KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2011 / SPORTS / 9A
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"There is no really easy way to guard KU. We just tried to change it up."
Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon after Wednesday's 52-64 loss to Kansas.
FACT OF THE DAY
Kansas men's basketball has won 26 consecutive Senior Days.
aif
be
—kuathletics.com
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q How many starts has Mario Little had in his career, counting Wednesday?
A:Four
kuathletics.com
Oscars could learn from the NFL
This year the Academy Awards tried to lure in a younger audience with two young hosts, James Franco and Anne Hathaway. We have a term for this in sports — it's called rebuilding.
MORNING BREW
Billy Crystal hosted the Academy Awards seven times in an 11-year span. After this consistency, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences could have been looking for the same consistency in the young Hathaway and Franco, but clearly the critics thought they could not shoulder the responsibility.
BY ETHAN PADWAY
epadway.kansan.com
twitter.com/epadway
Instead of banking on two relatively young stars to hit one out of the park, the Academy should have been honest with its plans to rebuild, much like the Detroit Lions of the past decade(s).
The Detroit Lions have never inflated their expectations for the season (at least not until next season, when they will have high expectations because of their amazing 6-10 record).
are those we don't see coming, which is why we always pull for the underdog. Although it is rare, a rebuilding team occasionally catches heat and makes a run. Rarely, though, does this ever lead to championships.
The rebuilding approach is popular in the sports realm, and although the phrase can conjure up images of watching the equivalent of a minor league team compete day in and day out, every little success of the rebuilding team brings that much more iov to the fans.
If you remember a few years back to the 2008 NFL season, the Atlanta Falcons decided to rebuild by giving playing time to its young players, including rookie quarterback Matt Ryan. The Falcons, sparked by the emergence of Michael Turner in the backfield, made a surprise visit to the playoffs even though almost everyone picked the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints ahead of the Falcons.
As baseball season approaches, many loyal Kansas City Royals fans will be dreading the possibility of another long summer at the cellar of the American League
Central Division. But going in with low expectations will only make any early wins that much better, and the Royals are at the top of the Cactus League standings, even if it is only after four games.
Lets face it; the most enjoyable victories
But unlike a sports team, the Oscars should not have to rebuild. They are the New York Yankees, capable of getting any star they want. They can try to broaden their appeal by bringing in younger hosts, but what they really don't understand is that many young people don't have long enough long enough attention spans to last through the whole show. And while I will gladly sit through three days of NFL draft coverage, I can only hear so many acceptance speeches in one night.
— Edited by Helen Mubarak
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
TODAY
Baseball vs. CSU Bakersfield 5 p.m. Surprise, Ariz.
Softball
Softball
vs. Bradley at 11 a.m.
vs. San Jose State at 3:30
p.m.
Las Vegas, Nev.
Track
Alex Wilson Last Chance
Meet
All Day
South Bend, Ind.
SATURDAY
Tennis
Houston
11 a.m.
Lawrence
SUNDAY
Baseball
vs. Air Force
11 a.m.
Surprise, Ariz
Tennis
vs. St. Louis
11 a.m.
Lawrence
Softball
vs. San Diego
2:15 p.m.
Las Vegas
Kansas sits atop the Big 12 moving into the championship
1. Kansas National Ranking: No.2 AP No.2 Coaches Poll Record: (28-2) Overall(13-2) Conference
A win on Saturday at Missouri gives Kansas the outright Big 12 title. It also ruins the Tiger's Senior Day. Kansas has won seven straight conference titles, the same amount of losses Bill Self has at Allen Fieldhouse.
**Last Week:** Def. Oklahoma State 92-65 (2/21), Def. Oklahoma
80-72 (2/26)
**This Week:** Def. Texas A&M 64-51 (3/2), 3/5 at Missouri
2. Texas National Ranking: No. 7 AP No. 8 Coaches Poll Record: (24-6) Overall (12-3) Conference
Last Week: Def. Iowa State 76-53 (2/22), Lost to Colorado 91-89
(2/26)
Texas will need the help Kansas received on Monday. In a 10-day span, the Longhorns lost three of four games and first place in the Big 12. Luckily for them Kansas goes to Missouri, which hasn't lost at home. Bad news is that Texas plays at Baylor where ESPN Gameday is being hosted.
This Week: Lost to Kansas State 75-70 (2/28) 3/5 at Baylor
3. Kansas State National Ranking: Recieved Votes AP Received Votes Coaches Poll Record: (21-9) Overall (9-6) Conference
This team continues to improve and is on a tear recently. The Wildcats are on a five-game winning streak with three of the victories being against Top 25 teams. This team went from going to the NIT to a solid NCAA lock in just more than three weeks.
Last Week: Def. Nebraska 61-15 (2/23), Def. Missouri 80-70 (2/26)
This Week: Texas 75-70 (2/5), 3/5 vs. Iowa State
4. Missouri National Ranking No. 22 AP No. 24 Coaches Poll Record:(22 B) Overall (8-7) Conference
It's an early tip in Columbia (11 a.m. against the Jayhawks. The Tigers will want a good night's rest tonight to be prepared for tomorrow. Missouri lost at Kansas State last week and at Nebraska this week giving Missouri at 1-7 record on the road in conference.
