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SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1996
Kansas women can shoot
SECTION B
The No. 5 Kansas men's basketball team could learn a few things from its women's counterparts, who are now alone atop the Big Eight Conference women's standings.
Women's college basketball uses a
30-second shot clock, five seconds less than that used by the men. It's amazing how much of a difference five seconds can make. It takes a strong and well-disciplined athlete to run up and down the court in this game.
The 2,000 or so fans who attended Sunday's Kansas-Nebraska women's game in Allen Field House saw an outstanding battle.
SPORTS EDITOR
But there was one particular thing about Sum.
It was the fact that the Jayhawks attempted 31 free throws and made 31 free throws — good for an NCAA record for a women's team with more than 30 attempts. The old record, held by Wisconsin, was 32 of 33.
day's game that impressed me more than junior guard Tamecka Dixon's career-high 35 points or junior guard Angie Holible's season-high 24.
I didn't realize that Kansas had been perfect from the line until Kansan reporter Evan Blackwell returned to the newsroom and told me. Immediately, my mind shifted to the day before, when the men's team missed several chances to score from the free-throw line late in the game.
The image of Kansas freshmen Paul Pierce and Ryan Robertson missing four consecutive foul shots in the final minutes spoke loudest. It was no coincidence that the Jayhawks lost to the Tigers by four points, 77-73.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Just like the Kansas-Nebraska women's game, Saturday's men's matchup was close. One team went down for a quick score, and the other came back with an answer. But the Jayhawk men lost the game partly because an inability to make clutch free-throws.
Here's hoping that Kansas men's coach Roy Williams and women's coach Marian Washington are planning a joint practice sometime soon. A sweep of the men's and women's championships in the final year of the Big Eight Conference would be something to treasure for years to come.
That is, if one of the teams doesn't get left at the line.
Many of you already know of my fervent dislike for the NBA, but I must vent again.
Just before the start of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, I decided that no matter how many players had a better game, Michael Jordan would be the Most Valuable Player.
But I still choked on my toast when I opened the newspaper yesterday morning to find that, in fact, Jordan was named the game's MVP. But Mike only scored 20 points in the game. Teammate Shaquille O'Neal had 25.
It just goes to show that the NBA, which stands for Not Basketball Anymore, still hasn't done enough to thank Mike for helping to bring the league out of financial trouble 11 years ago by signing a Nike contract and becoming a household name.
Granted, the league has little to do with who gets on television, but I can't respect any sport that isn't competitive and fair. Expansion and free agency have turned the NBA into a three ring circus, with Jordan as the ringmaster.
It's no coincidence that Jordan and the Chicago Bulls have a 42-5 record and are on pace to win yet another championship. The officials seem to let many questionable calls involving Jordan go his way. Every time an NBA game is broadcast on national television, it is the Bulls versus somebody else.
Close games are a rarity in the NBA, especially when Mike and the Bulls get to play doormats like the 76ers, Clippers, Timberwolves and Grizzlies. The money must be nice, but I don't understand why more NBA players are crying foul.
Everyone's having free throw woes
By Jenni Carlson
Kansan sportswriter
Oklahoma State men's basketball coach Eddie Sutton is ready to take serious action.
"Recently, I heard about a guy in California who hit 87 straight free throws blindfolded," said Sutton, whose team is hitting a Big Eight Conference-worth 58.2 percent of its free throw attempts. "I want to fly him in and have him work with our squad."
Few other Big Eight coaches have found any humor when it comes to free throw shooting. Conference teams have combined to hit just 66.2 percent.
Missouri tops the league, converting 70.6 percent of its free throws. The next four teams hover just above 68 percent. No. 5 Kansas' 63.6 percentage ranks sixth just ahead of Kansas State at 63.4.
K-State coach Tom Asbury said ineptness from the free throw line could be traced to off-season training. With the demands placed on players during the season to prepare for games, they must work on their skills during the offseason. That means lifting weights, running and shooting jumpers.
