8B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2007
>> SECOND ROUND OR BUST
Let's make K-State remember tonight
Let me explain my love-hate relationship with Jayhawk basketball.
The feelings I have for Kansas basketball can be compared with any relationship. Sometimes things are great and I love it more than anything, other times, not so much.
Every time the team loses, it feels like my girlfriend just told me she's cheating on me. Every time I see the team lose at home, it feels like I just walked in and caught her cheating.
If the Jayhawks were my girl friend, wed be on a break right now.
BY ERIC JORGENSEN
KANSAN COLUMNIST
EJORGENSEN/KANSAN.COM
Many of you are as passionate about the jayhawks as I am. When the team plays well, our day is better. If they lose, then our night is shot. Even though we are all upset with them now, the jayhawks can make everything better by obliterating the Wildcats tonight.
Tonight's game against Kansas State is a landmark one. This season is the one that Kansas State has passed Missouri as Kansas's biggest rival. Missouri hasn't been much of a contest in recent years. K State on the other hand defeated Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse last year.
They hired the big name head coach, Bob Huggins, and are landing some of the nation's top recruits. At 6-2 in the Big 12 Conference, tied for second with Kansas, K-State is in position to spoil Kansas' conference hopes.
Losing tonight would solidify K-State as a power player. The Wildcats would be one win away from winning streak in the fieldhouse, and our dominance in the rivalry could be heading toward a stalemate.
With that said, it is important not to lose faith in our boys. When Huggins and his purple Teletubbies come to the Fieldhouse, we as fans have to be louder and crazier than ever. As loud as we were on Saturday, we need to be louder. The public address people need to turn up the pre-game montage up another notch. Wildcat players and
fans should shutter hear U2 ringing in their ears when they sleep that night.
Every K-State possession; we need to scream until our lungs give out, and we need to applaud every Jawhay as they are substituted in and out of the game. Let's help our players make Huggins' first game in the fieldhouse an embarrassment for him and not us.
A testament to loyalty is sticking with your team through thick and thin. Most of us did that Saturday, rooting for our team as they jogged off the court, even though we were frustrated. Lucky for us, we can take out our current frustrations on the Wildcats.
So, like any relationship, we will move on. We will get past the "argument" we had on Saturday and try to make up tonight. We will all love Jayhawk basketball regardless of wins and losses.
Tonight, it is our duty to make the fieldhouse hell for opposing players on the court, because this is one game we cannot lose.
Jorgensen is a Baldwin City senior in journalism.
Edited by Ryan Schneider
12 RANKINGS
1. Texas A&M (20-3, 8-1)
The Aggies have just two tough games — at Oklahoma State and at Texas — remaining.
2. Kansas (19-4, 6-2)
The Jayhawks will likely have to win out and get some help to win a third straight league title.
2. Kansas (19-4, 6-2)
4. Kansas State (17-6, 6-2)
The Wildcats are the Big 12's hottest team, having won seven games in a row.
3. Texas (16-7, 6-3)
3. Texas (16-7, 6-3)
It's too bad freshman phenom Kevin Durant doesn't have more experience around him.
5. Texas Tech (15-9, 4-5)
The Red Raiders have key road games against Oklahoma State and Texas A&M looming on the horizon.
The Cowboys are awful on the road They've lost all three road conference games by an average of 20 points.
6. Oklahoma State (18-4, 4-3)
7. Oklahoma (13-8, 4-4)
Considering what he had to work with, coach Jeff Capel has done a solid job in his first season in Norman.
8. Nebraska (14-8, 3-5)
B. Nebraska (14-8, 3-5)
Bounded from a pounding by Kansas with an impressive road victory at Missouri.
9. Iowa State (12-11, 3-6)
Coach Greg McDermott is finding out life on the road in the Big 12 is tough.
The Cyclones are just 1-3 in conference play away from Hilton Coliseum.
10. Missouri (14-8, 3-6)
The Tigers lost at home to Nebraska killed any momentum they had going.
The NIT is certainly a stretch now.
11. Baylor (12-10, 2-7)
Just another typical basketball season in Waco.
12. Colorado (6-13, 2-7)
The Buffaloes pulled off the upset of the conference season by defeating No. 12 Oklahoma State in Boulder.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas State coach Bob Huggins has the Wildcats on the verge of an NCAA Tournament berth in his first season in Manhattan, Huggins will coach in the first Sunflower game tonight.
