Friday, March 30, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
CORRECTION
Kansas football player Kevin Long was misidentified as Ryan Long in yesterday's Kansan.
KANSAS BASKETBALL
Kansas, Duke, UCLA to play in Maui tourney
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Kansas, Duke and UCLA will be the main names in the 2001 Maul Invitational, which Chaminade plays host to. Together with Chaminade, they will be joined in the eight-team, three-day event by two NIT Tournament teams in Seton Hall and South Carolina, as well as Ball State and Houston.
Held Nov. 19-21 at the 2,400-seat Lahaina Civic Center on the Hawaiian Island of Maui, the tournament's 18th edition will again feature six games live on ESPN or ESPN2. Pairings will be announced later this summer with the possibility of more games being offered on ESPN Plus.
NCAA BASKETBALL UNLV hires Spoonhour after Pitino rejects offer
LAS VEGAS — Charlie Spoonhour is no Rick Pitino, and that's just fine with him. But it's unclear if it will be fine with UNLV foes, too.
Rejected by Pitino, UNLV turned to the 61-year-old Spoonhour yesterday to become the third coach of the Runnin'
Rebels within the last four months.
Shortly after,
Spoonhour was given a three-year contract to try and lead the
Once vaunted UNLV program out of the depths of recent mediocority, he was answering questions about how fans will accept him following UNLV's failed pursuit of Pitino.
"I don't know why anyone would worry about something they've never had," Spoonhour said. "There's probably a lot of people who would rather see Coach Pitino here than me. But he can't be everywhere."
Spoonhuron, who took Saint Louis University to three NCAA tournament appearances in seven years, was lured out of retirement with a contract that will
pay him about $400,000 a year — about a fourth of what was being offered Pitino to come to the desert.
It didn't take long to convince Spoonhour about the job, considering he is a frequent visitor to Las Vegas and had planned to retire there anyway.
"If I didn't feel like this is a special place, I wouldn't be standing here," Spoonhou said. "I like this place, I mean it, I really genuinely like Las Vegas."
Spoonhour, who retired in 1999 after a 15-16 season at Saint Louis, has been doing some regional television commentary since leaving coaching. He said he hadn't planned to return, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to coach at UNLV.
Spoonhour said the success UNLV had had in the past played a part in his decision, as did the fact the school had some good players returning even though it lost six seniors.
"I'm here because it is the best possible world," he said. "Is it going to happen? It isn't going to take a decade, either. It's been done here before, and it will be done here again."
Spoonhour takes over from Max Good, who was given the coaching job in December when Bill Bayno was fired after UNLV was placed on four years' probation for violations stemming from the recruiting of Lamar Odom.
Good guided the Rebels to a winning season, but when the pursuit of Pitino became public, it quickly became apparent that he was not going to be seriously considered for the job.
MADISON, Wis. — Bo Ryan was Plan B for the Wisconsin coaching job after Utah's Rick Majerus turned it down.
Bo Ryan will take over as Wisconsin head coach
"I don't know if I was my wife's first choice, either," Ryan said. "But we've had a great marriage."
Ryan was hired as the Badgers' new coach yesterday, although he won't sign his contract until the Board of Regents meets next month.
Terms won't be made public until then, but his compensation package is expected to be about $2 million over five years, double what he was making at
Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
national reputation, someone right for this team," Chancellor John Wiley said. "We found the right coach right here in Wisconsin, and we're delighted to have him."
"We were looking for a coach with a
Ryan, who won four NCAA Division III national championships in 1.5 years at Wisconsin-Platteville before moving to Milwaukee two years ago, takes over a team that has reached the NCAA tournament four times in the last five years and went to the Final Four under Dick Bennett a year ago.
The 53-year-old Ryan replaces Brad Soderberg, who wasn't retained after going 16-10 after Bennett retired in November. The Badgers lost in the first rounds of the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments this season.
Athletic director Pat Richter said Ryan was a better man for the job than Soderberg, 38, largely because of experience and also because he had more name recognition in college basketball, which should help recruiting.
ryan said he would keep assistant coach Tony Bennett, Dick's son, and hoped to bring his top assistant, Rob Jeter, from the Panthers. Jeter, however, might be a candidate to replace Ryan at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
First-time head coach takes position at Ohio
ATHENS, Ohio — Tim O'Shea, who's never been a college head coach, was hired by Ohio yesterday and charged with ending the school's six-year postseason hiatus.
O'Shea, an assistant at Boston College the past four seasons, agreed to seven-year contract with a base salary $150,000 and other incentives that would make the deal worth $250,000 a year.
He played on Boston College teams in the early 1980s that won two Big East titles, advanced twice to the NCAA tournament's round of 16 and once to the regional finals.
The 39-year-old O'Shea replaces Larry Hunter, who was fired this month after going 204-148 in 12 seasons at Ohio. The Bobcats were 19-11 this season, but again missed out on both the NCAA and NIT tournaments.
"Just about everybody I spoke to that has had contact with him said he was one of those unique coaches who has an almost uncanny knack to detect great talent and then develop it," Ohio athletic director Tom Boeh said of O'Shea.
Ohio but reconsidered after being offered the seven-year deal — rare for someone with no college head coaching experience. He was an assistant at Rhode Island for nine years and at Yale for two before working at Boston College.
