THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS
MEN'S NCAA TOURNAMENT | 6B
Let the Bracket Bash begin
TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2011
The Kansan's basketball writers break down college basketball's biggest party, including sleepers, Cinderellas and favorites as well as their own bracket predictions.
Bracket Chart
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PAGE 1B
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Jayhawks to face Shockers to begin WNIT
BY KATHLEEN GIER
kgier@kansan.com
After seven Big 12 teams were taken in the NCAA Tournament, Kansas was left behind for the Women's National Invitational Tournament. As the top finisher, not already taken, the Jayhawks received the automatic berth for the Big 12 conference.
Kansas will host Wichita State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the tournament. Kansas is one of three Big 12 schools included in the 2011 WNIT.
Kansas finished the season with a 20-12 overall record and a semifinals loss in the Big 12 Tournament to champion Baylor.
The Jayhawks have played in the WNIT the last four seasons with the most memorable being their WNIT finals run in 2009. Kansas faced South Florida in front of a record-setting crowd at Allen Fieldhouse.
KANSAS VS.
WICHITA STATE
1. 如图
WHEN: 7.p.m. tomorrow
WHERE: Allen Fieldhouse
Want to see the full 2011WNIT bracket? Check out page 8B.
**COST:** KU students are admitted free with a KUID. Tickets are $4 for students ages 4-17 and $5 for adults
Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson celebrates Kansas' win in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. The Jayhawks will kick off their fifth straight WNIT run by hosting the Wichita State Shockers at Allen Fieldhouse tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
RUMBLE WITH THE RAZORBACKS
Sophomore pitcher Tanner Poppe throws toward first base to catch an Eagle's runner Sunday Afternoon at Hoqlund Ballpark. After dropping their last two games to Eastern Michigan, the Javahawks head to No. 9 Arkansas today at 3 p.m.
Tough test in Fayetteville
BY MIKE VERNON
mvernon@kansan.com
The Kansas baseball team will have a tough time breaking their two-game losing streak in their matchup tonight at No. 9 Arkansas.
The layhawks are coming off of an underwhelming series with Eastern Michigan, in which they lost the last two games by a combined total score of 18-5.
The Jayhawks have struggled at the plate all season, and while the final results weren't what the Jayhawks were looking for, the team has seen slight improvements. Their batting average improved
Coach Ritch Price sees the team's slow-but-sure improvement at the plate and believes that things will ultimately even out.
The Jayhawks are taking on an Arkansas team that made the NCAA Super Regionals last season. The Razorbacks defeated the Jayhawks 15-3 last season and are taking a record of 13-2 into Tuesday's game.
"It's a four month season, and those things all average out," Price said. "We just have to keep the right approach in our dugout."
from .198 to .224, and their average runs scored per game is up to 3.2 from 2.9.
The Razorback offense, lead by
For the Jayhawks to come out of Fayetteville with a win, they will have to take advantage of freshman pitcher Ryan Stanek. Stanek has started three games this season for the Razorbacks and has an ERA of 6.19.
Hoping to stifle the potent Arkansas offense will be Jayhawk sophomore pitcher Thomas Taylor. Taylor is 2-0 in two starts for the Jayhawks with an ERA of 2.81. Taylor throws the ball over the plate with precision, only walking one batter in 16 innings pitched this season.
The Jayhawks need to swing with success to give themselves their best chance for victory. Sophomore third baseman Jake Marasco leads the Kansas offense with an average of .389 and is riding a six game hitting streak into the series.
senior Kyle Robinson, is batting .303 as a team and averaging 8.1 runs a game. Robinson is batting .403 with three homeruns and 21 RBIs.
and Jimmy Waters have yet to turn things around. Waters is batting a lowly .179, and Lytle is also struggling at .207. Lytle, however, knows that for the Jayhawks to win some ball games, it's going to take more than just hitting.
"The hitting is going to come around," Lytle said. "You've got to make sure that you show the rest of the lower classmen that it's not just about hitting; it's about all the other parts of the game."
Today's 3 p.m. game will be the Jayhawks' last chance to correct and work on their issues before conference play begins on Friday.
The Razorbacks are also led by one of the best coaches in college baseball, Dave Van Horn. Van Horn has been to four college world series and has a record of
332-181 in his nine years with the Razorbacks.
While Marasco has been strong at the plate, seniors Casey Lytle
Edited by Erin Wilbert
COMMENTARY
Colorado Buffaloes get slighted
BY COREY THIBODEAUX
cthibodea@kansan.com
On Selection Sunday, players, coaches, the athletics department and media members gathered at Colorado coach Tad Boyle's house to watch the school's sure-fire tournament bid.
A total of 68 teams were selected. Omitted from those names were the Colorado Buffaloes.
And what had the potential to be such an uplifting day turned into a sour reality of how a team could be good, but not good enough.
You can't help but feel sorry for the team. Boyle invited everyone over for what was supposed to be a celebratory event. He was sure his team was getting in.
"It was a festive atmosphere until our name didn't pop up," Boyle said during a Monday teleconference.
"It was pretty uncomfortable," she said. "I don't think coach Boyle would have had that gathering at his house if he wasn't expecting it."
The Colorado media got to see another side of this team when the party's mood shifted. Caryn Maconi, a sports reporter for the CU Independent, the student paper of the University of Colorado, saw some interesting reactions.
During Monday's Big 12 teleconference with coaches from the conference, many of them were upset about Colorado getting snubbed, including Kansas coach Bill Self.
After all of the seeds were announced, Maconi said, the room was silent. Boyle then turned the TV off and led the players to the basement to have a private talk. They seemed to handle the situation well immediately after that.
"Those guys, in my opinion, without any hesitation deserve to be in the tournament," Self said.
The Buffalofoals should have been in the tournament and it shouldn't even be up for debate. In all seriousness, you don't even need to compare the body of work from other teams — Colorado's speaks for itself. With Cory Higgins and NBA lottery pick Alec Burks on your team, that talent should not be wasted.
Self was bold enough to say that Colorado had the best wins in the conference this season.
But the Big 12 tournament should have turned a bubble tournament team into a sure-thing. Colorado made it to the semifinals, giving Kansas an early scare, but came up short.
They finished the season 21-13 while going 8-8 in the Big 12. Colorado coach Tad Boyle didn't even know how to feel.
Those victories include Colorado beating Kansas State - a five seed in the NCAA tournament - three times. It beat Texas when the NCAldorns were ranked No. 5 in the nation and Missouri when the Tigers were ranked No. 8.
"There's no question in my mind that we're one of the best at-large teams playing right now," Boyle said.
They lost to a No.1 seed in style and finish the season hot, 6-3. After all of this, Boyle is still sure they are on the NCAA tournament level.
Edited by Marla Daniels