SPORTS
4B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2006
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Lack of bids disappoints conferences
Texas forward P.J. Tucker pulls a rebound away from Kansas guard Brandon Rush in the second half of the Big 12 Men's Championship basketball game Sunday in Dallas. Only four teams from the Big 12 Conference — Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma — received bids to play in the NCAA tournament.
BY DOUG TUCKER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tim Sharp/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Not having anyone from the Big 12 on the NCAA selection committee may have been costly for the conference, says Colorado coach Ricardo Patton.
Patton's Buffaloes were one of the most disappointed teams in the country on Sunday when the committee announced bids for the 65-team field. Despite a 20-9 overall record and 9-7 finish in the Big 12, the Buffaloes were snubbed by the NCAA and wound up accepting a bid to play Old Dominion in the NIT.
The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conferences, two of the traditional powerhouses, each got only four teams in the field. Matching them was the Missouri Valley Conference, which got a league record of four bids.
"I believe the ACC and Big 12 are definitely two of the best conferences in the country anywhere, night in and night out," said Patton. He added that many mid-major teams that got tournament bids would have difficulty achieving good records if they'd played in leagues like the Big 12.
"I would think having a balanced committee makes sense," Patton said. "I don't see any reason why it wouldn't make sense to have more representation of the different leagues and conferences."
"Without Big 12 representatives, I would doubt very seriously if anyone's making an argument for a fifth team."
Oklahoma coach Kelvin
Sampson, who'll be making his 11th trip to the NCAA tournament in 12 years, agreed.
"I would like to have seen Colorado get in because of their body of work — 9-7 in the league," said Sampson. "But I'm a Big 12 guy. There are so many deserving teams you can make a case for. I'd hate to have the committee's job. It's tough."
Oklahoma (20-8) will meet Wisconsin-Milwaukee (21-8) in the Minneapolis Regional on Thursday after losing their last two games.
"These kids will bounce back," Sampson said. "It's not like we're 8-20. We're 20-8."
Everyone agrees the hottest team in the Big 12 and possibly the country, is Kansas. After beating Texas in the Big 12 tournament title game — its 15th win in 16 games — Kansas was made a No. 4 seed and will play Bradley in the first round on Friday in Auburn Hills, Mich.
But coach Bill Self and his team were just happy to discover their homes were not damaged in a powerful storm that raked Lawrence Sunday night. Power was even temporarily knocked out in Allen Fieldhouse.
"The lights are on in Allen." Self said. "We can definitely play."
Winning three games at the Big 12 tournament on a neutral court in Dallas, and avenging an earlier loss to Texas, could be a big confidence boost for a team that starts three freshmen and two sophomores, Self said.
"Dallas did everything we hoped it would do. Playing on a neutral court helped us as well,
as far as preparing for the tournament. But I also believe good play this week doesn't guarantee good play next week," Self said.
"We're going in with momentum, but we don't play until Friday. The vast majority of teams in the tournament are on the upswing."
Also getting an NIT bid was Oklahoma State. The Cowboys (17-15) will play the Hurricanes (16-5) at Miami on Wednesday. They are only two victories short of getting to 800 for head coach Eddie Sutton, who is out on
medical leave and has not said whether he will return next season after completing treatment for what he called "a problem with alcohol."
"I think they're well aware of how many wins they need for that to occur," head coach-designate Sean Sutton said. "I think they're motivated by that. But they also want to play good basketball. I know (the 800 wins) are important to them and it's a goal to get them to that."
While Colorado is disappointed to be in the NIT, the
Nebraska Cornhuskers are pleased. They play at Hofstra on Thursday and the entire program is certain to be in a much more relaxed frame of mind after coach Barry Collier was told Sunday night that he'll be back next year.
"We think we've made some obvious and good progress," Collier said. "We'd like to make more, take bigger steps, and we're working on doing that. I'm excited about our program and looking forward to even better things for us, with the
ultimate goal of not just making the NCAA tournament, but winning games there."
He did not deny that the past few weeks of speculation about his job status was a trial.
"You learn not to get down into that mess," he said. "You've just got to keep your shoes clean and keep walking and do the job you're given.
"The best thing is to understand there's a big plan out there for all of us. If you just do your part, God's going to make things happen the way they should."
WNIT
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
nament wasn't held until 1982.
The Jlayhawks have appeared in the WNIT only two other times. In 1990, they were invited to what was then the National Women's Invitational Tournament. At that time it was staged as a round-robin tournament.
The team was also invited in 1977, when the NWIT was the only postseason tournament available. The first NCAA tour-
A WNIT bid is a blessing for some teams and an insult for others. Kansas has been lobbying for an invitation since the team opened the season with a 12-0 record.
Texas Tech, on the other hand,
chose to decline its invitation.
The school has enjoyed a long
history of women's basketball
success and had been invited to
16 straight NCAA tournaments.
Earlier this year, 24-year head
coach Marsha Sharp announced that she would retire at the end of the season.
Kansas State, Iowa State and Nebraska are the other three Big 12 schools to receive an invitation. For Kansas State, it is a drop from the national prominence the team has enjoyed in recent years, but still an achievement considering the Wildcats started four freshmen at times this season.
The Wildcats will also host a
first-round game. Host sites are selected by each team putting in a bid for how many fans it will draw to the game.
Henrickson said she thought that Kansas bid the minimum, though she didn't know the exact number.
Today will be the Jayhawks' second consecutive day of practice after taking off Sunday because of the weather.
Eyes on the prize
Kansas City Royals right-fielder Reggie Sanders hits a single in the fifth inning during a spring training exhibition baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Surprise, Ariz.
LM Otero/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Seniors
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
"We are definitely not counting ourselves out," Kemp said following the team's victory against Missouri last month. "We just need to continue to work hard and be aggressive and have confidence."
it's all said and done that we were part of that class that got it turned around and created some momentum."
Henrickson and her team were not shy about talking about their postseason aspirations, even when hopes seemed dim.
The seniors also get another opportunity to play in Allen Fieldhouse after a disappointing loss on senior night to Kansas State. The opportunity to play another home game and an opportunity to continue her career at home was satisfying for Hallman.
"It's added motivation because I love playing at Allen Fieldhouse," Hallman said. "This year we've gotten some pretty good crowds and it's even better when the fans are in it."
— Edited by Vanessa Pearson
Practice
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
The rest of the offense is getting accustomed to the field again as well.
Senior offensive lineman David Ochoa said this was the most comfortable he felt about the offensive line during his time playing for Kansas.
"As a unit, communication is better," he said. "We have a better understanding of what is going on around us."
Ochoa said the team grew as a unit from winter workouts and conditioning.
"From top to bottom everyone wants to get better," Ochoa said." Nobody is out here that is just throwing on a jersey."
On the defensive line, junior James McClinton will be the only returning starter from the front seven.
The football team will make up Sunday's practice on March 27, the Monday following spring break.
The football team's next practice open to the public will be April 1 in Topeka.
Senior offensive line man David Ochoa said this was the most comfortable he felt about the offensive line during his time playing for Kansas.
Football Notes:
Ioe's pastry
sandwiches at
Although his eligibility is still in question, senior defensive lineman Eric Butler participated in spring practice on Monday.
Butler enrolled in 2001 at Devry University, which did not have an athletics program. He then enrolled at Avila College, where he played football for one season. He wouldn't play again until he walked on to the Kansas football team last season. Five football seasons have passed since Butler first enrolled at Devry. It is still in question whether his eligibility clock should have started when he enrolled at Devry, because it doesn't have an athletics program.
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Edited by Vanessa Pearson
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