SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, December 6, 1993
9
Windy City blows victory Jayhawks' way
Blue Demons fall after halftime lead
By Mark Button Kansan sportswriter
ROSEMONT. Ill. — What a week.
After losing to the Australian National team in an exhibition game 93-82 in double overtime and Temple 79-59, the Jayhawks on Saturday defeated DePaul 79-74 at Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, capping a turbulent week of basketball.
Kansas waited until the last moment, 9:35 p.m. Saturday to be exact, to turn things around for itself.
It was then, the beginning of the second half with a 40-30 Blue Demon lead, that the Jayhawks began to play with intensity.
"The ship wasn't sinking, but it was sure toddling over," Kansas coach Roy Williams said. "We were tentative. You can't play basketball and not be aggressive. I told them that I've never had a team that was not an aggressive team."
But before 9:35 p.m. Saturday, it looked like he did.
Last Monday in Kansas "glorified practice" against Australia, Williams said that he purposefully played team members in situations that he would not in a real game.
"The only way you get depth is by playing it," Williams said.
The result was nervous play from inexperienced players and a defeat.
After a practice Tuesday, Kansas played host to Temple on Wednesday.
It wasn't even close.
**I'll miss even though.**
Williams said that before the game he felt the team was lethargic. The Owls, on the other hand, received 40 minutes of intense play by seniors guard Aaron McKie and forward Eddie Jones and junior Rick Brunson.
The three combined for 67 of their team's 73 points.
"We didn't have the spark," said Kansas junior center Greg Ostertag. "We weren't thinking, and things weren't clicking."
After resting Thursday, Kansas flew to Chicago on Friday to prepare for DePaul. Saturday at 8:38 p.m., DePaul won the tip.
They also won the first half.
Using a seldom-used zone defense, DePaul did basically what Temple did — shut down
the inside and made Kansas shoot from the perimeter. It worked.
After trading baskets with Kansas for the first 12 minutes of the first half, DePaul caught fire. With 7:35 left in the first half, DePaul led 20-19. The Blue Demons, led by sophomore forward Brandon Cole, then went on a 11-0 run before taking the 10-point lead into the locker room. Cole scored 14 of his 21 points in the first half.
Kansas shot just 32 percent in the first 20 minutes, including a meager 2-for-9 from behind the three-point arc. On the inside, Ostertag and senior forward Richard Scott combined for a 4-for-11 shooting mark.
So just what happened at halftime to spark the 49-point second half?
What happened was the seniors spoke to the team while the coaches stood in the hall.
"We told them to be aggressive," senior guard Steve Woodberry said. "I said 'If you want to shoot it, shoot it.'"
So, at 9:35 p.m., the Jayhawks began to play what might have been their best 20 minutes of basketball this season.
The surge found its power from the typical place — a senior.
Woodberry decided to put the ball up in the second half. He did it 11 times. Seven of the shots, including a career-best five three-pointers, found net.
Woodberry's first two three-pointers, which came within 30 seconds of each other, sliced the Blue Demon lead to 44-38. Then — after a Scott field goal, a three-point play by Ostertag, a layup by Woodberry and another free throw by Ostertag — Woodberry's third gave the Jayhawks a 53-51 lead with 12:13 remaining, despite DePaul scoring three times during the run.
Junior guard Greg Gurley did.
"I have a lot of confidence in my shooting abilities, and I hoped some of it would rub off on them," said Woodberry, who scored 23 points, 21 of which came in the second half. "I was being aggressive and hoped everyone would follow my lead."
Two minutes after Kansas took the lead, Gurley's only field goal attempt of the night swished through the cords to the thundereous applause of the more than 2,000 Kansas fans that joined the other 10,000 at Rosemont.
DePaul hung tough, though. With 3:44 remaining, the Jayhawks were clinging to a 71-68 lead.
However, Scott finessed a layup while being fouled, converted the free throw and Kansas pulled away.
There was more significance to Scott's three-point play than just breaking the backs of a scrappy DePaul team. The free throw was Scott's 1,000th point as a Jav Hawk.
"It means a great deal to me," Scott said. "It's nice to know that I'll be remembered as one of the better players at Kansas and an offensive threat."
One of the better is right. Scott is just the 30th player to reach the 1,000-point plateau in the history of Kansas basketball.
By the numbers Kansas 79, DePaul 74
Player ftm/fta ftm/ta tp
Pearson 2-10 0-0 4
Scott 6-11 1-4 13
Ostertag 3-6 2-4 8
Vaughn 0-4 0-0 0
Woodberry 8-16 2-2 23
Richey 3-5 2-2 10
Pollard 5-7 1-3 11
Rayford 2-6 1-2 5
Gurley 1-1 0-0 3
Williams 0-0 0-0 0
Proud 0-1 2-2 2
Totals 30-67 11-19 79
DePaul
Kleinschmidt 6-11 6-9 20
Hill 3-5 0-0 6
Ravizie 2-3 4-4 8
Cole 8-18 1-2 21
Parks 1-7 0-0 2
Macon 0-0 0-0 0
Curie 0-0 0-0 0
Bowden 3-6 0-1 6
Austin 0-0 0-0 0
Singer 1-2 0-0 3
Patton 2-5 2-2 8
Totals 26-57 13-18 74
Heftime DePaul 40 Kansas 30
*point goals* 8-20 (Woodyd berry 5-8, Richley 3-2, Gurley 1-1, Rayford 2-O, Pearson 4-O), DePaul 9-19 (Cole 4-10, Kleischmidt 2-3, Patton 3-2, Singer 1-2, Poke 0-1)
Rebounds Kansas 39 (Pollard 8), DePaul 38
(Kleinschmidt, Cole 8), Asalsit Kansas 19 (Ray-
ford 8), DePaul 19 (Kleinschmidt 5).
