a three game series. Record 14-12
EIGHT
SEVEN
NINE
The Sooners won a key series against Baylor this weekend in an impressive fashion. Oklahoma won a game in extra innings and also went off for a nine-run victory in the opening of the series. Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
BAYLOR BEARS
will look to continue their success as their rivals the Texas Longhorns come to town. Record 20-8-1
The Baylor Bears salvaged their weekend by winning the third game against the Oklahoma Sooners. The Bears will look to build off the win
Sooners. The bears will look to build on the win, as they will take a trip to play TCU in a midweek game today. The Bears pitching has been inconsistent this year.The Jayhawks will test them this weekend. Record 16-9
KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
TEN
The Wildcats shutout Oklahoma State Sunday and captured the series. The Wildcats went 3-1 last week and are starting to pick up momentum
as they try to maneuver amid the tough Big 12. The Wildcats pitching has been sound and will need to remain consistent with Texas A&M coming to town this weekend. Record 13-12
The Jayhawks fought hard this weekend but suffered a three-game sweep. Despite rough starts, the Hawks led in both Saturday and Sunday's games. The Jayhawks
KANSAS JAYHAWKS
Sunday's games. The Saylaws will try to turn things around this weekend as they travel to Waco for a series against Baylor.
Record 13-12
Edited by Nick Mangiaracina
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