MEN'S BASKETBALL Men's NCAA regional semifinal basketball game against Arizona Friday will begin at 6:55 p.m. at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham, Ala. VANDERBILT 20-10 KANSAS 25-6 511 U N I V E R S I T Y D A I L Y K A N S A N 4 4 JAYHAWK BASKETBALL WOMEN'S PAGE10 TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1997 Vanderbilt 51, Kansas 44 KANSAS Dixon 7-26 7-FT TP 32 Pride 7-26 7-FT 7-7 Tripp 2-5 0-0 4 Halibable 2-11 0-0 4 Raymant 2-5 0-0 4 Ogren 1-2 0-0 2 Sanford 0-1 1-2 1 Reed 0-0 0-0 0 Canada 0-0 0-0 0 Baltimore 17-81 8-9 44 VANDERBALT FG FT FT TP Palmiano 6-12 4-7 16 Redman 6-15 4-8 9 Ottoman 1-3 4-8 6 Respondel 3-8 2-6 11 Hillman 7-14 4-19 Josely 1-7 4-19 Hammond 0-0 0-0 Gorstica 1-4 0-4 Holmes 1-4 0-4 Totals 18-54 7-12 51 Hattiftime: Kansas 6-24, Vanderbilt 23-3 Point gave; Vanderbilt 6-20 (Redman 3-1), Palmanso gave; Palmanso 6-19 (Redman 3-1), Dixon (12-1), Pride 1-2, Hallebelle 0-5); Fouled out: Trapp. Rebounds; Vanderbilt 14 (Palamiano 8), Kansas 14 (Dixon 7). Assists; Vanderbilt 8 (Red- man 3-1), Palmanso 7 (Redman 3-1). Total fouls Vanderbilt 12, Kansas 15, A: 4,200. The Jayhawks' school record of 21 consecutive home wins came to an end last night. The record started on Jan. 21, 1996, with a victory against Oklahoma State. Last night's loss was the Jayhawks' first home loss this season. Women's game notes Last night's game was the first time this season that only one Jayhawk scored in double figures. Kansas guard Tamecka Dixon had a team-high 22 points. - Kansas guard Angie Halbleib scored only four points in a two-of-11 shooting performance last night. She had scored in double figures in seven consecutive games prior to last night's game Vanderbilt assistant coach Kelly Stallworth is familiar with Kansas basketball for two reasons. She is the sister of Kansas assistant men's basketball coach Matt Doherty, and their sister, Lisa, played for the Jayhawks from 1985 to 1988. Kansas had been one of eight schools with both its men's and women's basketball teams still alive in the NCAA Tournament. Now, just four teams remain in that group — Texas, Utah, Stanford and North Carolina. New coach leads UCLA into spotlight, semifinals Chris Hamilton / KANSAN A young, idealistic nobody, he was given the nearly impossible task of AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — There were times early in the season when UCLA coach Steve Lavin wondered how things could get any worse. I still nobody, he was replacing a coach who was fired two weeks before the season began. His team was a cocky bunch that promptly lost three of its first six games, then followed it up a few weeks later with a 48-point loss, the worst in UCLA's storied history. The second-seeded Bruins (23-7) will play sixth-seeded Iowa State (22-8) on Thursday in San Antonio, Texas. The Cyclones beat No. 3 seed Cincinnati 67-66 in Saturday's other second-round game at the Palace. But somewhere in the mess, something unexpected happened: That arrogant group of 14 guys somehow became a team. Now the Bruins are on their way to the semifinals of the Midwest Regional after beating Xavier 96-83 on Saturday. After their miserable start, the Bruins are playing their best basketball since winning the NCAA title in 1995. They've won 11 straight, and 20 of their last 25. Against Xavier, Cameron Dollar was the only starter who didn't score in double figures, and he finished with nine. lowa State coach Tim Floyd wouldn't disagree. The Cyclones have played No. 1 Kansas three times this season, and Floyd thinks UCLA is just as good. "They're as talented as anybody we've played all year," Floyd said. "Including Kansas." —The Associated Press Senior guard Angie Halbleib fights Vanderbilt junior forward Lisa Ostrom for a rebound in the Jayhawks' 51-44 loss to the Commodores in the second round of the NCAA tournament last night at Allen Field House. Season ends as'Hawks lose to Vanderbilt The No. 3-seeded Kansas women's basketball team's season ended with a 51-44 loss to No. 6-seeded Vanderbilt in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last night at Allen Field House. By Tommy Ganagher Kansan sportswriter It was the first home loss for K an s a s women's basketball coach Marian Washington said the team must remember what it accomplished the Jayhawks this season. It was also the final game for five seniors — g u a r d s Tamecka Dixon and Angie Halbleib and forwards Jennifer Trapp, Patience Grayer and Shelly Canada. this season despite the season- ending loss. "It wasn't that we didn't have any good looks. It's that we just didn't hit them." Dixon scored 14 of Kansas' 20 second-half points, including all but two of the Jayhawks' points during the last 15 minutes of play. "It's always difficult to remember the good things that happened to you when you wanted something so badly." Washington said. "This team has etched themselves into the record books. They won the last Big Eight and the first Big 12. That's an incredible accomplishment for one team." From start to finish, last night's game was dominated by defense. Those points came from a layup by forward Suzi Raymant with less than