KANSAS TENNIS Kansas junior Kylie Hunt secures her second national title at Rolex National Indoor, Page 3.
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1996
MEN'S BASKETBALL
SECTION B
Tigers claw their way past the Jayhawks
Poor defense hurts 'Hawks at Missouri
By Jenni Carlson
Kansan sportswriter
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Jerod Haase had only one turnover Saturday.
But in the 77-73 loss to Missouri at the Hearnes Center, Haase's turnover with three seconds remaining in the game, may be one thing people remember.
"It was a poor decision," said Hasse, sneaking quietly.
The loss is the Jayhawks' first in the Big Eight Conference. They remain in first place with a one game lead on Iowa State.
Kansas is 7-1 in the Big Eight and 19-2 overall. Missouri is now 5-4 in the Big Eight and 15-8 overall.
Although the Tigers shot 54.2 percent from the floor, which was the best this season for a Kansas opponent, the Jayhawks had an opportunity to tie the game or take the lead with 12.2 seconds remaining.
With his team trailing 75-73, Kansas coach Roy Williams designed a play with several options: Haase in the corner, sophomore forward Raef LaFrentz posting up on the near side and freshman forward Paul Pierce
"We just gave them too many
easy shots. "
Paul Pierce Kansas freshman forward
trailing the play. Haase didn't take the shot. He said he had Missouri junior guard Jason Sutherland, who scored a game-high 18 points, on his hip.
However, Kansas junior center Scot Pollard thought Haase was shooting and got into rebounding position.
Instead, Haase, thinking Pollard would cut through the paint, passed the ball inside.
The only player there to catch the ball was Missouri senior center Simeon Halev.
Pollard said that sometimes miscommunication happened in basketball. It just happened to be in the last few seconds of the game, and Haase took it to heart.
"Jerod's really hard on himself," Pollard said. "I have no reservations about Jerod coming back and
Haase wasn't the only one to be disappointed after the loss. Kansas defense troubled Williams.
playing better."
"Missouri just exposed us and made us look like we're not a very good defensive team at all," Williams said.
"I'm always proud of what we do on the defensive end, but in the last week or so, I've been disappointed."
The Jayhawks did not execute their defensive principles. Pierce said the team was neither getting into the passing lanes nor denying the Tigers the ball.
"We gave them too many easy buckets," Pierce said.
"They were just able to run through their offense."
At the same time, Kansas sputtered on offense, hitting 40.7 percent of its shots from the floor. That 24 of 59 performance included seven of 21 three-point shooting.
The Jayhawks' inside game wasn't any better. Pollard and LaFrentz hit four of 14 shots combined due to Simeon and Sammie Haley's defense.
"It seemed like every time we got the ball inside, there were two or three guys right on us," Pollard said.
"That made us want to kick it back out and not go to the basket."
Kansas sophomore guard Billy Thomas reaches to block the shot of Missouri's Dann y Allouche in Saturday's 77-73 loss at Columbia. The Tigers handed the Jayhawks their first conference loss of the season.
Matt Flickner /KANSAN
Missouri spoils trip home for Kansas' Robertson
Missouri's Jason Sutherland runs into Kansas freshman center T.J. Pugh. Sutherland had a game high 18 points Saturday.
Matt Flickner/KANSAN
Freshman guard not welcomed by Tiger crowd
By Jenni Carlson Kansan sportswriter
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Crouching at the scorer's table late in the first half, Ryan Robertson was ready to pounce.
"I was just waiting my turn and trying to be as patient as possible," Robertson said. "Finally, when Coach Williams gave me the nod, I was really excited."
He had good reason to be. The freshman guard from St. Charles, Mo., returned to his home state Saturday. Robertson said he enjoyed seeing family and friends before and after No. 3 Kansas' 77-73 loss to Missouri.
But the Tiger fans, who thought Robertson should have stayed in Missouri, weren't so enthusiastic about his return. Robertson heard a chorus of boos every time he checked into the game or touched the ball.
the chant of "traitor" even went through
the Hearnes Center crowd at times.
"I've heard it before," Robertson said. "It was exactly what I figured."
