OKLAHOMA
STATE
UNIVERSITY
BIG 12 TEAMS NATIONALLY RANKED
No.10 Texas is the highest ranked baseball team in the conference. Several Big 12 pitchers threw complete games in last weekend's action.
TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2007 WWW.KANSAN.COM
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
PAGE 1B
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Similar name, different paths
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Freshman forward Darrell Arthur came to Kansas as one of the most highly sought after recruits in the country. He stayed in the national spotlight after joining the Jayhawks.
Darrell, Darnell took different routes to Kansas
inion forward Darnell Jackson had a slow freshman season, but has now earned a spot in the Jahlvhows' rotation. He made big plays in Sunday's same against Texas.
BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS
Just one letter separates Darrell and Darnell. The two forwards have the same position, coming off the Kansas bench to replace the starters. They've also both improved their performance in the final weeks of the season.
After those surface-level observations, though, Darnell Jackson and Darrell Arthur couldn't be more different.
Arthur, a freshman, came to Kansas as one of the most highly
"When he first came to Kansas, people said he wasn't good enough to play at Kansas."
SHAWN
JACKSON
Darnell Jackson's
mom
sought-after recruits in the country. After attending high school in Dallas, he leaned heavily toward going to school at Baylor, but the recruiting efforts of coach Bill Self paid off and he came to Kansas. Since joining the team, he's continued to stay
in the national spotlight, and ESPN projects that he would be selected in the lottery portion of this year's NBA draft if he made himself eligible.
Jackson will probably never hear his name called by the NBA commissioner. He initially joined the Jayhawks carrying a different label — overrated.
"When he first came to Kansas, people said he wasn't good enough to play at Kansas. He wasn't on JR, Giddens' level," his mother, Shawn, told. "I told him not to worry about what other people say. It's the man who's coaching that matters."
Self saw potential in Jackson, but it wasn't realized immediately. He started with a sluggish freshman season. Then, as he was getting ready to start his sophomore season, he found out he would be suspended for the first nine games because he violated NCAA rules by "accepting impermissible benefits from a Kansas donor."
Now in his junior season, Jackson has finally earned a spot in the Jayhawk rotation. His large size disguises a speed and athleticism that comes in handy when he guards
players who can make longer shots. When Ilian Wright picked up his fourth foul, Jackson was called on to guard Texas superstar Kevin Durant.
"He was making shot after shot," jackson said, "I was like, man, it's a 6-foot-10 big man bringing the ball down and making threes."
Jackson was able to hold Durant in check, and Brandon Rush helped out defensively as Kansas
forced overtime, ultimately winning the game.
But while jackson was making big plays in a nationally televised game, Arthur was sitting on the bench in pain.
He had taken an elbow to the groin from a Texas player, and was suffering a bruise that was keeping him out of the game. On
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE3B
>> THE RANT
High level of confidence will help in tournament
BY RYAN COLAIANNI
KANSAN SPORTS COLUMNIST
RCOLAIANNI@KANSAN.COM
After Sunday's 22-point comeback against Texas, the second double-digit comeback in eight days, is there anything that members of the Kansas basketball team think they cannot do?
Their confidence has to be at a season high.
Sure the game against Texas on Sunday had no implications on where Kansas would go in the NCAA tournament since the game concluded a half-hour before the NCAA tournament selection show, but it will help the team during the tournament. Close wins always help.
Something like this would not have happened last year. Kansas did have a great comeback against Oklahoma in 2006, but it also lost by nearly 20 to Texas, in a game that was never really competitive.
This is a different team than last year's team. This team does not have that deer in the headlights look, not knowing where to turn, that I saw in Detroit in last year's NCAA Tournament against Bradley. Everyone on the team, all the way down to the freshmen, believe that they can get it done.
Teams are going to have to be wary of that in the coming weeks. They will not know whom to guard in a close game with less than a minute to play.
If they focus on Brandon Rush, then Mario Chalmers hits the shot. If they focus on Chalmers then Sherron Collins can drive to the basket. If they focus on Collins, then Russell Robinson can hit the shot. It is a great luxury for Bill Self to have and it is going to pay dividends.
This team honestly believes that it can come back from any deficit,
SEE COLAIANNI ON PAGE 3B
SOFTBALL
Pitcher not happy with her game
BY EVAN KAFARAKIS
After a lengthy time away from home, the Kansas softball team will be playing at home one last time before hitting the road again.
The Jayhawks a doubleheader against UMKC with the first game starting at 2 p.m. at Arrocha Ballpark today.
The Jayhawks have won 10 of their last 12 games and won the Jayhawk Invitational last weekend.
Kansas is 18-1 all time against the Kangaroo.
Leading the way for the layhawks has been senior pitcher Kassie Humphreys.
Humphreys is 10-2 on the year and is looking to improve coming off a no-hitter performance last week.
end in the championship game against New Mexico. She struck out eight but walked seven and was often behind in the count.
Coach Tracy Bunge said after the game that she was pleased with the pitching staff as of late and hopes that the offense can produce.
"I didn't feel like I was on top of my game," Humphreys said after the game.
The Jayhawks are 14.0 when they score the first run of the game.
Kansan sportswriter Evan Kafarakis can be contacted at ekafarakis@kansan.com.
Edited by Sharla Shivers
》 BASEBALL
Matchup provides opportunity to end skid
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
BY ALISSA BAUER
The Jayhawks will try to bounce back from being swept by Arkansas when they take on a struggling Penn State team this evening at Halloween Ballpark.
Kansas (11-8), who will play host to the Penn State Nittany Lions (2-8), hopes to be the one to do it beginning tonight at 5 a.m. Hoglund Ballpark.
Penn State continues its tour through Kansas this evening after being swept at No. 12 Wichita State this weekend.
One team has to snap it
There is a positive aspect to two teams on a losing streak facing off against one another.
Fresh off a sweep of its own at No. 9 Arkansas (13-5) this weekend. Kansas will use its midweek opponents, Penn State and Wichita State, as final preparation before Big 12 Conference play kicks off next
"I think it'll prepare us for Texas A&M pitching a little better," sophomore lefty Andy Marks said. "It's hard to go from seeing those guys this week to seeing one of these teams who is one of the best pitching teams in the country. Hopefully, it'll help us this week."
weekend.
Marks is referring to the matchups the layhawks faced before traveling to Arkansas last week. The games against Tabor College and Baker University resulted in 18-2 and 24-7 victories.
What the Jayhawks got in confidence and batting practice, they surrendered in competition.
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 3B