Wooldridge crippled a talented bunch, leading them to a mere 15 victories.
K-STATE (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
"I really felt K-State had good players," Self said "I was at Oklahoma State when Coach (Eddie) Sutton got the job and when he walked in, there was just a different feeling because he had a great track record. I think that's the same thing that's happened in Manhattan."
Edited by Stacey Couch
Although the Wildcats are playing well now, they struggled early in the season. Kansas State starled 10-6 and lost badly to New Mexico, California and Xavier. Established players such as Carter Martin, David Hoskins and Lance Harris are a big reason for the recent turnaround. Early on, they struggled to fit in Huggins' system, and now they are thriving.
this year," Self said. "Toughness can be defined in a lot of ways, but K State's got a presence. They've done a great job instilling that."
"Our seniors were in the same position as our freshmen because they didn't have any idea what we wanted to get done." Huggins said. "And I think you go through a process where you think too much, and you don't play and react. I think they're getting to the point where they can just play and not think about what they're supposed to do."
Kansan sportswriter Mark Dent can be contacted at mdent@kansan.com.
That was especially evident Saturday when K-State earned its best victory of the season against Texas.
73-72. The Wildcats are now on the verge of an NCAA Tournament berth and their success can be traced to Huggins. His team is playing with the fire and toughness that all of them did for years at Cincinnati.
Self has noticed this and expects a good game Wednesday.
"I think they're doing a good job of combining toughness with poise
the crime life
Bob Huggins Cincinnati players weren't exactly perfect citizens during his tenure. Here are a few of the best.
came after he broke a man's jaw for scratching his car.
Art Long — After a long night of partying in 1995, Leng decided to end the night in everybody's ideal way. He punched a police horse. Long was acquitted
Ruben Patterson — After Patterson left Lincoln, he pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault of his family's nanny in 2001. This
B.J. Grove — In 2000, Grove was indicted for domestic violence after allegations that he pushed his pregnant girlfriend into a bathtub.
Donald Little — This guy is Huggins most versatile criminal. First, he allegedly kicked a bartender in the rips. Later the same month he got charged with a DUI. After pleading guilty to reduced charges for those crimes, he waited
another year before making more magic. This time, Little accused his roommate of stealing money and allegedly struck him with a whiskey bottle, stabbed him, beat him with a weight lifting bar and scalded him with a red hot hanger. After all this, Little allegedly told friends to dump the body in Columbus, Ohio.
Sources: citybeat.com, Seattle Times, Rocky Mountain News
BASKETBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
thinks he will be able to do.
"This is quickly going to become a very talked-about rivalry again," he said. "I think anytime somebody beats you, you want to get them back."
To do that the Jayhaws will have to come up with an answer for Wildcat guard David Hoskins. Hoskins is a near-identical match with Jayhawk guard Brandon Rush, except that he will occasionally play at the forward position.
"He's a real good slasher," sophomore forward Julian Wright said. "He can get to the free-throw line."
guard.forward, Cartier Martin. He's not a starter, but he leads the team in scoring with 15.5 points per game. Martin and Hoskins are responsible for 42 percent of the Wildcats' scoring. On Saturday, Martin made seven three-pointers in a victory against Texas.
"I've never hit seven threes in a game in my life," Rush said. "He's good."
Hoskins will be joined by another
The Wildcats won that game against the Longhorns with a big second-half comeback. That would be enough to give the team confidence even if the layhawks take an early lead.
higher than the jawhaws in the conference standings.
"I think the fans will be a little more crazy than what they're used to being," Rush said. "But they're going to go crazy anyway, just because it's K-State."
Self said he watched the video of last year's loss, but won't be dwellling on it, because this year's K-State team plays with a different style.
That style is reminiscent of the one that Kansas and Texas A&M play. Expect a lot of defense, plenty of hustle, and a crazier-than-normal crowd when the game begins tonight.
Kansan senior sportswriter Michael Phillips can be contacted at mphillipsekansan.com.
Regardless of who comes out strong, the Allen Fieldhouse crowd will be out in full force. Losing to Kansas State would be bad enough, but a loss tonight would be worse because the Wildcats would be rated
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— Edited by James Pinick
Queers & Allies presents Ho' Down
Games:
- Bob for Apples
- Best dressed Cowboy/CowGirl
- Yee-haw Yell
LIQUID
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@ 10:30 PM
Wednesday, February 7th
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Kansas vs. Missouri Saturday, February 10 Bagels and Basketball 2007
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