B
What was the last year Texas A&M went to the men's NCAA Tournament?
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Trivia question
The University Daily Kansan
Sports
Inside: Kansas coach Roy Williams hopes the Jayhawks aren't bitten by the recent upset bug.
SEE PAGE 3B
FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2001
Inside: The envelope please...
The first Athlete of the Week was announced. Find out which Jayhawk received the honor.
SEE PAGE 2B
For comments, contact Shawn Hutchinson or Shawn Linenberger at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORT
Collison fires up Jayhawks
Sophomore forward Nick Collison prepares to go up for a shot while being guarded by the Nebraska defense. The Jayhawks will play Texas A&M at 3 p.m. tomorrow in Allen Fieldhouse.
Photo by Nick Krug/KANSAN
By Chris Wristen sports@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
There's this crazy little routine that Nick Collison has found himself in lately.
Lavup. lavup. dunk.
He won't be surprised if the trend continues tomorrow when No. 5 Kansas (14-1 overall, 3-0 in the Big 12) takes on Texas &M (6-10, 0-4) at 3 p.m. tomorrow in Allen Fieldhouse.
The Jayhawks are riding a seven-game winning streak that began against DePaul when Collison, a sophomore forward, broke out of his early season funk. When he's been on a tear, so has Kansas.
"I really want the ball in there all the time and when I get it I feel like I'm going to score," Collison said. "Most of my shots have been layups and I normally make those kind of shots. If I keep getting the ball in those spots then I think I'm going to be successful."
Collison's partner in the post, sophomore forward Drew Gooden, has also been an integral part of Kansas' success this season. He had 17 points and five rebounds against Nebraska, but it was how he scored that made the biggest impact.
His four dunks, two of which opened the second half, provided an emotional spark that helped fuel the Jayhawks' dominant performance. Williams said Gooden's maturity during the course of the season would need to show against A&M, a team that doesn't have nearly the size inside that Kansas has.
"He was fantastic in the first half and early in the second half," Williams said. "He's really matured. He's working harder in practice each and every day."
Despite the dominant performance of the young forwards, Williams said he wasn't satisfied with his team's 84-62 win; he expects more tomorrow.
"I hope that I don't see too many halves where a team shoots 50 percent against us," Williams said of Nebraska's second-half effort. "I remember three different times in the second half where they got offensive rebounds and put it back in.
More information
For additional information
on Big 12 men's basketball
play.
See page 38.
See page 3B
"We didn't get to the shooter. We need to get in good position and box people out."
Williams also was not pleased with his team's 23 fouls. Senior center Eric Chenowith fouled out; Collison and sophomore point guard Kirk Hinrich added four a piece. Williams said that his team needed to start being smarter on defense as the conference season continued to unfold.
"We've got to play defense without fouling." Williams said. "We shouldn't be having the fouls on boxing out and trying to fight for position inside because if you use your tail and your feet then you're not going to make a mistake."
To be fair, the defense clearly isn't playing bad. It was actually pretty good for most of Wednesday's game, with some stats that Williams would like to see continue. The Jayhawks had eight steals, including two each by Collison, Chenowith and freshman guard Mario Kinsey. The 'Hawks also blocked nine shots, six by Collison.
Kansas will need to get defensive against Aggie sophomore guard Bernard King, who averages 17.5 points a game and was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season. Hinrich and junior guard Jeff Boschee will handle those duties, while Gooden, Collison and Chenwith will try to take care of business in the paint and on center Keith Bean.
Kansas basketball notes:
At 3-0 in Big 12 Conference play, Kansas is the only undefeated team in the conference. Collison said the team's not thinking of a championship yet, though. "It's great; we're on top right now," Collison said. "But a couple teams stubbed their toes a bit the (last few)
nights. We've just got to be ready to play every single night."
Williams gave some extra love to the Kansas fans for their support at the conference home opener.
"Classes just started and everybody's trying to get back in the swing of things."
Williams said. "Our crowd has been unbelievable this year. Even when we had a stretch of games where we weren't playing household names this place has been rockin' all year."
X-rays did reveal a small chip fracture in Eric Chenowith's nose, which
means it is broken.
Chenowith took an elbow to the face Wednesday night in Kansas' 84-62 victory against Nebraska. He will not wear a mask, miss any practice or miss any game time because of the injury.
— Edited by Doug Pacey
Sports Columnist
Amanda Kaschube
sports@kansan.com
This season's lesson: no need to fear change
I have a confession: I'm kind of wussy.
Not in the Jeff Van Gundy ankle bracelet/human punching bag kind of way, but in that I fear change. Not that it gives me many restless nights — my addiction to MTV's Undressed does that for me — but it does make me wonder about my pansy nature.
The number six plain from Wendy's; the number two with only ketchup from McDonald's; chocolate pancakes from IHOP. I always order the same food wherever I venture.
It's like a bad relationship — you can't break the cycle, but need to.
If this sports season has taught me anything, it's that change can be a good thing.
I wasn't exactly jumping up and down when the White Sox traded young pitcher Mike Sirotka and a host of others to the Blue Jays for an overweight 38-year-old David Wells. The virile Sirotka has a lower ERA and probably won't keel on over the mound anytime soon.
And mega-millionaire Tiger Woods' new lighter hair shade didn't make me want to find out if blonds really do have more fun. Venus Williams' new revealing outfit gave me the shivers, too.
That made me reconsider the whole new wild persona.
