Sports
University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, November 15, 1989
11
Hot-shooting UAB is first test for KU
Jayhawks to open regular season tonight in NIT tournev
By Dan Perkins Kansan sportswriter
When the KU men's basketball team takes the floor tonight, there will be a little more on the line than in the first two Jayhawk games.
Kansas last played in the preseason NIT in 1985, the tournament's first year, losing to Duke 92-86 in the championship game.
The Jayhawks open their regular season against the University of Alabama-Birmingham in the first game at 7:38 p.m. at 7:38 P.M. in Allen Field House.
This year's tournament fields 16 teams, including the top-ranked University of Nevada-Las Vegas and second-ranked Louisiana State.
Other ranked teams in the tournament include No. 19 North Carolina State and No. 25 St. John's.
Alabama-Birmingham finished 22-12 and placed third in the postseason (34-28).
Kansas comes into the tournament with a 2-10 record in its exhibition season. The Jayhawks beat the Brisbane (Australia) Bullets 98-33 on
Nov. 6 behind Mark Randall's teamhigh 20 points. Pekka Makranken led Kansas with 18 points and 10 rebounds in the Jayhawk' second exhibition game, a 90-56 victory over the Spirit Express.
UAB also won both of its exhibition games this season. The Blazers beat Brazil, 126-92 and Fort Sill, Okla., 111-92. Andy Kennedy led the Blazers in scoring in both games with 39 and 21 points respectively.
Kennedy, a 6-foot-7 forward, is just one of eight returning lettermen for the team.
"They're a good basketball team with several kids coming back," Coach Roy Williams said. "They've got a 7-2 kid, Alan Ogg, who'll give us a challenge. We need to take the basketball to him."
Last season, Ogg averaged 9.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game to go along with 218 blocks, the third best total in the nation.
The Blazers also return Larry Rembert, a 6-8 forward. Rembert averaged only 8.3 points per game last season, but was the second-leading scorer with 39 points in the two exhibition games this season.
Along with two other returning starters, 5-11 guard Barry Bearden, (9 ppg.), and U-8 guard Jack Kramer, the Blazers bring in five newcomers.
1st-round game tickets still on sale
Tickets are still available for tonight's game between Kansas and the University of Alabama-Birmingham in the first round of the Dodge NIT. About 4,000 tickets were sold by yesterday afternoon, according to officials. The game is not included in the season ticket package.
Tickets are $0 for the general public and $4 for KU students. In order to expedite sales for a possible second-round NIT game at Allen Field House, the KU ticket office is offering a two-game package, $18 for the general public and
$5 for KU students. Refunds would be given if Kansas does not advance or if it is not selected as a second-round host.
The NIT officials will notify the winner of tonight's game about who their second-round opponent will be and where the game will be played. Other NIT games being played tonight include Richmond at North Carolina State; Ohio State at DePaul; Loyola-Marymount at UNLV; Southern Mississippi at Louisiana State and Air Force at California.
The newcomers include 6-9 senior forward William DeVaughn and 7-0 freshman center Doug Turner.
This size has Williams worried because Kansas has just two players, Randall, 6-9, and Markkanen, 6-10, who are taller than 6-7.
"With Ogg and Rembert, they have two extremely talented youngsters with size up front," Williams said. "Their whole team causes us problems."
three-point range against Brazil,
including 9-for-16. 16. Kennedy.
The Blazers were 5-for-10 against Fort
Sill.
"They're a well-rounded basketball team," Williams said. "They're a team that can hurt you inside and outside. We're going to have our hands full. If we don't play well we won't win."
"I think we'll know Wednesday night what kind of basketball team we have and which areas we really have to start stressing."
The Blazers hit 15-for-25 from
Ohio player signs to shoot on KU courts, forwards 1st letter-of-intent to Jayhawks
By Dan Perkins
Kansan sportswriter
Ohio State has beaten Kansas the last three times the two schools have met on a basketball court, but the Jays can tie them to tangle with the Jayhawks off it.
"I feel terrific," Lindley said last night. "I'm positive I made the right decision."
Chris Lindley, a 6-foot-8 forward from Raytown South (Mo.) High School, chose Kansas instead of Ohio state yesterday and became the first recruit to sign a national letter-of-intent with the Jayhawks this season.
Last summer, Ohio State tried to recruit Coach Roy Williams to become the new head coach of the team but he declined to talk with them.
Lindley, who became a Street and Smith honorable-mention allAmerican after averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds per game last season as a junior, made it 0-2 for the Buckeyes when he signed the letter-of-intent at his high school.
Lindley said he chose Kansas instead of Ohio State for several reasons.
"I really liked Ohio State," Lindley said. "I had a lot of fun with the team when I went there, and I thought maybe it was the place for me. But in the end I weighed everything, and Kansas came out on ton."
Lindley said that the proximity of Kansas was a factor, but it wasn't the most important one.
"I liked the proximity, but I also liked the players and the playing style," Lindley said. "Also, the players were really honest with me."
"We are extremely happy to have Chris join our program," Williams said. "He's an impressive young man from an outstanding high school program under the direction of Bud Lathrop.
