10A
The University Daily Kansan
"You ask Jamaal who Wilt Chamberlain is and he wouldn't know" — Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy, referring to Cyclones point guard Jamaal Tinsley
And I quote...
Sports
Inside: The Jayhawks dropped two spots in the latest Associated Press poll.
SEE PAGE 8A
Inside: Missouri guard Kareem Rush was named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week.
SEE PAGE 8A
For comments, contact Shawn Hutchinson or Shawn Linenberger at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
women's BASKETBALI
Top teams keep hold of top spots in Big 12
By Brandon Stinnett sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas women's basketball team upset nationally-ranked Texas on Saturday, but that was the only surprise in the Big 12 Conference this weekend.
The good times keep rolling for No. 11 Oklahoma. The Sooners (17-4 overall, 8-1 in the Big 12) won their eight-straight game with an 82-62 victory against Missouri (13-7, 4).
Missouri (13-7, 45).
G u a r d
L a N e i s h e a
Caufield scored a game-high 28 points, including 20 in the second half, as she continued to torment Big 12 opponents.
Guard Stacey Dales added 11 points and nine assists for the Sooners.
"We're a Top 10 team now," Dales said. "You're supposed to perform, and that's what we did."
However, the victory didn't appear certain in the first half. Missouri scored five points in the final 30 seconds of the half and cut the Sooners' lead to 38-34 at half-time. But Oklahoma turned it up a notch in the second half, outscoring the Tigers, 44-28.
Oklahoma guard Sunny Hardeman knocked down a three-pointer on the Sooners' first possession of the half, and the Sooners never looked back.
Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said she was concerned by Missouri's history of playing well late in games, but the Sooners came out fired and hounded the Tigers with tough defensive pressure.
While Caufield and the rest of the Sooners supplied their fair share of offensive firepower, defense was the biggest key. Oklahoma held Missouri's leading scorer, forward Amanda Lassiter, to just nine points, well below her 20-point season average.
"These last several games, I've played as if it's my last game," Caufield said. "I don't worry too much about my offense. Coach Coale keeps harping that the offense will come, but it's my defense I must focus on."
Cyclones blow by Cornhuskers
Oklahoma is in a three-way tie for first in the Big 12 with Iowa State (18-2, 8-1) and Texas Tech (17-3, 8-1).
No. 7 Iowa State went nearly 15 minutes in the first half without a field goal, but the Cyclones still managed to dispose of Nebraska. 69-70
Nebraska, 92-70.
in Lincoln, Neb.
Center Angie
Welle's layup with
5:34 remaining in
the first half tied
the score 29-29 and
was the Cyclones'
first two-point
basket of the
game. Welle's layup was all Iowa state needed to explode on an 18-6 run that gave the Cyclones a 45-35 halftime lead against the Cornhuskers (10-12 and 2-7).
Iowa State chose to spend much of its time behind the arc during the game, knocking down 14 three-pointers, including shooting 10-of-22 in the first half.
Welle led the Cyclones with 23 points, including 19 in the second half. Guards Tracy Gahan and Megan Taylor added 19 points each in the victory.
Colorado wins 500 games
No. 24 Colorado picked up the program's 500th victory with an 85-66 win against Baylor Saturday at the Coors Event Center in Boulder, Colo.
A strong second-half performance from center Britt Hartshorn powered the Buffaloes (15-5, 6-3). After three turnovers
and just two points in the first half. Hartshorn scored 15 points in the second half.
The Buffaloes led by just one, 49-48, midway through the second half, but an 8-0 run pushed the lead to 57-48. The lead hovered around 10 until Colorado went on an 11-1 run that ended the game.
Edited by Melinda Weaver
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE
iowa State forward Paul Shirley surprises Drew Gooden, sophomore forward, with a turn-around jumper. The Cyclones beat the Jayhawks 79-77 last night at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Thad Allender/KANSAN
Kansas comes up short
By Chris Wristen
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
Big Monday proved to be another big pain for No. 5 Kansas last night.
No. 12 Iowa State stormed into Allen Fieldhouse and left its occupants stunned as the Cyclones won, 79-77.
