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The University Daily Kansan
He's in the money . . .
lowa State coach Larry Eustachy agreed to a new 10-year contract worth $1.1 million a year, a source close to Eustachy told ESPN.com last night.
Sports
Inside: Five students put in long hours to perform as Kansas Jayhawk mascots.
SEE PAGE 3B
Inside: Former Chiefs quarterback Elvis Grbac agreed to a deal yesterday with the Baltimore Ravens.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7. 2001 For comments; contact Shawn Hutchinson or Shawn Linenberger at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com
SEE PAGE 2B
KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Other sports lack pure emotion of March Madness
Ever since the turn of the month, I've had an extra skip in my step and a new song in my heart. Kansas fans join hands and sing it with me:
"It's the most wonderful time of the year, Sixty-four teams are playing And Dick Vitale's saying. That our time is here. It's the most wonderful time of the year"
OK, so maybe "Dicky V" isn't quite that high on the Jayhawks, but I thought it had a nice ring to it. Even if the big name analysts aren't picking the 'Hawks to win the tournament, there are still plenty of reasons to be singing for joy. The best time of the year is upon us, March Madness is finally here.
In the wide world of sports, no other season or event can hold a candle to the drama of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. I'm sure there are plenty of pigskin fanatics who will disagree and make their case for the Super Bowl, and maybe a few synchronized swimmers will speak up for the Olympics, but I stand firm in my resolution there is nothing like the road to the Final Four.
The end of January is always exciting, and the Super Bowl draws enormous numbers every year, but how many people do you see filling out their NFL playoff brackets or forming office pools in the weeks that lead up to the main event? It's not the game's outcome that has people talking the day after either, it's the latest Budweiser commercial.
So bust out your planners and Palm Pilots, let's run through the months and I'll show you why March is second to none.
Every April a week of golf at Augusta National is amazing but no matter how many par fours Tiger Woods drives, the Masters can't touch the excitement of March Madness.
I'm sure Mr. Ed fans just love the Kentucky Derby each May, but a year's worth of anticipation for two minutes around a track doesn't get me excited like nearly a month of basketball when every game could be your last.
To some the Indianapolis 500 is exhilarating every Memorial Day weekend and others get their kicks out of a summer's worth of the World Cup every four years, but how many of you fans can whistle its opening theme music, like most can with the CBS Basketball intro?
That's why March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year.
In June, the Stanley Cup Finals are definitely exciting and the NBA playoffs knock the socks off any regular season pro basketball game, but neither postseason offers the "one and done" consequences you find in the NCAA Tourney. It's do or die in the Big Dance and if Duke has an off night, they don't get six other games to make up for it.
Wimbledon offers a fortnight of fun on grass in late June and early July, but despite what the Duke, Duchess and a handful of tennis diehards will tell you, the appeal doesn't come close to college basketball.
Hanni is a Topeka junior in broadcasting.
Baseball buffs will argue the World Series is the best time, and I'll admit October wouldn't be the same without the boys of summer slugging it out to become baseball's best. But the recent predictability of baseball and the dominance of the same team every year have taken away from the mystique of cool fall nights at the ballpark.
No matter what the season, there's always something to look forward to in the sporting world, but there's nothing like the NCAA Tourney.
it's not to say college basketball doesn't have its own powerhouses that look good year-in and year-out, but it's all up for grabs come tournament time and Cinderella shows up for the Dance.
The college football postseason would be a lot more exciting if a playoff system for the top eight teams were created, but usually only two teams have a chance to win it all when Bowl Week gets going in late December. This makes all the other games less significant and merely billboards for big-name companies. Coming soon: The University Daily Kansan Rose Bowel.
'Hawks advance in tournament
Kansas 66, Oklahoma State 56
No.7 Oklahoma awaits Kansas in second round
By Jessie Meyer sports@kansan.com Kansan.com sportswriter
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For most teams, playing on the first day of the Big 12 Conference Tournament would be a challenge.
But the Kansas women's basketball team, which has endured an obstacle-filled season, thinks its ninth seed was a lucky charm.