"We fully expect him to have an outstanding academic and athletic career at Kansas, and we feel fortunate that he will be a basketball athlete to our basketball program."
Lindley is the only recruit to sign with the Jayhawks during the early signing period, which ends today. After today, players must wait until spring before they can sign with a school.
Mark Davis wins Cy Young award
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Mark Davis won the Cy Young Award yesterday. Now everyone has to wait to see who wins him.
Davis, the San Diego Padres' reliever who saved 44 games, easily beat Mike Scott of the Houston Astros in winning the award as best National League pitcher of 1989. Now Davis has to find a team to play for next season.
He became a free agent on Oct. 31,
and his agents say there is only a 10
percent chance he'll return to San
Diego.
"I definitely will take my family into consideration," he said of his decision, deflecting questions about
money. "A lot of things will go into the decision. But today, I feel this is a happy time for the Padres and myself, and I would like to focus on that."
The 29-year-old Davis got 19 first-place votes and four second-place votes for 107 points from a 24-member panel of the Baseball Writers Association of America, Scott, the 1986 winner, got four firsts, 14 seconds and three thirds for 65 points.
Davis made $600,000 last season and recently rejected an offer for a three-year contract for about 7 million. He'll consider offers from any team.
He specifically thanked Pat Dobson, his pitching coach, and Jack McKeon, the San Diego manager.
Senior linebacker leads Hawks to final game
Bv Gene Kina
By Gene King Kansan sportswriter
He has been a leader for the Jayhawks as the only starting senior on defense. But, he has led more by example than by voice.
Senior linebacker Dan Newbrough has only one more game to show that leadership and he wants to lead his team. He played Missouri on Saturday in Columbia. Mo.
"He leads in a different fashion," said outside linebacker coach Bob Fello. "He's not a vocal type of guy. In practice, he has kind of taken charge of the outside linebacker group. I don't think you could get Dan up in front of a group and say more than five words. He is a pretty quiet guy."
Despite his quiet personality, his work on the field has been worthy of his praise.
He is the second-leading tackler on the squad with 102 tackles. He only trails behind fellow linebacker Roger Robben, who has 132 total tackles.
Newbrough leads all Jayhawks with tackles for losses. He has 10 tackles for minus-42 yards. He also has a team-leading two sacks.
"He has been very consistent for us," Fello said. "He has risen to a lot of different challenges."
Newbrough came to the Jayhawks as a walk-on from Franklin College of Indiana, where he played quarterback.
Although he has more of a linebacker mentality, the quarterback in him surfaces every now and then, Newbrough said.
"I still think I can beat him," he
told with him and with him,
and he can show him.
But, he said he knew that he was a linebacker and was set to get down to the business at hand — Missouri.
He and Kansas quarterback Kelly Donohoe, who also will be playing his last game Saturday, are going to have a "throw-off" this week to determine who has the better arm.
"It is a team we match up with well," he said. "It is going to come down to who wants it more.
"Someone might be wanting to cash it in early since it is the last
First, he wanted to stay healthy and play the whole season. Second,
At the beginning of the season,
Newbrough set some goals for him.
Dan Newbrough
he wanted to record at least 100 tackles. And third, he wanted to be either an all-Big Eight selection or at least an honorable mention.
He has reached two of the goals.
Barring any injury before Saturday,
he will have played in all 11 games
already and already taller more than
100 tackles.
"I've seen every team play," he said. "I know Colorado had some pre-season All-Americans, but I've played consistently."
"It is kind of a two-sided thing," Newbrough said. "I'm looking forward to it in some ways, but in another way, this might be my last game I ever play, footballwise.
Newbrough said that he was a little disappointed about only having one game left, but at the same time, he also was happy.
As for Big Eight recognition, that remains to be seen.
Newbough said that he knew that someday he might have to go forward with football. He expects to play with a degree in communications
"If that is the case, then I will miss it a lot."
"If the opportunity is there, I'll try out. I'd kick myself if they said I could try out and I didn't. You never know until you try. I never knew I could play Divison I football until I tried." he said.
Jayhawk player is honored Walker awarded by baseball group
Newbrough said that anything was possible at this point concerning the professional ranks.
"If something comes along professionally, then so be it." he said.
By Dan Perkins
Kansan sportswriter
Jim Walker has received several honors as a baseball player, but before receiving his latest honor on April 6, month, he had never even heard of him.
Walker, Nickerson freshman,
was selected the Kansas winner of
the 1989 Golden Diamond Amateur
Baseball Player of the Year.
The award, given out by the United States Baseball Federation, is awarded to one person in each state who has show exceptional athletic skills, sponsorship and character and who has made a significant contribution, to the game of baseball.
However, Walker had never even heard of the award much less thought he would win it.
"I was real surprised because I'd never even heard of it," Walker said. "I was excited, though."
At Nickerson, Walker was a two-sport letter-winner in baseball and basketball and was a member of the college championship baseball team.
He also was named first-team all-state as a shortstop and was voted the league's most valuable player in 1989.
But Walker has definitely earned the title of student-athlete.
