SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WOMEN'S BIG 12 WEEKLY UPDATE
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WWW.KANSAN.COM
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2008
INTRAMURAL CLOSE CALL PAGE 68
MEN'S BASKETBALL
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Time off allows for improvement
BY MARK DENT
mdent@kansan.com
No team is ready for a national title yet — not Memphis, North Carolina, Duke, UCLA, Tennessee or Kansas.
That's the way Bill Self sees it.
"If any team in America has reached
Freshman center Cole Aldrich gets a defensive rebound over a Colorado player during the second half of Saturday's game. This week is a slow one for the team with only one game, which is at Oklahoma State on Saturday.
he is right to its hill for any team," Self said. "There's no team out there, in my opinion, who if they don't get better could win it all. Everybody's got to get better."
And finally, Self's team will have the opportunity to do that. Kansas is in the middle of a six-day break from games — it plays
"I'm not a believer that we'll play in a game and we'll automatically get better. You have to work on the things you want to improve on."
at Oklahoma State on Saturday — and Self intends to use the free time to practice and rest, with the goal of getting better for the stretch run in mind.
BILL SELF
Kansas Coach
"it's hard to get better if you can't practice," Self said. "I'm not a believer that we'll play in a game and we'll automatically get better. You have to work on the things you want to improve on."
The plan for preparing for that stretch includes two days off from practice this week and plenty of work on defensive
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
A prolonged opportunity for practice hasn't been available in the last month.
"It's about being able to adapt to tough environments," Robinson said, "and being able to turn it around better than we have the last couple of games."
"My goal has always been for our team to start getting better in February," Self said, "and hopefully peaking in late February and early March."
Saturday, Monday, Saturday, Monday
Rebounding was Kansas' biggest weakness in its loss to Texas last week. Afterwards, Self complained about a lack of toughness from his players. Senior guard Russell Robinson saw that his team didn't adjust well enough to the Longhorns' intensity.
rebounding when the team does practice.
Jayhawks played three games in five days. Nonstop action can lead to fatigue, low energy levels or even illnesses. Self said Kansas had even more reason to wear down in January. It was playing with an undefeated record at the time, something that he said caused the team to deflate.
KANSAN.COM See complete photo gallery at kansan.com
The game schedule went on like the steps to a never-ending march. At one point, the
Despite these problems, the Jayhawks are reaping the benefits now. They're 24-2 and in first place in the Big 12. They have the perfect time to get a break from games and improve for the end of conference play and the start of the postseason.
Toughness isn't just something for the players to naturally improve on. Self thinks coaches must develop the attitude. He'll likely spend plenty of time this week teaching his team to be tough, mentally and physically.
He wants the players to not get pushed around when they dive for loose balls, run into ball screens or get blocked out for rebounds. He wants them to get quality
"... When it comes down to postseason and NCAA tournaments, we have to want that and keep our right mindset."
SASHA KAUN Senior center
shots during important possessions.
"Those are all toughness things," Self said. "You have to try to coach it because if you don't have it, you're not going to go anywhere. And some people have it, but I've never coached a guy who couldn't get tougher.
Even the toughest guys can get tougher."
Senior center Sasha Kaun thinks he needs to get tougher, along with the rest of the team. This is the week to do it. The Jayhawks have all the time they need to prepare for the rest of the year and, maybe,
"It's kind of a mental thing," Kaun said about getting better this week. "This is something that can turn around because
improve enough for a deep run in the post-season.
when it comes down to postseason and NCAA tournaments, we have to want that and keep our right mindset."
Edited by Mandy Earles
BASEBALL
Former second baseman heads to right field
BY SHAWN SHROYER
shroyer@kansan.com
Senior outfieldter John Allman is batting .336 over the three seasons, Ryne Price in the outfield will join Allman in the outfield. Price, who has traditionally played second base, is now playing right field.
While at Kansas, Ryne Price has gone through all the ups and downs as a college baseball player.
