Sports
1B
Monday, March 8, 2004
The University Daily Kansan
KANSAS 84 — MISSOURI 82
A FITTING END
Keith Langford, junior guard, blocked Rickey Paulding, senior guard, during the first half of Sunday's game. The Jayhawks beat the Tigers 84-82
Emphatic win closes regular season
By Ryan Greene
rgreene@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Last week, Kansas senior forward Jeff Graves compared his team's upcoming regular season finale against Missouri to Hollywood's football drama Any Given Sunday.
With that said, it was a bit eerie when Kansas' thrilling 84-82 victory at Missouri played out just like the movie script.
First, a long-fought battle through the bulk of the game. Then, in the waning seconds, the hero gives the visiting underdogs the lead. The stunned home crowd goes silent, the visiting squad pulls off a character-defining defeat in a hostile environment and the hero is mobbed by his teammates.
"I didn't think there was enough time left to pass it to somebody else, so I was just trying to get it up there, and maybe get a tip in or something," a smiling and relieved David Padgett said following the game. "Things were just going my way. It was the last shot I expected to go in."
And, go figure, of all people to play the Superman role for Kansas, it was the man who has been a scapegoat for Kansas fans of late — freshman forward David Padgett.
On a play designed for junior guard Keith Langford, Padgett made good on an awkward-looking baseline jumper, leaving the Tigers paralyzed with two seconds remaining in the game.
expected to go on for. For anyone watching the game, there was the sense that some lategame heroics would be needed to leave the floor on top. Despite its struggles throughout the conference schedule, Missouri (15-12 overall, 9-7 Big 12
SEE END ON PAGE 6B
Mizzou senior's 37 points not enough
By Mike Norris
mnorris@kansan.com
Kansan sportwriter
COLUMBIA, Mo. Arthur Johnson was in a zone.
The 6-foot-9 inch senior center for the Missouri Tigers did everything he could to keep the Kansas Jayhawks from spoiling Senior Night in the last regular season game ever in the Hearnes Center. The Tigers will play in a new arena next season. Johnson finished with a career-high 37 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn't
quite enough, as Kansas claimed the 84. 82 victory. Missouri coach Quin Snyder called the loss the most difficult one he had been associated with.
That effort also included four steals, one block and 15-of-17 shooting from the field.
the field.
"I played good, but we still lost," Johnson said. "So that really don't matter." With
in the first round sets up a second round match with the Jayhawks. Kansas guard Aaron Miles said Johnson's performance only motivated him.
But in the end, it just might the way the Big 12 Conference Tournament bracket is set up, a Missouri victory against Texas A&M in Dallas
"We wasted a great effort by A.J.," Snyder said.
"You got a guy in the zone, you have to play harder," Miles said. "Because if you don't he'll keep busting your tail."
victory against Texas A&M in Dallas in the first round sets up a second
Missouri point guard Jimmy McKinney, who finished the game with 10 points, knew if Missouri wanted to win, it had to keep getting Johnson involved.
"When I brought the ball down the court, I made sure I was calling his number," McKinney said. "Because the Big Fella was in a zone."
"He was a monster," Jayhawk for- ward Wayne Simie said.
And maybe they should have. With the way Johnson played, it's a wonder the Tigers didn't pull it off.
Big Penal was in a better But for Johnson, his performance meant nothing compared to the outcome of the game.
come of the game.
"This was a tough loss," he said. "I felt like we should have won the game."
Snyder said he wanted more than anything for Johnson and the three other seniors, Rickey Paulding, Travon Bryant and Josh Kroenke, to walk out of the Hearnes Center for the last time as winners. Despite Johnson's effort, it didn't happen, and now the Tigers must figure out how to move on.
"There is no answer," he said. "Except pick up the pieces and go down to Dallas and fight like hell."
— Edited by Nikki Nugent
Baseball team wins against Panthers
By Ryan Colaiani
rcolaiani@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Hoguito Baipark.
The Jayahawks had yet to come back from a deficit after the seventh inning all season, and entered the bottom of the eighth down 7-6. Junior infielder Mike Dudley scored on an RBI double by junior outfielder J.C. Sibley. Sibley would later score the game-winning run on Baty's single.
A one-out single in the bottom of the eighth inning by sophomore infielder Matt Baty led the Kansas Baseball team to a 8-7 victory against Wisconsin-Milwaukee yesterday. The victory also gave the Jayhawks the series victory, defeating the Panthers two games to one this weekend at Hoglund Ballpark.
"If we are going to accomplish our goals we have to be able to make that something that happens on a routine basis," coach Ritch Price said. "That's
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 3B
Amanda Kim Stairrett/Kansan
First baseman Ryan Baty slid into home in the sixth inning of Kansas' 8-7 victory against the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers yesterday afternoon. The three-game series left the Jayhawks 14-8-1. On Friday, Kansas won 22-6, and on Saturday lost 9-7.
Amanda Kim Stairrett/Kansar
Kansas' Nettie Fierros slid past Utah catcher Kate Nygaard to score in Saturday's home opener. Kansas beat Utah 2-1 and Nebraska 3-0 in the weekend's 2004 Hampton Inn/Jayhawk Classic.
Sophomore Melaney Torres broke open a 0-0 tie in the fifth inning of Saturday's first game with a solo home run. The home run was the first hit, run and home run for the Jayhawks in the new ballpark.
Kansas swept its two games against the Utah Utes and split two games with No.17 Nebraska. Nebraska defeated Utah in their two head-to-head games.
New park a winner for Kansas softball
In the top of the seventh inning, sophomore Nettie Fierros slapped a
Home field advantage took on its true meaning as the Jayhawk softball team won three out of four games in the home-opening Jayhawk Classic at the new Arrocha Ballpark.
In game two of the day, Nebraska defeated Utah 9-1.In the top of the second inning during the third game of the day, senior Sandy Smith homered down the left field line off of Nebraska's Summer Tobias to put the Jayhawks up 1-0. Later in the inning, with two outs, Moppin and senior Sylvia Pfeiffer singled to put runners on first and second. Sophomore
By Dana Silverman
dsilverman@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
two-out pitch to left field for a double. Sophomore Jessica Moppin followed with a single to score Fierros in what proved to be enough offense for the Jayhawks. Senior pitcher Kara Pierce held the Utes to three hits, one of which was a solo home run, and recorded nine strikeouts as the Jayhawks defeated Utah 2-1.
SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 3R
Kansas football tailback John Randle was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and interfering with the duties of a police officer early Friday morning, according to the Douglas County Jail log.
Tailback arrested following club fight
By Neeley J. Spellmeier
nspellmeier@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The Lawrence Police Department
The Lawrence Peresponded to a call at 12:48 a.m. from The Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St. When officers arrived, employees had already broken up the fight and removed the people involved, said Sgt. Mike Patrick. He said the fight did not appear to be seve
Randle
The officers then heard that the altercation moved to a nearby parking lot. When police arrived at the scene, they saw a man yelling. Patrick said the man then fled police and was caught in the 1000 block of Kentucky Street. He was identified as Randle, Patrick said. When Randle was arrested, he was in possession of a driver's license that was not his, Patrick said.
Handle was booked just after 3 a.m. at the Douglas County Jail. He was released on bail about 5 a.m.
The 19-year-old from Wichita was arrested on Nov.2,2003,on suspicion of domestic battery and criminal damage to property. No charges were filed because of lack of evidence.
The freshman ended the 2003-2004 football season as Kansas' second-leading rusher.
Edited by Amanda Kim Stairrett
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