University Daily Kansan / Friday, January 18, 1991
Sports
13
Jayhawks worried about height of Tigers
By S. J. Bailey
Kansan snortwriter
Last year Kansas and Missouri battled each other twice for the top spot in the college basketball national rankings.
Men's Basketball
Tomorrow the Jayhawks will fight for their first Big Eight Conference victory of the season against the Tigers, who are 3-6 in league play
Kansas comes into the game with a 10-4 record, including an 0-2 mark in the conference after road losses at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
The Tigers, winning their last seven games, defeated 11th ranked Oklahoma Sooners 80-72 Tuesday, improving their record to 10-4. Missouri defeated Oklahoma State and Kansas State in their game. The Tigers have played all three of their Big Eight games at home.
"He hasn't shot a basketball since the Oklahoma State game," Williams said. "We won't know until they do
Kansas coach Roy Williams said yesterday that senior forward Mike Maddox, who missed Wednesday's game against Miami because of a concussion, would be expected today before a decision about his status was made.
all the tests if it is something additional or still just the same thing. If it is the same thing, he may have to write that, and he understands that part of it."
Williams said the loss of Maddox could create difficulties in defending Missouri's 6-foot-8 Jeff Warren. 6-9 Jevon Crudup and 6-10 Doug Smith with a three-guard attack.
Smith and contain Peeler as much as possible. They have many offensive weapons. What it comes down to is the execution of our offense and our defense."
"I feel a little more comfortable going with the smaller line-up, but with Missouri, that creates so many match-up problems," he said. "Somebody's got to guard one of those big guys. If we start the three little girls, somebody's going to be looking at Doug Smith's navel."
Smith leads the Tigers with an average of 23.4 points and 10.4 rebounds a game. Junior guard Anthony Peeler has averaged 21 points and 6.4 assists a game since he returned to the team in December after being academically ineligible for the first seven games. The Tigers have not lost a game since Peeler rejoined the starting line-up.
Kansas junior forward Alonzo Jamison said, "We have to neutralize
Although the Tigers have defeated the Jayhawks four consecutive times during the two seasons, Jamison said the team would be more confident playing their conference home games than having crowded at Allen Field House.
"I think it will be a major advantage for us," he said. "Their first three conference games have been at the game will be their first test on the road."
"We need to win a conference game, so in that way it could be a little more important to us," he said. "But I think any time Kansas plays Missouri, it is a very important game."
Williams said the game would be an important one for both teams, even though neither was fighting for it of the national rankings at this time.
Williams said he did not know if the game was in danger of cancellation or postponement because of events in the Persian Gulf. However, the Jayhawks will wear small U.S. flag patches on their uniforms in honor of the men and women serving in the gulf.
Kansas Basketball GAME 16
KANSAS
JAYHAWKS
Coach: Roy Williams
Record: 10-4
MISSOURI
TIGERS
Coach: Norm Stewart
Record: 10-4
Player Ht. PPG RPG
F-Mark Randall 6-9 14.6 5.4
F-Alonzo Jamison 6-6 11.4 6.3
G-Sean Tunstall 6-2 6.6 3.2
G-Terry Brown 6-2 19.2 3.8
G-Adonis Jordan 5-11 10.4 2.8
PROBABLE STARTERS
Player Ht. PPG RPG
F-Jevon Crudup 6-9 12.2 7.3
F-Jeff Warren 6-8 6.7 3.7
C-Doug Smith 6-10 23.4 10.4
G-Jamal Coleman 6-5 8.8 4.9
G-Anthony Peeler 6-4 21.0 7.4
**Game Notes:** Kansas will play Missouri tomorrow at 3:10 p.m. in Allan Field House. The Jayhawks have not lost a Big Eight Conference home opener since the 1982-83 season when Missouri won in Lawrence 76-63. Kansas is looking to avoid going 0-3 in conference play for the first since the 1982-83 season. While the teams have equal overall records, Missouri sits atop the Big Eight standings with 12-4 record against league opponents. Missouri was the only
visiting team to win at Allen Hoe Holdt last season and has beaten the Jayhawks at home the last two seasons.
TV: Rawcom Network, Sunflower Cable Channel 6 (10:30 p.m.
KANSAN Graphic
Basketball player led team to victory despite anxiety for Kuwaiti relatives
The Associated Press
WAUKEHIA, Wis. — Tarique Allesa kept his mind on his father trapped in Kuwait while he played basketball on a Wisconsin basket-ball court.
1987 and 1988.
Al-Isa, a 6-foot 7-center, scored 21 points Wednesday night to lead Wisconsin-Waukesha to a 93-86 victory over Waukesha Tech in a junior college game. Al-Isa played on the Kuwaiti National basketball team in
"I needed to play, and play well to win," said Al-Isael, who left Kuwait last summer about two weeks before the Iraqi invasion. "I think I was a little bit fired, mad enough to take it out on the basketball court."