Price, a senior, had a stellar freshman campaign, starting 60 of 64 games for the Jayhawks, collecting 50 hits, five home runs and 40 RBI — phenomenal numbers for a second baseman.
However, a wrist injury derailed his sophomore campaign—forcing him to miss 40 of Kansas' '68 games. Nevertheless, Price managed to hit nine home runs.
Healthy again in 2007, expectations were high for Price. Whether or not he lived up to these expectations depends on what stats you focus on.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Starting every game for Kansas, Price had a team-high 10 home runs and a .535 slugging percentage. On the other hand, his 62 strikeouts were nine more than anyone else on the team. Still, he had a knack for getting on base, leading the team with 32 walks and getting hit with 19 pitches, garnering a .421 on-base percentage.
On defense though, his 19 errors at second base were the highest on the team by eight. Then again, there were no other worthy candidates to fill in at second, especially to justify taking Price's bat out of the lineup.
This year, Price will remain in the heart of the Kansas lineup, but he'll play a couple hundred feet behind second base as Kansas' new right fielder, a position change he's welcomed.
backup infielders
In addition to his new role as a right fielder, Ryne Price will also play catcher on occasion. When he's behind the plate, freshman Brian Heere is expected to fill in for him. Senior Casey Larson is next in line behind left fielder John Allman and center fielder Nick Faunce.
starting infielders
Position — Player — 2007 stats
LF John Allman — .333 AVE/4 HR/44 RBI
CF Nick Faunce — .333 AVE/0 HR/5 RBI
RF Ryne Price — .333 AVE/0 HR/31 RBI
Able to think less about his glove and more about his bat, it shouldn't take Price long to threaten Kansas' all-time home run record. In three seasons, Price has 24 home runs, which puts him in a tie with fellow senior and California native, third baseman Erik Morrison.
"I like right field a lot," Price said. "It's nice being able to go to the outfield, relax and play, instead of having to worry about doing all this stuff in the infield."
"If he breaks it, I'll be happy for him, just because he's my boy." Price said. "There's not too much competition. We just want to come through in the clutch more."
Regardless of which slugger hits more long balls this season, Price's addition to the outfield will give Kansas a jolt to the power potential of the Jayhawks' corner outfielders.
"If he gets there first and we make a regional, I'll be his biggest fan, and if I get there first and we make a regional, I'm sure he'll be my biggest fan," Morrison said.
"I definitely can't let him outdo me," Morrison said. "He's been my best friend since we were 12, 13 years old and we've always kind of been in competition with each other, so I can't let him outdo me."
Morrison initially shared Price's sentiments.
But after some thinking, Morrison's competitive nature took over.
Making Allman's durability all the more
Opposite Price will stand Mr. Consistency, senior left fielder John Allman. Since his sophomore season, Allman has missed only two games.
impressive is the intensity he brings to the field. In Kansas' series with Nebraska last season, he made a leaping catch in foul territory but was undercut by the Kansas bullpen fence and toppled over it. Although, not even that fall could take him out of the lineup.
In addition to being a dependable fielder, Allman is also a steady hitter. In 2007, Allman led Kansas with a .333 batting average, 44 RBI and a .449 on-base percentage. His 66 hits were the second most on the team and his 24 strikeouts were the second fewest.
fall season.
While Allman will be
"I definitely can't let him outdo me. He's been my best friend since we were 12, 13 years old and we've always kind of been in competition with each other, so I can't let him outdo me."
Faune appeared in 34 games last season for late-inning baserunning and defense. However, coach Ritch Price will give Faune
While Airman will be Kansas' everyday left fielder, there is less certainty about who will roam center field.
ERIK MORRISON Third baseman
Junior Nick Faunce wasn't atop the depth chart in center field entering the fall, but he claimed the opening by the end of the
the opportunity to prove he's more than a utility player this weekend against Hawaii-Hilo. Faunce is expected to bat leadoff for the Jayhawks in the series.
