THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2008
SPORTS
3B
WOMEN'S BIG 12 BASKETBALL
Teams need strong finish in final week
BY ANDREW WIEBE awiebe@kansan.com
Here are Big 12 women's basketball reporter Andrew Wiebe's Big 12 power rankings. Every Tuesday the Kansan ranks Big 12 teams based on last week's performance and the next week's schedule. Last week's ranking is in parentheses.
Look for the Kansan's women's all-Big 12 picks and Big 12 Tournament predictions on Monday and Tuesday next week.
ONE (1)
No. 8 Baylor 24-4 [12-3]
Last week: Colorado (W), at Texas A&M (L)
This week: Oklahoma State
No one would have been surprised to see Baylor go to College Station and lose to a talented Texas A&M squad, but a loss by a 19-point margin is a little surprising. The Bears stay in the top spot in the Big 12 because of their head to head result with Kansas State.
TWO (4)
No. 19 Kansas State 20-8 [12-3]
Last week: Nebraska (W), Missouri (W)
This week: at Kansas
Kansas State is quietly putting itself in position to win a Big 12 Championship if Baylor stumbles against Oklahoma State. Their successful conference season speaks volumes about the presence of junior forward Marlies Gipson in the lineup night in and night out. The Wildcats rode her play to a victory against the Jayhawks in Manhattan, and the result should be no different on Wednesday.
THREE (2)
No. 11 Oklahoma 21-6 [11-4]
Last week: at Texas Tech (W), Texas (L)
This week: at Texas A&M
Oklahoma couldn't keep pace with Kansas State, and the 15-point loss to their rivals is especially disappointing. Now the Sooners' focus should be on taking care of the Aggies, the hottest team in the Big 12. If Oklahoma loses to Texas A&M, they could be looking at missing out on a first round bye in the Big 12 tournament, something nobody could have imagined a week ago.
FOUR (5)
No.17 Texas A&M 22-7 [10-5]
Last week: at Oklahoma State (W), Baylor
(W)
This week: Oklahoma
Nobody wants to play the Aggies now or in the Big 12 Tournament. The team that won the Big 12 title last season has finally re-emerged from their first half slump. Last week's victories don't get much more impressive, and junior forward Danielle Gant proves she may be the most unstoppable player in the conference.
FIVE (3)
No. 20 Oklahoma State 22-6 [10-5]
Last week: Texas A&M (L), Texas Tech (W)
This week: at Baylor
Oklahoma State beat Baylor by 10 in Stillwater in early February, but with the Bears one victory away from clinching a Big 12 Championship at home, sophomore guard Andrea Riley and the Cowgirls will have to be on top of their game. A loss could also cost Oklahoma State a bye in the Big 12 Tournament. It had one sewed up.
a few weeks after it looked like it had one sewed up.
SIX (6)
Raiders at home and perform well in the Big 12 Tournament. If Texas can pull it off, there could be eight Big 12 teams in the big dance later this month.
Nebraska 19-10 [8-7]
Last week: at Kansas State (L), Colorado (W)
This week: Iowa State
Iowa State 18-10 [7-8]
Last week: at Missouri (W), Kansas (W)
This week: at Nebraska
An undefeated week couldn't have come at a better time for the Cyclones. They may be grinding out wins while scoring in the 50s, but there aren't many teams that can hold sophomore guard Alison Lacey and freshman guard Kelsey Bolte for an entire game. This week's game in Lincoln will be important in the battle for Big 12 Tournament seeding.
NINE (9)
Colorado 15-13 [4-11]
Last week: at Baylor (L), at Nebraska (L)
This week: Missouri
The first of three teams with nearly identical records, the Buffaloes are just hoping to avoid a matchup with the fifth seeded team in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City. Missouri can't win away from home so that shouldn't be too difficult, but stranger things have happened and Colorado certainly doesn't have momentum on its side.
TEN (10)
Texas Tech 16-13 [4-11]
Texas Tech 16-13 [4-11]
Last week: Oklahoma (L), at Oklahoma State (L)
This week: at Texas
Another team with huge problems away from their home court, the Lady Raiders stand in the way of the Longhorn's NCAA tournament berth. That's not good news for Texas Tech since Texas disposed of Oklahoma in Norman last week.
