University Daily Kansan / Tuesday, March 8, 1988
Sports
9
'Hawks win Big Eight tournament at buzzer Team earns automatic NCAA spot
By Keith Stroker
Kansan sports writer
SALINA — Kansas forward Lisa Baker hit a three-foot bank shot as the buzzer sounded, giving the Jayhawks a 70-69 victory over the Colorado Buffaloes and a second straight women's Big Eight Conference Tournament Championship.
Baker, who made eight of 10 field goals attempts, led the Jayhawks with 21 points and six rebounds. She said the last play originally was designed so that Deborah Richardson would get the ball.
"I set a pick for Richardson so that she could get the ball," Baker said. "When she wasn't open, I got the pass from (Lisa) Braddy. I was ready. I wasn't surprised when I got the ball."
Baker's basket came after Colorado's guard Tracy Tripp made a jump shot in the lane with 11 seconds to play, giving the Buffaloes a 69-68 lead.
Kansas, 21.9, will receive the Big Eight's automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. The 40-team tournament will begin March 16.
Despite being held to just 12 points last night, Kansas forward Sandy Shaw was voted the Most Valuable Player for the tournament. Shaw scored 33 points in Sunday's semifinal game against Nebraska. She said she was prepared for the Colorado defense.
"I knew they were going to come out on me hard tonight," Shaw said. "I was looking to get the ball inside. When I did take the shot, I felt like it was a good shot. It felt good."
Joining Shaw on the All-Tournament team was Jayhawks forward Lisa Dougherty. Other first team selections were Missouri senior Tracy Ellis, Colorado senior Erin Carson and Nebraska senior Maurt Ivy, who was last year's MVP
Dougherty said that making the first team was nice, but that the main thing was to win the championship. She scored 45 points in the tournament.
"Other teams tried to intimidate us all season because of the championship last year." Dougherty said. "We didn't listen to them. We just continued with our game plan and it paid off tonight."
Kansas was 9-1 in games decided by three points or less this season. The Javahaws' only loss came
against the Buffaloes, 56-55, on Feb. 6 in Lawrence. The Jayhawks defeated Colorado on Jan. 20, 72-71, in Boulder.
Dougherty said the fact that Kansas had played well in the close games should help them in the NCAA tournament.
Kansas coach Marian Washington said Colorado played a good game and should, as well as Nebraska, receive an at-large bid to the tournament.
"Colorado is a well-coached team, and they deserve a lot of credit for their effort," Washington said. "I want to thank God for the opportunity to win again. It wasn't easy because we had to heat a great team tonight."
Washington said the victory this year was not much different than last year
"I don't think anyone expected us to do it last year, but we came in and won," Washington said. "This year, people thought we probably had a shot, but with the parity in this conference, it was tough for anybody to win it. It'm just happy for our seniors and our other players who had a chance to experience both."
Colorado, 20-10, had three players score 15 points, including Carson. She said the game could have gone either way.
"We lost the game, and it was an important one," Carson said. "But, we played one heck of a ballgame. I think we have a good chance for an NCAA bid. It's not going to be over yet. I'm not ready to take my uniform off, and I'm not sure when I will."
Colorado coach Ceal Barry was disappointed and said neither team deserved to lose.
"I give credit to Kansas and Marian for their win," Barry said. "Both teams are quality teams. We knew the Big Eight title would come down to how everyone played defensively. Kansas kept us out of our rhythm all night and we never seemed to flow in our offense.
"What a nightmare the finish was. It's hard to believe it's over. You want one more tick on the clock."
The game, which was close throughout, was tied at 40 at half-time. Colorado led for most of the first half and its biggest lead was six points. The Buffaloes led 32-26 with six minutes left, and with 2:15 left, they led 38-32.
In the second half, Kansas took the
lead 45-44 for the first time in nearly 18 minutes on a basket by Baker at the 17:28 mark. The Jahaywks built the lead to five points with 10:03 left, but never led by more than three points the rest of the way.
