University Daily Kansan / Tuesday, March 5, 1991
Sports
9
Conference title eludes Lady 'Hawks
By Lana Smith
Kansan sportswriter
For the second year in a row, the Lady Jayhawks fought for and lost the Big Eight Conference title to Oklahoma State
Kansas was the victim in the 74-63 Oklahoma State victory.
The top-seed Cowgirls' senior center Liz Brown went on a shooting rampage 6 minutes into the second and put Oklahoma State ahead 53-45.
Within a 3-minute stint, Brownd added 13 points to Oklahoma State's score. After that stretch, Kansas would get no closer than four points.
Brown finished the game with 23 points to lead the Cowgirls and was named the Big Eight Conference
tournament's most valuable player.
"Brown's their leader," Kansas junior guard Kay K Hart said. "He was writing for her to start something. When she got on, she really got on."
Kansas coach Marian Washington said the early second half stretch was important to the Oklahoma State victory.
"This might have been Brown's best performance (in the tournament), and it came at the right time—for them." Washington said.
Oklahoma State coach Dick Halterman said Kansas came out fired up in the first half.
"Then Liz Brown took the game over and decided she was going to win for it us," he said.
In the first half, the lead bounced back and forth between the teams. With 4 minutes left in the half, Hart ended and put the Jahywha ahead 26-24.
Kansas maintained an edge over the Cowgirls until the last seconds before intermission
He said the team seemed more motivated, especially the four seniors on the team.
The first half ended with a 35-34 Oklahoma State lead.
Kansas hit 56 percent of its shots during the first half, and Oklahoma State shot 50 percent from the field.
With 20 seconds left, Brown controlled the ball until the 4-second mark and then scored the last basket of the half.
Halterman said the Cowgirls defense gained intensity after the half and started creating problems
for the Javhawks.
The Jayhawks' shooting average fell to 41 percent during the second half.
"I think we got a little impatient at the first of the second half," Washington said.
Sophomore guard Stacy Truitt scored 19 points for Kansas, and sophomore forward Misti Chenault scored 15.
Two of Truitt's free throws brought Kansas within seven points of the Cowgirls with 5 minutes left in the game.
charity stripe after she was fouled by Brown.
Kansas stayed within five points of
Oklahoma State until the last minute of
the game.
Then it was time for the Cowgirls to go the line, and they hit eight of theirs.
Washington said she told the Kansas team after the game not to be down about the loss.
She said she was hopeful that Kansas still might have a chance to attend the NCAA tournament, even though Oklahoma State was the only team that represented the conference last year.
Hart and sophomore guard Stacy Truitt were named to the all-tournament team.
Lady Jayhawks shut out opponents in third sweep
By Mark Spencer
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas women's tennis team had shut out their last two opponents inside the Alvamar Tennis and Swim Club.
The Jayhawks won their third consecutive dual by blanking Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. 7-0.
The Jayhawks won every match in straight sets to push their record to 8-3.
Because USIE did not field a No 6 or 3 no seeded duplex team, Kansas junior Renee Raychaudhurd did not play
Mike Truner/MACAR
Page Goings, Tulsa, Okla., junior, returns a serve during a doubles match against Southern Illinois-Edwardville. Goins, with teammate Eveline Hamers, defeated Kristin Becker and Melissa Borter 6-4, 6-2, yesterday on the tennis courts near Allen Field House.
"My shoulder could use the rest," she said. "Coach wanted to save me for spring break, anyway."
The Jawhacks that did play were never in danger of dropping a set to their USIE opponents.
Kansas senior Stacy Tockey, freshman Abby Woods and Juniors Page Goins, Laura Hagemann and Eveline Green victorious in singles competition.
The doubles teams of Hamers and Goins and freshman Buffy McLiney and Hageman were also victorious
Woods said that she took advantage of her lopsided match to work on the finer points of her game.
"I worked on being aggressive and putting the pressure on the other player," she said.
