INSIDE SPORTS While the women's basketball team stays and plays in Lawrence, the men's team travels and faces new experiences in Memphis, Tenn., on and off the court. For more photos of the basket ball teams, see Page 8B. KANSAS 34-1 PURDUE 18-12 5 U N I V E R S I T Y D A I L Y K A N S A N 61 JAYHAWK BASKETBALL MONDAY, MARCH 17, 1997 SECTION B Kansas 75, Purdue 61 KANSAS (34-1) Pierce FG FT TP LaFrenz 8-20 4-5 19 Poland 3-14 4-7 18 Hase 1-5 4-7 12 Vaughn 3-8 0-5 12 Williams 0-5 0-0 9 Thomas 3-4 0-0 9 Pugh 1-3 0-0 2 Ridartson 1-3 0-0 2 Toole 2-82 | 14-1 | 75 PURDEM (18-12) FG FT TP Robinson 5-13 0-0 11 Cardinal 3-8 3-4 9 Miller 6-9 3-5 15 Eldridge 2-6 0-0 5 Austin 4-18 0-0 17 McQuay 1-2 0-0 9 Cornell 0-5 2-2 2 Barnes 0-5 2-2 2 Glikvely 0-0 0-0 0 Totals 21-61 16-20 61 Haffner: 163, Murphy 36, Purdue 26, 3-Point goals: Purdue 31; Kansas (Robinson) 4, Eldridge 4, Austin 5; Oklahoma 3, Mason 3, Gore 3, Austin 3, 1-Pierce 0-1, Hasse 1, Robertson 0-1), 1-McCarthy 0-1, Robinson 0-1), Murphy 36, Robinson 10, Miller 10, Murphy 45, Perle (12) Aalsist: 181 (Miller, Austin 3), Kansas 16 (Vaughn 9), Total fouls: Purdue 18, Kansas 18 Kansas 81. Detroit Mercy 67 KANSAS (25-5) Pride FG FG FT TP Trapo 5-8 4-4 14 Tampa 5-8 4-4 14 Sanford 2-5 4-4 8 Haliburk 5-14 1-2 13 Dixon 7-15 5-6 21 Oakland 1-5 5-6 21 Grazer 4-7 0-0 1 Reed 0-1 0-0 0 Raymont 2-6 0-0 0 Scott 0-1 0-0 0 Fletcher 1-1 0-0 2 Wiley 0-0 1-2 1 SANTA CLARA (23-7) FG FT TP 18 Rademacher 2-2 0-0 5 Gray 0-2 1-2 Rossetter 1-4 0-2 2 Boyd 4-9 3-4 11 S. Hill 6-14 0-2 15 Thome 4-9 1-1 9 J. Hill 9-18 2-2 24 Banks 0-0 0-0 0 Totals 26-64 7-13 67 Halftime: Kansas 36, Detroit Mercy 28, 3-Point Halftime: Missouri 19, Minnesota 20, 4-Point 1. S-Hickey 5, H-Hickey 4, H-Hickey 7 (Prize 14), Halibble 2, Dixon 7, Dixon 24, Rayman 2, Foulden 1. Dixon 10, Dixon 13, Kelley 16, Kansas 49 (Ganford 13), Assists: Detroit Mercury 13 (Boyd 7), Kansas 17 (Dixon, Halibble 1) Total foults: Detroit Mercy 19, Kansas 16. A: Women's game notes The Kansas women's basketball team set a new record for most consecutive victories at Allen Field House with 21 on Saturday when it defeated Detroit Mercy 81-67. The old record of 20 was set on Jan. 21, 1996, when Kansas defeated Oklahoma State. The record was tied on March 1, 1997, when the Jayhawks defeated Oklahoma. The victory on Saturday marked the second consecutive year and fifth time overall that the Jayhawks have advanced to the second round of NCAA Tournament play. Kansas point guard Tamecka Dixon recorded her 22nd consecutive double-figuring game with 21 points against Detroit Mercy. Dixon, who earned second-team Associated Press All-America honors last week, has led the Jaya-hawks in scoring all season, averaging 21 points per game. Kansas guard Angle Halebib recorded her seventh-consecutive game scoring in double figures Saturday with 1.3 points. The victory against Detroit Mercy was Kansas coach Marian Washington's 41st postseason victory. Washington's overall coaching record stands at 457-257, but her postseason record is 41-25. Kansas vs. Vanderbilt Kansas (No. 3 seed, 25-5 overall) Probable Starters: G Tamecka Dixon, 5-9, Sr. G Angie Halbleib, 5-10, Sr. F Lynn Pride, 6-2, Fr. F Jennifer Trapp, 6-1, Sr. C Nakia Sanford, 6-3, So. Vanderbilt (No. 6 seed, 19-10 oll) Proble Starters: G Palge Redman, 5-10. So. G Michelle Palmisano, 5-9. So. F Nettle Respondek, 5-10. So. Fa'Nehea Hillom, 6-2. Jr. C Angela Gorsica, 6-7. Sr. Time: 7:08 tonight Place: Allen Field House TV/Radio: KJHK-FM, 90.7 Sweet 16 bell tolls for 'Hawks Tyler Wirken / KANSAN Kansas guard Joran Hase tangles with fellow teammate Scott Pollard and Purdue's Brad Miller Saturday at the Pyramid in Memphis. The Javahyls defeated Purdue, 75-61, in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Purdue can't repeat history; Kansas wins By Bill Petulla Kansan sportswriter MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Down with déiayu. Despite losing to Purdue in the third round of the NCAA tournament on Mar. 24, 1994, the Kansas women's basketball team would not repeat history as they staved off the Boilermakers 75-61 Saturday at The Pyramid in Memphis, Teen. For the Jayhawks, who have posted 14-point victories in each of their victories so far in the tournament, it's on to Birmingham, Ala., to take on Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the College of Charleston 73-69 Saturday. "We're very happy that we've accom- The Jayhawks answered with a tightly guarded three pointer by guard Jacque Vaughn. pushed two of our six steps," Kansas guard Ryan Robertson said. "We've answered the bell and the challenge 34 times this season." Following Vaughn's clutch trey, the Boilermakers were never able to crack the Jawhawks lead. Although Kansas was able to bury the Boilermakers in the waning moments, Purdue took a one-point lead, 53-62, with 9 minutes, 54 seconds remaining in the game. "I think the biggest factor in the game was when it was 53-52, and we didn't panic," Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams said. "Jacque made a big three. All of a sudden, we got better on the defensive end of the floor." As expected, the game started out as a dog fight. The Boilermakers jumped out of the gate to take a 4-2 lead at the 19-minute mark. "We felt we had the