10B SPORTS
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THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN
MONDAY. MARCH 24, 2008
KU
TIPOFF
KANSAS HOPESTO ACE EVANSVILLE
Jayhawks could beat Purple Aces if players step up their game
QUESTION MARK
AT AGLANCE
It's been 12 days since Kansas last played a game, and that could lead to a sluggish start when it tips off with Evansville tonight at 7. The Purple Aces needed a large comeback to squeak out of the first round, and they'll have trouble pulling out a close win like that on the road. Both teams are much better at home, which gives Kansas an advantage before the game even begins. The Jayhawks also have a big size advantage in the paint, so center Krysten Boogaard and forward Taylor Mcintosh each need to avoid foul trouble and stay on the court.
Which Taylor Mcintosh will show up?
KANSAS VS. EVANSVILLE 7 p.m., Monday, Lawrence.
In the first round of the Big 12 Tournament, Mcntosh led the team with 11 rebounds and 13 points of 5-of-5 shooting. In round two, she mustered just two points and five rebounds in only 22 minutes. Mcntosh's play has been back and forth like this throughout the entire season, but now, more than ever, she must dig deep and perform to the best of her ability. The team feeds off of her energy when she's playing well, and without her impact, the Jayhawks are often flat.
Kansas (16-15,4-12)
Danielle McCray, 5-foot-11
sophomore guard
14.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg
In the Jayhawks' last game,
an 82-62 loss against Oklahoma
State, McCray poured in 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. She's been the go-to scorer all season but has also never played in a
postseason game, McCray needs to use her body inside of 15 feet because no one for Evansville has the size to hang with her.
Taylor Mcintosh, 5-foot-11 senior forward 6.7 ppm 6.9 mg
6. 7 ppg, 6.9 rpq
McIntosh knows what playing in the WNIT is like as she was one
McIntosh
of five current Jayhawks on the roster when they played two WNIT games in 2006. In the Big 12 Tournament, McIntosh looked like two completely
different players, dominating the first game and disappearing in the second. Coach Bonnie Henrickson would love to see Mcintosh replicate her play from that first game.
LaChelda Jacobs, 5-foot-10 sophomore guard 6.1 ppg, 2.8 ppg
Jacobs still tends to turn the ball over too much, but her play-making ability has gone
Jacobs
to another level since making her first start in the last regular season game of the year. She can get into the lane quicker than anyone
on the Jayhawks roster, and they need that explosiveness. Jacobs' turnover troubles come when she tries to be too aggressive.
Taylor Bern
Evansville (21-11,13-5)
Rebekah Parker, 5-foot-10 senior guard/forward 14.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg
Parker leads the team in points, assists and has started
every game this season. She led all scorers in Evansville's first-round game with 15 points, two of those coming from late
freethrows to seal a victory. In that game Parker also added five rebounds, four assists and two steals in 36 minutes.
Shannon Novosel, 6-foot-1 junior center
10. 8 ppg, 6.1 rpg
The most versatile player for the Purple Aces, Novosel can play inside and outside better
than anyone else who'll be on the court Monday night. At 6-foot-1 she's a force down in the paint and
the junior also shoots 31 percent from beyond the arc. Novosel leads the team in rebounds but
also tops Evansville in fouls and times fouled out. She must stay on the court for the Purple Aces to have a chance.
Ashley Austin, 5-foot-9 junior guard 9.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg
Austin is the Purple Aces' top perimeter defender,leading
them with 61 steals. However, it was her offense that helped get Evansville into the second round of the WNIT. Austin went 3-for-3 from beyond the
arc and added three freethrows to score an important 12 points. Austin may need to step up again if senior guard Courtney Felke struggles again as she did in the first round.
Taylor Bern
UE
TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
In its first round game against Southeast Missouri, Evansville trailed by 17 at half-time and 19 with 17:28 to play. Still, the Purple Aces fought back and hung on for a 60-58 victory, their first postseason victory in school history. Now they come to Lawrence on an emotional high looking to hammer out another victory, but the Purple Aces have struggled on the road this season. For the year, Evansville is 13-1 at home and 7-9 on the road. Having played in the first round could be an advantage for coach Tricia Cullop's team as Kansas' last game was 12 days ago.
QUESTION MARK
Will center Shannon Novosel and guard Courtney Felke combine to shoot more than 30 percent?
Novosel and Felke, two of the team's top three scorers, combined to shoot 2-for-15 from the field against Southeast Missouri. That comes out to a meager 13.3 percent. The entire team struggled in the first half, shooting just 23.1 percent, but several of the role players stepped up to pick up the slack and get Evansville out with a win. That won't be as easy on the road and it's important for the Purple Aces to get production out of their top players.
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