The Jayhawks will travel to Brigham Young on Saturday to begin a tough five-match spring break tour of Iowa against several top-ranked teams.
Stots said the Jayhawks would be ready for a tough match after the last three easy matches.
"Before we played these teams, we played a lot of top-20 teams like Texas. she said "I think were too many." The trip will give us more of a challenge."
Woods said Kansas was mentally ready to play tougher opponents.
"Even though our last few matches haven't been tough, our practices have been intense," she said. "I think we ready."
lacked some intensity early in the season.
Kansas coach Michael Center said that he was pleased with the recent play of the Jayhawks but that they
"I saw some people playing with a lot of confidence today," he said. We'll hit a string of tough matches over the course of two years one will be the Big Eight Conference.
KU Equestrian Club may get own horse after spring break
By Rick C. Honish
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid never had this problem.
The KU Equestrian Club does not have a horse.
Kansan sportswriter
But Jeff Smith, equestrian club president, said the club was closer than ever to getting one.
He said the KU Sports Club Council had approved the purchase of a horse that would be the club's own.
Smith said he had put some time into initiating the process that led to the University agreeing to buy a horse for recreational use.
"I researched the initial cost of a
"Now we have to wait for the University's bidding process to do its thing," he said.
horse and its monthly veterinary,
tack and farrier costs," he said. "The
care for a year came to $1800."
"A middle-aged horse in that price range would be great for our club," he said. "We could use the horse for competitions, lessons and riding."
A farrier shoes horses or treats them medically.
He said the horse would cost about $750 to buy.
Smith said that with the proper training and care, the club's horse would be able to compete in small races and beat horses worth much more.
Since the club's organization two and a half years ago, members have been riding 15 horses owned by the
Underberg said that the club wanted to find a middle-aged horse because it would be less impressionable.
A proposed bill would require NCAA to give teams due-process guarantees
"Older horses are set in their ways," she said. "They won't pick up the bad habits that riders with less experience can give them."
Joy Underberg, equestrian club adviser, said that she cared for the horses 10 months out of the year at the Triple J Arabians ranch.
"We use the Girl Scouts" horses to teach members of the equestrian club because they are very calm," she said.
Smith said he hoped to have a horse picked for the club after spring break.
Kaw Valley Girl Scout Council
The Assembly is considering a similar due-process measure. Both are backed by supporters of UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, who has been involved in a long-running hassle with the NCAA.
CARSON City, NEV. — A Nevada Senate bill telling the NCAA to play fair with UNLV and other colleges embroiled in athletic disputes moved to the state Assembly yesterday for consideration.
SB202, introduced by Senate Majority Leader John Vergils, D-Las Vegas, requires the NCAA to hold recorded hearings, to rule quickly and to not block teams from competing without just cause.
An 11-year battle between Tarkanian, who was facing a two-year suspension for recruiting violations, and the NCAA ended in 1988 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA was a private organization exempt from
The Associated Press
He said that he would feel a lot better if coaches and athletes were under oath when they gave information to
"This is not to protect anybody." Vergils said. "I'm doing it because I think it's a fair way to protect member institutions of the NCAA. The NCAA is not above extortion. They do it every day to their members."
Verglieds complained that the NCAA visits schools then takes its notes back to the Midwest and gives verdicts for the NCAA.
due-process guarantees.
He also said that the information could be rechecked against the verdicts.
Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, joked after the vote, and said that the Runnin' Rebels should be thrown out of the NCAA — so that they could play in the NBA where they belonged.
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo - George Brett expected this year to be different.
the veteran Kansas City Royals first baseman and three-time American League batting champion said worrying about his 1991 contract kept him up a few nights ago.
"No kidding, I was all worked up. My heart was pounding like the night before the seventh game of the World Series," he said.
Brett, 37, is anxious about ongoing negotiations to restructure his contract, a process that caused lingering illness last year.
"I'm not demanding to be the highest-paid player or anything even like that. All I'm asking for is that the club do the things they've said they'd do for me. Nothing else."