a minute to play. "They did what they had to do to win the game," Washington said. "They slowed down the pace of the game, and they got some key offensive boards when they needed them." Washington said Vanderbilt had a good game plan for Kansas and executed it properly. Vanderbilt held Kansas to season-lows for total points (44) and shooting percentage (27.9 percent). The Jayhawks were just 17-for-61 from the floor, including 6-for-28 in the second half. Dixon said the problem was TameckaDixon Kansas guard making the open shot when it counted most. "It wasn't that we didn't have any good looks," Dixon said. "It's that we just didn't hit them. We just happened to pick the wrong time to not hit the open shot." Dixon recorded team-highs with 22 points, seven rebounds and four steals. She was seven for seven from the free-throw line and one for one from behind the three-point line. She ended the game 7 of 26 from the floor. half, Vanderbilt seized the Jay- hawks' momentum. Vanderbilt women's basketball coach Jim Foster said timely shooting and solid team defense was critical to winning the game. "We got some good shots because we were persistent and methodical," Foster said. "We're a very good defensive team, and we have been throughout the year. Not often is 51 points enough, but it was tonight." The Commodores took a 39-35 lead with more than seven minutes left to play. Kansas then rallied behind Dixon, who singlehandedly led the Jayhawks on a 7-0 run during the next three The game was back and forth during the first half. Kansas held the Commodores to 27.6 percent shooting, including 4-for-12 from behind the three-point line. After a 42-39 lead with five minutes left to play, Kansas went dry, and the Commodores took the lead for good. Vanderbilt went on a 12-2 run, finishing the game and leaving Kansas players, coaches and fans to Midway through the second ponder what could have been. "I felt that if we could have picked up some momentum that this was our shot," Washington said. "With some quickness outside and the experience of our senior class, I felt that would keep us in a lot of ball games." Tvler Wirken / KANSAM Kansas' T.J. Pugh rises above Purdue's Brad Miller for a shot during the Jay hawks' victory against the Boilermakers Saturday in Memphis, Tenn. 1 Kansas hopes to gain momentum in Sweet 16 'Hawks shrug off criticism about uninspiring play By Bill Petulla Kansan sportswriter Flat, off rhythm, sluggish or not in sync. The Kansas men's basketball team was called all of these things and more last weekend. The Jayhawks, who were favored by 36 points against Jackson State on Thursday and were predicted to blast Purdue by 16 points on Saturday, won both games by 14 points. The critical assessment, however, was issued not only by the media but also in the Jayhawks' locker room. "Everybody realizes that we didn't play our best basketball," Kansas guard Jerod Haase said. "But the bottom line is that we did win, and that says a lot in this tournament." Win, yes, but many Jayhawks think they can improve on their crusade to the Final Four. "By any stretch of the imagination, we didn't play our best here," guard Ryan Robertson said. "And to win a national championship we're going to have to elevate our play." The Jayhawks aim to follow in the footsteps of the 1995 National Champion, UCLA. The Bruins played shuggily early on in that year's NCAA Tournament. Despite manhandling a woeful Florida International squad, 92-56, UCLA nearly was sent home by Missouri in the second round. Trailing by one point to Missouri, Bruins guard Tyus Edney drove the ball the length of the court and scored a layup over the outstretched hand of Tigers guard Jason Sutherland at the buzzer, lifting UCLA to a 75-74 victory. Arizona, a No. 4 seed, barely skated past its first-round opponent. No. 13 seed South Alabama. Fortunately for Kansas, many questions surround the moment of the Jayhawks' next opponent. Arizona. The Wildcats needed an overtime to defeat the College of Charleston on Saturday, 73-69. Following the game, Arizona coach Lute Olson said you could never count his team out. The Wildcats trailed by 10 points with 7:31 remaining in the game. Arizona rallied and took advantage of several South Alabama turnovers and went on a 22-4 run that closed the game. Arizonia guard Miles Simon said despite playing the No. 1 team in "This is a competitive group of guys," Olson said. "And they're not going to quit." 1 "I don't think that anybody's going to back down and be scared. Expect a great game next week" Miles Simon Arizona guard "I don't think that anybody's going to back down and be scared," Simon said. "Expect a great game next week." the nation, the Wildcats won't get rattled. Kansas will play Arizona at 6:55 d.m. Friday in Birmingham, Ala. Although various publications may blast Kansas for its sluggish play in the first two rounds, Robertson said the criticism wasn't unfair. 评 "Every time that you step out on the court you're going to have people question your ability." Robertson said. "We've accomplished two of the six steps we need to take, although we didn't play our greatest basketball." 7