Toothfouls Kansas 19.
Attendance 12,000.
KANSAN
Senior forward Richard Scott shoots a jump shot over DePaul junior Will Macon. The Jayhawks won the game 79-74 Saturday.
Big Eight discusses conference merger
The Associated Press
According to unidentified sources, the new league would include: the Western Athletic Conference's Brigham Young University; the Big Eight Conference and the SWC's Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Rice, University of Houston, Southern Methodist and Texas Christian.
HOUSTON — Athletic directors from several Southwest Conference and Big Eight schools are discussing a new conference with membership conditions that could exclude up to four SWC schools, the Houston Chronicle reported yesterday.
But the Chronicle reported that guidelines for the new league may be so expensive that four SWC schools—Houston, Rice, SMU and TCU—could be priced out of the competition.
However, members of this new league would be given several years to meet the requirements.
Jayhawks clean up in Dial Soap Classic
"This is a solid option," one athletic director told the newspaper. "I certainly wouldn't say it's pie in the skv. It's a viable option."
While discussions are in the preliminary stages, more formal proposals could be prepared within the next 90 davs.
"There will be a lot more discussion at the NCAA Convention," one source said. "A lot of people think this is going to hit in February."
The NCAA Convention in San Antonio, Texas, is Jan. 8-12.
Those involved in the discussions deny that the concept is a merger.
"This would hot be a merger," one source said. "This would be a new league, not a merger of the two."
Several athletic directors insisted that the new league was just one option. SWC and Big Eight members, they said, still could consider an alliance between the leagues, membership in other leagues or the current format.
By Kent Hohlfeld
Kansan sportswriter
Freshman guard Angie Halbleib had a memorable debut in Allen Field House this weekend as the Jayhawks won the Dial Soap Basketball Classic '93. She scored 28 points Friday night to help No. 15 Kansas, 4-0, defeat Oral Roberts University 94-66 and scored another 22 against Central Michigan in the 81-65 game victory Saturday.
Against Central Michigan, Halbleib hit six of 14 three-point shots and broke the school record for three point attempts in a game, which was set last season at 12 by Shannon Kite. Her six three pointers left her one shy of the school single-game record for three-point baskets.
"I didn't even know about the record until after the game," Halbleib said.
Kansas coach Marian Washington said that she thought that Halbleib — the tournament MVP — had the potential to be one of the best shooters in the country.
"What you saw tonight was what we saw when we recruited her," Washington said after the Western Michigan game.
The team needed Hallebib's hot shooting in the first half, as the team shot only 39 percent from the floor. Central Michigan suffered from even colder shooting, hitting only 21 percent of its shots from the field, helping Kansas to build a 42-16 halftime lead.
Doug Hesse/KANSAN
The Jayhawks outscored the Chippews 30-11 in the first 14 minutes of the second half. Central Michigan made a small run late in the second half but were never able to cut Kansas' lead to less than 13.
"When you get ahead by so many points you tend to relax a little," said junior guard Angela Avcock.
Aycock finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and was named to the all-tournament team. The difference for the Jayhawks was the play of Halbleib and freshman forward Jennifer Trapp.
Freshman guard Angie Halbleib dribbles around the Chippewa's Natalie Thompkins. Halbleib, who set a school record for the most three-point attempts made in a single game, was named tournament MVP.
Trapp averaged 14 points and seven rebounds in the tournament. The Lawrence native said that she enjoyed playing at home.
"It's really great seeing people you know in the stands." Trapp said. She said that many of the team's freshmen were still adjusting to college play, but that she enjoyed the faster pace of the college game. "It's definitely rough underneath." Trapp said.
One of the areas that concerns Washington is the number or turnovers that have plagued the team throughout the young season. The Jayhawks had 26 turnovers against Oral Roberts and 23 against Central Michigan.
"With young players they are going to make some mistakes," Washington said. "We just want to get the freshmen some confidence early."
Washington said that the freshman would be crucial to the team's early success because of injuries to junior forward Alana Slatter and senior guard Michelle Leathers. Slatter has not played all season because of a knee injury, and Leathers has been out with a back injury. Leathers' playing status is questionable for Wednesday's 7 p.m. game against Morgan State at Allen Field House. Washington said Slatter's status will be game-to-game.
"Leathers' situation will be a chronic problem this season," Washington said. "We're really going to need the younger players to step up for us."
By the numbers
Kansas 81, Central Michigan 65
Player fgm/fga ftm/ta tp
Aycock 4-10 6-8 14
Trapo 5-10 5-8 15
Tate 2-7 0-2 4
Halbleib 7-15 2-2 22
Dixon 3-7 1-3 8
Muncy 2-5 2-2 6
Sampson 4-12 2-3 11
Canada 0-2 1-2 1
Totals 27-68 19-30 81
Central Michigan
Ritz 6-15 0-0 14
Thompkins 8-22 6-10 22
Evans 0-0 0-0 0
Claar 4-9 1-2 10
Renken 5-11 2-2 12
Taylor 1-4 0-0 2
Ritter 0-6 3-5 3
Bumside 1-1 0-0 2
Robinson 0-0 0-0 0
Totals 25-68 12-19 65
Halftime Kansas 42, Central Michigan 16
3-point goals Kansas 8-20 (Hableble 16,
Dixon 14, Isona 1, Sampson 1.5) Central
Michigan 3-11 (Ritz 2.8, Clear 1.3)
Rebounds Kansas 51 (Sampson 12),
Central Michigan 42 (Thompkins 14).
Assists Kansas 13 (Aycock 7), Central
Michigan 11 (Thompkins, Clear 3).
Total fouls Kansas 17, Central Michi-
gan 21.
Attendance 550
KANSAN
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