University Daily Kansan / Thursday, March 24, 1988
Sports
13
MN2D2T2Z0KKES
Manning, Brown have meant big bucks for KU
Court success translates into more contributions
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — How much have Danny Manning and Larry Brown meant to the University of Kansas?
Impossible to say for sure, of course. In terms of emotional fulfillment, it's like asking a mother to put a price tag on her new-born.
But as far as money's concerned,
he've meant about $6 million or $7
million.
"Since Larry has been in the program, we've gone to five consecutive NCAA tournaments," said Bob Frederick, Kansas athletic director. "And two years ago we went to the Final Four. This has a tremendous impact on our contributions as well as our ticket sales."
Frederick held a meeting with his staff Tuesday morning to review plans for this week's NCA4 Midwest Regional semifinal in Pontiac, Mich. These trips are expensive. But Frederick's office has one of the Big Eight's healthiest budgets. All that luxury has flowed from the uninterrupted success of the Brown-Manning era.
It's a time that's seen a 55-game home court winning streak, 20-victory seasons, and happy, raucous sellouts.
It's also meant a great deal of money.
"Without doing a lot of research, it's hard to isolate the presence of just Larry Brown and Danny Manning because other things have happened, too, during this time," Frederick said. "But contributions have gone from roughly $1.1 million (annu-
any in the pre-Breary years) to $2.5 million per year."
In other words, in fan and alumn gifts alone, Larry Brown and Danny Manning have meant more than $6 million? Yes, Frederick says. Sort of.
"For accuracy's sake, you have to remember there are other things that make it hard to say basketball alone is responsible for that," he said. "When Monte Johnson took over as athletic director (just prior to firing Ted Owens to hire Brown) he asked people to double their contributions, and a lot of people did. There are other factors."
Danny Manning
This influx of basketball dollars has been especially dear to a school whose football program recently has grown to more than 2,000 eyesores on the Big Eight landscape.
"But it did happen during the time they were here, and that's a fact."
inevitable loss they try hard to accept.
But the ceaseless, undying speculation that Brown will follow his superstar out the door is something they don't want to accept.
"We're at the point where about 35-36 percent of our total revenue comes from private contributions," Frederick said. "The national average for Division I-A public universities is 11 percent. Ours is more than three times what the national average is."
"We're really dependent on this because we're not generating any revenue in football. Our basketball success has a lot of impact on contributions."
Kansans do love their basketball. They threw roses onto the floor March 5 when Manning, the Big Eight's career scoring leader, played his last home game. They know NCAA Midwest Regional semifinal against Vanderbilt on Friday could be his last as a Jayhawk. It's an
Amid this air of constant uncertainty, Frederick adopts the only stance that makes sense
Larry Brown
have raised the level of interest and have level of consciousness of our program back to the level where at some point in the future, when we don't have one or both of those people, we're going to be able to attract somebody really good, somebody to carry on with that success," he said. "Obviously, a player like Danny doesn't come along every four years.
It would be wonderful if one did."
Driven, the question seems
"Danny, and Larry's coaching,
As to Brown, the question seem,
endlessly to echo through the gym —
will he take this job, or that job, or
that job over there? Or, will he
he surprise many people and stay at
Kansas?
"I've said publicly and privately that I have every reason to believe Larry is coming back," Frederick
Vanderbilt familiar for Pritchard
said. "We talk on almost a daily basis about future scheduling and future recruiting and other aspects of our program, have nothing to believe in."
"Now, that doesn't mean that won't happen. But I don't have any reason to believe it is, so I just can't worry about it."
The Associated Press
For Kansas guard Kevin Pritchard, Vanderbilt is a familiar if for middable opponent.
Pritchard's parents live in Nashville, Tenn., home to the team the Jayhawks will face tomorrow night in the semifinals of the NCAA Midwest Regionals.
As a high school senior in Tulsa, Okla. Pritchard traveled to the Vanderbilt campus on a recruiting trip. He also spent one week last summer working at coach C.M. Newton's Vanderbilt basketball camp.
"I got to know their players pretty well, guys like Barry Booker. He's a great player. People don't realize they've played their best," Gobene is a great clutch shooter."
Gohen scored two three-pointers in the final five seconds of regulation in Sunday's overtime victory over Pitt.
will be the favorite.
Over the Christmas holiday,
over the sea, over the bandit,
Paine while visiting his opera
"I think they took something like 33 three-point shots," said Pritchard. "I don't know if I've taken that many all year."
"Who knows? Who cares?" he said. "I just want to have a great time. It'll be a great game. It'll be for bragging rights."
No matter what happens in the KU-Vanderbilt game, however, both teams already have plenty to brave after reaching the NCAA's final 16.