His father, Azzam Al-Isa, is a civil engineer who owns a construction company in Kuwait City.
The 21-year-old Kuwaiti lives in Waukesha with his mother, who was born in the United States, said he had been an American teacher and either since the Iraq invasion Aug. 2.
"I haven't heard from him," he said. "I heard from my grandmother and aunt who are in Switzerland and another who came out to him and learned he is OK."
Al-lesa had he learned of the U.S. offensive on his way to the game after he stepped briefly at a bowling alley and saw the television news
Al-lesa he drove from the bowling alley to the gymnasium while listening to radio reports of the attack, then suited up and volun-
"I didn't think it was going to happen so soon after the deadline," he said. "It surprised me."
"I was kind of quiet," he said. "I made a decision to just go out there and do what I had to do. Nothing
reports.
more."
Wisconsin-Waukesha coach Neal Nelson said the players and coaches supported Al-esa's decision.
"We just decided as a group that we would go with him, and nothing was said." Nelson said. "I could tell that he was struggling emotionally and I talked to him individually. He's a great kid, a good student, but his head wasn't really into it tonight. And still he was the high scorer and
had a good game. "
"I just hope that he was smart and that he wasn't near any targets," he said. "I am very worried about him. I can get a message to him to get out."
Watching news reports on television at his home shortly after the game, Al-lesa admitted his mind sometimes drifted during the game to thoughts of his father and other relatives in Kuwait.
'Hawks to battle Mizzou
Forward Misti Chennault gets fouled in a Dial Tournament game.
By Lana Smith
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas women's basketball team will play Missouri (7:9) at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow in Columbia, follow- ing Iowa in Iowa State here Wednesday night.
Women's Basketball
After the past two losses, the Lady Jayhawks have been concentrating on speed and on setting up their shots.
"We have been looking to concentrate on our shots," sophomore forward Mistl Chennault said. "We need jobs and ready to take the shot."
Chennault also said that the Kan sas players had been concentrating on their past mistakes rather than on their current threat posed by the Missouri team.
"We have been tense and tight." Chenault said. "Couch Washington has been tense and tight."
"We have limited ourselves defensively," Chenault said. "We were down by 20 points in the first half (against Iowa State), and if we would have played the whole game like we would have played it, we would have blown them out."
However, Chenmaul added that she had seen improvement since the Oklahoma State and Iowa State games.
She said the players would need to set the tempo, but not rush the ball, if they wanted to do well against the Tigers.
Sophomore center Lisa Tate said she also had noticed the team's improvement, along with a positive attitude about playing Missouri.
The players also voiced concern about the team's tendency to go for a shot without first taking the time to focus and set up the shot.
NHL All-Stars criticized
The Associated Press
CHICAGO — Whenever the National Hockey League sponsors its All-Star Game, there is usually a fierce debate about the selection of players.
The 42nd All-Star Game tomorrow will be no different.
Boston Bruins' coach Mike Milbury has been criticized for loading the Wales Conference lineup with players from his team. Edmonton coach John Muckler has been criticized for leaving players off the Conference team — particularly Chicago goaltender Ed Bolton.
The fans' choice to start in goal for the Campbell Conference is Calgary's Mike Vernon, who is not
"It's up to the coach to say how he wants to fill out the roster, but there were some strange choices." New York Rangers coach Roger Neilson said " (Leaving off) Eddie Belfour was an odd one.)
having as good a season as Belfou
having as good a season as beetle
As a matter of fact, nobody is,
statistically.
As of Tuesday, Belfour led the NHL in victories (28-11-2) and goals-after average (2.41) and was tops in save percentage (.908) for goaltenders who have played in 40 or more games.
Vernon, the people's choice, had
18-12-2 record, 3.12 goals against
average and .881 save percentage
"Fans have the right to select six players they want to see," Muckler said. "I only choose one goalkeeper. I have the advantage of playing at night and right now he's the MVP of our hockey club. He's playing on a team not playing as well as the Chicago Blackhawks.
"Belfour should be on the team, too. I wish we had three keepers."
Milbury, meanwhile, has taken heat for picking his own right winger, Nilian Nilan, instead of Hall
of Farner Guy Lafleur of the Quebec Nordiques and Montreal's Brian Skrulland instead of former Blackhawk Denis Savard.
Since then, Lafleur has been added to the Wales team by the league in a new senior star category. Minnesota's Bobby Smith was added to the Campbell Conference team.
Along with Nilan, who had six goals in his first 37 games with the Bruins, Milbury also selected defensmen Garry Galley and goalkeeper Amman Ray Bourque and right wing Cam Neely.
