University Daily Kansan / Friday, March 6: 1987
Sports
11
Mizzou to meet Colorado
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo — History suggests that top-seeded Missouri has a 50-50 chance of winning the Big Eight Conference post-season basketball tournament.
In the 10 years that the Big Eight has been staging a post-season affair, the top seed has won five times.
"My observation has been . . . the team that wins the regular season title has difficulty winning the post-season tournament, too," said Missouri's Norm Stewart. The Associated Press Big Eight coach of the team to catch their breath, step back and regroup."
The Tigers, ranked No. 19 this week after overhauling Kansas and Oklahoma for the regular-season championship, meet eight-seeded Colorado in the second game this afternoon. In the second game, Nebraska and Kansas State may be staging a mini-playoff of their own for one of the 35 precious at-large entries to the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament.
In the games tonight, second-seeded Kansas takes on seventh-seeded Oklahoma State at 6:10, and No. 3 seed Oklahoma goes against No. 6 Iowa State at 8:10. The winners of those games will meet in the semifinals at 1:10 p.m. tomorrow, to face the other semifinal at 3:10 p.m. The winner will decide the Big Eight's automatic entry to the national tournament, will be nationally televised beginning at 3:10 p.m. Sunday.
The Tigers, 21-9 overall, already are assured of an at-large NCAA bid and may not have much to gain in the post-season affair. By winning, they should enhance their standing with the NCAA tournament committee that selects and seeds the 64 team field. But losing the post-season tournament would lend weight to arguments that Missouri lucked into the regular season title and should not, as the experts maintained all season, be held in higher regard than Oklahoma and Kansas.
"All we can do is just try to keep playing well and try to improve our seeding in the NCAA tournament, and thus improve our chances in the NCAA tournament," Stewart said. He also added that the committee will take名誉 of the face that's we're the champions of a league with a lot of good teams in it."
Kansas and Oklahoma also seem sure-bets for at-large invitations no matter what happens in the Big Eight tournament. But if the Big Eight succeeds in getting a fourth entry it will probably be either Kansas State, 18-9 overall and 8-6 in the league, or Nebraska, 17-10 and 7-7.
"Our chances for the NCAA tournament probably will hang in the balance with our game against Kane, said Nebraska coach Danny Dae.
"In the first game, we were very intense and played very well," said Kansas State coach Lon Kruger. "In the second game, Nebraska fought harder and played with much more intensity."
The expected sellout crowds at the three-day tournament may see several players reach career milestones. Kansas' Danny Manning, the Big Eight's player of the year, needs just 45 points to reach the Kansas school career record of 1,888 by 1952 All-American Cody Lelovelette.
Jayhawks to face OSU in first round
By ROB KNAPP
Staff writer
Kansas has beaten Oklahoma State twice this year, but that was during the Big Eight Conference regular season.
The Jayhawks now must beat the Cowbies again, this time to stay alive in the Big Eight Tournament. The teams play their first-round game at 6:10 tonight at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo.
The winner advances to the semifinals tomorrow at 3:10 p.m. to play the winner of the Oklahoma-Iowa state game.
The tournament champion will be decided Sunday at 3:10 p.m.
The Jayhawks enter the tournament with back-to-back losses, only the fourth two-game losing streak in Coach Larry Brown's four seasons at Kansas. But Brown said earlier this season he would have before the tournament would allow his team to become healthy and more self-assured.
"The kids have lost a little confidence," Brown said. "We've got to get that back. Being healthy will enable us to do that."
Men's Basketball
Point guard Cedric Hunter, who sprained his ankle when Kansas last played Oklahoma State Feb. 7 at Allen Field House, has been slowed by the injury ever since. Brown said that since the Feb. 14 Oklahoma game, Hunter had been only 50 percent healthy.
Cairns said freshman Keith Harris, also slowed by an ankle sprain, should be at full speed for Oklahoma State.
Hunter should be at 90-95 percent for the game tonight, assist athletic trainer Mark Cairns said Wednesday.
The Jayhawks had little problem beating the Cowboys in their last meeting, despite losing Hunter in the second half. Kansas charged out to a 21-2 lead and disposed of the Cowboys 88-63. That 88 points tied the Jayhawks' best offensive output of the
season, equaling their total against Tennessee-Martin in the season open-
Danny Manning led the Jayhawks that afternoon with 28 points and 12 rebounds.
Earlier in the season though, Kansas struggled to pull out a 66-63 victory in Stillwater. Oklahoma State held Manning to eight points, tying him for first but freshman guard Kevin Pritchard the Hawks with 18 points.
Oklahoma State features junior guard Todd Christian, who averages 13.8 points a game. Christian hit nine of 10 shots from the field and scored 26 points against Kansas in Stillwater.
Forward Alfair, an honorable mention selection on both of the wire services' All-Big Eight teams, averages 12.9 points a game. Senior guard averages 8.6 points a game, made that the national honorable mention sound.
Sylvester Kincheon, the Cowboys' 6-foot-10 center, has become a late-season starter and adds 10.7 points
KU vs. Oklahoma St.