The Jayhawks advanced with a 61-58 victory over Murray State with the help of Pritchard's 16 points, including eight critical ones in a 50-20 stretch in the second half. Danny Manning also contributed by scoring 25, including eight of KU's final 10 points.
Still, Pritchard isn't guessing who
Vanderbilt used a three-pointer by Goheen at the end of regulation to force the overtime. Booker then made a three-pointer and Goheen hit five throws to upset second-seeded Pitt 80-74.
Manning gave KU a 59-58 lead over Murray State with 38 seconds left, and the Racers played for the final shot. Point guard Don Mann, dogged by Scooter Barry, drove the lane and Manning jumped at him, forcing
Manning rebounded, made two free throws with 1 second left, then batted down Murray State's final desperation pass to preserve the victory.
Mann to take an off-balance shot that baned off the glass.
"I told our kids you usually win on a second shoe in a last chance situation," coach Larry Brown said, "and I thought Danny got the biggest rebound of the year."
Vanderbilt was in even deeper trouble against Pitt before Goheen went to work.
First, he hit a three-pointer with 5 seconds left to cut Pitt's lead to one. Then, after Charles Smith hit two free throws to restore the lead to three at the 4-second mark, he hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to force the game into overtime.
Although 7-foot-0 star Will Perdue was on the bench after fouling out, Vanderbilt bolted to a quick six point lead in overtime and held on for the upset victory.
"This team has proven they can play without me," said Perdue, who scored 15 points. "That's the big thing. We're a basketball team of five players. This isn't a one-man show."
'Hawks shed pre-game jitters are ready for semifinal game
By Elaine Sung
Kansan sports writer
Confidence was the key word as the Jayhawks departed for Pontiac, Mich. last night.
"The team's really confident," forward Mike Maddox said. "We're playing well and we're playing together. It's going to be a challenge up in Michigan, but we're not really nervous. We're just really excited."
Kansas will play Vanderbilt tomorrow night in the semifinals of the Midwest Regional. The Jayhawks practiced for two hours yesterday, hoping it wouldn't be their last practice of the season.
"We don't want the season to end," guard Kevin Pritchard said. "Not for another two weeks, at least."
Pritchard practiced yesterday with his right knee taped. He had sprained the knee playing against the Ghosts in a round of the Big Night tournament.
He missed the semifinals against Kansas State but recovered quickly to play in the sub-regions of the NCAA tournament with a fitted knee
brace.
Pritchard shed the knee brace
that is secured without any
support for his knee.
KU trainer Mark Cairns said Pritchard's knee was stable and only needed to be taped for tomorrow's game.
"I'm still not back in shape," Pritchard said. "I sat out for a week and you can get out of shape that way."
Pritchard is more aware of Vanderbilt's style of play than most of his teammates. He had been recruited by the Commodores two years ago and had seen them play during the winter break.
"They really shoot the three-point shot, and they shoot it well. We'll have to play good perimeter defense to stop them." he said.
He said he wasn't feeling any pressure but did feel a little nervous.
Some of the players have found new confidence within themselves from tournament play, including Maddox and sophomore forward Keith Harris, whose performance Sunday against Murray State drew praise from Kansas coach Larry Brown.
"I have a tendency to get nervous before a big game," Pritchard said. "Coach said I always get hyper. I just need to get started early."
"I'm still not happy with how I'm playing," Harris said. "You always have to do better."
Maddox, who scored a career-high 12 points against Kansas State in the semifinals of the Big Eight tournament, has received more game time during the tournaments than he did during the regular season.
"I'm feel a little more comfortable on the floor," he said. "I just want to play some good defense and get some rebounds and do whatever they need done."
Despite Kansas coach Larry Brown's dislike of the zone defense, the Jayhawks practiced the zone yesterday to prepare for Will Perdue, Vanderbilt's seven-foot center.
Mason's imported ex-Kent State staff excited to be here
By Keith Stroker
Kansan sports writer
Kansas coach Glen Mason was not the only person to come here from Kent State this season.
Vic Adamle, running back coach, was an assistant coach for four years at Kent State, and he brings an experienced football background to the University of Kansas.
Mason he brought six assistant coaches with him.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to coach in the Big Eight Conference." Adamle said. "I think the University of Kansas has a lot to offer, and it is exciting to think about what could happen here."
Adamle played fullback from 1979 to 1981 at Eastern Michigan University, where he lettered three times.
After five years at Kent State, Mitch Browning will be the new secondary coach at Kansas. Browning started at linebacker from 1975 to 1978 at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. In 1982, he was an assistant coach who coached Oshawa State, where Mason was the offensive coordinator.
Adamile said the coaching staff would do whatever it took to win, even if it meant getting the players out of bed for a 6 a.m. workout.
That season the Buckeyes were 9-3,
averaged 425.1 yards of total offense
"I was confident that I would be
asked to come and coach at Kansas,
Browning said. "I welcome the challenge to try and turn this program on its head." He said that deserves a great football team.