BIG 12 WRESTLING
Cowboys coach named Big 12 coach of year
DALLAS Oklahoma State's much decorated head wrestling coach John Smith has added another plaque to his solid collection. He has been chosen as 2000-01 Big 12 Conference Wrestling Coach in a vote by his fellow Big 12 Conference coaches.
O'Shea initially turned down an offer from
Smith just completed his ninth season on the Cowboys' bench and guided Oklahoma State to the Big 12 championship and a third-place finish in the 2001 NCAA Championships. During that span he is 138-20 in dual team matches.
During his tenure at O-State, he has coached seven different Cowboys to 10 individual NCAA Championships. Smith also tied the legendary Edward C. Gallagher (for whom Gallagher-lba Arena is named) for third place on Oklahoma State's all-time victories' list this season.
1. 38. Smith is just two wins shy of second place, held by Myron Rodenck, on the career wins' chart at Oklahoma State.
The nine-year mentor extended the third longest winning streak in Oklahoma State history to 69 consecutive dual wins in last season before Oklahoma tied the Cowboys 16-16 on Nov. 30, 1999. It was the first time the Cowboys had not won since Feb. 6, 1996. A 73-match unbeaten streak came to a halt at the hands of Minnesota 19-15 on Jan. 9, 2000.
Smith was named head coach at Oklahoma State on Sept. 4, 1992, and became only the seventh head wrestling coach in the university's history. His coaching tenure followed a successful athletic career that included winning two Olympic gold medals, the coveted Sullivan Award and six straight World Championships. He also has been named to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Smith also coached the 2000 U.S. Olympic freestyle team in Sydney, Australia.
California golf good to Kansas
By John Domoney
Kansan sportswriter
As the Kansas men's golf team heads to Santa Cruz, Calif., to play in the 55th Western Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday, the Jayhawks hope their domination in the Golden State continues.
"Now we're a little further into the spring, and we've had a chance to play and practice a little now," said Randall. "They always want to do well out there because I'm from out there, and they're comfortable playing in California."
The Jayhawks fired a 54-hole total score of 899 led by junior Travis Hurst who shot a 213 to place first individually. This was the third year in a row that Kansas had claimed first-place at the Stevinson Ranch Invitational, and it didn't come as a surprise to head coach Ross Randall.
Last year, Kansas rolled to a third-place finish at the Western Intercollegiate, and the team continued its solid play in California with a first-place finish at the Stevinson Ranch Invitational on March 26-27.
Much of the team's recent success can be attributed to the recent performances of Hurst.
After needing a player to step forward and emerge as the team's clutch performer because of the graduation of former All-American Ryan Vermeer, Randall has found his steady player in Hurst.
"He had a good fall, but he struggled a little bit the first couple of tournaments," Randall said. "He had a really strong tournament the last tournament, and I'm really happy for him. Everybody needs to get it going like he is."
The Jayhawks are looking to put it all together for their trip to the Western Intercollegiate played at the Pasatiempo Golf Club.
Kansas will face a major challenge as the tournament is filled with perennial West Coast powers such as No. 35 Stanford and No. 36 Washington.
After last year's tournament, when some of the lowest scores ever at the tournament were recorded, the course officials have decided to toughen up the playing conditions.
"Some of the greens will be severely undulated so that it will be possible to see guys four- and five-putting greens," Randall said.
If a tough course isn't motivation enough for Kansas, then its slip in the rankings might be a concern. After the Jayhawks had been No.19 for several weeks, they've slid to 24th in the Golfwear* Saginari college golf rankings.
"This is when you need to get your game going," Randall said. "When you get into a regular schedule, it's easier to get them better."
A return to California might be just what the team needs to continue its push toward the Big 12 Conference and NCAA championships.
"It is one of Coach's favorite trips, and the guys look for ward to it every spring," said senior Jason DeBuhr.
We Buy, Sell &Trade USED & NEW 841-PLAY Sports Equipment 1029 Massachusetts
Now is the Time...
To Consider a KU MBA Degree.
- The KU MBA adds value to your undergraduate major pointing you towards professional success.
- $57,690 was the average starting salary for last year's graduates.
- Our program offers study-abroad opportunities in Italy, France, and Mexico.
- 91% had jobs within 6 weeks of graduation.
- Don't let time run out. Applications are due by May 1.
Stop by the MBA Office in 206 Summerfield Hall now or call 864-3050 ext.5
The KU MBA www.bschool.ukans.edu
Pregnant?
Birthright can help
1-800-550-4900
FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL
PREGNANCY TESTS
AND REFERRALS
2. Stay within a budget.
1. Rent Apartment for fall that's close to campus, has beautiful surroundings.
3. Do it NOW!!
-Got 1st Choice
To do list:
www.geocities.com/augusta/1082
Great Deal! Get a mini bucket of balls and 1 round of golf for $8.
golf for $8
1326 E 1900 Rd, Eudora, KS
785-541-1747
www.decities.com/augusta/1082
meadowbrook
Leasing NOW for Fall
TOWN HOMES APARTMENTS
Close to campus* 3 KU bus stops
- Studio 1,2,3 bdrm apts.
- 2 & 3 bdrm townhomes
- 2 & 3 bdrm townhomes
- Water paid in apts.
Water paid in tups Walk to campus
Mon-Fri: 8-5:30
Saturday:10-4:00
Great 3 bdrm values
sunday: 1-4:00
15th & Crestline Dr.
842-4200
mdwbk@idir.net