Contributing to the Kansas victory were Dougherty with 14 points, Richardson with six rebounds and Braddy with seven assists.
Bridget Turner and Crystal Ford each scored 15 points for Colorado. Carson made three of four threepoint shots, and Tracy Tripp added six rebounds and six assists for the Buffaloes.
Kansas had two players set tournament records during the weekend. Shaw had seven three-point baskets against Nebraska for an 87.5 percent three-point shooting average. Both are single-game records. Richardson also set records for blocked shots in a game, seven against Colorado, and in a tournament, 11.
Kansas 70 Colorado 69
Kansas
| | M | FG | FT | A | R | F | T |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Shaw | 34 | 5-13 | 1-2 | F | 5 | 4 | 12 |
| Straugher | 26 | 8-10 | 5-6 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 12 |
| Braddy | 27 | 6-10 | 5-6 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 27 |
| Dougherty | 35 | 6-9 | 2-3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Jackson | 35 | 6-9 | 1-3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Paole | 35 | 1-3 | 2-3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Richardson | 35 | 3-6 | 0-6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Team | 35 | 3-6 | 0-6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Total | 29-6 | 11-17 | 12-32 | 17 | 14 | 70 |
totals
    FG: 580, FT: 647. Three-piece goals: 1- (2:5W). Blocked Shots: 9 (Richardson 7). Turnovers: 19 (Shaw 8). Stainless: 5 (Richardson 2). Technicals: None.
| | M | FG | FT | R | A | F | Tp |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Wampler | 1 | 2-6 | 4-6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| Tripp | 32 | 4-9 | 0-0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| Ford | 31 | 5-11 | 5-6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 15 |
| Turner | 36 | 4-12 | 7-10 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 15 |
| Carson | 32 | 6-12 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| Wilson | 13 | 0-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Woodford | 9 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DevWitt | 8 | 0-3 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Watts | 18 | 2-8 | 0-0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Totals | 12 | 2-8 | 12-16 | 40 | 10 | 18 | 69 |
Percentages: FG: 409, FT: 750. Threepoint goals: 3-4 (Carson 3-4). Blocked shots: 3 (Tumer, Ford, DeWitte). Turnovers: 11 (Mann, 13). Tackles: 13 (Wampfer 4). Technique: None
Half: Tied 40-40. Officials: Benson, Fisicaro.
A: 3,918
Station Breidenthal/Special to the KANSAN
Kansas women's basketball coach Marian Washington triumphantly holds the basketball net after the Jayhawks defeated Colorado 70-69 last night at the Bicentennial Center in Salina.
Each point crucial when KU, Colorado play for NCAA tournament berth
Associate sports editor
By David Bovce
SALINA - Another one-point game, and it came as no surprise.
For the third time this season, Kansas and Colorado played a one-point game, and for the second time, Kansas won. The score was 70-69.
points separating the two teams. At that point, both teams began trading baskets.
This game, though, meant much more than the previous two. Last night's game determined the Big Eight Tournament Champion.
The dramatics started with about 5 minutes left in the game and only three
On three occasions Kansas took a three-point lead. The last lead came when the Jayhawks went ahead 66-63 on a 13-foot jump shot by senior Lisa Dougherty with about two minutes left.
Colorado then scored four unanswered points to take its first lead in seven minutes, 87-66
With 37 seconds remaining, Lisa Baker hit two free throws, giving Kansas the lead. But with 12 seconds left, Colorado forward Tracy Tripp scored the Buffaloes' final points.
"It was an open shot," she said. "I didn't know how much time was left."
With 10 seconds remaining, Kansas coach Marian Washington called a time out to plot strategy.
"I wanted to set up a play to Deborah Richardson," Washington said. "We thought they would anticipate it enough to leave Baker open."
Colorado coach Ceal Barry said she thought either Sandy Shaw or Lisa Braddy would take the last shot.
Braddy took the in-bound pass and drove to the ton of the kev. With 5 seconds remaining, she dumped a pass to Baker.
