Sports
Basketball preview Kansas is prepped to take on the Oregon Ducks. From coaches to point guards, see how they stack up. PAGE 10A
TITLE
The University Daily Kansan
sports commentary
16A
Thursday, December 11, 2003
11 Kansas
Before the season started, I honestly believed that Kansas would go 6-6 and participate in a bowl. But, the Jahawks were stronger and faster than in years past and boasted a senior leader at quarterback. What I didn't expect was just how good this team would be. Kansas was a few gaffes away from being 8-4, and when Whitmore was in, the team played as well as anyone in the Big 12 North. Remember, Kansas was playing even with Big 12 Champion Kansas State in Manhattan and actually led in total yards before Whittemore went out. If he never was hurt, this team might have pulled out even more games. Coach Mark Mangino not receiving a single vote for Big 12 Coach of the Year is a travesty.
Kevin Flaherty kflaherty@kansan.com
2) B.J. Svmons
Kansas ranks first in surprises
Everyone talked in the off season about how Symons wasn't Kliff Kingsbury. But now the question is whether the next quarterback in line can be Symons after his 5,488 yards- and 48-touchdown season. While prolific numbers for the quarterback are a result of Texas Tech offense, Symons still managed to throw for more yards than anyone in NCAA history. With Symons at the helm, Texas Tech's offense didn't miss a beat as the team is going to its fourth straight bowl appearance. On Saturday, he was named the recipient of the Chevy Offensive Player of the Year, but a lack of team success will stop him from making a visit to the Downtown Athletic Club. What's scary is that he still has a bowl game to up his final stats. Texas Tech officials are not disclosing what Symons puts in his cereal.
The Big 12 Conference season ended in shocking fashion on Saturday with a 35-7 Kansas State triumph over Oklahoma. This wasn't the only surprise of this wild and wacky season. Here are some others:
1) Kansas
3) Colorado
Colorado had potentially the most talent in the Big 12 North coming into the season. There was a heady quarterback in Joel Klatt, running backs in Brian Calhoun and Bobby Purify, and a stable of speedy, talented wide receivers in Jeremy Bloom, D.J. Hackett and Derek McCoy. The offensive line boasted All-Big 12 performer Marwan Hage. The defense was packed full of proven playmakers such as Sean Tufts, Gabe Nyenhuis and Medford Moorer, but something went horribly wrong with the water in Boulder. The team struggled out of the gate finishing 5-7 and ineligible for a bowl. A combination of injuries and youth at key positions forced the meltdown. This team better turn around in a hurry because Colorado fans are used to being near the top of the Big 12, not the bottom.
SEE SURPRISES ON PAGE 12A
4) Conference Struggle to Strength
This season, it wasn't Roy Williams or Rashaun Woods. Both receivers are incredibly talented and have bright futures in the NFL, but circumstances prevented them from establishing their dominance. For Roy Williams, the switch to the mobile Vince Young at quarterback meant Texas was moving to a more running-based attack. That led to
Early in the season, the Big 12 had troubles with nonconference foes that made the Big 12 look weak. Texas was physically dominated in a loss to Arkansas. Kansas State struggled on the offensive line early and lost to Marshall. Both teams learned their lessons. Texas switched to freshman phenom Vince Young at quarterback while Kansas State started to feed the ball to Sproles, who now leads the nation in all-purpose yardage. Texas's only loss after the switch was to Oklahoma, while K-State dropped close results at Texas and at Oklahoma State. The result is that the Big 12 now has two teams in BCS bowls that nobody really wants to play come holiday season. A Big 12 Conference that looked to be the weakest in recent memory now appears as strong as ever.
5) Best Wide Receiver in the Big 12
Kansas 80 - Fort Hays State 40
Jayhawks trounce Tigers
By Chris Wintering
cwintering@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
When last night's game began between Fort Hays State and No. 5 Kansas, noticeable sections of seats remained unfilled. Five minutes into the game, almost all the 16,300 were in attendance, but by that time the game was already over.
The Jayhawks began with a 12-0 run with the Tigers not scoring for the game's first 5 and a half minutes. Kansas led by as much as 22, holding a 34-19 lead at halftime despite not scoring in the final 5 minutes of the half.
Unfortunately for Fort Hays State, the second half started much like the first. The Jayhawks started on a 14-0 run, which made a game that was already out of reach into a bona fide blowout. The Jayhawks lead by much as 41 in the 80-40 victory.
Just as Fort Hays State was never really in the game, neither was the crowd. Junior guard Keith Langford said that might have been a good thing.
"I felt good about the fact that we created our own energy," he said.
Langford said the team's effort on defense was something that the team needed. Kansas coach Bill Self said that the team had played well in the past two practices, which translated into a strong
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 12A
Z. Gordon Strauses/Kansan
12A Junior point guard Aaron Miles dribbles around Fort Hays State senior guard Dominique Townes last night. The game concluded in a KU victory of 80-40.
Volleyball Analysis
Report card: Volleyball passes
By Mike Norris
mnorris@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Now that the 2003 Kansas volleyball season is over, it's not to early to reflect on a record-setting season. Here is the Kansas volleyball team's 2003 report card.
