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SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15.1996
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Tight Jayhawks cut loose against Buffaloes, 85-70
Haase relaxes; Kansas extends home win streak
By Jenni Carlson Kansan sportswriter
Going into last night's game Jerod Haase was sliding.
He had hit 17 of his last 58 shots. Even though the junior guard ended the game three of 10, he put the breaks on the skid.
Haase hit three field goals, which included two three-pointers, in the second half of fifth-ranked Kansas' 85-70 victory against Colorado in Allen Field House.
"He's the hardest worker on the team," Kansas junior center Scot Pollard said. "When he's not successful, that's just wrong."
But it's not that Haase hasn't been trying. He said he had tried everything, including late evening shooting practice on Saturday after the team returned from its loss at Missouri.
"The bottom line now is that I'm trying to relax," said Haase, one of three Jayhawks in double figures with 10 points.
Coming off the Missouri loss, all the Jayhawks needed to relax in the first half, Kansas coach Roy Williams said.
"I turned to my staff when we went out for the jump ball and I said, 'I've
never seen us this tight," he said about last night's game. "The only thing we lost Saturday was a basketball game. We were worried about what might happen instead of losing ourselves in the game."
It showed in the game's first 20 minutes. The Jayhawks hit only 12 of 39 shots and missed 12 within nine feet of the basket.
That led Williams to insert senior guard T.J. Whatley with 2:04 remaining in the half as well as a fiery speech at intermission.
"I was not a very nice person at
Kansas sophomore forward Raef LaFrentz, who scored a team-high 20 points, and Pollard opened the half with baskets in the paint. Haase followed that with a three-pointer.
wasn't very good looking, wasn't very pleasant," Williams said. "It was the most frustrating game I ever coached in Allen Field House at times."
The last four points of the run came after a technical foul on the Buffaloes. Coming out of a 20-second time-out, they had six men on the floor.
"That's kind of an example of where our heads were tonight," Colorado sophomore center Charlie Melvin said.
Kansas freshman guard Ryan
The Jayh a wks outscored
the Buffaloaes 54-40 in the second half, moving their record to 20-2 overall and 8-1 in the Big Eight Conference. The Buffaloaes fell to 8-13 and 2-7 in the conference.
Kansas' response to Williams locker room chat came quickly. Kansas scored 11 unanswered points to open the second half and extend its 31-30 halftime lead.
Robertson hit one of the two ensuing free throws and Pollard converted a three-point play to end the possession.
pointer. But the Jayhawks hit another run, scoring eight consecutive points, and their lead didn't dip below double figures again.
Colorado cut Kansas' lead to six, 44-38, with 15:16 remaining when senior forward Mack Tuck hit
three-
Still, the way the Jayhawks won worried Pollard.
"Our minds were still on the negative things," Pollard said. "I don't know if we're having as much fun as I think we should be."
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
Kansas sophomore forward Raef LaFrentz grabs a rebounds against Colorado's Dennis Griffin. LaFrentz finished the night with a team high 20 points and eight rebounds.
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
Whatley's play inspires Kansas
Kansas junior guard Jacque Vaughn attempts to block Colorado freshman guard Chancey Billups.
By Adam Herschman Kansan sportswriter
This time the crowd didn't have to ask for him.
With 2:04 remaining in the first half, Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams looked down his bench and called for No. 14, Kansas senior guard T.J. Whatley. Whatley jogged to the scorer's table, and the quiet Allen Field House crowd became rejuvenated, as did the Kansas Jayhawks.
Whatley received a half-court pass from freshman guard Ryan Robertson, hit the driving layup and was fouled.
Down 27-28 to the Colorado Buffaloes, Kansas needed momentum and Williams was not afraid to call on Whatley.
"I knew one thing, he'd try to do
"I've been ready for this for four years."
T. J. Whatley Kansas senior guard
what I asked him to do," Williams said. "That's the easiest way to be successful around here."
Whatley's basket with 1:41 remaining in the first half put the Jayhawks ahead 29-28. Whatley missed the free throw.
"I've been ready for this for four years. It wasn't really like I was just in total shock, but it was a surprise," Whatley said. "I knew I was in there
for just kind of a lift."
About a minute after his basket, Whatley caused a key turnover and got the crowd fired up as well as his teammates.
"It's the greatest feeling in the world." Whatley said. "Just to hear that crowd and know they're all cheering for you. It's a good feeling."
Kansas sophomore forward Raef LaFrentz said he was a little surprised to see Whatley entering the game so early, but when he was out on the floor he did a great job and played tough defense.
"He did give us a lift in the first half, one that we needed." LaFrentz said.
Whatley has only played three minutes in the Jayhawks' eight Big Eight Conference games this year, until this game. So his early entrance into the game also surprised Kansas
junior center Scot Pollard.
