KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010 / SPORTS
7B
WOMEN'S (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
shooting 49 percent compared to Nebraska's 34 percent and still lost by seven points. The reason: The Jayhawks took 13 fewer shots than Huskers because they committed 19 turnovers, including four in the final three minutes, compared to Nebraska's nine.
"Getting stops on defense helped create our offense," Nebraska junior Dominique Kelley said. "Those three steals at the end helped us get our momentum back."
Senior guards LaChelda Jacobs and Morris were Kansas' culprits in the final minutes.
Jacobs paid little attention to the shot clock, calling plays before she passed the half-court line and organizing screens that rarely worked. Her assorted attempts often ate up at least two-thirds of the shot clock and forced Kansas to take shots that it never wanted. Despite glimpsees of productivity, Jacobs' miscues forced Henrickson to take her true point guard out of the game.
That put Morris, normally a shooting guard, at point guard. She succumbed to Nebraska consistent
pressure and finished the game with seven turnovers, three of which occurred in the final 2:25.
"All five people on the court play together," guard Moncia Engelman said of Nebraska. "They pressure the ball non-stop."
Self-inflicting turnovers aren't foreign to a Henrickson-coached team. The past three seasons under Henrickson, Kansas' turnovers per game mark hovered around 17 to 19. In each of those seasons, Kansas recorded a sub-500 record in the Big 12 and managed to win no more than six of its 16 conference games in any year.
A victory Wednesday could have brought life to a team crippled by injuries. It would have been the signature win on Kansas' NCAA Tournament resume. Instead, they turned over that possibility and again, seem bound to finish with fewer than eight wins in the Big 12.
"In a game where you've got an opportunity to beat a ranked and undefeated team, you've got to find a way to finish," Henrickson said.
Edited by Taylor Bern
Key to the game
No.14 Texas recorded a season-high 14 steals in a Feb. 10 victory against Colorado. That could cause trouble for the Jayhawks as they struggled to maintain possession of the ball in their loss to the third-ranked Cornhuskers. Many of Kansas' 19 turnovers came in crucial moments as it let Nebraska creep its way back into the game and escape with a victory. Those are mistakes the Jayhawks will need to avoid to have success against the Longhorns.
Taking care of the ball
Keep an eye on
Carolyn Davis
In Wednesday's loss to No. 3 Nebraska, freshman forward Carolyn Davis recorded the third double-double of her career. In doing that she also grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds. Despite playing a key role in the Jayhawks stretch of 11 straight field goals, Davis failed to score in the game's final 12 minutes and only attempted one shot. If her teammates can continue feeding her the ball down low, in a position to score, then Davis should be able to produce another big game against Texas.
Davis
Opponent to watch
Brittainey Raven
Since the start of conference play, Texas senior guard Brittainey Raven has scored in the double digits every game. That trend didn't just begin with conference games, though, as she also has double-digit point totals in 27 of her last 28 games. In addition to her offensive prowess Raven is coming off a game against Colorado where she notched a season-high four steals.
Raven
Quote of the day
"We've got to believe that we're talented enough, but we also have to find some toughness. We've got to be able to do that to get a win on Saturday."
- Coach Bonnie Henrickson, after Wednesday's loss to Nebraska
Score prediction
Texas 66, Kansas 57
Andrew Taylor
Freshmen excited for first real game
SOFTBALL
BY ZACH GETZ
zgetz@kansan.com
twitter/zgetz
For most of the winter, junior catcher Brittann Hile and the rest of the Kansas softball team had to practice indoors on turf. Hile said she is ready to get onto the field and play a real game.
"To finally get on the road and start playing is going to be fun to finally see the team in action," Hile said. "To be on the dirt rather than turf is going to be great."
The team will face two top-25 teams when it travels to Houston this weekend for the Marriott Hobby Invite. Kansas will need to get used to playing on the road as its first 19 games are away from Arrocha Ballpark.
Kansas lacks experience and depth, with seven freshmen, and will have to look to older players for leadership and experience — particularly senior pitcher Sarah Vertelka and junior outfielder Liz Kocun.
MARRIOTT HOBBY
INVITE
Despite lack of experience, the team does not lack optimism.
Weston White/KANSAN
Junior catcher Brittany Hiltie slaps hands with a teammate during Saturday afternoons game against Emporia State. The Jayhawks open their season today against no. 21 Louisville.