Baker turned around and hit a rainbow jumper high off the glass at the buzer. Kansas 70. Colorado 69. The Jayhawks had defended successfully their tournament championship.
championship. The shot by Baker caused the basketball team to rush center court to celebrate in an estatic frenzy.
"That kind of composure under that kind of pressure is something that needs to be commended," Washington said of Baker's shot.
Meanwhile, the Colorado players sat on
the bench in disbelief. Their eyes reddened with tears.
"I hate to see anyone lose this kind of game," Barry said.
Colorado forward Erin Carson said she was proud of her team's effort.
"At least I know we played well," Carson said. "We played a heck of a game and so did Kansas. I just can't believe it's over. I still have my suit on."
In the regular season games Kansas beat Colorado 72-71 at Colorado and lost 56-55 at home.
Seniors leave lasting mark on KU team
Editor's note: This is the second of a four-part series examining the 1987-88 Kansas men's basketball season.
By Elaine Sung
Kansan sports writer
During last week's press conference, senior Chris Piper turned to face teammate Danny Manning on his right.
per person language.
The real question: What will Kansas do without any of the three seniors next season?
"You know, I don't know what he's going to do without me next year," Piper said jokingly.
The team already had to adjust when it lost its first senior, Archie Marshall, to a season-ending knee injury in play against St. John's in December.
Losing Marshall was the first step in what turned out to be a rocky season. Emotionally, it hit the team like a bomb, and the players' reactions following the loss showed how hard Marshall is at the Jayhawk network Marshall was.
He had been injured once before, in Dallas when the Jayhawks were playing Duke in the Final Four. He was redshirted last season in order to rehabilitate the knee. But when Marshall went down for the second time, Kansas coach Larry Brown broke down on the bench, crying in a game for the first time in his coaching career.
"There was no doubt in my mind that he could play like he played before he got hurt," Brown said. "He could have only improved as the season went on."
Marshall's teammates struggled through the experience with him.
During games, Manning wears a white terrycloth band on his right wrist with No. 23 on it in black marker - Marshall's uniform number.
"Archie is the nicest guy I know," Alvarado said. "He worked so hard to get back. It's hard having an injury, and then when you get there, you get hurt again. It's hard to accept."
Redshirt center Sean Alvarado recalled how he and forward Milt Newton had gone over to Marshall's house on New Year's Eve, the day before the operation. The three made dinner together and celebrated the coming of the new year.
It was made a little easier to accept during the last home game, when Brown put Marshall in with 1:33 left. His three-point shot sailed wide of the basket, but seeing him in uniform and on the floor one last time was all his teammates could have hoped for.
That network of support characterizes the team. Their appreciation for each other is evident. When one senior talks about his last year at Kansas, he inevitably brings up one or both of the other seniors.
For example, later in the same news conference, Manning had been talking about how the season had gone.
"Piper here is the heart and soul of the team." he said.
Piper gave him a sidelong glance, but Manning was not ioking.
Even Newton referred to Piper as "Elmer" – as in Elmer's glue. Piper has been the stabilizer, the leader, the link that has always held the team together.
"He gets us where we're supposed
to go." Newton said. "He knows every position on the floor. Sometimes he even tells Danny what to do."
Piper had been hit with injuries himself. He had a minor knee injury in the beginning of the season that was corrected with arthroscopic surgery. But more crucial was the groin pull suffered earlier in a pre-season pick-up game. An operation would be the only way to solve the injury. It would have kept him out of action for an indefinite amount of time.
But Piper refused to let up on his last season. He had been redshirted his freshman year and therefore had no remaining eligibility. He chose to delay the surgery until after the season.
"He wouldn't have allowed me to sit him out, anyway," Brown said. "The doctors assured us that no more damage could be done."
Piper continued playing, often having to sit out during practice with an ice pack because of the pain.
By the middle of January, the roster had been depleted to the limit. The Jayhawks were in a four-game losing streak, and people doubted Kansas' chances for the national tournament.
“Going into this year, we were expecting a lot of things,” Manning said. “It seemed like every time we lost another player, it would knock us down on the ladder a farther.”
