ALOHA BOWL Kansas, UCLA coaches facing possible changes. Page 3B
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SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1. 1995
SECTION B
Women's USA team is on track
Anyone who thinks that women's basketball is slow and boring should have been in Allen Field House last night. The game between the No. 13 Kansas women's team and the USA Basketball Women's National Team was anything but.
But how can a 101-46 victory be exciting? Two words: Sheryl Swoopes.
Swoopes, the woman who led Texas Tech to a national championship in 1993, has amazing speed and the uncanny ability to see plays before they happen. Twice she turned quick steals into full-court layups, and she finished the game
with a total of six swines.
'Hawks fall to National Team,101-46
Still not convinced? Here are two more words: Lisa Leslie.
Leslie, a 6-foot-5 center who played college basketball at Southern California, made an incredible 8 of 10 shots from the floor and added a three-pointer to her offensive attack. Her 22
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points equaled the total of Kansas' two leading scorers, junior forward Jennifer Trapp and freshman guard/forward Suzi Ravmant.
Add in the fact that the National Team made 88 percent of its free throws and 54.4 percent of its three point shots, and nobody can dispute the power of this team — except the players.
A challenge has been issued to the national women's team to get back the gold medal it lost at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The team and USA coach Tara Van-Derveer believe that goal can be reached easily by playing a 20-team college tour and several exhibitions.
Most team members have played professionally in European and Asian leagues. But now they have come together to prepare better as a group.
The rest of the world definitely has caught up with the United States in the game of basketball. Just as the United States men's team brought in professionals to win the gold medal in 1992, now the women's squad has done the same.
"The alternative is worse than what we are doing," VanDerveer said after the game. "They could all be training overseas, or we could be training in Colorado. But if that were the case, they would all be stir crazy by now."
Leslie, who also is a runway model, said playing in the United States was much better than Italy, where she played professionally last season.
"There isn't a language barrier," she said. "We can speak English and eat real food."
After last night's performance, I have no doubt that the "Women's Dream Team" can take the gold and run next summer in Atlanta. Their entire roster reads like a list of the best college players in the past six years.
But this team wouldn't be complete without the unofficial Ameri can ambassador of women's basket ball — Rebecca Lobo.
"They really bring out the best in me," Lobo said. "Nothing negative has come out of this at all. I'm into graduate school now, and I've got to get my master's degree."
Right now, her report card looks good. Lobo electrified the crowd with a steal and layup for the first two points of the game and never looked back, finishing with 13 points and four rebounds.
This team is making all the right moves, both for the game of women's basketball and the opponents they have faced on this college tour. Leslie, Lobo and Swoopes had nothing but good things to say about the Javahawks, and they are right.
Women can play basketball, too. If you don't believe me by now, just wait until these women walk away with the medals to prove it.
Richard Devinki/ KANSAN
Kansas freshman guard/forward Suzi Raymant attempts to drive around National Team forward Katrina McClain. Raymant led the Jahwacks with 12 points in their 101-46 loss last night.
All-American group wins 10th consecutive on its nationwide tour
By Bill Petulla
Kansan sportswriter
Before last night's game between the Kansas women's basketball team and the USA Basketball Women's National Team, the two seemed more like friends than onponents.
They exchanged gifts, flowers and even hugs before the game.
But as soon as the ball was tipped and the clock started ticking, both teams were all business.
The National Team defeated the Jayhawks 101-46 last night in Allen Field House. The Nationals, whose margin of victory has ranged from 24 to 57 points during their cross-country tour, gained their 10th consecutive win at the expense of the Jayhawks.
Because the National Team's roster consists of former All-Americans and past players of the year, a Kansas victory was not likely.
"In this particular situation, Kansas may have played their best and still not have won," USA Basketball Women's National Team coach Tara VanDerveer said.
VanDerveer added that she liked Kansas' perimeter play.
"I was especially impressed with the quickness on the perimeter," she said. "I thought they handled the pressure as well as anyone."
Despite losing by a large margin, Kansas women's basketball coach Marian Washington said the Jayhawks had no reason to hang their heads.
"We now know why it is the opinion of many why the USA National Team is the best in the world," Washington said. "We have nothing but very positive things to gain from this game."
Pacing the Jayhawks from the perimeter was freshman forward/guard Suzi Raymant, who had 12 points, shooting 5-8 from the floor. All 12 of her points were in the first half.
The freshman has been called upon to provide more playing time with senior guard Charisse Sampson out for about two weeks with a knee injury.
Raymant said she was not intimidated by her opponents.
"I just wanted to do my best and not be overwhelmed by who I was playing," Rayman said.
Kansas junior guard Tamecka Dixon scored 10 points for the Jayhawks. Like Raymant, Dixon said she was not afraid of the Nationals.
"I just tried to take it to them like I would any other team." Dixon said.
The National Team outrebounded Kansas 40-27 and shot 54.4 percent from the field.
"This was one of our best team efforts," VanDerveer said. "I think we played hard for all 40 minutes."
Former Southern California forward/center Lisa Leslie led all scorers with 22 points. The 1994 player of the year shot 8 for 10 from the field.
Although the game was not in doubt, Leslie said she never had the temptation to relax.
"I take it very personal," she said. "We're supposed to be the best."
Before the game, former Kansas assistant coach and current USA National Team assistant Renee Brown received a warm greeting from fans and the Jayhawks. Brown took a leave from Kansas earlier this season and will return to the Jayhawk sidelines next year.
For Brown, the homecoming was emotional as well as educational.
