Kansas favored in improved Big Eight
By Gerry Fey
Kansan sportswriter
Big Eight women's basketball and Rodney Dangerfield have something in common, they both get no respect. At least that is what one Big Eight coach thinks.
"I think it's the most underrated conference in the country," Oklahoma State coach Dick Halterman said.
But after four conference teams advanced to the NCAA tournament last year, times are a changing. Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma State and Nebraska made the tournament. Colorado advanced furthest, to the regional finals.
"This conference is probably the most competitive in the nation," Kansas coach Marian Washington said. "It's great for women's basketball, but it's been tough for our record when trying to get a berth in the NCAA tournament."
Halterman said that respect for the conference was long overdue.
"A couple of the years when we went in the tournament, there were teams in the conference with 20 wins that got slighted," he said. "With Colorado getting to the final eight last year, people around the nation know the Big Eight is a good conference."
Six teams have a chance at the conference title, but Halterman said that Kansas, 21-9 last year, would be the favorite to win its second consecutive conference championship.
"When you just look at returning starters, Kansas has to be at the top in the Big Eight," Halterman said. "Ourselves and Colorado will be competitive and have a chance to knock off Kansas. Nebraska and Missouri are also good teams. It's the strongest I've seen this conference ever."
If returning starters are an indication of a team's strength, Kansas and Oklahoma State should do well. Both teams return four players, and Oklahoma State returns junior Stacy Coffey, a preseason candidate for first team All-Big Eight.
Halterman said Kansas junior Angela Aycock and Colorado junior Shelley Sheetz had deserved the preseason All-American honors they received.
One conference contender from last year has a hole to fill in its lineup. Nebraska made the second round of the NCAA tournament last year, but coach Angela Beck will be without two-time conference player of the year, forward Karen Jennings.
"We'll just have to produce another one," Beck said of Jennings' vacant spot. "We're going to try and be a more balanced team. We don't have an Aycock or a Sheetz, but we do have some good players."
Beck said she did not think that the Big Eight would be a close race.
"The team to beat is Kansas," she said. "I don't know if it will be as close as it was last year. Obviously, you've got to get out to a good start. This year you can have four or five losses and win the league."
The Big Eight conference is the most improved conference in attendance figures, Beck said, and the play on the court also has improved.
"It's improving so much every year it's scary," she said. "You don't know where your next win is going to come from."
The Big Eight is strong nationally, with four teams on NCAA Preview's preseason top-40 list. Colorado tops the conference at No. 10, whereas Kansas sits at No. 21.
Halterman said that future Big Eight recruiting would benefit from the improvement in the conference.
"Since the conference had four teams in the tournament last year, more and more people around realize the Big Eight conference is good. It gives us a chance to get the quality players," he said.
Gerry Fey's selections for women's Big Eight
1. Kansas
2. Oklahoma State
3. Colorado
4. Nebraska
5. Oklahoma
6. Kansas State
7. Missouri
8. Iowa State
All-Big Eight first team
F Angela Aycock, Kansas, Jr.
F Shanele Stires, Kansas State, Jr.
C Angi Guffy, Oklahoma, Jr.
G Shelley Sheetz, Colorado, Jr.
G Stacy Coffey, Oklahoma State, So.
Player of the Year Angela Aycock, Kansas
Newcomer of the Year Tamecka Dixon, Kansas, Fr.
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November 17, 1993 University Daily Kansan • COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW
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