"But they don't shoot free throws," Asbury said. "Kids don't go to the gym and practice free
And practicing them during the season is difficult, Missouri coach Norm Stewart said. Stewart tries to create different game-type circumstances during the Tigers' practices. That includes early- and late-game free throws as well as pressure situations.
throws."
Stewart said.
"But we try to get something simple as far as form goes."
"It is one of the game situations that's most difficult to recruit,"
Stewart's philosophy is working quite well for two Missouri players. Junior guard Jason Sutherland and junior forward Derek Grimm are tied for the Big Eight's highest free-
record of 48, which was established by K-State's Steve Henson in 1988.
While Sutherland and his teammates hit 22 of 29 free-throw attempts Saturday, the Jayhawks were 18 of 30 for 60 percent. That included six consecutive misses during the second half.
That and the Jayhawks' defensive struggles were the first things
throw percentage. Both have hit 89.4 percent from the line.
Sutherland has made 34 consecutive free throws, which is a Missouri record. After hitting two during Missouri's 77-73 victory against Kansas on Saturday, Sutherland is closing in on the conference
Kansas coach Roy Williams pointed to after the loss.
three-point shots, and by making shots as difficult as possible.
Most players pick up bad free-throw shooting habits early on, Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said. As player's develop, they are influenced by the NBA's style, which emphasizes dunks and
"Players don't become poor free throw shooters in college," Sampson said. "They were probably poor free throw shooters in high school and poor free throw shooters in junior high."
Jayhawks, like freshman forward Paul Pierce, have struggled from the free-throw line this season. Kansas converted 18 of 30 on Saturday.
Matt Flickner / KAMRAN
NCAA tournament dangles in many's reach
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
Kansas junior guard Tamecka Dixon drives the ball as teammate junior center Jennifer Trapp avoids her.
Kansas' victories secure position as prime contender
By Evan Blackwell
Kansan sportswriter
The Big Eight Conference women's basketball season has come down to crunch time.
With only two weeks remaining in the regular season, things remain cloudy in the Big Eight. Several teams are still vying for a shot at the 64-team NCAA tournament next month.
Kansas moved into sole possession of first place with victories against Iowa State and Nebraska last weekend. At 15-8 overall and 8-3 in the Big Eight, Kansas remains in prime position for the Big Eight title and a NCAA tournament berth.
"We're trying not to think about that too much right now," Kansas women's basketball coach Marian Washington said. "We've got to stay focused on the upcoming road trip."
The Jayhawks have one more
road swing through Oklahoma and then finish up at home against Kansas State.
Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly,
whose team was defeated by the
Jayhawks, said Kansas has posited
itself as the team to beat.
"They're in the drivers seat," Fennelly said. "The schedule the rest of the way favors them more than anyone."
No. 19 Colorado and No. 21 Oklahoma State, both 7-3 in the Big Eight, remain hot on the Jayhawks heels in second place. Both the Buffaloes and Cowgirls appear to be locks for the NCAA tournament, giving the Big Eight at least three sure bets to be playing in March.
"We're pretty confident right now," Oklahoma State coach Dick Halterman said. "We've got 17 wins, and we got into the tournament with 17 wins last year."
Colorado has been no stranger to postseason play. The Buffaloes have been to the NCAA tournament six of the last eight seasons. Last season Colorado fell one step short of the Final Four, losing to Georgia in the Midwest Regional Finals.
Nebraska, Iowa State and Missouri still have NCAA hopes. AIP
three teams have been plagued by inconsistency this season.
The Cornhuskers, 15-8 overall and 5-6 in the Big Eight, took a serious hit this weekend, dropping road games at Kansas State and Kansas. However, Nebraska faithful still have hope because the Cornhuskers have their last three games at home.
One team who has benefited from the home court advantage is Missouri. The Tigers, 13-8 and 4-6, have been a different team away from home. Missouri has beaten both Colorado and Kansas in Columbia this year.
"We just haven't played well on the road," Missouri coach Joann Rutherford said. "We've got a couple of road games left, and we need to win them if we want to get in (to the NCAA tournament)."