Nonetheless, Robertson admitted he was nervous when he first entered the game. After running up and down the court a couple times
"I've heard it before. It was exactly what I figured."
Ryan Robertson Kansas,freshman guard, speaking about the showering of boo he received during the Missouri game.
though, it was just another basketball game, he said.
He also got some advice from Missouri senior guard Julian Winfield.
"Julian patted me on the butt and said, 'Ryan, just play your game. Don't listen to the crowd.'" Robertson said.
"It was one of those mutual respect kind of things."
Robertson might have gained more respect after hitting both of his three-point
attempts in the second half, ending the game with six points.
His first three-pointer came with 6:33 remaining in the game and pulled Kansas within one, 65-64.
Robertson hit his second three-point shot about three minutes later, cutting Missouri's lead to 71-67.
Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams said crunch-time performances such as Robertson's should be common for him and the other two Jayhawk freshman, Paul Pierce and T.J. Pugh.
"In our 21st game, I don't think they should be considered as freshmen any longer." Williams said.
In spite of the pressure of playing back in his home state, Robertson said he felt confident.
"I felt if I was going to get the ball, I was going to knock it down." he said.
"But it wasn't so much Ryan Robertson versus Missouri. It was Kansas versus Missouri. I am upset that we lost."
Women's basketball wins put Kansas No.1 in Big Eight
Kansas sets record from free-throw line; 31 shots,31 points
Fans who made it to Allen Field House for this weekend's Kansas women's basketball games saw plenty of record-breaking action.
By Evan Blackwell Kansan sportswriter
The Jayhawks outlasted Nebraska in a 94-85 shootout yesterday. Kansas set a new NCAA record with 31 for 31 from the free-throw line against the Cornhuskers.
Kansas moved to first place in the Big Eight Conference with 8-3
and is 15-8 overall
Colorado and Oklahoma State had one game each this weekend and are tied for second place with 7-3.
Kansas trailed Nebraska 48-47 after a fast-paced first half in which the Cornhuskers shot a blittering 61.3 percent from the field.
"These were two outstanding ball games," Kansas women's basketball coach Marian Washington said. "Both of these opponents played really hard."
The Cornhuskers were led by senior guard Kate Galligan, who scored 22 points in the first half, and 38 for the game.
"Coach told me just to follow her wherever she went," Sampson said. "I just tried to always keep a hand in her face."
Kansas senior guard Charisse Sampson said trying to slow down Galligan was a priority at halftime.
ing, Kansas also
got a record-
breaking perform-
formance from
junior guard
T am e c k a
Dixon, who
nearly matched
Galligan with a
career-high 35
points.
Along with the free-throw shoot-
"I came ready to play," Dixon said. "I came in early and shot around, and I felt well all day."
"I just tried to step up and shoot it quick. I've never won a game like that."
After a back-
Guzl Rayment Kansas freshman guard, talking about her buzzer-bearer shot to defeat Iowa State on Friday night.
and-forth battle for most of the second half, Kansas took the lead, 75-74, on a three-pointer by junior guard Angle Halbleib with about four and a half minutes to play.
Jayhawks kept the lead with good-fire throw shooting.
Sampson said that free throws
the weekend began for Kansas with the defensive struggle against Iowa State.
could make or break a team.
The Jay-
haw k w
trailed 58-56
after Sampson
missed two
free throws with
13 seconds
left
Kansas immediately fouled Cyclone junior guard Tara Gunderson, sending her to the line with nine seconds remaining.
After Gunderson missed, Dixon drove the length of the court but missed the shot. Iowa State sophomore forward Janel Grotg got the
"Everything happened so quick," Rayman said.
rebound but was stripped of the ball by Raymant, who shot the tying basket and was fouled.
Amidst a wild celebration by the Jayhawk bench, neither team immediately knew a foul had been called on the shot, giving Raymant a free throw.
"I was preparing for overtime when the referee told my assistant coaches that we had a free throw," Washington said.
Raymant, a native of Melbourne, Australia, said she had experienced pressure situations playing in her homeland, but never to win a game.
"I just tried to step up and shoot it quick," Raymant said. "I've never won a game before like that."
Tyler Wirken / KANSAN
Charisse Sampson pulls down a rebound yesterday for Kansas.
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