THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
TUESDAY, MARCH 7. 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 1B
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Jared Gab/KANSAN
Kansas defenders, Julian Wright, far left, Darnell Jackson, left, and Brandon Rush, right, guard K-State's Cartier Martin during Saturday's game in Manhattan. The Jayhawks will compete in their first game of the Big 12 Championship at 6 p.m. on Friday in Dallas.
Jayhawks decorated
Rush receives award, history made in Big 12 Conference
By RYAN COLAIANNI
colaianni@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTSWRITER
For the first time in the history of the Big 12 conference, a freshman was named to the AllBig 12 first team Monday, selected by the Big 12 coaches. That freshman was Brandon Rush.
"I'm happy, but I've still got a lot of things to do the rest of the season." Rush said.
Rush averaged 14.1 points per game in the regular season and 15.1 points per game in conference games. Rush was also named Freshman of the Year.
"He deserves it. If you are going to tie for the championship at least you got to get one guy up there," Kansas coach Bill Seid said. "Brandon certainly played at a level, and led us from start to finish, that is deserving of that."
I'm happy, but I've still got a lot of things to do the rest of the season."
The first team All-Big 12 and Freshman of the Year award weren't the only pieces of hardware that Rush picked up Monday. He was named freshman of
Brandon Rush Freshman guard
the week for the third time this season.
Self was also named Coach of the Year for his efforts in leading a team of mainly freshmen and sophomores to a share of the Big 12 title.
Self said his staff didn't approach coaching this team differently than past seasons, but because his team was so young, he had more to teach them.
"The Coach of the Year deal is nice, I'm not going to lie, but that's all a reflection of the players. That's the way it always works," said Self, who guided his team to a 22-7 regular season after starting the season 3-4.
"Coach of the Year doesn't make a season more gratifying," Self said. "Having a team that is young win six road games and all of them being in double figures, that to me is gratifying."
"Coach really helped us a lot and taught us a lot. I think that's why we're so successful right now." freshman Mario Chalmers said.
The conference title for Self was his sixth in his past eight seasons of coaching. Besides winning the conference title last season, Self won two at Illinois and two at Tulsa.
Freshmen Julian Wright and Chalmers received honorable mention recognition from the coaches and were also named to the all-rookie team with Rush. Chalmers and Rush were the only unanimous selections to the rookie team.
“It’s a good accomplishment for us three, but we still have
a lot of work to do," Chalmers said.
Chalmers was named to the all-defensive team along with sophomore Russell Robinson. Chalmers led the conference in steals per game with 2.79 and also averaged 10.9 points per game.
"I thought Mario deserved third team, I thought Russell deserved honorable mention. But there are a lot of other coaches who say the same thing about their players." Self said.
Kansas, despite sharing the Big 12 title, did not have a trophy presentation like Texas received on Sunday. This upset some of the Kansas players.
"We shared the Big 12 title with them. We should get a presentation too," Chalmers said.
Kansas will have the opportunity to win the Big 12 Conference tournament trophy, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday in its quarterfinal match-up with either Oklahoma State or Iowa State.
▼ 'HORN BORN, 'HAWK, BRED
Conference title deserves recognition
— Edited by Gabriella Souza
BY TRAVIS ROBINETT trobinett@kansan.com
Kansas just won the Big 12 regular season title for the sixth time in 10 years, but that accomplishment is flying under the radar outside of Lawrence
On Saturday, "College GameNight," "SportsCenter" and ESPN.com all failed to mention Kansas' surprising championship season; although, ESPN college basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb did say, "Kansas owns Kansas State." That was nice.
But still, no one seemed to care that Kansas did what everyone thought would be nearly impossible coming into conference play — win the conference.
Why not? Because of the conference it won. Almost no one cares who wins the Big 12 this season because most people think the Big 12 stinks, except for Texas, of course, which had to win non-conference games against Villanova and Memphis to earn respect.
The most recent Power 16 poll on ESPN.com proves this. Kansas is ranked 15, with a comment about the Jayhawks said the 25-point loss at Texas confirmed the belief that the Big 12 is soft.
Kansas picked the wrong night to play poorly because apparently Texas was the only conference game that mattered this season.
SEE ROBINETT ON PAGE 3B
PROFILE
Senior pitcher Serena Settlemier has been drafted to play professional softball by the Texas Thunder. Settlemier has had three wrist surgeries and a rotator cuff surgery since she started playing softball at Kansas.
Carly Pearson/KANSAN
Returning time after time
BY KELLY REYNOLDS
kreynolds@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
After four surgeries and almost two years of rehab, Serena Settlemier will turn pro.
Settlemier, senior softball pitcher/designated hitter, was one of only 30 Division I women drafted in the 2006 National Pro Fastpitch draft two weeks ago. The Texas Thunder, a Houston franchise, drafted the Kelso, Wash., native.
Although Settlemier cannot sign with the Thunder until the conclusion of this season, she said she would definitely play in Houston.
It hasn't been an easy road for Settiemur, though. The frustration of being plagued by injuries throughout her college campaign — including a torn rotator cuff and an unusual bone-shortening surgery — left Settiemur discouraged but determined to overcome the adversity.
"I wasn't ready for my career to be over," Settlemier said. "I've worked hard all my life to pitch at the Division I level."
When Settlemier and her dad, Dan, made the trip to Lawrence before her freshman year, he told her to stay healthy.
"He told me, 'Whatever you do, don't get hurt, and don't have surgery.'" Settlemier said.
Her father's worries about injury had already been a reality with her older sister, Amy, who pitched at Utah State. Amy had three shoulder surgeries for a loose socket and never returned to softball.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
SEE SETTLEMIER ON PAGE 3B
Kansas to seek redemption
Losses to K-State drive players
BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS
mphillips@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Kansas lost to Kansas State 62-44 Thursday on senior night in a nationally televised game that was attended by 5,000 fans.
The 6 p.m. game will not be televised, will likely not be the final game of the season for either team, and is unlikely to draw more than a handful of fans to Dallas' Reunion Arena.
Tonight's rematch will be missing those three elements.
Still, the Kansas seniors see it as a rare ninth opportunity for redemption after losing all eight
None were as embarrassing as Thursday night's blowout. Facing a young Kansas State team, Kansas players said they thought they had their best opportunity to end the streak, only to see any hopes of victory disappear before the 12-minute time-out.
games to K-State during their college tenure.
A raucous K-State contingent stayed on its feet for most of the game's final minutes, something that won't happen tonight.
Dallas is a long way to go to follow the team, especially considering that the winner will face defending national champion Baylor. That makes it unlikely that either team will bring a large following.
Both schools will likely advance to postseason play. For Kansas, it will be a birth in the Women's National Invitational Tournament. Kansas State, with an 8-8 conference record, is considered on the bubble for NCAA tournament consideration.
"I should have a better voice when it's all done," coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "They'll be able to hear me."
The Wildcats will need to beat the Jayhawks and follow it up with a strong showing against the defending champion Bears to improve their chances.
Kansas arrived in Dallas on
Sunday morning and held a practice in the afternoon. Monday morning, the team practiced on the campus of Southern Methodist University, and held an afternoon shootaround in Reunion Arena.
For Kansas, the key to victory will be finding a way to build offensive momentum without relying on senior forward Crystal Kemp.
SEE REMATCH ON PAGE 3B
Kansas State held a practice at SMU in the morning, but elected not to use its shootaround time.
Carly Pearson/KANSAN
Junior guard Sharita Smith defends the basket from Kansas State freshman guard Shalee Lehning during last Thursday's game in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks will take on the Wildcats Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Dallas, Texas.