THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23
SPORTS
》 DO THE DREW
3B
Point guard shines off the bench
Editor's note: This column was written before it was made public that Russell Robinson injured his foot, and that Sherron Collins would take his place in the starting lineup.
at least not in recent history.
Kansas has never had a point guard quite like Sherron Collins not in recent history.
Aaron Miles and Jacque Vaughn were assist men, and Jeff Boschse could hit the three. But none of them were point guards who could get to the basket and score, one who could step up, make the clutch shot and carry a team on his back. That's Collins in a nutshell.
What makes Collins more likeable is that he has no he. He is a point guard that takes control of a game yet remains unselfish. Clearly, the way he has been playing warrants him a starter spot.
BY DREW DAVISON
KANSAN SPORTS COLUMNIST
DDAVISON@KANSAN.COM
Coach Bill self said after the K-State game that Collins was worthy of starting, but Collins said he was OK coming off the bench.
"I don't want to ruin team chemistry," Collins said after he carried the Jayhawks against instate rival K-State with a team-high 20 points.
Collins said he looked at Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers as big brothers and didn't want to cause any unnecessary distractions.
How can't you like a player like that?
When you look around the Big 12 Conference, there are a few good point guards — Texas A&M's Acie Law, Texas' DJ. Augustin and Texas Tech's Jarris Jackson — that have equal or better talent than
When you look around the country, there are just a few more point guards — Ronald Steele at Alabama, Ty Lawson at North Carolina and Taurean Green at Florida — that might be better than Collins.
Collins.
But the way Collins has come on since big 12 play, his hard not to mention his name among the best point guards in the nation.
As Kansas' regular season winds down, it is clear that Collins needs to be in the game at least 30 minutes — he's too valuable.
No question Robinson is a great defender and assist man, and Chalmers has broke out of his brief shooting slump, but they don't bring to the table what Collins does.
For now, it's great that Collins is content being the first man off the bench, but will he be all right coming off the bench next year, too? I know it too early to be thinking
about next year, so I'll stick to this one.
If Kansas wins out and gets some, OK maybe a lot, of help, it will have an chance at a No.1 seed. It is unlikely the layhawks will get it, but on the bright side, the No.2 seed in the Midwest region would be great too.
Ranked No. 2, the Jawahrows would see first and, hopefully, second round games in Chicago (where Collins and Julian Wright are from) and then move on to St. Louis, again hopefully, for the regional games.
If the lahayaks are going to make any sort of run in March, Collins will have to carry the team (unless Brandon Rush and Wright play like they did at Missouri).
Davison is an Overland Park senior in journalism.
Edited by Trevan McGee
Bowlers place first at Hoosier Classic
TEN PINS
BY SCOTT TOLAND
The University of Kansas men's bowling team brought home a victory from the Hoosier Classic in Indianapolis last weekend. They claimed both the first-place team and individual championships.
The tournament featured 54 teams, including the top 16 teams in the nation.
Justin Hodge, bowling team coach and advisor, said that he was very pleased with last weekend's results and that he was optimistic about the team's future.
"First of all, we have an extremely young team. Our expectations are to make it to sectionals," he said, "and this is ultimately our goal every year."
The top 64 teams in the nation qualify to go to one of four sectional tournaments. The top four teams from their respective sectionals advance to the
2007 United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships, which will take place in Wichita in April.
"I really think we should be a favorite to advance to nationals in any of the sectionals we are placed in," Hodge said. "We're really looking to make it to nationals because they are held in Wichita this year. Hopefully we can drum up some support for the national championship."
Trent Overbey, Berryton senior, claimed the individual bowling championship at the Hoosier Classic after averaging a score of 209 per game. Of more than 320 bowlers in the tournament, only four averaged 200 or more.
Kansan sportswriter Scott Toland can be contacted at stoland@kansan.com.
>> TENNIS
Edited by Lisa Tilson
Doubles chemistry provides consistency
BY RUSTIN DODD
In a season packed with injuries and inconsistent play, the No. 1 doubles duo of junior Elizaveta Avdeeva and sophomore Edina Horvath has been a stabilizing tour de force. Despite the team's 2-7 record, Avdeeva and Horvath have been consistent winners at the No. 1 doubles position, posting a 7-2 record.
"The chemistry between us really works." Avdeeva said. "We can feel each other. I can feel when she's working, and it gives me that attitude to work."
"It it kind of happens like that. Our first match we enjoyed playing with each other. It just worked."
The duo began their partnership last fall and were an instant success, winning the ITA Central Region Championships in Tulsa, Okla. Avdeeva remembers immediately becoming comfortable with Horvath.
The duo has become even more
polished during the spring, and has shown an uncanny knack to instinctively know where the other is going to be.
"Chemistry is just a huge part of college tennis regardless," coach Amy Hall-Holt said. "They mesh well together, and it's important to have that chemistry and that motivation towards each other. You know once you step out on the court, my partner's going to help me get it done."
Adeveva and Horvath will once again need to play well this weekend. Following a 4-3 victory against Utah, the team will try to make it two in a row as it travels on the road to play Oklahoma State. Oklahoma State comes into the dual 3-0 and ranked 41st in the Fila/National Tennis Rankings. The Cowgirls have wins over Arkansas-Little Rock, Rice and Indiana State. Kansas lost a close 4-3 dual when the two teams met last year.
Oklahoma we tend to pick it up a notch." Hall-Holt said. "We had the win over Utah, and the girls have gotten their motivation and now they realize every time we step out on the court, how important it is to be a team and to take accountability."
"It seems that when we head to
The dual will be the third road trip of year for the layhawks and the third time playing outdoors. The team is currently 0-2 on the road after losses to Syracuse and Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C. Still, Hall-Holt felt good after a strong workout Thursday.
"They got out and they worked hard and the momentum was going. If we can take what we did today and our attitudes, I think we'll do well this weekend."
Kansan sportswriter Rustin Dodd can be contacted at rdodd@kansan.com
- Edited by Will McCullough
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL GAME Kansas Wheelhawks vs. Kansas City Thunder
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