OFFENSE
ATTACKING: Freshman outside hitter Jana Correa led the team with 3.88 kills per game, before her October knee injury. Senior outside hitter Sarah Rome was right behind her with 3.52 kills per game. Two other Jayhawks finished with an average of more than 3.15 kills per game.
No one turned heads with any of those averages, but they are all solid. It never hurts to have four players with an average of more than 3.15. The team average of 15.71 kills per game was good enough
SERVING: One of the weakest points for the Jayhawks. It didn't help losing Correa, who had one of the best jump serves in the Big 12. Sophomore setter Andi Rozum's jump serve was almost as good as Correa's, but it took Rozum a while to master the serve after returning from her injury. But once she did it was as tough to return as any in the Big 12.
However, the only offensive category the 'Hawks did worse than their opponents in was service errors. They committed 360, compared to only 306 by their opponents. Service errors can kill momentum and at times this season.
for fourth place in the Big 12 Conference. Not a great finish, but middle blockers Josi Lima and Ashley Michaels both finished in the top 10 in the conference in hitting percentage. Many times Correa and Lima knocked opponents over with their kills, and that's good for something. GRADE:B+
they did. GRADE: C
PASSING: At times Kansas' passing wasn't great, but what team's always is? When Rozum started the season with an injury, junior Ashley Bechard filled in with no problems. She averaged 12.21 assists per game in 10 matches, while playing a significant amount for the first time in her career.
When Rozum came back, she needed time to shake off the rust. When she finally did, she finished averaging 11.37 assists per game, sixth in the Big 12.
Rozum also was a big reason for their first round sweep of Long Beach State in the NCAA Tournament. The sophomore had 51 assists and put the ball in perfect position for the attackers.
Neither Bechard nor Rozum struggled for a long period of time, and the team never seemed to care who its setter was. The team's average of 14.13 assists per game was almost two points higher than
its opponents' average. GRADE:A-
DEFENSE
BLOCKING: Statistically speaking the Jayhawks probably deserve a D. But you can't always go by stats. For the majority of the season Kansas was last in the Big 12 in blocking. When Rozum came back, and senior outside hitter Jordan Garrison saw more action because of the Correa injury, the team jumped up to ninth place. At the end of the season they were finished last with 1.67 blocks per game, but 10th in overall blocks with 328.
Another obstacle for the 'Hawks is they only had one player more than 6 foot tall who played regularly. Compare that to their second round tournament opponent Pepperdine who had three players more than 6 feet three inches tall.
So even though they were outblocked
SEE GRADES ON PAGE 12A
Defense, post play sparks Kansas
By Jesse Newell jnewell@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
Though the Jayhawks won the Holiday Inn Classic last weekend, defeating UTEP 71-50 in the championship match, coach Marian Washington said she was still looking for a few more good minutes from her team.
"We had about 25 or 30 good minutes of basketball," Washington said. "We're going to keep working so we can get even more minutes."
The Jayhawks' next opportunity is 7 p.m. Saturday, hosting the Ball State Cardinals in Allen Fieldhouse.
Endress is averaging 19.0 points and has led Ball State in scoring in seven of the eight contests. Meanwhile, Reiter has been a force on the glass, posting 10.4 rebounds to go with her 9.0 points per game.
Ball State comes in with eight games, posting a 4-4 record in the early season. As strong inside players, junior forward Kate Endress and senior center Jessica Reiter are standouts.
games.
In the Jayhawk Classic, inside play was also Kansas' strength. The Jayhawks were able to create fast-break opportunities, utilizing the speed of their post players.
"The thing that opened it up for us with Cal State was our post running the floor," Washington said."We were very excited about that."
Kansas had to run to obtain a goal set before the Cal State Fullerton game. Washington has set the offensive goal of 70 points, but the Jayhawks only managing 29 in the first half.
"Coach told us we needed 41 for our goal," junior guard Aquanita Burras said, "so we had to run for it."
The Jayhawks also used turnovers to their advantage. The team forced five straight turnovers in the second half against UTEP, obtaining eight of its 27 points off turnovers in the two-minute stretch to take total control.
And that's exactly what the Jayhawks did. Kansas raced for 24 fast-break points in the Cal State Fullerton game, scoring 61 in the second half of a 90-46 victory. The team finished with 36 fast-break points in the two-day event.
Larisha Graves, junior guard, dribbled around an opponent Sunday. The game concluded in a Kansas victory.
Frik: BraamKansen
Kansas will look to continue its strong defensive play against Ball State. The defense allowed just 16 first-half points to Cal State Fullerton and 13 first-half points to UTEP in the tournament.
Washington said she was pleased with her team's defensive effort over the weekend.
ren Ervin is second on the team with 9.6 points and has a team-high 7.0 rebounds.
"They were able to keep the intensity and keep the coverage the way they needed to." Washington said.
Sophomore forward Crystal Kemp, the Holiday Inn Jayhawk Classic Most Valuable Player, leads Kansas with 14.0 points per game. Freshman forward Lau-
The team will travel to a pair of tournaments after the Ball State matchup, taking part in the Denver Tournament on
Dec. 20-21 and the Dartmouth Blue Sky Restaurant Classic on Dec. 29-30 in Hanover, N.H.
— Edited by Nikki Overfelt