10A SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2007
>> WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
KANSAS VS. COLORADO 7 TONIGHT, ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, LAWRENCE
OFFENSE:
Neither the Jayhawks nor the Buffaloes are going to dazzle the crowd with spectacular offenses. Both teams are ranked near the bottom in most Big 12 Conference statistical categories. Kansas is last in field goal percentage at 39 percent. Colorado is last in assists with 12 per game. The Jayhawks, however, finally have three players they can count on to score every time they take the floor. Senior guard Shaquina Mosley, junior forward Taylor McIntosh and freshman forward Danielle McCray have combined to score 73 percent of Kansas points in its last three games. Colorado forward jackie McFarland averages 18 points a game and is shooting a commendable 63 percent. The Buffaloes second leading scorer Jasmina Illic averages 14 points a game, but only shoots 36 percent, much like Kansas' second leading scorer, freshman guard Kelly Kohn, who is shooting 33 percent. The offenses seemed pretty even until last week when Colorado put up 60 points and 70 points against Kansas State and Texas Tech, respectively. That's more than Kansas has scored in any Big 12 game.
DEFENSE:
Advantage:
Despite their 0-9 conference record, the Jayhawks are usually able to hang with every opponent. This is thanks to their efficiency on the defensive end. Senior guards Shaquina Mosley and Sarahita Smith never lack intensity and make it hard for opponents to get into a rhythm from the perimeter. Inside the paint, Kansas' defensive efforts have been a different story. In the post, teams not only get into rhythm, they march away and win games with it. McFarland's physical style under the basket is precisely what weakens the Jayhawks overall defensive grade. The 6-foot-3 junior is also the Buffalooes' best defensive player, averaging 11 rebounds per game. McFarland's size advantage will also enable her to add to her 24 blocks on the season. The Jayhawks shouldn't test her too much though and will likely settle for more jump shots. Plus, if McIntosh can stay out of foul trouble, she should be able to help Kansas weather the storm inside the paint.
MOMENTUM:
While everyone else is doubling that Kansas will ever win a conference game, coach Bonnie Henrickson and her players are adamant that it's coming, and the persistence is for good reason. The Jayhawks have hung with nearly all team they've faced in the Big 12. The players describe it as hard and frustrating to lose like they are again and again, but they aren't showing it. Game after game, Kansas has a positive outlook and thinks it can win next time. A week ago, it probably looked like a home date against the Buffalooids was the Jayhawks best chance to end the losing streak. At that point, Colorado was next to last in the Big 12 at 2-6. Things have changed. In the last six days, the Buffaloids have beaten both the Wildcats and the Lady Raiders. The Jayhawks lost to each of those teams earlier in the season.
Advantage:
Advantage:
- Case Keefer
Edited by Joe Caponio
MEN'S BASKETBALL (CONTINUED FROM 12A)
His presence makes game planning easier for A&M coach Billy Gillispie. The team tries to get Law the ball, and then get out of the way while he makes a play.
The lavahawks don't have any one player that dominates the game in clutch situations. Self said that it changed the way he coached, but he thought that his players were good about actively creating plays.
"I don't quite buy into the thinking that everybody is sitting around watching and waiting for somebody
else to do it," he said.
The players agreed that the problems on Saturday were on the defensive end. In the final three possessions of the game the Aggies scored eight points, negating what the Kansas offense was doing on the other end.
"We just have to get into a mode where we can close the game," sophomore forward Julian Wright said. "That's something we have to work on and learn from."
With only one day remain
ing before the K-State game, Set doesnt want his players dwelling on the loss.
"We want it to sting, but not to the point where it affects the next game" he said. "It's not like we didn't play well on Saturday."
Kansan senior sportswriter Michael Phillips can be contacted at mphillipskeansan.com.
Edited by Sharla Shivers
Service ace rejected
Jon Way/ASSOCIATED PRESS
James Blake returns a serve against Xavier Mazeil of Belgium during the singles finals at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships in Delray Beach, Fla., on Monday. Maliseet beat top-seeded 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
BIG 12 BASKETBALL
Fans welcome Aggies home
BY DOUG TUCKER ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nobody seemed to care that it was dark and cold and very late when Texas A&M players and coaches got home Saturday night from what could be a breakthrough victory at Kansas.
People were standing in the cold at the airport to greet them anyway. Many others were waiting at Reed Arena, where the victorious Aggies went to leave their gear before heading home after their 69-66 win.
"There were some people at the airport and a lot of people at Reed," said coach Billy Gillispie, who's drawing national attention for his amazing turnaround of the team in just three seasons.
how nice people are."
"It was really nice. It was something that happens in a lot of places," Gillispie said.
"Hopefully, we're going to create enough excitement that it'll become common. I don't think anyone should expect anything like that, but it's really appreciated. It shows
It also shows how appreciative Aggie fans are of a team that took over first place in the Big 12 with a come-from-behind victory in Kansas' Allen Fieldhouse, where Big 12 South teams had been 0-31 until then.
On Monday, Texas A&M moved up four spots, from No. 10 to No. 6, in The Associated Press college basketball poll. Kansas dropped from No. 6 to No. 9.
Acie Law, the senior guard who scored 10 of Texas A&M's final 13 points, was winner of the Big 12 player of the week award. He was 9-of-18 from the field against the layhawks and had seven assists and two steals.
"Billy's really done a nice job with Acie," said James Dickey, Oklahoma State assistant coach. "I thought he was a very talented player. He came out of a successful high school program. Now he's embraced coach Gillspie's philosophy. He's really matured. He's been a great leader for the Aggies."
The nearly unstoppable 6-foot-9 Durant averaged 34.5 points and 16 rebounds in two games, a victory over Texas Tech and a loss to Kansas State. Against the Red Raiders, he had 37 points and 23 rebounds.
Many are hailing the Big 12's dominant big man as the best college basketball player in the country. Russ Springmann, the assistant who helped head coach Rick Barnes win a national recruiting war to sign Durant out of Sutland, Md., said he has been watching Durant mature.
Chosen Big 12 freshman of the week for the fifth time this year was Texas' Kevin Durant.
and we didn't get stops. In the last nine possessions of the game, they scored 15 points. In our last nine possessions, we scored four points."
"Kevin has embraced the college experience, and he's taken advantage of every opportunity he's had," Springmann said. "He's grown off the court as much or more than he has on the court. He's still only 18. He's learning to manage his time, and becoming a young man."
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Law hit A&M's biggest shot of the season when he canned a go-ahead 3-pointer over Brandon Rush with just about 20 seconds left. He then made two free throws to ice the win that sent the Aggies into their game Monday night against Texas in sole possession of first place.
Durant went into the week leading the Big 12 in scoring with 33.1 points per game, 14 points better than Law, who is No. 2. His 13.8 rebounds per game also topped everyone else in the league, as did his field goal percentage of .544.
While Law took control of the game in the final minutes, Kansas seemed to lose its way. It is as though the layhawks, who are with out a senior, are lacking a leader.
"As far as basketball, he's always wanting to learn more, is constantly asking how to work on his game, how he can add to his game," Springmann said. "He can have nights like he did against Texas Tech and he asks, 'How was my defense?' He doesn't want to be a very good player. He wants to be one of the best."
"I would say that has been the case occasionally," said Kansas coach Bill Self. "It hasn't been the case sometimes. We wasted some possessions, but they scored nine points on their last three possessions. You've got to have some stops