The Jayhawks, who have never had to play a first-round game in the history of the Big 12, defeated Oklahoma State yesterday in Municipal Auditorium, 66-56. With the victory, Kansas advances to today's second-round game against top-seeded Oklahoma.
"We think it might be our good luck charm," senior center Jaclyn Johnson said of the seeding. "We got out the first game jitters and we won't be uptight. We'll be ready to play Oklahoma."
More than easing tournament nerves, the victory gave the
Kansas maintained a slight lead for much of the first half, holding Oklahoma State scoreless for about five and a half minutes. But the Cowgirls stayed close and were behind only two points at halftime.
Though the Cowgirls stayed close in the beginning, the game started to slip away early in the second half when the Cowgirls began to rack up personal fouls and turnovers. Oklahoma State guard Shelby Hutchens picked up three personal fouls in the first two and a half minutes of the second half, and Kansas began shooting the bonus at the 11:52 mark.
The three Kansas seniors — forward Brooke Reves, guard Jennifer Jackson and Johnson — led the way once again, scoring 49 of the Jayhawks' 66 points. And they did that playing with four fouls each for much of the second half.
Jayhawks a renewed confidence in their team and what they can accomplish.
"They've been the backbone of our club this year," Kansas coach Marian Washington said of the seniors. "I'm very proud of them."
"We don't expect anything less," Johnson said. "If we win this tournament it's not going to be a surprise for us."
The Jayhawks capitalized from the charity stripe, knocking down nine of
TODAY'S GAME
Kansas vs. No. 7 Oklahoma
■ When: Noon
Where: Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
14 in the second half and 15-18 on the game.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma State struggled to get the ball to drop, shooting just 31.1 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from behind the three-point arc. In desperation to stay in the game, the Cowgirls began throwing up low-percentage shots and the Jayhawks pulled away with a 10-0 run late in the game.
The Jayhawks have gotten used to obstacles this season, and having to play in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament for the first time was just one of many.
With the team's lack of depth, coupled with the fact that Reves, Johnson and Jackson each played at least 32 minutes yesterday, fatigue could be a major factor against Oklahoma, the No. 7 team in the nation.
"There's nothing like having to face a fresh ballclub." Washington said. "Our game plan has got to be executed real well for us to stay in it for 40 minutes."
- Edited by Sydney Wallace
Kansas senior center Jaclyn Johnson puts up an off-ballance shot for two as Oklahoma State's Chantya Hawkins looks on. The Jayhawks beat Oklahoma State 66-56 in the first round of the Big 12 Conference Tournament yesterday. Photo by Laurie Sisk/KANSAN
Williams sees a whole new Drew
Kansas sophomore forward Drew Gooden is the Jayhawks' leading rebounder and second-leading scorer. Gooden said he relished the challenge of performing to his fullest potential. Photo by Matt Daugherty/KANSAN
Gooden's competitive edge has improved his game and strengthened his skills
By Chris Wristen
It took little more than a simple shooting contest for Drew Gooden's competitive edge to shine through.
By Chris Wristen sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
The sophomore forward was dueling with sophomore point guard Kirk Hinrich in a best-of-10 contest from behind the three-point arc on Monday in Allen Fieldhouse, and Gooden hung around for quite a while before Hinrich finally edged him out.
"He stepped to about the 'K' in Kansas on the court," Gooden said. "We were going the best out of 10 and he hit eight in a row. It took him a while to get me out but I tied him for the first two rounds.
"He said he was one of the leaders in three-point percentage because he's shooting 52 percent, but I told him I was because I was shooting 60 (percent) because I'm three-for-five."
Granted, Hinrich's attempted 89 more treys than Gooden, but that's irrelevant according to Kansas coach Roy Williams. Williams said the competition among the sophomore class, which also includes forward Nick Collison, was constant. Williams said the competitive attitude was what drove Gooden to blossom into a first-team All-Big 12 Conference selection.
"Last year I was on his case a lot during practice," Williams said. "This year his practice habits changed 175 degrees. To me, that is directly proportionate to what he's done in games; his better work habits, his better shot selection, his better work defensively are all things he has taken from practice every day into the games."
