JAYHAWKS GUN FOR BIG 12 VICTORY 6B The women's basketball team takes on Texas Tech tonight at Allen Fieldhouse. Let game day prepare you for tonight's action.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2007 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
PAGE 1B
KANSAS VS. TEXAS TECH, 7 TONIGHT, ALLEN FIELDHOUSE
'Hawks search for offense Inconsistent scoring leads to winless Big 12 Conference record
BY ASHER FUSCO
With the way things have been going for Texas Tech and Kansas, the University might just as well save some energy and leave the scoreboard turned off tonight.
The offensively challenged Jayhawks play host to the Lady Raiders, who have had some problems of their own when it comes to scoring.
Kansas enters tonight's game ranked last in the Big 12 Conference in both scoring, with 59 points per
game, and field-goal percentage,
at 39 percent. Texas Tech has not
fared much better, ranking second-to-last in scoring, with 64 points per game, and field goal percentage at 41 percent.
Despite its lackluster offensive play, Texas
its first conference victory. The Lady Raiders have been able to win
"The young kids have been thrown into the fire. I'm hoping this experience will pay off."
BONNIE HENRICKSON Women's Basketball Coach
Tech has a 4-3 conference record, while Kansas is still searching for
games without an impressive offense because of their defense, which ranks 4th in the Big 12 in field-goal percentage defense at 36 percent.
gles can be attributed to inexperience. Nearly halfway through the
Kansas ' offensive struggle
conference season, most of the young jayhawks have fallen into a collective slump. Many of the freshmen are, for the first time, beginning to experience the rigors of a long season against exceptional competition.
"The young kids have been thrown into the fire," coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "I'm hoping this experience will pay off and we can find a way to win one."
SEE OFFENSE ON PAGE 6B
Sophomore guard Ivana Catic and the rest of the Jayhawks have suffered through inconsistent conference play. The team looks to change its luck tonight at Allen Fieldhouse against the Lady Raiders of Texas Tech.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Kansas coach Bill Self refuses to allow his players to lose focus with the start of the NCAA tournament only 42 days away. The Jayhawks are currently in first place in the Big 12 Conference
Self wants intensity as season winds down
BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS
While the layhawks are warming up before games, Bill sell won't be found on the Allen Fieldhouse court.
"I don't watch warm-ups," the men's basketball coach said. "Because Id just get mad."
That level of focus and intensity has helped him guide the layhawks to the top of the Big 12 Conference this season. And with the postseason around the corner, he won't be toning it down anytime soon.
That's why when junior guard Rodrick Stewart missed a dunk in
the final minutes of Monday's 76-
56 blowout of Nebraska, Self wasn't
about to ignore the play.
"I have a hard time letting things go," he said. "That's just how I coach, and I'm sure that's how I'll always coach."
There are only 42 days until the first-round games of the NCAA tournament begin. The time between now and then is an opportunity for the layhawks to put the finishing touches on their offense and win some big games against conference foes.
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 3B
Rush named to midseason Wooden All-America team
Sophomore guard Brandon Rush was named to the Wooden Award Midseason All-America Team Tuesday.
At the end of the regular season, the list will be narrowed to 10. After the postseason tournaments, one player will be given the John R. Wooden Award, presented to the best player in college basketball.
Rush had been named to the
The list includes the 30 players, considered to be the best at this point in the season, by the Wooden Award Committee.
watch list before the season be gan. He was named among the five best players in the country to start the season by the Associated Press. Rush shared preseason Big 12 Player of the Year honors with teammate Julian Wright.
He has averaged 14.3 points and six rebounds per game for the Jayhawks, numbers that have both increased since the start of conference play.
Fellow nominee Acie Law of Texas A&M and Rush will face off Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse.
Michael Phillips
》 SECOND ROUND OR BUST
Let's be original creative for ESPN
it's time to put our game day faces on.
This Saturday will be more than just the biggest conference game of the season — it will be Kansas fans' best opportunity to showcase our talents as the best fans in the country.
