Sports
1B
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, March 29, 2004
Foul ends Langford's season
Courtney Kuhlen/Kansan
Keith Langford, junior guard, fouled out during the final minutes of the game yesterday afternoon. "I think it was a horrible call," he said. "It was disappointing because my season ended that way last year."
By Ryan Greene rgreene@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Roughly 20,000 Kansas fans were in attendance to see the Jayhawks' Regional Final loss to Georgia Tech yesterday. And, from the sound of things, nearly every one of those 20,000 was just as angry as junior guard Keith Langford following his fifth and final foul with 3:44 remaining in overtime.
Langford was called for an offensive foul after pushing off on Georgia Tech's Isma'il Muhammad.
The foul could have gone either way, but Langford did not believe the whistle should have been blown in a game so close.
"I think it was a horrible call," Langford said. "It was disappointing because my season ended that way last year. And it's very unfortunate that the referee eight feet from the play called the foul rather than the ref that was right there on top of me. In big games down the stretch, I always thought you should let the players decide."
Langford's fifth foul and the waves of boos from the Kansas faithful in attendance at the Edward Jones Dome overshadowed one of the gutsiest performances of his life. Langford was playing once again on a bad right knee with torn cartilage, and his explosiveness in the opening minutes was limited.
He struggled mightily in the first half, going 0-for-4 from the field and scoring just two points from the free-throw line.
However, just as in last year's National Championship loss to Syracuse, Langford was forced to watch the final minutes next to his teammates on the bench.
Langford helped keep Kansas close in the second half, finishing the game with 15 points, three rebounds and four steals.
"I honestly feel if the refs let teams play, the outcome would be totally different," Langford said. "I just hate fouling out that way. There were times when I fouled and it actually was a foul. At that point in time in the game it was brutal."
"That was a big play," coach Bill Self said. "I'd have to watch it on film to know whether it is good or bad, but certainly from our perspective, it looked marginal."
Self was forced to play little-used freshman guard Jeremy Case after Michael Lee picked up his fifth foul with less than a minute remaining. The
referees then dealt the Jayhawks another blow, when Aaron Miles tried to draw a foul late in the game. Instead, he was called for a travel when he fell to the floor.
As a result of the calls in overtime, the Yellow Jackets hit 8 of 10 free throw attempts to punch their tickets
to San Antonio for next weekend's Final Four.
Even as the Jayhawks watched the Yellow Jackets sink what seemed like an endless amount of free throws in the overtime period, it was apparent that the team had a major chunk of its heart removed when Langford left the floor
for the final time this season.
"I'm not going to say anything about that offensive foul, but I think that hurt us," freshman guard J.R. Giddens said. "We need him so much. Crap happens."
- Edited by Joe Hartigan
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Coach brings winning record
By Jesse Newell
jnewell@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Bonnie Henrickson, women's basketball coach at Virginia Tech for the past seven years, will be announced as the new Kansas women's basketball coach at a news conference today.
Henrickson will replace Hall-of-Fame coach Marian Washington, who retired on Feb. 27 because of medical reasons after 31 years of coaching at the University.
The 40-year-old Henrickson has enjoyed great success
Henrickson
coaching the Hokies. In her seven seasons, Virginia Tech posted a 158-62 record, winning at least 20 games each season. Her teams have reached the postseason in each of her seven years, playing in the NCAA Tournament five times and the National Invitational Tournament twice.
Her Virginia Tech squad finished at 23-8 this season, losing last week to No.1 seed Penn State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Kansas could use a quick turnaround after a disappointing 2003-2004 season.
The Jayhawks won just nine games and finished last in the Big 12 with a 2-14 conference record. Henrickson was an assistant for 12 years at four different colleges — St. Cloud State, Western Illinois, Virginia Tech and Iowa — before signing on as of coach of Virginia Tech in 1997. She garnered three all-conference honors as a player at St. Cloud State, helping her team to a 97-25 record during her four years.
Lew Perkins, Kansas athletics director, often crossed paths with Henrickson while serving as the athletic director for Connecticut. The two met about the job opening in St. Louis Thursday, waiting until the end of the Virginia Tech season before even discussing the position.
Henrickson agreed to a five-year contract with the lawhawks.
—Edited by Collin LaJoie
Team thankful for support after loss
By Anna Clovis aclovis@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
A season-ending loss didn't keep more than 500 University of Kansas men's basketball fans from crowding into the lower tier of Allen Fieldhouse to see the team one last time.
Aaron Miles, junior guard, thanked fans for their support last night in Allen Fieldhouse after the basketball team returned from St. Louis. More than 500 fans showed up to welcome home the team.
The fans, who started cheering and clapping as soon as the team's bus arrived at 10:20 pm, waited to welcome the players and coaches. The team shuffled in, tired from the four-hour drive from St. Louis, but the atmosphere in the Fieldhouse lifted their spirits.
"We come back home down and everything, and then we come back and you're here to greet us," Coach Bill Self said. "That's what makes this place special."
Menan True/Kansas
Fans waited for more than an hour for the team's arrival. Music and T-shirt tosses kept the fans entertained during the wait. While some fans were stinging from the loss, most were proud of the team's accomplishments.
Mony Ratterson, Lawrence junior, said she thought this year would be a repeat of 1988, the last year the Jayhawks won the National Championship, but was still impressed at how far the team had gone.
"You have to give them a pick-up year after losing a coach and two good players." she said.
Diana Hall, Holton sophomore and member of the Rudy Huxtable Fan Club — named after Aaron Miles'
"We come back home down and everything,and then we come back and you're here to greet us. That's what makes this place so special."
Bill Self Men's basketball coach
resemblance to the Cosby Show character — came to the Fieldhouse last year after the team's loss in the National Championship game. She said that she came this year because it was the last time she would see the team together.
Mike Mulneron came to the Fieldhouse because of an obligation he felt to the team.
"They did so much over the season, it's our duty to come here and support them," the Grosse Point, Mich., sophomore said.
The fans ranged in age from 2 years old to 86 years old. Some of the younger fans were Jeffrey and Aimee Moses from Eudora. Jeffrey, 9, and Aimee, 7, made signs for the players and said they hoped to get autographs from their favorite players -Jeff Graves and Aaron Miles.
Jeffrey said he was sad about the loss, but was excited to see the team in person for the first time.
Older fans also gathered to greet the team. Donna Collins, a long time season ticket holder, said she drove from Overland Park because she never missed a game. Lauren Miller, Lawrence junior, was still upset about the officiating in the game. She said she was disappointed
about the game but looked forward to next season. Kondja Kamatuka, Lawrence junior, joined in Miller's anticipation for a chance to see what might happen next year.
"It stinks we have to wait so long for next season," she said.
Wayne Simien, Kansas junior forward, said the team appreciated the fans being there.
"This is a great feeling after a long ride home."
— Edited by Paul Kramer
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