Despite the player changes, Manning finished off the year strongly, with five 30-plus games out of the last eight.
But despite scoring 20-plus points in 21 out of 30 games this season, Manning never quite has expressed contentment with his performances. He always tells the press, "I could have done better."
"I've told him all along, it's all going to benefit him," Brown said. "Now he is the most relaxed and comfortable he's ever been. He's never played any better. I just really believe that when he looks back at this, he'll know it has enhanced him and made him better."
The team relied on Manning's inside play, knowing that by giving him the ball inside almost would ensure a basket. But next year, when Manning is no longer here, it may prove to be another tremendous adjustment.
"When you lose someone with that caliber of play, you know it will be hard to adjust," said redshirt forward Mark Randall. "But we the personnel that can handle it and adjust to it next year."
"Danny is a great player, and it'll be sad to see him go. But we lose players every year, and you have to adjust somehow."
Newton said, "It will be a whole lot different without Danny. He made up for a lot of our talent deficiencies. He thinks like a coach when things are down."
But Brown and the team remember what Manning has to look forward to.
Sports Briefs
"You have to look at the bright side," Alvarado said. "He gets to make money next year playing basketball. He's got a future to look forward to."
SOFTBALL TEAM SPLITS GAMES:
The Kansas softball team split a doubleheader with Indiana State at Jayhawk Field yesterday. The Jayhawks won the first game 3-0, scoring all of their runs in the fifth inning. In the second game, Indiana State defeated Kansas 1-0, picking up the winning run in the sixth inning. The Jayhawks are now 3-5.
MASON HIRES STAFF: Kansas foot ball coach Glen Mason on Friday announced his staff for next season.
Mason named Jim Hills defensive coordinator and inside linebacker coach and Pat Ruel offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.
Hilles was Wisconsin's interim head coach in 1986 following the death of Dave McClain. Last season he was defensive coordinator under Mason at Kent State.
Ruel has been offensive coordinator at Northern Illinois for the past two seasons.
Fellow, Browning, Adamile, Mitchell and Warner were all assistants under Mason at Kent State.
Eumont is the only holdover from Bob Valesente's staff last season.
The rest of the staff included Vic Eumont, defensive line; Bob Fellow, outside linebackers; Mitch Browning, secondary; Vic Adamle, running backs; Reggie Mitchell, tight ends; John Hadi, wide receivers; and Dave Warner, quarterbacks.
The Jayhawks will send vaulters Scott Huffman, Patt Manson, Chris
POLE VAULTERS QUALIFY: The Kansas men's track team will send four pole vaulters this weekend to the NCAA Indoor Track Championships in Oklahoma City.
Bohanan and Lance Adams
To qualify for the tournament,
participants must vault 17-3 or bet-
ten.
"It's been a pretty frustrating season for him," said men his assistant track coach Rick Attig. "He'd be doing some things that threw him off, but he's making the changes now. He's jumping extremely well now."
Adams, Raytown, Mo., senior qualified for the national tournament by a vaulting a personal best 17-6 $ _{2} $ at the Central Missouri State Invitational.
Bohanan, Riviera, Texas sophomore, vaulted 17-3 last weekend in the Colorado Invitational.
CONNOLLY INDUCTED: Sheila Connolly, a former outfielder on the Kansas softball team, was inducted into the Kansas Hall of Fame on Saturday during halftime of the Kansas-Oklaima State basketball game.
Connolly played center field for the Jayhawks for three years and also played shortstop for 20 games last season. She earned All-Big Eight honors in 1986 and 1987 and was named first team All-American and academic All-American as a senior in 1967. She holds the Kansas softball record for most career at-bats with 565, and hit 391 in 1987, the second-highest single-season batting average ever.
LACROSSE CLUB LOSES: The Kansas Lacrosse Club opened its season Saturday against Missouri in Columbia. Kansas lost 12-2, with Michael Beaty, St. Louis sophomore, scoring Kansas' only goals.