The Jayhawks (18-3 overall and 7-2 in the Big 12 Conference) have now lost two of their last three games, not to mention their lead as frontrunners in the Big 12 race. Kansas lost last Monday to Missouri, and its second conference loss last night helped give Iowa State (20-3 and 8-2) command of the conference.
A sloppy first half dug a hole too deep for Kansas to climb out of, and a thunderstorm of three-pointers made the climb even more slippery. Kantrail Horton, Jake Sullivan, Shane Power and Jamie Tainsel Slyere were the rainmakers, pouring in a combined 11-of-17 from
behind the arc. Horton drained all four attempts and Power hit both of his tries, leaving Kansas coach Roy Williams frustrated.
Trailing by as many as 12 points in the second half, the Jayhawks cut their deficit to three points when sophomore point guard Kirk Hirnich found senior center Eric Chenowith open on the break. Chenowith scored and was fouled by Sullivan. The 7-footer's ensuing free-throw made the score 54.51.
"I like for them to shoot those shots, but even that far out they are good shooters," Williams said.
"We'd make a play — get a layup or something — and they'd get a three, Chenowith said. "It seemed like we'd just keep chipping away and they'd chip more."
Just as the Cyclones did in the first half, they answered Chenowith's free throw with a trey. Power hit a wide-open three on an in-bounds play. Two possessions later, Horton popped his fourth three and the Cyclones' lead was back to nine points.
Kansas had a final kick, though, and it was almost enough.
Trailing 73-63 with 342 remaining, Kansas forward Kenny Gregory found teammate Nick Collison open under the basket for a lay-in. On the next possession, Gooden's hook shot trimmed the lead to six points.
Kansas got two chances to win in the final 15 seconds, but Hinrich and senior guard Luke Axtell each missed three-point tries. Axell's attempt at the buzzer was closely guarded and didn't come near the rim.
Hirnich was fouled on a slashing layup, and he made the freethrow, bringing the 'Hawks to within four. Chenwith's free-throws with 1:04 to play cut the gap to two points.
Williams acknowledged that his team didn't get the shot it wanted.
"Our first option was Jeff coming off of the screen and our second option was Nick." Williams said. "Eric down-screened for Luke and he was our third option."
BOX SCORE
No. 12 IOWA ST. 79, No. 5 KANSAS 77
IOWA ST. (20-3)
Gooden 5'11 34 14, Collison 5'10 22
12. Gregory 5'12 12 11, Hinchin 5'9 1
12. Boschem 4'6 0 0, Kinsey 0'0 0
0 1, Carey 0'0 0, Axell 2'5 2,7
Chenwih 4'7 34 11, Totals 30 60 12
15. 77
Halftime - Iowa St. 46, 35. 3-Point goals - Iowa St. 11-17 (Horton 44, Tinsley 36, Power 22, Sullivan 2.5). Kansas 5-11 (Boschee 2.3, Goodman 1.1, Axtell 1.2, Hirschin 1.4, Gregory 0.1). Fouled out - Gooden. Browns - Iowa St. 32 (Shriley 6), Kansas 36 (Collinson 9). Assists - Iowa St. 10 (Tinsley 6). Kansas 14 (Hirchin 6). Total fouls - Iowa St. 21 Kansas 19. 14-1,300
— Edited by Leita Schultes
Cyclone guards burn 'Hawks
By Zac Hunter
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
No. 5 Kansas was worried about Iowa State point guard Jamaal Tinslev.
But the Jayhawks had more to deal with than Tinsley last night in Allen Fieldhouse. The entire backcourt of the No. 12 Cyclones burned the Jayhawks all night in a 79-7 Iowa State victory. Tinsley combined with Kantral Horton and Jake Sullivan to score 47 points and hand out 10 assists.
"I feel once I have the ball in my hand, penetrating, nobody can stop me," said Tinsley, who scored 18 points and had six assists.
Tinsley was voted the preseason Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and also received consideration for the preseason All-American team.
Twice Tinsley ran the shot clock down to near zero before stinging the 'Hawks. The first was in the final minute of the first half. Tinsley waited at the time line for the shot clock to drop below 10 seconds, then he proceeded to take Kenny Gregory to the basket for a score.
The second time was in the final 10 minutes of the second half. Tinsley chose Jeff Bosche to toy with before burying a three-pointer. His release came, with three seconds on the shot clock.