That made me reconsider the whole thing. But then there's the underdog New York Giants and that old Penguin (not the one at the basketball games) Mario Lemieux.
Tons of money was probably lost in Vegas when the Giants (yes, the same team that went 7-9 last season) were named National Football Conference champs. Maybe there's hope for the Bears after all.
Giants quarterback Kerry Collins still pulled a 360 since being arrested for his drunk-driving stint while with Carolina. He demolished the polished Minnesota Vikings and their cocky star, wide receiver Randy Moss, 41-0.
I have to admit that did bring a smile to my face — see, change is good.
And after a four-year hiatus, owner-player Lemieux has returned with a fury, scoring 21 points in only 10 games back on the ice. The 35-year-old came back when most athletes decide to get out and play host to talk shows, but that didn't work so well for Magic. The first round 1984 draft pick by Pittsburgh, who has been the driving force behind the Penguins since returning, was selected to the North American All-Star team. That's good right?
So maybe I should be more daring — I can order that new McRib or maybe even an omelet next time. Just don't expect me to be cheering for the Pacers anytime soon.
Kaschube is a Flossmoor, Ill., senior in journalism.
Rivalry resumes for runners
Middle-distance runner Charlie Gruber runs laps during practice in preparation for the Missouri Invitational in Columbia today. Photo by Aaron Lindberg/KANSAN
By Michael Sudhalter
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
As the Kansas track and field team prepares for the Missouri Invitational today, many of the Jayhawks realize that there are few things better than winning an event against a certain school that dons black and gold.
Although the open invitational meet in Columbia, Mo., drew a cache of strong track programs, including Indiana State, Southwest Missouri State, Oral Roberts and Tulsa, Missouri is the school that makes Kansas' blood bubble.
"We are looking forward to competing this weekend, and our athletes are excited and ready to go." Redwine said. "As our coaching staff starts to feel more and more like Jayhawks, we look forward to renewing the rivalry between some of the Big 12 schools, especially Missouri."
First-year coach Stanley Redwine said his coaching staff has gained respect for a rivalry that has burned for years among the Javahawk faithful.
Senior sprinter Jabari Wamble, who won the 200-meter event at Missouri Southern last weekend, said he was expecting stiff competition to be in Columbia this weekend.
"I imagine that it will be tougher competition since it is at Missouri," he said.
Redwine said the upcoming meet should serve as another stepping stone in the Javhawks' young season.
"Our goal is to get better every day and every week," he said. "And this meet will show us where we are now."
Senior All-American Scott Russell said
the fact that Kansas was going against Mizzou was not lost on him.
Kansas will travel back to MU Friday, Jan. 26, for a triangular meet with Kansas State and the Tigers.
"We are always out there to beat our archrivals," Russell said. "The fact that we have a strong rivalry is special."
While Russell has already qualified for
the NCAA Weight Throw competition in March, he wants to work on improving certain aspects of his performance in the event.
"Now that I have the standard for the NCAA, I can just take one meet at a time and work on things that I need to improve," he said.
Edited by Doug Pocey
By Jessie Meyer sports@kanson.com Kansas sportwriter
Tomorrow's match-up against Colorado is all about bouncing back for the Kansas women's basketball team — bouncing back and getting better.
The Jayhawks (7-8, 1-3) tip off against Colorado (12-3, 3-1) at 8 p.m. tomorrow at Coors Events/Conference Center in Boulder, Colo. "The one thing about this team is that they have not rolled over and given up," said coach Marian Washington. "We certainly have a long season yet. We've just got to keep trying to get better."
Coming off a disappointing loss to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls (9-7, 1-4), the Jayhawks tip off against the Buffaloes, who are on a three-game winning streak, looking to improve a record they've seen fall from 6-2 to 7-8 overall.
"One thing that's nice about this conference is that you don't get a lot of time to lick your wounds," said senior guard Jennifer Jackson. "You have to come back the next day
women's
BASKETBALI
and play hard, and that's true whether you win or lose."
Colorado averages 42.5 percent per game and brings seven players six-foot or taller. Because rebounding and overall play in the paint have been areas of concern for Kansas — Oklahoma State outbounded the Hawks 43-30 and outscored Kansas 32-20 in the paint — the Jayhawks hope to clog the lane against the Buffaloes.
"We've got to come out against Colorado on Saturday and do a better job on the rebounding, or we're going to have the same situation after every game," Jackson said after the loss to the Cowgirls.
Guard play will also be a
Senior center Jaclyn Johnson, who left the game early in the second half against the Cowgirls with a sprained left ankle, is expected to return to action on Saturday. Johnson leads Kansas in rebounding with 7.5 boards per game and adds 15.9 points.
key factor tomorrow.
Colorado brings two sharp-
shooting junior guards,
Jenny Roulier and Mandy
Nightingale. Nightingale
averages 14.7 points per
game, shoots 36.7 percent
from behind the arc and
has taken 98 three-point
shots this season.
The Kansas offense came out sluggish Wednesday and turned the ball over 26 times, which resulted in 26 Oklahoma State points. Washington said players such as juniors KC Hilgenkamp and Selena Scott, who have been quiet as of late, need productive games.
More information
For more information on Big 12 women's basketball,
See page 38
"We've got to really get focused on what Colorado's going to try to do against us," Jackson said, "and really get focused on ourselves and be able to execute a lot better on offense."
— Edited by Melissa Cooley
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