FEATURE 11
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THROUGH TIMES
feats Kansas State after losing star guard Danielle McCray
to make sure her two
before slower — play of
Jayhawks.
Goodrich and Danielle starters who both suf- gled ACL injuries in the rallied with its most of the season.
we fighting for the cancer or the ones
Chance Dibben/KANSAN the second half. The Jayhawks
full 40 minutes, finishing with
who have passed with any type of cancer, we had our own fight," senior guard Sade Morris said. "Unfortunately we've been hit with two ACL terrors and it has been a struggle. We had to show everybody that we still have fight."
In front of 7,580 vocal fans, the remaining Jayhawks did just that and improved to 4-4 in the Big 12.
That Kansas defeated Kansas State at home isn't completely surprising. After all the Wildcats have been equally inconsistent this season, entering Sunday 3-4 in the Big 12.
But what was surprising — and what answered many of the pregame questions surrounding the Jayhawks — was the aggressiveness displayed by Kansas from start to finish.
In building a 10-point lead without their biggest contributor, the Jayhawks showed, at least for one game, that other players are capable replacements.
"We felt like we needed to prove something." Morris said. "Just because our best player is out doesn't mean that's the end of it for us."
But harder to quantify is McCray's tendency to carry the Jayhawks in key situations. At the end of last season, with Kansas winning nine of its final 12 games, McCray played her best basketball of the season.
McCray opened the season as the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year. She averaged 19.8 points per game this season and is currently fourth on Kansas' all-time scoring list.
Yet that seemed to be the consensus after word spread of McCray's seasonending injury Thursday.
Combined with the loss of Goodrich Kansas' leading distributor on offense, questions surrounding the Jayhawks'
ability to score arose.
"It's been an emotional few days," freshman forward Carolyn Davis said. "it's been hard dealing with the loss of Danielle. But it's brought us closer as a team because we know we have to step up. Every single person."
In the victory against K-State, Davis committed just one turnover and teamed with freshman Monica Engelman to score 30 points and grab 14 rebounds.
At the beginning of the season, the duo rarely played while adjusting to the college game. Now, two months later, they're key pieces of the immediate future.
"I was heartbroken about the Danielle situation," Engelman said. "I still am. And today I was a little bit nervous. I knew that I had to step up."
In the absence of McCray, Kansas turned in its most efficient performance of the season.
The Jayhawks shot 56 percent. They committed only 11 turnovers. And they continuously attacked the Wildcats, drawing fouls and finding open players.
K-State cut Kansas' lead to five with seven minutes left, but the Jayhawks rallied. That theme of rallying — of coming together to move on — dominated talk after the game.
The Jayhawks declared this their most inspired performance of the season, and really that's hard to argue with.
"When they attacked us, we attacked right back," Engelman said. "We didn't get passive."
Thing is, the Wildcats described the game in the same manner.
"We were really just outplayed today in all the small areas of the game," K-State coach Deb Patterson said. "We were outplayed in production and we were definitely outplayed in aggressiveness."
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Senior guard LaChelia Jacobs raises her arms in celebration after the Jayhawks defeated Kansas State at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas improved to 14-7 for the season and 4-4 in Big 12 play.
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Junior center Krysten Boogaard tries to grab the ball as Kansas State forward Jalana Childs attempts a shot.
Boogaard finished with six points and a block in 12 minutes.
SAN
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE WAVE FEBRUARY 10,2010