Tip-off: 6:10 tonight
Kemper Arena
TV: Channel 27
Radio: KLZR-FM. JKHK-FM
Probable Starters
Kansas (21-9)
(21-9)
F Danny Manning (6-11), 23.1 ppg
F Chris Piper (6-8), 6.5 ppg
C Mark Pellock (6-9), 2.7 ppg
G Kevin Pritchard (6-3), 9.6 ppg
G Cedar Hunter (6-0), 12.3 ppg
Probable Starters
Oklahoma State (8-19)
F Ray Ackley (6-4), 12.9 pp
F Ray Aoffey aeilles (6-6), 3.3 pp
or F Ray Aoffey aeilles (6-10), 10.7 pp
C Sylvester Kincheon (6-10), 10.7 pp
G Godd Tchaddi (6-5), 13.8 pp
G Jay Davis (5-11), 8.6 pp
Softball team to open spring season
Gary Hines, assistant softball coach, sends Sophie Rodriquez from third base to home plate. The Jayhawks were practicing behind Oliver Hall yesterday in preparation for tomorrow's game against Illinois State.
By DIANE FILIPOWSKI Staff writer
Last year, the Kansas women's softball team finished the spring season ranked ninth in the country and second in the Big Eight Conference.
Graduation has stripped the team of two All-Americans, pitcher Tracy Bunge and outfielder Ann Brent, and this season the Jayhawks must make offensive changes to contend for the Big Eight title, Coach Bob Stanchlift said.
Bob Stanclift Head softball coach
'Our team is very different offensively this year. We don't have the overall team speed and power.'
Kansas officially will open the softball season with a doubleheader against Illinois State at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Jayhawk field.
Stancliff said that the team was not as offensively balanced as last year, and that only time would tell if the team would be able to compensate for its losses.
He said Bunge and Brent were team leaders in batting averages and in RBIs, something the team lacked during its fall season.
Kansas finished the fall season 9-6. In their last four losses, the Jayhawks did not score, losing with scores of 1-0, 1-0, 2-0 and 2-0.
"Last year we scored a lot and we out-hit our mistakes." Stanclifd said. "This year we have to have to hit hard and be mentally prepared to win the 1-0 games."
Stanclit said the team needed to be more opportunistic this spring in games that were close, unlike it was in the fall.
"Our team is very different offensively this year." Stancifl said. "We don't have the overall team speed and power."
Illinois State defeated Kansas 3:2 on Sept. 20 at the Nebraska Tournament. The Jayhawks had the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning in that game but failed to score.
Stancliff said the team would not be locked into any one line-up, even though the team had spent most of its fall season experimenting and trying to establish regular positions.
"We don't have the depth at all positions like we did last year because of a lack of numbers." Stanclift said. "So we have given returning players a chance to play at different positions."
The Jayhawks return eight starters, including two second-team All Americans, outfielder Sheila Connolly and catcher Kelly Downs. Both are seniors and were selected to the Big Eight All-Conference team along with junior infielder Cherie Wickham.
Kansas also returns senior starters Laura Cramer, first base and outfield; Jill Williams, outfield; and Sherri Mach, pitcher.
Mach, who transferred from Texas Tech after her sophomore season, won 24 games for the Jayhawks last year.
"I am looking to these players to be the solid nucleus of the team." Starcliff said. "They have had a lot of help, and I am grateful for the Big Eight Championship."
Stanclif said he also would look to freshman infielder Kim Doyle, freshman pitcher Roanna Brazier and junior Sophia Rodriguez, a pitcher who transferred from Creighton.
Stanclift said the team was not focusing its goals on a national ranking but on winning the Big Eight Conference title.
"Winning the conference championship will contribute to giving us a national ranking and a place in the national tournament." Stancliff said. "Otherwise, a national ranking is out of our control."
Stanciflack said that Nebraska, the defending Big Eight Champions, finished its fall schedule with a 12-2 record and has 13 returning star players. All-Conference selections, and two were named All-Americans.
Stancifl said that tomorrow's doubleheader would be important because Illinois State was now included in the Midwest Regional.
Temple gets bid to NCAA
From Kansan wires
PHILADELPHIA — Mike Vreesyk scored 21 points and Howard Evans added 20 last night, leading eighth-ranked Temple to a 70-57 victory over West Virginia in the championship game of the Atlantic Ten Conference tournament.
Top Twenty
With the victory, Temple, 31-3,
earned the Atlantic Ten's automatic
berth in the NCAA Tournament,
although West Virginia, 23-7, should
receive an at-large bid when the 64-
team field is announced Sunday.
Nate Blackwell added 19 points for Temple, which recorded its 17th victory in its last 18 games and weeks' week 64-61 loss to the Mountaineers.
West Virginia got 17 points from Tyrone Shaw and 12 from Steve Berger, all in the second half.
Iowa 103 Northwestern 76
EVANSTON. Ill. — Iowa's Kevin Gamble scored 21 points and reserve guard Jeff Moe connected for five three-point field goals last night, leading the sixth-ranked Hawkeyes to a 103-76 Big Ten basketball triumph over the Northwestern Wildcats.
The Hawkeyes, with nine three-pointers, won their 13th conference game against four losses. It was Iowa's 28th victory overall and the second in the victory for Coach Tom Davis, who is in his first year of coaching at Iowa.