The selection process, meanwhile, continued to be under scrutiny. NHL general managers recently met in Phoenix to discuss creating a selection committee for All-Star teams.
Minnesota goaltender Brian Hayward said, "I think something has to be done about it."
NHL secondary for Gretzky
The Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. — People's minds should be focused on the Persian Gulf, not hockey, Los Angeles Kings center Wayne Gretzky said in urging the NHL to cancel Saturday's All-Star game.
Wednesday night, Gretzky said that if it were his decision, the game would not be played.
"I'd tell everybody to go home and evaluate what is going on. That's only my opinion, but I don't run this league," he said. "And Kenny Hopper is a Marine pilot who was sent to the gulf earlier this week.
"The game is great for Chicago, great for hockey, but that's all secondary now," Gretzky said
after the Kings lost 4-3 to Hartford.
"If it was me, I'd cancel the game.
"This is a scary situation when you think about it. Nobody likes to see war."
Gretzky and the other players said their minds were on the war throughout the game.
"The game was secondary tonight," he said. "I don't think I can even describe how everybody felt out there. Obviously, we were more concern with what was going on than what what was going on on the ice."
The crowd, which was somber before the singing of "America The Beautiful," sang the song loudly. And some in the near-capacity crowd chanted "USA, USA" briefly
midway through the third period.
Gretzky said he hoped the war ended quickly.
"Nobody wants to see war. But I also believe in what the president wants to do," he said.
Gretky said he got a call from his cousin Sunday, who said he thought the attack would take place Wednesday. Gretky said he was worried the safety of his cousin and all the U.S. troops.
"We've all followed it with interest because we want to see the problems rectified, we want to see peace everywhere," he said. "Then all of a sudden when you know someone going over there, you have a whole different view of it."
Remaining NFL teams set their sights on Super Bowl XXV
The Associated Press
Bills and Raiders prepared for nasty weather
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — If Sunday's American Football Conference championship game comes down to a tie, Buffalo would seem to have an edge.
If the game is to be won on the ground, it is to the Raiders advantage, although not by much if Bo Jackson cannot go because of a hip injury. The defenses and the special teams are evenly matched.
Then, of course, there is the Bills' supposed biggest ally—the weather.
"The weather is not a factor as much as being the visiting team," said Raiders defensive back Mike Harden, who played in some nasty
weather in Denver before joining the Raiders.
Forecasts for Sunday have varied. As of yesterday, predictions were for snowy conditions with temperatures in the mid-20s.
But even the Bills were discounting gaining any advantages from such conditions.
"The Raiders are coming here to play for the championship and to go to the Super Bowl," said Bills linebacker Darryl Talley. "I don't think the weather is going to be on their minds.
"We know, and I'm sure they know that you have to focus on what you're doing, and you can't get caught up in
that or the media blitz."
The Bills certainly have proven themselves on all kinds of fields, in all kinds of conditions. They won in the first round, the year and on frozen fields later.
Only in the heat of Miami early in the season did the Raiders play poorly. Such tropical conditions will not apply for at least another week, when the AFC champion goes to Tampa for the Super Bowl.
The Raiders have not faced the conditions the Bills conquered when they played the Giants and the Dolphins last month. However, they claim they know how to deal with the situation.
Giants want to end 49ers chance at threepeat
The Associated Press
"I feel it's my obligation to history not let these guys threepeal," said Giants nose tackle Erik Howard.
SAN FRANCISCO — It's not quite as loud or hostile as it would be if Buddy R Ryan or Jerry Glanville were coaching, but there's a bit of yipping and yapping between the New York Giants and the Yankees. They prepare for Sunday's National Football Conference championship game.
"It's like they're walking six inches above the rest of us," he said. "Their feet never touch the ground and they don't commercials on the radio."
None of this, relatively mild as it may be, gets by the 49ers as they prepare for the second game of the year between the teams that were considered the best in the NFL for most of the season.
Simms will not play this week because of a foot injury. He will be
"The Giants are talking trash about us," San Francisco receiver Jerry Rice said.
The ill will start after the 49ers beat the Giants 7-3 at Candlestick Park on Dec. 3. As the teams left the field after the game, San Francisco defensive back Ronnie Johnson was engaged with New York quarterback Phil Simms.
replaced by Jeff Hostetler, who led New York to a 31-3 win against Chicago last week.
"I kind of hope they don't respect us," Giants receiver Stephen Baker said. "If they don't, it'll be their loss and our gain."
But the 49ers do not seem to be taking anything lightly.
"When you get into a position where you're going for three straight Super Bowl, you're up for every game," guard Harris Barton said.
New York and San Francisco both started the season 10-0. The 48ers lost two of their last six regular-season games, dropping three of their final six.