Iowa State led 46-35 at halftime.
"Only I can stop myself."
"You've got to remember Kantralt Horton is five years out of high school, and Kirk Hinrich is two years out of high school," he said. "We have experience on them, and that's a fact."
However, Eustachy was quick to say Kansas has a couple good guards in Hinrich and Boschee, and that there couldn't be four better guards going head-to-head.
"We knew they were coming back," Horton said. "With that great coaching staff and the talent they have, we knew they wouldn't quit."
Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy said there's a good reason the Cyclones outplayed the Jawhaws.
Horton kept the Cyclones from being caught in one of Kansas' patented runs.
He led Iowa State with a gamehigh 19 points and was a lethal 4-for-4 from behind the arc, including a 24-foot bomb that silenced the fieldhouse crowd late in the game.
"If felt great just to have my shot back," Horton said. "It's always great hitting them in Allen Fieldhouse."
And it wasn't just Horton that was hitting. The entire Iowa State team combined for 11-for-17 from beyond the arc, good for nearly 65 percent, a number Kansas couldn't compete with.
- Edited by Megan Phlojos
Iowa State guard Jamaal Tinsley catches junior guard Jeff Boschee off balance and drives the baseline for an easy layup. Tinsley had 18 points last night at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Thad Allender/KANSAN
Sports Columnist
Micheal T. Rigg
sports@kansan.com
For real story on athletics, avoid Internet
Undoubtedly, the availability of information has significantly increased with the introduction of the Internet.
Unfortunately, so has the amount of buffoonery.
"Fire him," cried one Internet post.
"Make him resign," crowed another.
The latest e-rumor lit a fire under the seat of Kansas athletics director Bob Frederick. The Internet geeks insist that because Kansas sports teams aren't winning at a satisfactory rate, Frederick is a goner.
One cyber loser on a particular discussion board said Frederick would resign by the end of the week and even cited "unnamed sources" in the Kansas Athletics Department.
This, of course, was six weeks ago, proving that you should never believe everything you read on the Internet and also that the janitor at Allen Fieldhouse could be an unnamed source.
Since taking the reins of the department in 1987, Frederick has been the man responsible for the most successful stretch in the history of Kansas athletics.
It doesn't take an unnamed source, however, to tell you that firing Frederick would be foolish. Apparently, the e-nerds don't understand anything about college athletics, or they would realize how lucky they are to have someone like Frederick captaining the Kansas athletic ship.
Under Frederick, Kansas has gone to three Final Fours, two Aloha Bowls and a College World Series. His program has produced 41 academic All-Americans — which is good enough for third in the country.
And the facilities at Kansas, once a joke so bad that they should have appeared in Mafia!, have become competitive with the top facilities in the country.
Still, the Internet cronies are content to harp on the down side of Frederick's tenure. They say sports that don't have Roy Williams coaching them have fallen on hard times lately. And that slide in the nonbasketball sports will make Kansas' Sears Cup ranking
— which rates the nation's top athletic programs — plummet.
Also, the cyber squawkers gladly say that a few bad apples — such as Dion "Chalupa" Rayford and Le$ter Earl — have diminished the entire national perception of Kansas athletics.
But they also forget that Kansas athletics are in a transition period never before seen at this University.
Eight Kansas coaches weren't here three years ago. And football coach Terry Allen, who just completed his fifth season, still hasn't had a fair chance to show what he can do. But amazingly, Kansas has finished in the top 60 — out of 261 schools — in the Sears Cup standings six of the past seven years.
Granted, there have been numerous off-the-field incidents that have tarnished Kansas athletics recently. But for every Rayford or Earl, there have been hundreds of Jaclyn Johnsons or David Winbushes — good people who also happen to be good athletes.
I know how easy it is to focus on the negative side of Kansas sports. Trust me — it's my job to write about the bad stuff. But perhaps just once, we should give somebody a pat on the back instead of a kick out the door.
Maybe the e-nerds should spend more of their time constructively — like acquiring friends or leaving their houses — and less of their time trying to pick fights where there simply aren't any to be picked.
Flag is a Greenwood Village, Colo., junior in broadcast news.