THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS
VOLLEYBALL|7B
Squad outlasts the Oklahoma Sooners
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2010
The team improved on errors and came out of Norman with a big victory. The Jayhawks' season ended after being left out of the NCAA tournament bracket released on its selection show Sunday afternoon.
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VEGAS VICTORY
PAGE 1B
Depth helps Kansas survive challenge
BY TIM DWYER
BYTIM DWYER
tdwyer@kansan.com
twitter.com/UMBKasketball
Senior guard Tyrel Reed and senior guard Brady Morningstar raise the championship trophy after Kansas defeated Arizona 87-79 to win the 2010 Las Vegas Invitational. Kansas has now won the tournament both times it has participated in the event. Ryan Waggoner/KANSAN
LAS VEGAS — Kansas faced its first test Saturday. It passed by almost every measure ... just not the one Las Vegas counts. A late Arizona layup covered the 8.5-point spread, but Kansas picked up its first quality win of the season, 87-79, behind all-tournament team performances from Travis Releford and Markieff Morris and a tournament MVP showing from Marcus Morris.
The Jayhawks trailed in the second half for the first time all season, but after a pair of Tyshawn Taylor free throws gave Kansas a one-point lead with eight-and-a-half minutes to play, the Jayhawks never gave it up.
"It was good," coach Bill Self said of the team's first test. "We won and we had to make some plays to do it."
"It was good for us to get behind in the second half and see what we're made of," Self said. "I think we responded pretty well."
They needed every bit of the Kansas bench — and needed the reserves at the top of their game
— when both Morris twins got into foul trouble early in the first half, and stayed in it until the final buzzer. Travis Releford and Thomas Robinson, in particular,
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FOOTBALL
Jerry Wang/KANSA Missouri linebacker Bark Coslet leads the team toward the stands with the Border Showdown drum. Missouri finished the season 10-2 overall and tied with Nebraska as Big 12 champions.
Stands empty at Showdown
BY KORY CARPENTER
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
kcarpenter@kansan.com
There were more than 25,000 empty seats for Saturday's Border Showdown in the newly renovated Arrowhead Stadium.
Those seats symbolized the 25,000 fans who said 'no thanks' to watching a rivalry that's considered among the best in college sports.
There's a great chance that many of those fans watched a few Kansas or Missouri games this season before making their decision to stay home. They saw the often mediocre Tiger defense actually turn into a force this year, teaming up with Gary Pinkel's annual high-powered and explosive offense. They probably saw the Kansas offense as well and had a few words to describe its season, words that didn't include high-powered or explosive.
Sure, rivalry games are supposed to be close. But when the matchup was as lopsided as it wason Saturday, a 28-point loss wasn't surprising.
The previous three Border Showdowns were decided by a
combined 13 points, so casual fans probably thought the 2010 edition would be similar.
gave up three quick touchdowns in the first half.
You could "throw out the records," people said. "None of that matters when KU and MU play," they would scream, hoping the hatred felt between both schools and fan bases would cover up the total talent and coaching advantage the Missouri Tigers
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held over the Jayhawks Saturday.
hicked over the hyndays Saturday.
Motivation helps, but it doesn't tackle for you. It doesn't magically turn your inexperienced offensive line into seasoned veterans. And it certainly can't lead your offense on 21-point comebacks, which was needed after the Kansas defense
"We made quite a few [defensive plays]," coach Turner Gill said after the game. "We didn't make enough on defense, but I was really pleased the way they responded. It was good to see."
only giving up 14 points in the final 40 minutes of the game, but it was already too much to overcome.
The defense did respond
When the layhawks have been successful offensively this year,
Translation: The early 21 point deficit made it nearly impossible for Kansas to establish the run game, forcing quarterback Jordan Webb to throw the ball more than planned.
they've pounded the ball on the ground with running backs James Sims, Angus Quigley and DeShaun Sands.
"Probably not," said Gill. "Sometimes in a game you try to do certain things, and you do whatever you can to make plays."
Did Sims get as many carries as the team wanted?
Webb, who returned to the starting lineup after being labeled 100 percent healthy, certainly didn't look it on Saturday, completing only seven passes for 45 yards as well as throwing two interceptions
There were really no other options for the coaching staff, however. In a perfect world, the Jayhawks would've run the ball.
Moving forward, Gill said he wants speed and athleticism at all positions. It was something the Jayhawks lacked at many positions this year, and it's something they will need in 2011 as the schedule gets considerably tougher, with matchups against the entire Big 12 South as well as a road game against Georgia Tech.
controlling the clock and keeping Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert on the sideline. But as Kansas fans have seen firsthand this season, things never go quite as planned.
Like much of the season, Gill's confidence once again overshadowed the disappointing on-field results.
"I feel very confident in having a winning program here at Kansas and I'm excited about moving forward," Gill said.
Edited by Anna Nordling
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Check out the photo gallery from Saturday's game at kansan.com.
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Junior forward Aishah Sutherland reaches up for a rebound Sunday against Fordham. The Jayhawks won the game in overtime 81-68. With the win, the Jayhawks claimed the BTI Tin-Off Classic title.
Jayhawks improve to 6-0 with OT victory
8
BY KATHLEEN GIER kgier@kansan.com
The final game of the Basketball Travelers, Inc., Tip-Off Classic for Kansas on Sunday was based around runs. Kansas went on a 12-4 run at the beginning of the half to reach itslargest lead of the game going up 18 points. Then Fordham went on a 26-7 run to take the lead with 2:43 left in the game. Kansas and Fordham
matched baskets until they ended regulation with tie at 59.
"When we threw a punch and we were up 18 they kept battling back and we got softer as they got tougher," coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "We just never found a rhythm. The roller coaster we have been on even this weekend being pretty average on Friday, being pretty
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