"Well my first thought was, 'Uh-Oh somebody messed up,'" Pollard said. "When he came in he gave us a boost emotionally."
Whatley, one of three seniors on the team, played three minutes and 44 seconds and finished with two points.
"It's his presence that provides the senior leadership," Kansas junior point guard Jacque Vaughn said. "He's been out there in practice with us every day, so he knows how to play."
With 28 seconds remaining in the first half, the crowd gave Whatley a standing ovation as he walked to the bench.
"You don't have to be a great athlete to hustle," Whatley said. "That's what I tried to do when I got out there was hustle."
BRIEF
Women divers record season-best results
By Dan Gelston
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas women's senior diver Michelle Rojohn couldn't have picked a better time to set a season-best score on the one-meter board.
Her score of 452.65 was good enough to win yesterday at the Big Eight Conference Swimming and Diving Championships in Oklahoma City.
The win helped Kansas take an early lead in the women's competition. The three-meter board competition is today.
Although Rojoin was pleased with the victory, she knows her touchtest event is coming up next.
Kansas diving coach Don Fearon was pleased with the results of his divers.
"I'm very happy for them," he said. "That's what I wanted out of Michelle and Kenzie." Fearon said that Zeller did much better in the preliminaries, and although Rojoh made mistakes in the afternoon, she corrected them in the evening.
Kansas sophomore Kenzie Zeller also recorded her season-best score with 351.95 points, good enough for third place.
"I'm happy to win, but I want to win both events," she said. "So for now, it's one down and one to go. I can't celebrate too much yet. I have to keep focused."
"It's fun to see them get what they deserve." he said.
This was the second-consecutive year that Rojohn won the one-meter. Last year she posted a 461.95 score but was the only Jayhawk to place.
Rojohn finished third in the three-meter board last year.
Kansas baseball is strong up the middle
Byrd holding up well under rigors of playing football and baseball
By Dan Gelston
Kansan sportswriter
Last weekend's Duel in the Desert didn't do much to answer the questions the Kansas baseball team had surrounding several key areas.
Junior shortstop Joe DeMarco and senior second baseman Josh Kliner form one of the better double play combinations in the Big Eight Conference. Junior center fielder Isaac Byrd has proven himself capable of handling the rigors that go along with playing two sports and senior catcher Ted Meadows is ready to handle the responsibility of an inexperienced pitching staff.
But it did show that the Jayhawks can expect continued success from its position players in the middle of the diamond.
After spending his freshman year as a reserve, DeMarco was thrust into the starting lineup and responded with a team-high 30 stolen bases. Although his speed was known, his offense came as a surprise. He finished third on the
club in hitting at.302.
"We're really strong up the middle and that's a big advantage," he said.
"It's really important that we're all
DeMarco said he understood the importance of having a strong defensive core.
experienced.
"Speed obviously helps on the basepaths, but it's good for us on defense because we can get after some balls that are hard to get and give the pitcher more confidence."
DeMarco has five hits and seven stolen bases this year.
When he looks to his left he will
Kliner relishes his Cal Ripken Jr-type status.
and 55 RBI en route to a second team All-Big Eight selection. More importantly, he made just four errors in 126 chances.
"I just want to be in the lineup
everyday," he said. "I don't ever
"I just want to be in the lineup everyday. I don't ever want to
come out.
see Kliner. As a matter of fact, any Kansas player will always see Kliner on the field.
Josh Kilner
Kansas second baseman
Last year, he was the only Jayhawk to play in and start all 57 games.
It was his first year at Kansas after spending two years at Cypress Junior College in California.
want to come out. If I keep getting better, then hopefully that won't happen."
He hit .298 with seven home runs
team last year, he led Kansas with a 321 batting average.
When Byrd says he likes to play everyday, he means it. He's been on the field since August since he doubles as a wide receiver in football.
As a rookie on the baseball
Like Kilner, Byrd doesn't want to come out of the lineup. But he admits playing two sports takes its
This year there is added responsibility for Byrd because he will captain an outfield that is without a starting left or right fielder.
toll.
"At the end of last year I was very, very tired. I was really worn out," he said. "But I just fight though it. I don't want to take any games
Isaac Byrd
asking for days off. I want to play."
And the Kansas pitching staff just wants a steady defensive presence behind the plate. They have one in Meadows.
"It's important to have somebody like Ted who knows what he's doing behind the plate," Kansas senior pitcher Clair Bajard said.
But Meadows has some life in his bat as well. Though he hit just .262 last year, he hit .389 with runners in scoring position and .375 in the Big Eight Tournament.
Kansas baseball coach Bobby Randall appreciates the work ethic these players bring to the field.
"They're good examples for the rest of the team," he said. "Guys who can play lead by example, and these guys can play."