ESPN College GameDay will set up shop in Allen Fieldhouse and broadcast throughout the day, including the Kansas game against Texas A&M. During a College GameDay broadcast, the cameras constantly catch fans in the back ground talking up their team. The cameras also will randomly scan the crowd, which allows for us fans to be the biggest idiots we can be on national television for two seconds.
BY ERIC JORGENSEN
In those two seconds you have to make your image last. It is up to you to make UConn, Duke and UCLA fans say, "Yep, they're the best." Or if they go to North Carolina, "Daggum! Them's the best fans in all' Dixie. Yipe!"
First, here is something that absolutely no one should do: Every time a camera scans the crowd and I see a group of people all leaning forward, holding up one finger and yelling, "We're number one." I want to punch the person next to me.
If you are so unoriginal that when a camera hits you, all you can think to do is scream like a teenage girl on MTV's Total Request Live and hold up number one, then move to the back and let someone with brainpower take over.
BY ERIC JORGENSEN
KANSAN COLUMNIST
EJORGENSEN@KANSAN.COM
To reinforce our position as the best fans in the country, we need to really take it to the max this Saturday. So, let's brainstorm some ideas that will show some loyalty to our team and make every other school tealous.
Instead, if you're going to yell, make sure everyone else in the building is yelling with you. There should be a never-ending roar that deafens everyone working for ESPN. If they are able to easily broadcast all day, we aren't doing our jobs. I want to see ESPN basketball commentator Digger Phelps turn around and scream at us to shut up and throw a highlighter that matches his tie at us.
Go out and yell your lungs out.
Enjoy the attention while we have it
Saturday's game will be the second of the three biggest games of the year — the first being Oklahoma State and the third being against Texas. Sweeping these teams would be an impressive feat and would give Kansas the confidence it needs to make a March tournament run.
With that said, it's important to not let down against the Aggies. Coach Billy Gillispie is a former assistant to Kansas coach Bill Self, so we can expect to play a team very similar to our own. These kinds of
SEEJORGENSEN ON PAGE 3B
BASEBALL
Family keeps hold on left side
For all but four games over the past two seasons, Erik Morrison and Ritchie Price formed the left side of the Kansas infield. Despite Ritchie's departure to the professional ranks, a Morrison-Price combo remains at third base and shortstop — just not the one in which fans have become accustomed.
BY SHAWN SHROYER
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Since the exodus of the eldest Price brother, Morrison has moved back to his natural position at short
Although Morrison, a junior, hasn't played shortstop since high school and Robby has just a summer's worth of experience at third base. Morrison said their history, which goes back to their teen years, has eased the transition they've had to make.
and freshman Robby Price, the youngest Price brother, has become the new Price presence left of second base.
"I've played with the kid since he was 14 years old." Morrison said of the youngest Price brother. "I know the left side of our infield will be solid. I'm looking forward to it for
For Morrison, a return to shortstop was a welcome one. In his first two seasons at Kansas he became a manystay in the heart of the Kansas batting lineup, but was never able to settle in as a third baseman. While improving his home run total from three in 2005 to 14 in 2006, he led the team in errors both seasons with 24 in each.
sure."
Part of the reason Morrison struggled in the field was that heed played shortstop since he was in grade school, but once he got to Kansas he had to shift to third base, where balls can be on a fielder in the
Now that he's back at shortstop, expectations are even higher for Morrison, but he isn't feeling any pressure. If anything, he said he felt more relaxed than ever.
"I was maybe a little out of my element," Morrison said. "At third base, I could never really get into a rhythm. I'd feel good one day and the next day I'd feel like I was starting from ground zero, like I'd never played there before."
"The whole aspect of my game
blink of an eve.
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 3B
Amanda Sellers/KANSAN
Shortest supervisor Erik Morison and Freshmen third basemen Robbie Price form the new left side of the Jayhawk's defense. The change was made because of Richie Price's departure to the draft.