Walker graduated from Nickerson High School with a 4.0 grade point average and was named the class valedictorian.
Since graduating, Walker has had his share of ups and downs.
"I really looking forward to playing, but I think it's better to have an injury in my freshman year than to do it later on."
In June, he signed a scholarship to play baseball for Coach Dave Bingham and the Jayhawks, but in October he was not before he had a chance to play.
"I was leading off first when a line drive was hit toward right field," Walker said. "When I needed to go back to left I felt it tipped
In the American Legion state tournament played in Lawrence last summer, Walker tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee after playing just one game.
Jim Walker has succeeded in juggling baseball and books.
Walker, who said he won't be able to start working out with the team until summer, said he came to Kansas for a couple of reasons, and despite the injury, those reasons haven't changed.
"I love it here," Walker said. "I love the team. Everyone is easy to get along with.
"I knew Kansas had a solid academic program and I knew
how good Coach Bingham was," Walker said. "He has really helped me a lot since I've been here."
Walker said he had used the time while he was rehabilitating to get use to going to college and to making friends with the team.
"When I'm finished with rehab, I'll be in better shape than I've ever been," Walker said.
AP selects basketball's top players
The Associated Press
Sophomores Chris Jackson and Alonzo Mourning were joined by seniors Rumeal Robinson, Derrick Coleman and Lionel Simmons today on The Associated Press' preseason All-America college basketball team.
Jackson, who last year became the second freshman to ever be named All-American and the highest scoring member of that class, led the voting by the same nationwide panel that selected the weekly Top 25. The Louisiana State guard and Southeastern Conference player-of-the-year was named the nationals' latest season at 30.2 points per game. Jackson was named on 62 of 65 ballots to edge Mourning as top votegetter.
AP TOP 25 PRESEASON BASKETBALL POLL
Last year's final ranking
1. UNLV (30) 29-8 15
2. LSU (14) 20-12 -
3. Syracuse (8) 30-8 7
4. Michigan (7) 30-7 10
5. Georgetown (4) 29-5 2
6. Arizona (1) 29-4 1
7. North Carolina 29-8 5
8. Illinois 31-5 3
9. Arkansas 25-7 -
10. Duke 28-8 9
11. Missouri 29-8 6
12. Louisville 24-9 12
13. UCLA 21-10 -
14. Indiana 27-8 8
15. Temple 18-12 -
16. Oklahoma 30-6 4
17. Notre Dame 21-9 -
18. Pittsburgh 17-13 -
19. N.C. State 22-9 19
20. Minnesota 19-12 -
21. Oklahoma St. 17-13 -
22. Georgia Tech 20-12 -
23. Florida 21-13 -
24. Memphis St. 21-11 -
25. St. John's 20-13 -
Others receiving votes: Ball St. 14, UTEP 143, Clemson 142, Texas 115, Houston 104, Loyola-Marymount 61, Rutgers 58, Florida St. 52, La Salle 43, Wake Forest 42, Alabama 36, Oregon St. 31, Kansas 30, Mississippi 28
*First place votes in parenthesis
Kevin Masten/KANSAN
Sport briefs
Woodard named best of decade
MAAS GETS PLATE: Kansas City nose tackle Bill Maas had a plate put in his broken left arm yesterday during surgery, a Chiefs spokesman said.
Maas was expected to stay in the hospital overnight. It was not known if he would be able to return this season, and the Chiefs said roster changes would be decided later this week.
Maas played in the 1967 and 1988 Pro Bowls but missed the last eight games last year because of a knee injury. He broke his arm Sunday by a tackle on the second to last play of the Chiefs' 16-13 loss to Denver.
By a Kansan reporter
Former Kansas basketball legend Lynette Woodard was unanimously chosen last week  as the Big Eight basketball player. *Lynette Woodard*, aasketball coaches.
"It was a big surprise," Woodard said. "It was a real nice honor."
Woodard, now an assistant coach for women's basketball coach Marian Washington, played for Kansas from 1978 to 1981 and was named a Kodak All-American every year. She set Kansas and Big Eight records in career scoring (3,649 points) and rebounding (1,734) and still holds
After graduating, Woodard coached on and off for Kansas from 1983 to 1985. In 1984, she captained the U.S. Olympic women's basketball team to a gold medal, and in 1985, she became the first female Harlem Globetrotter and stayed with the team for two years.
almost every major Kansas record but career assists. Senior Lisa Braddy, who has 513 carerre broke Woodard's mark of 502 last year.
For the past two years, Woodard has been in Italy playing for the Eni-Chem Priolo team, which she led to a national European title in 1989.
Besides being voted Player of the
Decade, Woodard also was chosen to the Big Eight All-Decade first team, which includes Kansas player Vickie Adkins, named all big-Eight from 1983 to 1986, Maurice Ivy of Nebraska (1986-88), and Missouri players Joni Davis (1984-85) and Renee Kelly (1988-87).
"But I don't think there was anybody chosen that loves the game more than I do," Woodard said.
Washington lost the Coach of the Decade award to Joann Rutherford of Missouri, who coached her teams to two league titles, the only conference coach with that distinction.