Friday Feb. 12
No. 21 Louisville 11 a.m.
Sam Houston State 1 p.m.
Saturday Feb.13
Sam Houston State 3 p.m.
Houston 7 p.m.
Sunday Feb. 14
No. 16 Ohio State 11 a.m.
Rosie Hull, a freshman outfielder, said she is ready to get on the road and play her first collegiate game.
"I think I'm nervous now, but once I get on the field, I'm going to try and play the game I know," Hull said. "I think it's important to just go out there give it our all and stay focused."
Success won't be measured by wins or loses, but by the progress the team makes, head coach Megan Smith said. Smith is also new to the team. She will make
her coaching debut for Kansas today at 11 a.m. against No.21 Louisville.
"We've talked about us focusing on us for that first weekend and going out there and just kind of seeing what we got," Smith said. "It's important that we don't get too worried about the opponents and worry about us"
will play hard and open some eyes after this weekend.
"I know if we play our best game we can really surprise them," Hull said. "I think we are going to surprise a lot of people."
Hull said she thinks the team
- Edited by Kelly Gibson
Three players to watch:
Vertela
Vertela will need to keep strong in the pitching circle as she by far has the most experienced pitching on f
Senior pitcher Sarah
SOFTBALL SNAPSHOT
Kansas not only needs Kocon to have another strong plate presence,
Vertelka
pitching on the team
Junior outfielder Liz Kocon
but she also needs to help lead the youth in the outfield.
Senior first baseman Amanda Jobe
One of
One of only three players to return and start every game last season, Jobe needs to keep being
dependable on first base.
Three games/series to keep an eye on:
No. 21 Louisville Feb. 12 -
First game of the season and
it can set the pace for the rest
of the year. A victory would be huge for the newcomers while a defeat could stifle off-season confidence.
No. 9 Missouri April 7 - A double header in Columbia toward the beginning of Big 12 Conference play could be a big confidence boost or stop any momentum that Kansas has gained.
No. 10 Oklahoma May 1 and 2 - Second to last series in Big 12 play. This could give the pop that Kansas needs right before post-season play.
Three trends:
1. Head Coach Megan Smith -
All eyes will be watching to see
if Megan Smith can turn around
the Jayhawks, who were picked
to finish ninth in the Big 12 Conference.
2. Freshmen - Kansas brings in seven freshmen to join 12 returners this season. Kansas will need big things right away from many of the freshmen, such as the Hull twins, if the team is to succeed.
3. Enthusiasm - Even with the major changes between semesters, there is an air of excitement surrounding the team.Win or lose, Kansas needs to keep it going to not only be successful this season but in future seasons.
— Zach Getz
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
No.18 Butler wins again
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Gordon Hayward scored 22 points and had a career-high 17 rebounds to lead No. 18 Butler past Youngstown State 68-57 for the Bulldogs' 14th consecutive win Thursday night.
Butler (22-4, 15-0) overcame 11 first-half turnovers to clinch its fourth straight Horizon League title. The Bulldogs' winning streak is one behind Siena for the longest in the nation. The teams will meet Jan. 20.
DeAndre Mays' 18 points led Youngstown State (8-16, 2-12), which has lost four in a row. Vytas Sulksis added 14 points for the Penguins.
The Bulldogs' start in conference play is the best by any Horizon team since Wisconsin Green Bay began 16-0 in 1995-96. They can match that with a win Saturday at second-place Cleveland State.
Matt Howard had 11 points and Willie Veasley 10 for the Bulldogs, who won their seventh straight on the road.
Youngstown State made four consecutive three-pointers during a 23-4 run midway through the first half to go ahead, but Hayward's driving layup and free throw four seconds before halftime gave the Bulldogs a 31-30 lead at the break.
Vesaily hit a 3-pointer, blocked a shot, and Shelvin Mack hit
another three for a 6-0 lead in the opening 54 seconds. The Bulldogs had hit a season-high 12 from beyond the arc in a 91-61 victory against Youngstown State Jan. 16.
The Penguins got back into it with swarming defense and sharp long-range shooting of their own. Sulski hit three 3-pointers as YSU battled back from a 16-5 deficit with a run that included 12 points on four consecutive threes to lead 28-20.
Butler closed the first half with an 11-2 run, capped by Hayward's go-ahead three-point play.
Butler took better care of the basketball, held Sulski to 1-for-5 from the field and shot 62 percent from the field in the second half.
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