Williams told Gooden during the recruiting process he had the potential to be a great player if he was willing to let Williams teach him.
"I haven't had five players since I've been here who can be a 10, but Drew can be a 10," said Williams, who added former Kansas players Jacque Vaughn, Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce were 10s. "Right now Drew's a six or a seven, but Drew can be a 10. That's a heck of a burden for him, but he likes that, too. He likes the challenge of wanting to be one of the best. I'd like for Drew to be the best."
Gooden said he relished the challenge of becoming the best player he could possibly be. He wants to be better than one of Williams' former players when he was an assistant coach at North Carolina — the man recognized as the greatest to ever lace up a pair of high tops.
"People think Michael Jordan was the best, but I think that with my skills and the tools that I have, I think I could be better than Michael Jordan," Gooden said with a grin. "That's not being arrogant, but that's one of my individual goals in life. I think everybody should have a goal in life. That's a tough way to try to beat on Michael Jordan, but everything's possible."
He's now the leading rebounder (8.1 boards) and second-leading scored (15.8 points) for No. 9 Kansas (23-5, 12-4 Big 12 Conference), but Gooden admitted he still had a lot to learn. Regardless, he said he had figured out a few things during his first two seasons as a Jayhawk.
"I've learned how hard I need to make it at this level and another level," Gooden said. "I've also learned to compete. When I first got here, if I would lose a game I didn't take it to heart as much. Now, if I lose at anything I'm ticked off and it pushes me to go even harder. Now, when we lose, I just can't get over it until we win three games in a row."
- Edited by Brandy Straw
Southwest Missouri State thumps Kansas baseball
Southwest Missouri State took advantage of a struggling Kansas bullpen, overcoming a 4-1 deficit and defeating the Jayhawks 11-4 in Springfield, Mo. yesterday.
The loss to Southwest Missouri State dropped Kansas to 7-7 and 1-5 in the Big 12 Conference. Kansas coach Bobby Randall said the Jayhawks played well for about half the game and then collapsed.
"We couldn't score after the fifth, and SMS took advantage," Randall said.
Kansas sprinted out to a 4-1 lead by scoring once in the second inning and three times in the fifth. Casey Spanish's RBI single and Brent Del Chiaro's RBI double keyed Kansas' early charge.
Jayhawk junior starter Jeff Davis held the Bears within arms' length in his first start of the season. Davis went four innings, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out four. But that was before the Jayhawk bullpen stepped in and Kansas' troubles began.
Senior Eric Thompson lasted only 1v of an inning and walked two hitters in the fifth. Freshman Chris Smart relieved
Thompson and gave up six runs in just 2 2/3 innings of work. With the score 6-4, senior Sam Gish started the eighth and only recorded two outs before being pulled in favor of junior Grant Williams. The Bears scored five insurance runs off Gish in the eighth before Williams got Kansas out of the inning.
Brent Del Chiaro, Doug Dreher,
and John Nelson each recorded
two hits to lead the Jayhawks.
Nelson's two hits extended his
hitting streak to nine games.
Kansas also turned a season-high
three double plays in the game.
Smart took the loss for Kansas, and Bears pitcher Jeff Gray won his first game of the season in relief. Gray dashed Kansas' comeback attempts by shutting the Jayhawks down over the final three innings and striking out six.
For Baylor, Ryan Howard finished the day going 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBI, and John Rheinecker added a double and a triple.
"It's still early on in the season, and we're going to get better," Randall said.
Randall said the loss to Southwest Missouri State hurt, but the season was still young.
Ryan Malashock
Kansas returns home for a three-game series with Missouri this weekend. Game one will be played at Hogland Ballpark on Friday, and games two and three will be played in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday and Sunday.
BOX SCORE
Kanase 010 030 000 — 4 8 0
SMS 000 112 25x — 11 14 1
WP. Gray, 1-0, LP. Smart, 0-1, S. None, 2-B,
K. De Chiaro; SMS, Isenhower 2, Howard,
Rheinecker. 3B-SM, Rheinecker, HR-
Howard.
11
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