Last Week: Def. Baylor 77-59 (2/23), Lost to Kansas State 80-70 (2/26)
This Week: Lost to Nebraska 69-58 (3/1), 3/5 vs. Kansas
5. Texas A&M National Ranking: No. 24 AP No. 22 Coaches Poll Record: (2-7) Overall (9-6) Conference
The five-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt. Though Texas A&M's streak isn't that impressive, it won four games by five points or less and defeated the last four teams in the conference: Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Iowa State.
Last Week: Def. Oklahoma 61-47 (2/23), Lost to Baylor 58-51(2/26)
This Week: Lost to Kansas 64-51 (3/2), 3/5 vs. Texas Tech
Just when Colorado thought it was putting its dancing shoes on, Iowa State had other plans. The Cyclones dashed the hopes of the Buffalooes on Tuesday night, which were coming off a 22-point comeback to defeat Texas on Saturday.
Last Week: Def. Texas Tech 71-68 (2/23),Def. Texas 91-89 (2/26)
This Week: Lost to Iowa State 95-90 (3/2), 3/5 at Nebraska
6. Colorado Unranked Record:(18-12) Overall (7-8) Conference
7. Baylor Unranked
Record: (17-9) Overall (7-8) Conference This is the most confusing team in the Big 12. It has so much talent, but it squanders it all the time. It will take one step forward by defeating Texas A&M but will take two steps back by losing to Oklahoma State. The Bears still have a chance to make the dance, but they will need to defeat a struggling Texas squad and win at least one game in the Big 12 tournament. Last Week: Lost to Missouri 77-59 (2/23). Def. Texas A&M 58-51
This Week: Lost to Oklahoma State 71-60 (3/1), 3/5 vs. Texas
8. Nebraska Unranked Record:(19-10) Overall (7-8) Conference
Saturday against Colorado was supposed to be more than just a game between the two schools leaving the conference. It looked like it would have NCAA tournament implications until Iowa State defeated both. But the win is important. One team will be .500 in conference play, which looks much better than having a losing record in conference.
Last Week: Lost to Kansas State 61-57 (2/23), Lost to Iowa State
83-82 (2/26)
This Week: Def. Missouri 69-58 (3/1), 3/5 at Colorado
9. Oklahoma State Unranked
Oklahoma State picked up nice victories against Texas Tech and Baylor after losing four in a row, three to ranked teams. The Cowboys finish the season on the road against the Sooners.
Last Week: Lost to Kansas 92-65 (2/21), Def. Texas Tech 70-68 (2/26)
This Week: Def. Baylor 71-60 (3/1), 3/5 at Oklahoma
10. Iowa State Unranked Record:(16-14) Overall (3-12) Conference
After 10 straight losses, the Cyclones are on a two game winning streak. The two wins are at the expense of the two teams that helped Kansas: Nebraska and Colorado. It's a nice parting gift for the two schools leaving the Big 12, both who were in the thick of a potential NCAA tournament bid after defeating Texas. But Iowa State looked to burst the bubbles.
Last Week: Lost to Texas 76-53 (2/22), Def. Nebraska 83-82 (2/26)
This Week: Def. Colorado 95-90 (3/2), 3/5 at Kansas State
11. Texas Tech Unranked Record (13-17) Overall (5-10) Conference
Texas Tech is 1-1 against teams from Oklahoma in its last two games. It finishes with a good Texas A&M team that hung tough with Kansas on Wednesday.
Last Week: Lost to Colorado 71-68 (2/23), Lost to Oklahoma State 70-68 (2/26)
This Week: Def. Oklahoma 84-58 (3/2) 3/5 vs. Texas A&M
12. Oklahoma Unranked Record:(12-17) Overall (4-11) Conference
If the Sooners aren't careful, they could find themselves 4-12 in back-to-back seasons. Bill Self said that this Sooner team is better than what its record says.
Last Week: Lost to Texas A&M 61-47 (2/23), Lost to Kansas 82-70 (2/26)
This Week: Lost to Texas Tech 84-58 (3/2), 3/5 vs. Oklahoma State
By George Farquhar
Adapted by Thornton Wilder and Ken Ludwig
Featuring an original score composed by Ryan McCall
Reservoir seat tickets are on sale in the KU ticket offices: University Theatre,
864.3988 Lily Center 864 ARTS, and online at www.uku theatre.com. Tickets are $18
for the public $17 (or senior citizens and KU faculty and staff, and $10 for all students.
All major credit cards are accepted. The University Theatre is impartially funded by the
KU Student Senate Activity Fund funding is also provided by the Kansas Arts Commission,
a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a national agency. The
University Theatre 2010-11 season is sponsored by the KU Credit Union.
7:30 p.m.
February 24, 25, 26 &
March 4, 5, 2011
2:30 p.m.
March 6, 2011
Crafton-Preyer Theatre
KANSAS CITY
LIBRARIES
LONDON
STUDENT
SENATE
KU CREDIT UNION
A DEPOSITOR OF BEREFED CREDIT UNION
Don's Auto Center
Lawrence's local repair shop | 11th & Haskell | 841-4833