Washington's loyalty stays with Kansas
"I was very excited to come back to KU," Brown said. "I was happy to see Kansas never give up. They played until the end and played with a lot of pride."
Kansas will be back in action soon, taking part in the four-tower Dial Classic. They take on Northern Iowa at 6 p.m. tomorrow in Allen Field House. St. Joseph and No. 16 Iowa also will play in the two-day event.
By Dan Gelston
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas women's basketball coach Marian Washington had the distinction of being affiliated with both teams in last night's game between No. 13 Kansas and the USA Basketball Women's National Team.
She has coached the Jayhawks for 23 years and earlier this season was named an assistant coach to the 1996 Olympic Team, which likely will contain many National Team players.
But Washington did not have problems deciding which team to root for during the National Team's 101-46 victory last night.
"Kansas is my first priority," Washington said. "But I'm looking forward to beginning my duties with the U.S. team."
Washington said she could not let the team get caught up in who it was playing.
"I was more concerned with our
team." Washington said. "We were trying to put ourselves in a position where we could score."
While Washington has focused her energy on Kansas, she said she still tried to keep up with the National Team's situation.
"I talk with Tara (VanDerveer) whenever I can," Washington said of the National Team's coach. "When we talked before the game, she gave me a feel for what she's seeing. I have a sense of what they're doing."
While VanDerveer said she had high praise for Washington's coaching abilities, it was Washington's character that impressed her most.
"She will care a lot about the people she will be working with," Van-Derveer said. "She will be very supportive of me and will work with me."
VanDerveer also said that Washington's focused demeanor would help the team with the distractions it would face at the 1996 Olympic
Games in Atlanta.
"I want to help the team stay together as they need to," Washington said.
While Washington will help the Olympic team stay focused, she also will give the Jayhawks bragging rights, Kansas freshman center Nakia Sanford said.
"I think it's great that she's representing the school and the team," Sanford said. "I'm from Atlanta, and I'm going to go to games and will be able to sit in the stands and tell my friends, 'That's my coach.'"
Washington will not be the only Kansas connection with the National Team. Former Kansas assistant coach Renee' Brown is now an assistant for the National Team.
Brown, a Kansas assistant from 1992-95, said of her return to Lawrence, "It was very, very emotional for me. If Tamecka (Dixon) did a great move or something, I'd be clapping."
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
A member of the Kansas women's basketball team gives USA Basketball Women's National Team assistant coach Renee Brown a rose and a hug before the game. Brown, a Kansas assistant from 1992-95, will return next year.
Tom Leininger / KANBAN
Familiar faces to invade fieldhouse
Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams has lots to think about as Kansas prepares for UCLA tomorrow.
Vaughn and Pierce to tangle with high school opponents
By Matt Irwin
Kansan sportswriter
You grew up playing basketball together. You competed against each other throughout high school and then considered joining forces on the same college team.
But you were the different one. You were the one who went far away from home.
Finally, they come to visit.
Summers came, and everyone would talk about their college experiences. They had fun. You had fun. But they don't understand because they've never seen where you go to school.
For two Kansas men's basketball players, the time has come for that visit.
No. 23 UCLA will visit Allen Field House at 12:05 p.m. tomorrow. For Kansas players such as Jacque Vaughn and Paul Pierce, playing the Bruins isn't just a game against the defending national champions.
Vaughn is a Pasadena, Calif., native. The junior point guard has spent two years at Kansas and has returned to his home in the metropolitan Los Angeles area to tell of his college experiences. Now the players he played against in
high school can see his world firsthand.
"It does feel good to play against a
"It does feel good to play against a team_that is from my home state," Vaughn said. "I have a lot of respect for Coach Harrick, and I've grown up with a lot of the players on the team. So, just to get a chance to play them on my home court definitely brings a smile to my face."
UCLA will be on Vaughn's home court for the first time in his career. But the UCLA players aren't the only ones entering Allen Field House for the first time.
Pierce, a Los Angeles native, is a freshman forward playing in his first regular season game in Allen Field House for the No. 2 Jayhawks.
With all the experience playing against UCLA players during the summer and in high school, Pierce and Vaughn should know what to expect from the Bruins.
"It's exciting playing against the hometown team and playing against players you know well," Pierce said. "I know them all well, I played with Toby Bailey this summer on a summer league team. We knew each other pretty well. It'll be fun to get to play against these guys."
"It's definitely going to be a game that's full of emotion and competitors who are athletically gifted on the court," Vaughn said. "They're a great
ball club, and they're going to be even better when they come here to play us."
UCLA returns four key players from its national championship team: 6-foot-5 junior forward Charles O'Bannon, who made the Wooden Award Top 25 list; 6-5 sophomore guard Toby Bailey, who is also a Wooden Award candidate; 6-9 sophomore forward J.R. Henderson; and 5-11 point guard Cameron Dollar. Dollar started the national championship game last year for Tyus Edney, who was sidelined with a wrist injury.
To replace center George Zidek, UCLA men's basketball coach Jim Harrick recruited McDonald's All-American, 6-9 1/2 freshman center Jelani Mccoy.
Kansas sophomore forward Raef LaFrentz said UCLA's losses were deceiving.
"Despite their two losses early in the season, they're still going to be a tough team," LaFrentz said. "They're a team full of athletes, and that's always a dangerous kind of team to play. But we've got them in good old Allen Field House, though. That will help us out a little bit."
Despite its talent, UCLA lost two of its first four games and fell 19 spots in the Associated Press poll.
LINEUPs: Starters and reserves for the Kansas-UCLA game. Page 28.