THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Kansas 44 — Kansas State 62
Seniors dance to same old sad song
10 straight for 'Cats; but teams to rematch in Big 12 tournament
PAGE 12A
BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS
mphillips@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
After a disappointing 62-44 loss on senior night, the Kansas women's basketball team received some good news. This isn't the end.
The Jayhawks will get an opportunity to break the Wildcats 10-game Sunflower Showdown winning streak Tuesday night in Dallas at the Big 12 tournament, where the two teams will meet in the first round.
The Jayhawks let the Wildcats have their way early, falling behind 11-4 by the time Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson used a timeout.
"That's the only good thing that came out of tonight," senior guard Erica Hallman said. "They outworked us, and it shows in probably every category on the stat sheet."
The lead increased to 13 with 8 minutes to play, and the Wildcats never looked back. Things became so bad that Henrickson benched senior forward Crystal Kemp, although only briefly.
"That's the only good thing that came out of tonight. They outworked us, and it shows in probably every category on the stat sheet."
Erica Hallman
Lisa Tinovac/KANSAN
Senior guard
SEE SENIORS ON PAGE 6A
Senior forward Crystal Kemp defends against K-State forward Marlies Gipson. Kemp played her final game as a Jayhawk last night leading the team with 19 points.The Jayhawks lost to the Wildcats 62-44.
Defeat makes senior night ceremonies a somber affair
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
rschneider@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SWITWRITER
Erica Hallman fought back tears,biting her lower lip as she stood at center court with her family.
As she was joined on the floor by her teammates, the tears began to stream. She knew holding back her emotions would be tough, but following a disappointing loss to Kansas State, it was hard not to cry.
"It was just really emotional," Hallman said. "It's hard to face the fact that we're not going to play in there again after I have for four years in a row."
Kansas' three seniors, guards
Hallman and Kaylee Brown and forward Crystal Kemp entered the night with a chance to make history. The senior class had never beaten Kansas State, and a victory on senior night would be even sweeter. Instead, it was the cruelest ending to a nearly perfect script.
Following the loss, the postgame ceremony that was intended to celebrate the accomplishments of the senior class became a somber affair.
Henrickson continued her personal tradition of recognizing the seniors following the game, hoping to minimize the
"There's not a lot that's comforting right there," Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said.
emotions of a pre-game ceremony. After a short video tribute, the seniors' families presented them with a framed jersey. Unlike the men's team, they did not address the crowd.
Henrickson said it would have been difficult for the team to speak after the game because of their emotions.
For most of the game, Brown, Hallman and Kemp struggled to find a rhythm on offense. Kemp fought off double teams all evening and touched the ball only twice in the first 13 minutes. Hallman struggled to consistently knock down shots and missed several open jump shots.
SEE CEREMONIES ON PAGE GA
Carly Pearson/KANSAN
The Jayhawk women's basketball team and coaches embrace the senior players after Thursday night's game, senior night, in Allen Fieldhouse.
BASEBALL
Injuries strike out three starters
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
kansanSTAFF WRITER
When seven starters return to an experienced team, setting a starting lineup isn't too much of a challenge.
In 14 games this season, only four players have made a constant appearance in the Kansas baseball starting lineup.
After last weekend in Nashville, Tenn., senior outfielder Matt Baty, junior outfielder Kyle Murphy and sophomore second baseman Ryne Price returned to Lawrence having spent a large chunk of the Music City Challenge injured on the bench.
Blame injuries.
"I think the great thing about this team is that we don't have any egos," Price said. "You get a guy like Matt Baty who's a team captain and a special leader. It's not about him. He got out of the hospital last night and he's sitting here watching practice. That speaks volumes about him."
Monday's news of Baty being out for an indefinite length of time drew attention to other significant injuries. After a collision with Murphy, Baty was hospitalized for lacerations on his spleen and kidney, he said in a release on Wednesday. The incident didn't keep Baty away from the team, leading up to today's game against Western Illinois.
"It was a really tough, emotional weekend for myself and for my club." Kansas coach Ritch Price said. "Sunday against Vanderbilt was a great win. We literally won without three starting position players on the field."
Murphy was on the other end of the diving collision that put Baty out. Murphy had more than 40 stitches in his nose and mouth after the collision. He did not play again until the last three outs of last weekend in Nashville.
Murphy's status for today is uncertain. Murphy was already playing a backup role before he required a backup himself. The junior came in to replace Baty in center field against Stanford because he had more mobility at the time. Baty moved to left. Now with two-thirds of his outfield battling injury, Price must decide who will step up in their absence. Sophomore outfielder John Allman took over for Baty in left field against Lipscomb and Vanderbilt last weekend. He has 12 starts this year. Allman went 2-of-7 and scored three times in two games in left field.
Sophomore outfieldier Brock Simpson plays catch with a teammate Thursday at Hoglund Ballpark. Simpson, who usually plays third base, is filling in for injured teammates in the outfield. Kansas opens its home schedule against Western Illinois at 3 p.m. today.
Randall Senders/KANSAN
SEE INJURIES ON PAGE 8A
BASEBALL
Door wide open at DH KU in search of stability
Kansas' DH could be one of four players this weekend at Hoglund Ballpark against Western Illinois: sophomores John Allman and Brock Simpson or freshmen Justin Ellrich and Preston Land.
BY SHAWN SHROYER
sshroyer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The Jayhawks are looking for someone to step up and provide production at designated hitter.
All four have seen action at DH this season, but after 14 games, the position has failed to produce.
"We haven't gotten any run production from that spot in our
The four players are hitting a combined 317 with eight RBI when batting as a position player or pinch hitter. When slotted as the DH, though, they collectively hit .200 with two home runs and nine RBI.
The higher power numbers from the group in the DH spot is mainly the result of one game — a two home run, four RBI performance by Land.
Ritch Price said. "A couple of guys have good batting averages, but if you look at their power numbers, they're not very good."
lineup," Kansas coach
JOHN ALLMAN
Overall: .229 Ave. (11-48).
As DH: .286 Ave. (2-7)
Overall: 7 RBI
As DH: 1 RBI
■ Started 10 games this season as a positional player in the outfield.
24
SEE DH ON PAGE 6A
BROCK SIMPSON
Overall: .308 Ave. (8-26)
As DWI: .176 Ave. (3-17)
Overall: 4 RBI
As DWI: 4 RBI
Has no extra-base hits on the season.
All home runs and RBI as DH came in first game of Feb. 4 doubleheader at Hawaii-Hilo.
PRESTON LAND
Occupied: 263 Ave. (5-19)
As DHI: .143 Ave. (2-14)
Oversea: 2 HR, 5 RBI
Oversea: 2 HR, 4 RBI
JUSTIN ELRICH
Overall: 333 Ave. (4-12)
As DWI: 82nd Ave. (2-7)
Overall: 1 RBI
As DWI: 0 RBI
Recorded hits in both DH appearances.
1
Source: Kansas Athletics Department
---
5