Northwestern, 1-16 in the confer-
ence, lost for the ninth straight time to
California.
Notre Dame 65 Miami, Fla.49
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — David Rivers scored 22 points last night, leadng No. 20 Notre Dame to a 65-49 victory over Miami. Fla.
The Fighting Irish scored 14 straight points within four minutes, building a 61-42 lead to 2:27 to play. The added 20 points for the Irish, 21.6.
Bishop wants to clean up SMU program
United Press International
DALLAS — A Methodist bishop said yesterday that he would name a committee to get to the bottom of Southern Methodist University's latest football scandal, one of at least four committees spawned by the round of allegations against SMU administrators, athletes and boosters.
Bishop John Russell, president of the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church, agreed last week to form a new board of Governors that he
The payments were maintained through December 1986 even though the National Colligiate Athletic Association found out about them the previous year and put the school on probation as punishment. The NCAA last week suspended SMU's football program for 1987 and imposed other penalties into the 1990s.
name a committee to investigate whether board members were involved in covering up continued cash payments to some SMU football players.
the NCAA put SMU on probation in 1985, said Tuesday at an Austin news conference that not only were payments continued but that he told other board members they would be maintained, defying the NCAA.
Board members Wednesday issued a statement denying Clements' alle-
Russell said the board had beer assured in August 1985 that the school had been brought into full compliance with NCAA rules.
Texas Gov. Bill Clements, who headed the Board of Governors when
"Now, we must determine if there are persons who are presently official representatives of the University that were involved, or had knowledge of their commitments to athletes. This is the primary responsibility of the committee."
Russell's three to five-member committee, yet to be named, will report to the Board of Governors. It is one of at least two church groups that have been named to study the fallout from the allegations of illegal payments
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. - Stef Graf deflected Martina Navratilova 6-3, 6-2, in the semifinals of the International Players Championship yesterday, sending the world's No.1 forward down and loss in two tournaments this year.
Graf crushes Navratilova at IP tournament
rules," Russell said. "The university deserves the severe penalty.
The Associated Press
Last night, second-seeded Chris Evert Lloyd wore down fourth-seeded Hana Mandlikova 7-5, 6-0, and set up a showdown between the former and present No. 2 players in
Graf, seeded third here but ranked No. 2, needed just 56 minutes to dispose of Navratilova on the wind-swift International Tennis Center stadium court.
"I'm so happy about the match," said Graf, now 2-5 against Navratilova. "It's one of the biggest wins I've ever had."
This was Navratlivaa's first tour
tournament since she lost to Hana Mandikova in the final of the Australian
Open in January.
the world.
Lloyd struggled in the first set of the night semifinal, losing 13 straight points in one stretch to slip from a 3-2 lead to a 4-3 deficit. But she came back to break Mandlikova in the 11th game and hold on to win the set. Mandlikova seemed to lose interest in the second set.
In the men's semifinals today, top-seeded Ivan Lendl plays sixth-seeded Jimmy Connors in a rematch of their semifinal meeting here last year. Connors was defaulted in the fifth set of that one after storming off the
court in protest of a line call.
In the other men's semifinal,
fourth-seeded Yannick Noah is scheduled to play ninth-seeded Miloslav Meicir.
But Noah's status for today is in question. He pulled out of a doubles match yesterday because of a shoulder injury suffered in his quarterfinal victory over Mats Wilander. A case from the association of his sports team will be hoped that his sprained right shoulder would respond to treatment.
Three KU swimmers qualify for nationals
Staff writer
By DAVID BOYCE
After the first round of competition in the Big Eight swimming championships yesterday in Lincoln, Neb., three Kansas swimmers qualify for NCAA Championships.
For the first time in four years, the men's team will send at least one member to the NCAA Champion game will be held April 3-5 in Austin, Texas.
Glenn Trammell qualified in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 50 seconds. He qualified while participating in the 400-medley relay.
The women's team won the 800-
For the women, both Erin Easton and Liz Duncan qualified yesterday for the national meet. The women's will be March 20-22 in Indianapolis.
Easton took first in the 220-yard individual medley with a time of 12.35.
Duncan took first in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.75 and Susan Spry took second with a time of 23.8. Duncan qualified for the NCAA in the preliminary round with a time of 23.69.
"Overall we swam pretty well."
Coach Gaym Kemnf said yesterday.
yard medley relay with a time of 7:32.5.
After several final events yesterday, the women's team held second place, trailing Nebraska by 47 points. The teams were behind Nebraska and Iowa State.
The men's team was hurt by a false-start disqualification in the 400-medley relay. Kempf said. Before the meet, some of the relay team members thought they had a good chance to qualify for nationals.
Despite the disqualification, some of the members of the men's team turned in fine performances, Kemp said.
Trammel took third in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:52.78 and Kelley followed in fourth with a time of 1:53.05.
In diving competition, Julie Pierce placed third in one-meter diving and Lori Spurney took fifth. Both qualified for NCAA Zone Diving meet.
In men's diving, Kent Griswold placed fifth in one-meter diving to quality for the national championships.