momentum going into the half." Paul Pierce Kansasforward Kansas took the lead on two free throws by Vaughn and didn't trail for the remainder of the first half Despite maintaining a 24-21 advantage on the boards at the first half and a 45-38 margin for the game, Williams said that he was disappointed with the Jayhawks' rebounding effort. "I was shocked to see that we had more rebounds than they did," Williams said. "I thought that they did a much better job on the boards than we did." Job on the boards than we did. The first half ended with LaFrentz tipping in a miss by guard Jerod Haase with four seconds remaining. Thomas gets boost from past See SWEET16. Page 5B Immediately following LaFrentz's basket, Vaughn swiped an errant Purdue inbound pass and sank a 15-foot jump shot as the buzzer sounded to give Kansas a 10-point lead, 36-26. Childhood mentor helps guard shine Kansan sportswriter By Bill Petulla MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Seven seconds remained on the shot clock with 6 minutes, 52 seconds left in the game. Kansas clung to a dwelling seven-point lead against Purdue on Saturday. Jayhawks guard Jacque Vaughn streaked towards the basket, drawing the double team. "I saw Jacque penetrating, and the coaches teach us when you see him penetrating to get to the open spot," guard Billy Thomas said. Thomas found the soft cushion in the Purdue defense, took the pass and smoothly sank the shot. Kansas 69, Purdue 59. The dagger in the Boilermaker's heart delivered. But beyond the court—only about 10 feet away—sitting behind the Kansas bench in the front row, might be the reason Thomas sank key shots. In fact, sitting in the front row with her niece and nephew just might be the reason Billy Thomas is on the basketball court. period. Melissa Flournoy of the Lighthouse Education and Enrichment Center in Shreveport, La., along with her niece Tallie, 9, and nephew Alex, 11, drove six hours to watch Thomas help Kansas move into the Sweet 16. "I'm kind of like his aunt," Flournoy said. "I've known Billy forever, and I helped get him in to Loyola Prep." Thomas hails from a low-income district in Shreveport, which some call "The Bottoms." Under Flournoy's direc- See THOMAS, Page 5B Tvler Wirken / KANSAN Expressing their support for Kansas' Billy Thomas, Alex Flounroy, 11, Tallie Flounroy, 9, and Melissa Flounroy hold up signs they made and brought from Shreveport, La. Melissa Flounroy (right) played a very vital part in Billy's life in high school. 'Hawks to face Commodores tonight By Tommy Gallagher Kansan sportswriter When No. 3-seeded Kansas women's basketball team plays No. 6-seeded Vanderbilt tonight, two teams with contrasting styles will battle for a spot in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. The Jayhawks have speed and quickness, which forces opponents' turnovers. The Commodores have height and play a matchup-zone defense that smothers opponents in the post area. Kansas guard Angie Halbleib said that it would be important for the Jayhawks to hit shots from the perimeter. "We've seen zone defenses for two-thirds of the season, so we know how to handle it," Halbleib said. "The zone is going to open some outside shots, so we're going to have to knock those shots down." Vanderbilt women's basketball coach Jim Foster said that his team worked hard to execute what it does best. "You always do what you're good at, and we have pretty good three-point shooters," Foster said. "Obviously, we had to incorporate that into our offense. We've led the Southeastern Conference in three-point shooting all six years I've been here, so it's nothing out of the ordinary for us." Inside, the Commodores are anchored by 6-foot-7 center Angela Gorsica, who averages 6.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. She ranks third in the country with 3.7 blocked shots per game. In a first round game against No. 11seeded Washington Saturday night, Vanderbilt's defense was nearly flawless. "It's not legal what you need to do to slow her down," Foster said. "We play against some great guards every year in our league. We've seen players of this ability. We know how good they can be and what they can do. I think Tamecka no exception to that." However, Foster said that a repeat performance against Kansas guard Tamecka Dixon would be difficult. The Jayhawks are coming off an 81-67 victory against Detroit Mercy in the first round Saturday night in the Allen Field House. Kansas went on a 12-0 run early in the first half and never relinquished the lead. With the help of three steals by Dixon, Kansas outscored the Titans 9-0 in the first 45 seconds of the second half, extending what had been a sizable lead to a comfortable 45-28 advantage. Dixon said that the long layoff combined with tournament play made the team nervous in the first round. "The they came out with a lot of intensity and played us tough," she said of Detroit Mercy. "There were a lot of butterflies because it was the first round of the tournament, but now we're past that. It's not going to get any easier from here, so we have to learn from this and move on." Pam Dishman / KANSAN Center Nakia Sanford celebrates as Kansas defeats Detroit-Mercy 81-67 Saturday night. Sanford had eight points, 13 rebounds and two steals in the victory.