Rutherford said the fact that the Big Eight race had been so tightly packed should help the teams on the bubble during selection time.
"We've seen this season how competitive the conference has been," Rutherford said. "I think we've got great teams. I think we should send four or five teams to the NCAs."
Smooth pitching assists Javhawk win
Kansas doesn't allow any earned runs or walks against Aggies
By Dan Gelston
Kansan sportswriter
The winning numbers for the Kansas baseball team this weekend were: 9-0-3-0.
After two losses in which the Kansas pitching staff gave up 28 runs in last weekend's Duel in the Desert, the Jayhawks got a gem from Kansas senior pitcher Clay Baldr and freshmen Nick Frank and Mario Oiipari.
The numbers didn't win Kansas baseball coach Bobby Randall any money, but he must have felt as if he hit the pitching lackpot.
Their combined effort in Sunday's 5-1 win against New Mexico State was Kansas' (1-2) only win of the weekend.
The three Jayhawks pitched a three-hitter, allowing no earned runs and more importantly, walking none.
Baird went five innings, allowing the Aggies only three hits and yielding the one unearned run.
"Clay Baird was phenomenal," Randall said. "He couldn't have pitched any better on the last day of the season. He gave us a big lift."
Baird's success this year will depend largely on his control.
"Clav Baird
In his sophomore year he
But Baird said his rediscovered confidence should result in a productive season.
went south. He walked 46 in 57 2/3
innings and was 3-7.
"I just lost all confidence in myself," he said of last year. "Right
"...I'm working hard,throwing pretty well and I feel great about this year."
Clay Baird Kansas senior pitcher
walked just 17 in 56 2/3 innings pitched and had a 4-2 record. Last year, he was wild and his numbers
after the
games, and that was it for me.
after
Arkansas
series, I had
some
bad
games, and that
"But I'm working hard, throwing pretty well, and I feel great about this year."
to pitch for Kansas.
Frank's performance came as a surprise because he was not expecting
But Kansas' lack of pitching depth and experience changed that.
Frank, a natural infielder, was expecting to compete for the starting third base position.
Frank started at third in Friday's opener against New Mexico State and was 0-for-4.
But he followed Baird on Sunday and pitched three perfect innings, striking out two.
Frank said Randall told him before Saturday's game that he would pitch.
"I was confident that I could go in and throw strikes," he said.
"I enjoy both," he said, "(but) I'd probably enjoy playing third base a little more."
"I could try and throw all types of great pitches, and they could hit it all over the park. So I just tried to throw strikes."
AP Top 25
Frank, who pitched at Canyon Del Oro High School in Tuscon, Ariz., said he didn't have a strong preference between the infield and pitching.
After losing to Missouri on Saturday, Kansas dropped two spots to fifth in the poll. Iowa State also dropped one spot to 22nd.
rank team reco pts. pr
1. Massachusetts(59) 20-0 1,619 1
2. Kentucky (5) 20-1 1,583 2
3. Connecticut(1) 22-1 1,495 4
4. Villanova 22-3 1,383 6
5. Kansas 19-2 1,335 3
6. Cincinnati 19-2 1,283 5
7. Utah 19-3 1,246 7
8. Wake Forest 19-3 1,147 9
9. Penn St. 19-2 1,065 10
10. Virginia Tech 18-2 1,026 11
11. Florida 18-2 900 14
12. Texas Tech 20-1 871 13
13. Arizona 18-4 847 16
14. Georgetown 19-5 778 8
15. Memphis 17-4 742 15
16. Syracuse 18-6 643 16
17. North Carolina 16-7 477 12
18. UCLA 18-6 455 17
19. Iowa 17-8 407 19
20. Stanford 18-5 341 25
21. Boston College 18-5 309 22
22. Iowa St. 17-5 303 21
23.E Michigan 18-2 203 24
24. Louisville 17-7 152 20
25. Mississippi St. 18-5 118 —
The Associated Press KANBAN