Although he won his third bating title last season, Brett's 1990 start was woeful, with a .200 average May 7. He blamed that on residual unhappiness over the contract talks.
Although Brett is bound to a guarantee $1.5 million contract for 1991, and the Royals hold options for two more years at that point, Brett's financial package already has made proposals to rework Brett's financial package.
"I've been in the organization 20 years. This is where I want to stay." Brett said. "It's in the contract I signed with M. Fogelman that I would be a Royals vice president when my playing career is over, and I'd love to keep a relationship like that.
Kauffman also indicated a desire to wrap up a buyout of the so-called lifetime real estate deal to acquire former coworker Avon Foegelman.
But Saturday, after the Royals second full squad spring workout, Brett said he was baffled about why negotiations were stalled
Brett said he wanted to secure a deal that would allow him to finish his career with the Royals.
"I thought the whole contract
"If my brother or my family caused Mr. K a problem for some reason, OK, I've got somebody else," Brett said.
Brett had been dealing directly with Kauffman, at Kauffman's request. But this week, Brett hired Los Angeles-based agent John Hobbs to present him. Brett's brother Bobby, previously acted as his agent.
thing would be done in January. The Royals had a couple of players (right fielder Danny Tartaball and left fielder Bobby Jackson) file about $14 million in revenue about a million dollars apart from the club's offer, "Brett said."
"A million dollars — and they both got settled with no problem," he said. "So, why is this thing with me so hard?"
Sports briefs
Jayhawks to take swing at No.15 Creighton
The Kansas baseball team will play at Hoglund-Maupin Stadium at 2 p.m. today against 15th-ranked Creighton.
The Jayhawks are returning from a three-game series with Minnesota. The Jayhawks won one game.
"We did some growing up over the weekend," Kansas coach Dave Bingham said. "I think people have to understand that we haven't beat a team of that caliber on the road, ever."
Today's game will be the first of five straight home games for the Jayhawks.
Bingham said that he was unsure of who would be the starting pitcher against Creighton because of the pitchers used Sunday in Minneapolis.
"We originally placed to pitch (Rory) Ramsdell on Tuesday and not pitch him on Sunday," he said. "We just decided we had to pitch the best two pitchers we had available, and that was him (Mike) Massey."
Kansas, 4-5 overall, will play Missouri tomorrow and Northern Iowa on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri forward Dough Smith scored just 13 points in the final home game of his career, but his mere presence helped his team achieve an 84-64 victory at Hammond Center last night.
Smith's jersey retired after Missouri victory
Missouri (17-10) got even for last season's 98-67 embarrassment at the hands of the Fighting Irish.
Smith was honored before the game by Missouri Gov. John Ashcroft, who presented a plaque to Kathryn Kutney and the audience looked on.
Anthony Peeler led all scorers with 25 points. Keith Tower paced Notre Dame (12-19) with 15.
While the Irish collapsed on Smith inside, the Tigers bombed away from the outside and scored a season-high 26 points. The Celtics helped by Smith and Peeler helped the
Tigers build a 32-20 halftime lead.
The Tigers pushed the lead to 37-22 as the second half began. And as Notre Dame continued to collapse on Smith, the Tigers continued to hit from outside, eventually building a 71-39 lead.
In a post-game ceremony, Smith was named Missouri's player of the year, and his jersey, emblazoned with a number 34, was retired. After the ceremony, Smith's teammates carried him from the court.
Men's team wins, loses at Drake Invitational
The Kansas men's tennis team split two matches at the Drake Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa during the weekend.
The Jayhawks were defeated by Minnesota 5-1 on Saturday.
Kansas freshman Rhain Buth was the only Jayhawk to win against the Golden Gophers.
Sunday, the Jayhawks defeated Drake 5-1.
Kansas seniors Craig Wildey and Jeff Gross, juniors Pat Han and Paul Garvin and Buth won in singles competition.
Doubles matches were suspended in both duals because the team scores had been determined.