Browning said a player could find anything he needed in Lawrence: a beautiful campus, academics and a social life.
"After Glen was hired, the assistant coaches at Kent State knew he couldn't take everyone with him to Kansas," Warner said. "After being asked, I thought coming here would be a good move for me. I think Kansas has as good a facility as any place in the country."
Outside linebacker coach Bob Fello was at Kent State longer than the other coaches. After graduating from there in 1974, Floco coached the Golden Flashes' defensive line for nine seasons.
Dave Warner, the new quarterback coach, started at quarterback for Syracuse when it opened the Carrier Dome in 1980. In three years for the Orangemen, he passed for 2,593 yards, completing 209 of 415 passes, third on the all-time Syracuse list.
"I'm looking forward to the challenge of coaching in the Big Eight," Fello said. "The people are very
Warmer coached for four years at State. two with the running backs in the state.
See ASSISTANT, p. 14, col. 1
The shrinking strike zone
NEW RULE
NEW HULE
According to official baseball rules, the strike zone is the area lying over the field. It includes the batter's knees and the midpoint between his shoulders and the top of his uniform pants. The zone is based on the batter's stance as he prepares to swing at a pitched ball.
The strike zone is the space over home plate between the batter's wimple and the top of nines on the pitcher's hand this national stance. The umpire determines the strike zone according to the batter's usual stance when he hits.
OLD RULE
Knight-Ridder Graphi
NOTE: Many umplies were interpreting the strike zone barely above the waist.
Strong hitting powers Royals past Minnesota
The Associated Press
HAINES CITY, Fla. — Danny Tartaball hit a two-run home run in the fifth innning Wednesday as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-2.
Tartabull hit losing pitcher Joe Niekro the knuckleball over the leftfield fence, scoring Bo Jackson, who had singled
Jim Eisenreich had three hits, including a double, and scored three runs. Frank White contributed two hits and drove in the game-winning run in the fourth.
Right-hander Mark Gubica pitched six innings, his longest outing of the exhibition season, and brought his record to 3-0.
Gubicza gave up five hits, including a home run to Kent Hrbek.
Royals center fielder Wille Wilson was carried from the field on a stretcher in the fourth inning after he collided with left fielder Gary Thurman while catching Dwight Lowry's fly.
Wilson bruised his left knee and was expected to be out of action for a few days.
Cardinals 10 Blue Jays 3
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Jose Oqueno's three-run triple in the fifth inning helped the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-3 in an exhibition game Wednesday.
Vanderbilt enjoying tournament success
The Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt Commodores, who faltered badly at the end of the regular season, lost to the NCAA tournament than ever before.
About 4,000 fans showed their appreciation by greeting the team when it arrived Sunday from Lincoln, N.C., No. 8 Pittsburgh 80-74 in overtime.
"It was something," Coach C.M. Norton said. "It was really incredible."
The celebration hardly could have been more frenzed than the last few seconds of regulation play against Pittsburgh earlier Sunday.
The junior from Calvert City, Ky., was, of course, a big hit with the crowd at the Nashville airport.
Barry Goheen hit two three-pointers in the last 5 seconds, the second at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime. He scored five points in overtime and finished with 22.
One of those fans offered this explanation for the outpouring, "Vanderbilt fans don't get to do this often, but when we do, we cheer."
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing for anybody," Goleen said as he and his teammates shook hands and signed autographs in the crowds. "It's incredible. I knew a few people who had been here this kind of crowd this late is unbelievable. It's a credit to our fans, who are very special."
Newton, asked if the heady atmosphere might distract his players
Newton and the Commodores were in the stands Sunday in Lincoln in the Kansas Eagle murray State 85-74 in American Danny Manning's 25 points.
"I'm really not concerned about it," he said. "I think we can handle the distractions. We might make some folks mad in the process, but we'll handle them. Like today, for example, if you want to talk to the guys around campus, and they can't do that. These kids have got to go to class."
before tomorrow night's Midwest Regional semifinals against the University of Kansas, said he doubted it.
"They're an outstanding team," Newton said. "I'm really impressed with them. They've got a great player in Manning, good people to go with him and they're well-coached."
Vandy won against Pittsburgh with star center Will Perdue on the bench during overtime. Perdue fouled Pitt's Charles Smith with 5 seconds to play and kept the Panthers from running out the clock.
Smith made both free throws, giving the Panthers a 69-66 lead, but Gohen's three-pointer at the buzzer forced the extra period.
The victory the third ever for Vanderbilt in NCAA tournament play. The second came Friday after Utah State. The first was in 1965.
Vandy had not been to the NCAA tournament since 1974, when it lost its first game. The Commodores lost five of their last seven games before the NCAA tournament began.