friday, february 13, 2004
news
the university daily kansan
3B
Jayhawk baseball to face toughest test of season
By Shane Kucera skucera@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
This weekend the baseball team is trying to do something the men's basketball team couldn't: defeat Stanford.
The Jayhawks are attempting to build off last year's success, its best season in a decade. Kansas made a convincing start winning seven of its first nine games, but a disappointing weekend brought the team's three-game winning streak to an end and its record to 7-4-1. Players and coaches are admitting the weather is having a
negative effect on the team's success.
"We are not playing up to our potential," senior Chris Smart said. "It's tough practicing inside all seek and the
Price
going outdoors for games."
Because of the severe weather conditions in Kansas, the baseball team has been forced to practice indoors Tuesday through Thursday before road trips. Game situations are difficult to simulate
indoors and players do not get the chance to see high velocities and breaking balls like they would outside, coach Ritch Price said.
Stanford
Smart
baseball coach Mark Marquess admits that his team has an obvious advantage because of the weather. Sixty degree weather in Palo Alto, Calif. has allowed Stanford to practice outside.
The Cardinal (5-1) is ranked
No.4 and swept top-10 Cal State Fullerton in its season-opening series. Stanford has reached the College World Series the last five consecutive seasons, setting a school record. Three of the last four years the Cardinal has played in the title game. In many ways, the Stanford program is the definition of a baseball powerhouse.
"They are the model of what college baseball is all about," coach Price said.
Marquest is currently in his 28th season of coaching. He has amassed an overall record of 1149-552-5 and received NCAA and International Baseball
Coach of the Year honors.
Price is in his second year at Kansas where he has a record of 42-32-1. In 10 seasons as a Division 1 head coach, Price is 259-260-1.
Price and Marquess have faced each other before. Each coach has respect for the other. In a recent press conference, Price referred to Marquess as his "idol." Likewise, Marquess had positive remarks about Price.
"Ritch Price is one of the top coaches in college baseball." Marquess said. "His impressive first year at Kansas made that apparent."
The Jayhawks are optimistic heading into this weekend's series. Pitching velocity and the bullpen's strength is significantly better than last season. The defense has been solid and sophomores Ritchie Price and Matt Baty are swinging the bat well.
"Between the lines, teams that are full of All-Americans are not much better than we are," said senior Ryan Baty.
The first pitch of the three-game set is scheduled for 8 p.m. today in Palo Alto, Calif.
Baylor beats odds for relative success
Edited by Ashley Arnold
The Associated Press
Waco, Texas — Success at Baylor isn't based on victories and losses this season.
"For us, finding something good is our reward," first-year Bears coach Scott Drew said.
The Bears have already exceeded their expectations. They aren't the winless team in the Big 12 Conference.
They won't finish 0-16 or even 1-15 in one of the nation's toughest conferences. And despite a depleted roster after a turbulent offseason, the Bears (7-15, 2-7 Big 12) may not finish in last place.
"We knew that if we could do one thing, that is play hard every game ... that was what the crux of our goals was set in," Drew said. "The big thing is, you've got to be realistic."
"The A&M victory was nice to know that it wasn't a fluke."
The Bears have been playing with just six scholarship players, five averaging more than 31 minutes a game in conference play They'll get another scholarship player back when starter Corey Herring returns. He has missed four games and will be out at leas another week with a broken right hand.
Baylor lost its three top scor
Scott Drew
Baylor basketball coach
ers when the NCAA relaxed transfer rules because of extraordinary events last summer. Patrick Dennehy was found shot to death after missing for six weeks. A former player faces a murder trial, and there was a coaching change after serious rules infractions were revealed.
Projections of a winless conference season were avoided with a 63-59 victory against Iowa State on Jan. 24. Then Baylor defeated Texas A&M 72-64 last weekend, leaving the Aggies (7-13, 0-9) as the only Big 12 team without a league victory.
Beating Iowa State "was really a reward for all of the hard work that everyone's put in," Drew said. "The A&M victory was nice to know that it wasn't a fluke.
"At the same time, we're realistic and know that if we don't play to our fullest and the other team has a good time, it's a long night for us."
Their games at times haven't been pretty, but the always underdog Bears haven't given up. They have no 30-point losses, and three of their losses to Top 25 teams were by 11 points or less. They were competitive for stretches in every game before the starters just wore down.
"I think Scott's doing a great job. What I like about him and what he's done, I've never heard him say one negative word about the situation he's in," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "You could easily say 'Boy, I can't believe I got myself in this situation.' He hasn't done that.
Especially against an unforgiving Big 12 schedule. The Bears' next two games are on the road, Saturday, Feb. 14, at No. 10 Oklahoma State and Wednesday, Feb. 18, against No. 12 Kansas.
"I don't know how anybody could do any better."
Drew, who came to Baylor from Valparaiso after going 20-11 in his only season as head coach there, managed to smile and find a positive note just about every game.
After an 84-58 loss to Texas on Tuesday, Drawn pointed out the
season-low nine turnovers.
"We're all very happy with how competitive we've been," said senior guard Matt Sayman, a scholarship player. "We didn't really have expectations. That is one luxury we did have. The thought of having no tomorrow makes every game more important."
Baylor won't play in the Big 12 tournament as part of the school-imposed two-year probation.
The three Baylor transfers are key juniors on teams probably headed to the NCAA tournament: Lawrence Roberts for No. 6 Mississippi State, John Lucas at No. 10 Oklahoma State and Kenny Taylor at No. 11 Texas.
Drew doesn't lament what could have been. He remains focused on the future, knowing each day is a step closer to the team's restoration.
"The challenge is what got him," said Bryce Drew of the New Orleans Hornets, the coach's brother. "He believes that he can make Baylor an upper-echelon team in the Big 12. He's really been more optimistic this year than last year when he was winning 20 games."
Frank wins again; Yao outplays Shaq
The Associated Press
The New Jersey Nets sure look smart for promoting Lawrence Frank.
Maybe NBA fans knew something, too, when they voted for Yao Ming over Shaquille O'Neal.
Frank matched a league record by improving to 9-0 since taking over the Nets, who won their 10th straight game Wednesday night with a 105-85 victory in Cleveland.
"Naismith, Wooden, all of them would be proud of him," All-Star guard Jason Kidd said. "He doesn't like the attention, but the team is happy for him."
Yao had 29 points and 11 rebounds, outplaying O'Neal to lead the Rockets to a 102-87 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.
Yao also edged Shaq in fan balloting and will start at center for the Western Conference in the All-Star game Sunday.
"He made the shots, but he got the whistle, too." O'Neal said. "He's a big guy and has a soft touch. I don't think he'll ever be able to play me one-on-one, ever.
ever, ever. We let this one slip away."
In other games, it was: Sacramento 96, Detroit 94; Miami 111, Orlando 98; Philadelphia 113, Washington 88; Memphis 110, the Los Angeles Clippers 102, New Orleans 106, New York 98; Minnesota 77, Utah 66; and Golden State 110, Phoenix 99.
Yao flashed an array of fluid moves and helped the Rockets pull away in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of Houston's last 15 points in the final 6.12.
"We have to make adjustments throughout the game if you're playing against the best player in the league, and he did that," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He went with his jump hook and he drove and he spun."
O'Neal, who finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, fouled out with 3:20 to play. Kobe Bryant came off the injured list and scored 14 points for the Lakers.
"I was very surprised how I was able to do," Yao said. "We kept moving the ball and moving our people on defense and Shaq couldn't catch up to it."
ADAMSANDLER DREWBARRYMORE