The Jayhawks, 7-4, will play San Diego in Tempe, Ariz. on March 10.
Pitcher Ryan to discuss extension with Rangers
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — The major league all-time strikeout leader could be back in 1928, bringing and news for American League hitters.
Nolan Ryan's agent said he expected to visit the Texas Rangers' spring training camp this week to discuss a contract extension.
Ryan is expected to start opening day against Milwaukee, becoming the 85th pitcher in history to appear in a game at age 44 or older
Rangers general manager Tom Grieve and Dick Moss, Ryan's agent, worked out a deal during last year's training camp for Ryan to receive $3.3 million this year, his third with the club.
From staff and wire reports
Big Eight title open to only one
Ann Sommerlath
Sports editor
The Big Eight Conference tournament begins Friday in Kansas City, and it's anybody's game this year more than ever. Every team in the conference has shown flashes of brilliance this season, and the usual top contenders are oddly scattered throughout the standings.
Proof of this parity lies in the seven-game spread between the 10 conference wins it took to share first place (note the word 'share') and the eight victories needed for last. This is the smallest margin in 11 years.
The Cornhuskers were wrapping up the winning season in school history against the conference-leading Jayhawks and were winning. And the mood was far more subdued than when Kansas is losing. The Jayhawks fans were louder and rowder than the Husker cheerleaders.
If fan support, attendance and overall atmosphere were the only things that determined a conference champion, Kansas would have won hands down. The Jayhawks easily defeated some of the fans in the conference. I went to Nebraska on Sunday and observed the atmosphere at the Devaney Center.
But enthusiasm obviously doesn't win games. Anyone would be hard pressed to tell exactly what the players are going for year. The numbers just don't add up.
Oklahoma — usually a strong title contender — is tied with Colorado for sixth in the Big Eight this year, ahead of Kansas State. Yet K-State beat the Sooners twice, once by 25 points when Oklahoma was ranked 22nd and in overtime by three when Oklahoma was ranked unranked. The Wildcats also split the series with Colorado, beating the Bucks by only one point in their first meeting and getting pounded by a 14-point margin in the second.
Colorado fared only slightly better during conference play, winning two more than the Wildcats. However, the Buffs swept Iowa State, supposed to be somewhat of a surprise at the beginning of the season. They also outlasted Kentucky with all but time, by a staggering 17 points. Colorado won against Kansas too — when the Jayhawks were ranked eighth. Explain that.
The Sooners, a perennial conference threat, were shut down early in league play by Colorado and Missouri after opening the conference season with a victory over — you guessed it — Kansas. They were swept by Nebraska, Iowa State and Kansas State. All would have been complete shocks in the past, until this season. Heck, even we were able to beat the Sooners this year for the first time in the last four meetings.
Iowa State, touted as the spoiler of the conference before league play began, fared below average in regular season Big Eight play. None of the victories were particularly impressive; no losses, except those suffered at the hands of the Jay-Hawks during a resisting rassling. That would be par for the course except for the preseason predictions.
Missouri's fourth place berth in regular season conference play is likewise unremarkable except for the Tigers' 20-point shucking of the Chargers, who look back at years past, when Missouri hit a at the conference title.
The big surprise this year has been the "Huskers, in fact. Nebraska only swept two series, to K-State and Iowa State. They split the rest. In the last regular season game, however, they though beat No. 10 Kansas by only 10 points, Nebraska trounced the Jayhawks. Unfortunately, the Cornhuskers' victory dashed the Jayhawks' hopes of an outright conference title and allowed Nebraska to finish third in the conference. It also relegated Kansas to the No. 2 seed in tournament play.
The top spot in the Big Eight at the end of regular season play this year is shared by Oklahoma State and Kansas. Though each team ended the season 10-4 in the conference, the top seed was determined by the Jayhawks' loss to Nebraska, whom Oklahoma State swept.
The championship title is up for grabs — and this time, only one team will win.
Ann Sommerlath is a St. Louis senior majoring in journalism.