ELEVEN (11)
Kansas 15-13 [4-11]
Last week: Texas (L), at Iowa State (L)
This week: Kansas State
Kansas had so much potential, but a complete inability to win on the road destroyed their hopes of going to the NCAA tournament.
Kansas City Royals pitcher John Bale throws during the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Monday in Surprise, Ariz. Kansas City won the game 7-6.
Royals' backup pitches well against White Sox
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SURPRISE, Ariz. — John Bale made his case for a spot in the Kansas City rotation Monday, giving up no hits in three scoreless innings as the Royals rallied for a 7-6 win over the Chicago White Sox.
The Royals told Bale, who was used exclusively out of the bullpen last year, to be ready to compete for a rotation job when he came to spring training. Bale made 25 starts in 2004 for Hiroshima in the Japan League, but has primarily been a reliever since.
Nebraska is another team coaches won't want to see
"Today felt familiar to me," Bale said. "It's been '04 since I did it. Today made me feel like I can do this. I'm very happy with today, even more than last time. I was able to throw my secondary pitches for strikes whenever I wanted. My change-up was working real effectively. Everything just flowed really well."
Bale struck out four and allowed
"All the strikeouts were on off-speed pitches." Bale said. "Two were on change-ups and two were on breaking balls. It's fun getting strikeouts on fastballs, but when you can put your off-speed where you want it and get the guys offbalance, that's a good feeling, too."
only one base runner, hitting jeff Liefer with a pitch in the second inning.
Manager Trey Hillman praised Bale's second exhibition start.
"Johnny did a great job," Hillman said. "He had a plus change-up, his breaking ball wasn't as sharp today, but he made up for it with the deceptiveness, not only to the fast-ball but the change-up as well.
"Watch the hitter and the swings, there were not very good swings off of him."
Sophomore guard Danielle McCray should be a Big 12 second-team selection and freshman center Krysten Boogaard has an outside chance at an all-freshman spot, but many Jayhawks underachieved after promising seasons last year.
White Sox starter John Danks held the Royals to one unearned run on two hits in three innings, while striking out three and walking none.
TWELVE (12)
Missouri 19-19 [2-13]
Last week: Iowa State (L), at Kansas State (L)
This week: at Colorado
Missouri 9-19 [2-13]
Missouri has little left to play for, but it won't give up without a fight. As it looks now, the Tigers are des-
behind them, the Longhorns can dream of a possible NCAA Tournament spot if they can beat the Lady
of the most potent front courts in the conference with junior forward Kelsey Griffin and senior forward Danielle Page patrolling the paint. Griffin scored 26 points to go with 10 rebounds against Colorado and should be any defense's number one priority.
Nebraska in the Big 12 Tournament.
T h e Cornhuskers boast one
tined for a first round exit from the conference tournament.
SEVEN (8)
Before last week Texas had zero
Texas 18-11 [6-9]
Last week: at Kansas (W), at Oklahoma (W)
Edited by Sasha Roe
This week: Texas Tech
conference
road victories
to its name.
Now with
two cruci
ones
Texas 18-11 [6-9]
GMAT | GRE | LSAT | MCAT | PCAT
DAT | OAT | TOEFL
Enroll in a Kaplan comprehensive course option by March 31st and get $100 back through Kaplan's Rebate program.
Take advantage of this limited time offer and enroll today!
Classes are starting soon at the Lawrence Kaplan Center 1000 Massachusetts St.
1-800-KAP-TEST | kaptest.com/rebate
**Postmaster:** Registrate and maintain our respective databases. This offer requires no application and is offered to qualified candidates with 5 yrs of experience as a Postmaster (65-75) or Business Operations Manager (65-75). Participant must have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering or a related field plus five years of experience as a Postmaster (65-75) or Business Operations Manager (65-75). Cannot be combined with any other position offered by the employer. Candidates must be proficient in Microsoft Office, Windows Server, Linux and Java
KAPLAN
TEST PREP AND ADMISSIONS
HIGHER TEST SCORES GUARANTEED OR YOUR MONEY BACK.
How else would you know I'm a KU fan?
The exclusive provider of KU Jayhawk Visa Check, Credit and Gift Cards, benefiting the KU Alumni Association.
yes you can INTRUST Bank
---