Faunce's sidekick in the outfield, Ryne Price, is confident Faunce will flourish this season.
COMMENTARY
ing forward to seeing if he could carry over what he did in the fall to the spring. It looks like he has so far"
"Nick Faunce had a great fall. He absolutely tore it up," baseman Price said. "He's become a really good outfielder and we were really look-
Edited by Nick Mangiaracina
Devoted fans keep Kansas legacy alive
This was after a road loss to a 20-4 team bound for a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Eight days ago, Kansas lost to a Texas team that was ranked No. 11 in the nation and blessed with the Big 12 Conference's best back-court. The next day, despondent Kansas fans headed to the sports talk airwaves and Internet message boards in droves, echoing Chicken Little's famous refrain: "The sky is falling!"
S six days ago, Kansas State fell to Texas Tech. Sure the game was in Lubbock, where the Red Raiders have dropped only one game all year – but it qualifies as an upset. Wildcat stars Michael Beasley and Bill Walker did all they could, but Texas Tech pulled out its first victory under new coach Pat Knight. The next day, pundits had more to say about Texas Tech's rookie coach than they did about Kansas State's meltdown, and most of the state's attention was focused on the Jayhawks' misgiving than the Wildcats' failure.
Kansas State fans endured an ugly loss to an unranked team but didn't push the panic button. Wildcat nation could have-and should have- taken issue with the fact that only three players mustered more than four points against the Red Raiders. Instead, Kansas State fans took the loss in stride. After all, a No. 5 or 6 seed in the tournament isn't bad when you haven't been there in more than a decade.
Kansas fans saw a closely-contested battle between two stellar teams and came away utterly shocked when the Jayhawks lost. When fans heard Kansas coach Bill Self question his players' toughness, they raised an uproar and demanded more out of Jayhawk posts sophomore Darrell Arthur and senior Darnell Jackson.
If that response seems like an overreaction, that's because it is. But it's a positive.
Kansas basketball has set a lofty precedent, and its fans have come to expect victory. Big wins and big crowds have come to define Jayhawk basketball-36 NCAA Tournament appearances and 1,930 total victories might have something to do with it. The 220 former players, coaches and staff members who helped fill Allen Fieldhouse last Saturday are some of those responsible for building one of the most famed legacies in sports.
The list is long, and it includes famous names such as Larry Brown, Danny Manning, Bud Stallworth, and Wayne Simien-players and coaches that helped the Jayhawks to plenty of 25-victory seasons and deep postseason runs.
The program 85 miles west of Lawrence has some history, too. But the Wildcats' 17 conference championships and all-time greats such as Rolando Blackman and Mitch Richmond don't engender the same reverence as the layhawks' 50 conference titles and larger-than-life figures Wilt Chamberlain and James Naismith.
In truth, Kansas fans might be a bit spoiled: spoiled by years of winning and the certainty of a postseason berth each year. This year, fans got accustomed to leaving games satisfied after Kansas started the season 20-0. When the seemingly unflappable Jayhawks hit a small bump in the road, it threw the faithful for a loop and put Kansas' fans passion on display, overreaction or not.
"I don't listen to the media reports or whatever, but you could sense a 'what's wrong with Kansas?'", Self said. "We've still got the second-best record in the country and we're pretty good. But one thing that's great about this place is that so many people care."
Twenty days ago, Kansas State defeated Kansas and Bramlage Coliseum rocked and rolled like it never had before. Thousands of Wildcat fans stormed the court to celebrate what some dubbed the most important victory in the history of Kansas State basketball.
Eleven days from now, Kansas hosts Kansas State. If the Jayhawks win, no one will rush the court.
Edited by Sasha Roe
since beating Kansas Kansas State's results after its 84-75 victory on Jan.30
Date Opponent Outcome
2/2 at Missouri L 74-77
2/6 Nebraska W 74-59
2/9 Oklahoma State W 82-61
2/13 at Texas Tech L 79-84
2/16 Missouri W 100-63
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