friday, january 23, 2004
sports
the university daily kansan
9B
One loss,six victories during break
Jarod Soares/Kansas
By Ryan Greene
rgreene@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
Aaron Miles pumps up the crowd after a defensive stand in the K-State backcourt during second half play on Jan. 15. Michael Lee also participated in the game after he returned from a collarbone injury.
Just as the temperatures peaked and plummeted in Lawrence over the lengthy winter break, so did the momentum for the Kansas men's basketball team. In seven games over the student vacation, the team has seen its highs and lows, and here is a quick recap of how it all went down.
Deg 20, 2003, Kansas vs. UC Santa Barbara
In a game that was not seen on national television, the Jayhawks sported their new, red uniforms for the first time. Junior forward Wayne Simien paced Kansas with 15 points and 16 rebounds in 33 minutes on the floor. Kansas only led 24-18 at the half but a 19-4 run by the Jayhawks to start the second half put the Gauchos away for good. Junior swingman Keith Langford led the Jayhawks in scoring with 19.
Kansas 72, UCSB 52
Dec. 21, 2003, Kansas vs. Nevada
In the Jayhawks' second game in Reno, Nev., in two days, signs of a hangover from a 20-point victory the night before were evident. Kansas was slow, sluggish and lacked intensity for 40 minutes, as the team suffered an embarrassing loss to the unranked Nevada Wolf Pack. Nevada guard Kirk Snyder led the Wolf Pack with 29 points, and the Jayhawks were out-rebounded 37-34.
Nevada 75, Kansas 61
Dec. 29, 2003, Kansas vs. Binghamton
After having nearly a week to reflect on the Nevada defeat, the Jayhawks came home to face an under-manned Binghamton squad. Kansas took a 21-2 lead in the first nine minutes of the game, and never looked back. J.R. Giddens led the Jayhawks with 16 points.
Kansas 78, Binghamton 46
Jan. 2 Kansas vs. Villanova
BREAK WRAP UP
Dec. 20, 2003
Kansas 72
UCSB 52
Dec. 21, 2003
Nevada 75
Kansas 61
Dec. 29, 2003
Kansas 78
Binghamton 46
Jan. 2
Kansas 86
Villanova 79
Jan. 5
Kansas 77
Colorado 62
Jan. 14
Kansas 73
Kansas State 67
Jan. 17
Kansas 71
Texas A&M 65
jun 2, kenneth In a clash between two evenly-
matched, major conference squads, Kansas showed perseverance and came out on top. Villanova never gave up, with five players scoring in double figures, led by Allan Ray's 22. Kansas was once again out-rebounded, 41-35, but a 47 combined points by Simien and Langford kept the Jayhawks afloat. Most importantly, Kansas was able to score consistently for 40 minutes and withstand a late Wildcats' run. Kansas 86, Villanova 79
Jan. 5. Kansas vs. Colorado
In the first Big 12 Conference game under coach Bill Self, the Jayhawks faced Colorado in Boulder, where they lost a year ago. Simien posted another double-double, with 21 points and 14 boards, and the team outbounded the Buffaloes 42-36. Defensively, the Jayhawks limited Colorado's 1-2 scoring punch of David Harrison and Michel Morandais to just 27 points. Kansas 77, Colorado 62
Jan. 14, Kansas vs. Kansas State
After a nine-day layoff, the Jayhawks showed some rust. So much, that even though the Wildcats were without freshmen Dez Willingham and Cartier Martin, they only trailed 36-32 at halftime in Allen Fieldhouse. With David
Padgett out with a foot fracture, senior Jeff Graves gave an inspiring, 11-point, nine-rebound performance off the bench. In the end Kansas had the depth and energy to outlast the Wildcats. Kansas 73, Kansas State 67
In their first road conference game, the Jayhawks once again took awhile to get going. Sopho
Jan. 17, Kansas vs. Texas A&M
more Antoine Wright kept the Aggies within two points at halftime. However, at the start of the second half, Giddens hit three straight three-pointers to put the game out of reach and lead the Jayhawks to three straight Big 12 wins to open the conference schedule.
Kansas 71, Texas A&M 65
Edited by Ashley Arnold
"We didn't do much on offense in the last ten minutes against the zone," junior forward Wayne Simien said. "We hate to lose at home. It's tough."
SPIDERS:' Hawks lose at home
CONTINUED FROM 1B
Langford led the Jayhawks with 18 points, and Wayne Simien notched a double-double, with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Miles finished just shy of a triple-double, with 10 points, eight rebounds and eight assists with just one turnover.
Unlike the Jayhawks' previous loss on Dec. 21 at Nevada, the team will not have to wait eight days to simmer on the defeat. Kansas will welcome Colorado to Allen Fieldhouse Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. The Jayhawks defeated the Buffaloes 77-62 on Jan. 5 in Boulder, and will look for a repeat performance before hitting the meat of the Big 12 schedule.
"If this destroys our confidence, then we weren't very tough to begin with," Self said. "Hopefully, that won't be the case."
**Kansas Basketball Notebook**
Padgett Returns — Lost in last night's defeat was the return of freshman center David Padgett. Padgett, who had missed two games with a stress fracture in his left foot, played 18 minutes off the bench. He had five points, five rebounds and two blocked shots, playing his best minutes in the second half when Jeff Graves headed to the bench with four fouls.
■ No Love Lost for Roy — During the first half, the news of North Carolina's 90-81 overtime loss at Florida State was but on the scoreboard at Allen Fieldhouse. Following cheers by the crowd came a rendition of the Seminole's Tomahawk Chop by the student sections.
- Edited by Amanda Kim Stairrett
Kansas freshman forward David Padgett hustles for a loose ball in the second half. Padgett returned with five points and two blocks yesterday after missing two games with a stress fracture in his foot.
DOBBINS: Shot seals victory
CONTINUED FROM 1B
and St. Joseph's this season, two teams that have been ranked in the top ten.
"This wasn't a challenge we were shying away from," Dobbins said. "It was something that we were looking forward to."
Besides winning the game for the Spiders, Dobbins's shot overshadowed two great Jayhawk performances by Miles and junior forward Wayne Simien.
Miles finished with 10 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, while Simien tallied 14 points and 14 rebounds.
However, Spider and Jayhawk fans will likely only remember the final shot, and the confidence of Dobbins, who said he wasn't about to shy away from the opportunity in front of him.
"I wouldn't have shot it if I didn't think it was going in," he said.
Edited by Abby Mills