2B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 31 2007
> INTRAMURAL SPORTS
Spring season kicks off Basketball gets more than 200 teams
The Student Recreation and Fitness Center's spring intramural sports season tipped off Sunday, with the first five-on-five basketball games beginning early in the afternoon.
Interest is high again this year, as more than 200 teams are signed up to compete. Pool play will run throughout the next three weeks and teams will be seeded for a tournament that will be held after pool play is complete.
Students have the opportunity to compete in many separate divisions and are not restricted to just one team. The open divisions for both men and women are generally the most popular, as students have the chance to play in either the competitive or recreational sections. Students are also allowed to play on a co-recreational team as well, which also attracts many organizations and groups of friends.
Play consists of two 20-minute halves, with a running clock that only stops during the last two minutes of each contest. One time-out is allotted to each team per half, as well as a three-minute halftime. In co-recreational games, any two-pointer made by a female player counts for three points, while three-pointers they make count for four and free throws for two apiece.
Assistant director of sport programs Kurt Schooley said 224 basketball teams were registered to play this year and 16 additional teams had been put on a waiting list.
"The interest in intramural basketball is pretty similar to last year." Schooley said.
creative when naming their intramural basketball teams.
As always, students were very
This year, the open divisions feature teams named "Good If It Goes," 12 Amazing 4 Words" and "Shake and Bake," while the co-recreational division includes "Big Bucks No Whammes" and the "Slobberknuckers."
In one Monday night game, "2 Amazing 4 Words" defeated "The Architects." 41.34
"It was our first time playing together and we had a balanced attack of guards and big men," Landon Lukens, Medicine Lodge junior, said.
Many other intramural sports and games are being offered this spring, including bowling doubles to Texas Hold 'Em to a bench press competition. One change that has been made this year is holding the regular soccer competition in the spring instead of holding it in the fall. The 3-on-3 soccer competition is now held during the fall semester. Soccer will begin play on March 26.
One new sport being offered is Wallyball. Registration begins Feb. 22.
"Wallyball is like volleyball in a racquetball court." Schooley said. "There are four people on each side, and shots can be played off of the walls."
Racquetball doubles and table tennis doubles are the next sports that will be offered this semester. Sign-ups for these two sports run through Thursday and registration can be done at www.recreation. ku.edu.
Kansan sportswriter Scott Toland can be contacted at stoland@kansan.com.
BY CODY HALE DAILY TEXAN
>> BIG 12 BASKETBALL
For Texas' Durant, NBA can wait Freshman phenom may stave off pros, improve skills on college courts
AUSTIN, Texas -- The answer was a simple one for Kevin Durant.
While Durant has mentioned that the thought of the NBA does cross
Once everyone heard that Durant was headed to Texas, they knew the Longhorns would only get to enjoy him for one season. Let's face it, without the NBA age limit that requires players to be one year removed from high school in order to enter the draft, Durant would have likely bypassed college.
Heck, he even joked about buying a new arena for the Longhorns. In reality, one day he could, if he wanted. However, the new shot clock might come later than expected.
After witnessing yet another malfunction with the Erwin Center shot clock this past weekend against Baylor, Durant offered to help out with the costs of fixing it once he signs his first NBA contract.
his mind from time to time, he leaves most of the talk about his future fortunes up to the national media and fans.
Not only is he leading the conference in scoring (32.7 ppg) and rebounds (13 rpg), Durant is now
And with the season he's having, it's not a stretch of the imagination to still feel that he's gone after this season.
being mentioned as a top candidate for the National Player of the Year award.
The Longhorns aren't even halfway through conference play yet.
When Durant was named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week on Monday, he set a new Big 12 record for most weekly awards in one year with seven: Three Player of the Week honors and four Rookie of the Week awards. He was also named Dick Vitale's "Diaper Dandy of the Week" for the second time this season.
But if Durant had to make up his mind right now about whether or not he wanted to leave college for the NBA, the answer might not be as simple as most expect.
One of the special things about
Durant is that he only cares about getting better on both ends of the court. He knows the money is there waiting for him, whenever he decides to leave college. He also knows that Barnes and his staff can help him become an even better basketball player as he spends more time at Texas.
So, while it's really too early to tell whether or not Durant will stay in college, don't be too surprised if at the end of this season he comes back for his sophomore year.
And if he does decide to stay, the Longhorns could always hit up a player like T.J. Ford for a new shot clock.
The new arena can wait on Durant.
BIG POWER XII RANKINGS
1. Kansas (19-3, 6-1)
1. Kansas (19-3, 6-1)
Can essentially win the conference by defeating Texas A&M and Texas at home.
2. Texas A&M
(17-3, 5-1) Tough road ahead — at Kansas, along with two games against Texas.
3. Texas (15:5, 5-1)
3. **Texas** (15-5, 5-1)
A top-three finish with such a young team would be quite an accomplishment.
5. Texas Tech (15-6, 4-2)
4. Oklahoma State (18,3,4,2)
Can easily spoil the title hopes of either Texas or Texas A&M.
Loss to Missouri killed the momentum gained from knocking off two Top 10 teams.
6. Kansas State
(15.4.2)
A victory in Austin against the Longhorns Saturday could put the Wildcats in position for an NCAA Tournament bid.
7. Oklahoma (12-8, 3-4)
7. Oklahoma (12-8, 3-4)
The Sooners should be good for one upset win at home. Look out, Kansas visits on Big Monday in late February.
8. Baylor (12-9, 2-6)
9. Missouri (13-6, 2-4)
Put a serious scare into Texas Saturday in Austin.
9. Missouri (13-6, 2-4)
Big match up tonight against K.
State in Manhattan.
10. Iowa State
(11-9, 2-4)
Should get rolled by the Aggies tonight in College Station.
11 Nebraska 128
**Nebraska** (12-8, 1-5)
The law of averages lays out after a fried game against the Jayhawks, the Huskers are due to heat up.
12. Colorado (5-13, 1-7)
The Buffaloes may not win another game this year.
athletics calendar TONIGHT:
Women's basketball vs. Texas Tech, 7 p.m. Allen Fieldhouse
THURSDAY:
Baseball vs. Hawaii-Hilo, 11 p.m. Hilo, Hawaii
FRIDAY:
Baseball vs. Hawaii-Hilo,
7 p.m. Hilo, Hawaii
SATURDAY:
Tennis vs. Syracuse, 2 p.m. Winston-Salem, N.C.
Track at Husker Invitational, All day, Lincoln, Neb.
Baseball vs. Hawaii-Hilo,
5 p.m. Kona, Hawaii
Women's basketball vs.
Texas A&M, 6 p.m. College
Station, Texas
Men's basketball vs.
Texas A&M, 8 p.M. Allen
Fieldhouse
Tired of not knowing who you're going home with?
naismith BY OMILY PRIVATE DOWN HALL 785-843-8559 www.campusadv.com
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
The KU Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2007 Homecoming Steering Committee
Co-Directors Meghan Easter Bill Walberg
Community and Campus Outreach Chair Bailey DeReus
Treasurer
Jennifer Denny
Awards Chair
Hollie Dawson
EXCEL and Spirit Sprint Chair Laura Sutton
Special Events Co-Chairs
Trey Anderson
Jay Benedict
Parade Co-Chairs Alyson Rodee David Wilcox
Publicity Co-Chairs Meredith Larsen Clark Stinson
Sponsorship Chair Rachel Barnes
Daily Events Co-Chairs
Morgan Shirley
Brian Teeefey
Advisors
Jennifer Alderdice
Julie Hayes
Jessica Ward
Congratulations Jayhawks!
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
The University of Kansas
www.kualumni.org