THE CHIEFS Kansas City coach Marty Schottenheimer plans to appeal the ejection of Dale Carter in last week's game. Page 4
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 30.1995
No.1 spot looms for Jayhawks
SECTION B
Tom Leininger / KANSAN
Even from my chair in the Kansan newsroom, I could hear the reaction to Kentucky's 92-82 loss to Massachusetts on Tuesday.
At first I heard cheering from all you Jayhawk fans. Who wouldn't be happy? The No. 1 Wildcats bit the dust, and paired with the No. 2 Jayhawks' narrow 72-66 victory last night the road is paved to the top spot. It is isn't it?
After the cheering began to die down, I heard some sighs and groans. You remembered the Jayhawks still have one little game to
win before they might be considered for the top spot. Yeah, it's only the defending national champions that are coming to town Saturday.
SPORTS EDITOR
People have been talking about the UCLA game for weeks, even months. Even though the Bruins suffered losses to Santa
Clara and Vanderbilt, there will be nothing easy about this game.
I have no doubts that Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams will have the Jayhawks ready to do their part. Here's a few things the fans can do to help the team.
■ Wear your walkin' shoes. Standing will be the rule during the game — the entire game. I've noticed at the two exhibition games that some students chose to sit down during timeouts. Those were exhibitions. This is the real thing.
If your feet or legs hurt, you'd better get on the stairmaster and build up some endurance. Except for half-time, Kansas students stand through the entire game — timeouts and all
Get the claps right. If you don't have the clap that goes with the fight song down cold, learn it. And please, try to keep time with the band. I noticed this is a recurring problem with Jayhawk fans.
Listen for the phone.
Let me explain this as simply as I can. If you get done with the clap before the band is done playing, you clapped too fast. But if you clap too slow, the band will get done before you. Try to time it so you end at the same time the band does.
There's a phone on press row that rings every so often. When you hear it, yell "phone!" That's a fun little tradition that has dwindled in the last year.
By the way, do you ever wonder who's calling?
If the Jayhawks can overcome the Bruins and be named No. 1, then there's "The Jinx." Kansas seems to be haunted when that pesky "No." 1 precedes its name.
Some of you remember all too well the Jayhawks' good luck when their No. 1. Well, actually you don't remember the good luck because Kansas hasn't had any.
In the last two years, the Jayhawks lost the first game they played right after becoming No. 1. Last year, the loss came at the hands of Oklahoma in Norman. If the 76-73 loss wasn't enough to tug at your heartstrings, think back another year.
Within about four hours of becoming No. 1 on Jan. 18, 1983, the Jayhawks fell to Kansas State. Yes, the Wildcats. I still have nightmares about Wildcat guard Anthony Beane driving the lane and nailing a jump shot that also nailed the Jayhawks' hopes for a victory.
Yeah, the No. I spot hasn't been kind to Kansas. But if things work out and the Jayhawks move to the top of rankings, I have a feeling things will be different this time around. This group of Jayhawks is focused and experienced enough to not let the ranking bother them.
So what if it does bother them, though? Suppose the Jayhawks lose a few games. That wouldn't be so bad considering their remaining non-conference schedule.
Besides, Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams always says the rankings don't matter. The only time a team needs to be No. 1 is at the end of the season. I tend to agree with the coach on this one.
But wouldn't it be fun to have some practice at being No.1?
Jayhawks hold off Cavaliers
Clutch free throws in final minutes secure Kansas' win
By Matt Irwin
Kansan sportswriter
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Roy Williams knew it would be close.
Despite taking a 35-20 lead by halftime, the No. 2 Jayhawks and the Kansas men's basketball coach were both unable to put away the No. 15 Virginia Cavaliers.
However, Kansas showed why it's ranked above top-caliber opponents such as the Cavaliers by holding them off for a 72-66 victory.
"I love what happened in the last three minutes of the game," Williams said. "We executed getting the ball inbounds against their pressure. We go to the free throw line make our free throws. I told our team at one of the timeouts, I expected it to go down to the wire.
"We didn't have to let them get back in it, but it did go down to the wire, and those are the things that are going to help us."
Virginia narrowed a 15-point Kansas halftime lead to 65-63 with 3:10 left in the game. There was no more scoring until Virginia junior guard Harold Deane drove the lane and was fouled with 1:52 left. But Deane missed the first of two free throws and his team got no closer the rest of the game.
Unlike Deane, Kansas hit its key free throws down the stretch, making seven of 10 free throws after Deane's miss.
Williams thought the game would be close and credited much of the second half comeback to Virginia.
they were mad at the way they played in the first half, and they played much, much better and a little bit different in the second half," Williams said. "There was much more penetration to the basket and getting shot. The first shot they shot a lot of gun shots."
While Virginia was missing its first half jump shots, the Kansas big men dominated.
Kansas junior guard Jerod Haas maneuvers around Virginia guard Jamel Robinson in last night's game. The Jayhawks fought off a late charge by the Cavaliers to win 72-68.
Vaughn was impressed by LaFrentz's dominance.
Kansas 6-foot-10 junior center Scot Pollard had four points and five rebounds, and 6-11 sophomore forward Raef LaFrentz scored 12 points on six of seven shooting and added four rebounds to help the Jayhawks to the 35-20 halftime lead. LaFrentz finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.
"On the defensive end he really made them shoot over him," Vaughn said. "On the offensive end he really used his touch
tonight. He showed that sweet left-hand Monona, Iowa shot tonight."
LaFrentz was so dominant that his absence was noticeable on the scoreboard. Kansas outscored Virginia 25 -12 with LaFrentz in the game.
"I feel like we came out with something to prove," LaFrentz said. "We remembered last year's game. It hurt our pride."
BOXSCORE: All the numbers from last night's game. Scores & More, Page 2.
Jayhawks' tennis star leaves team
Decision to cut senior J.P. Vissepo was made by coach Michael Center
By Dan Geiston
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas men's tennis team has announced the departure of one of its players.
J. P. Visssep, a former singles champion for the Jayhawks, is no longer with the team.
"It was my decision." Kansas men's tennis coach Michael Center said.
And it was one that Visepo did not like. The senior said that Center told him after the Region V Rolex Team Championship last month that he didn't want Visepo to come back to the team.
"He said I won't help the team," Vissepo said. "I differ
Center told Visssep he could keep his scholarship, but Visssep declined. Instead, Visssep said he would play at the Miami or Florida State next semester.
"He did a lot of good things for Kansas tennis," Center said. "It was one of the more difficult decisions I've ever made."
But Vissepo does not believe that.
"I don't think he could feel that
way." I said. "Let's the second time
J. P. Vissepo
he's done it. He did it to Reid and Tim and now me. I don't see it as a difficult decision."
Reid Slattery would have been a senior and Tim Radioga a junior for the Jayhawks this year but they also were asked to leave. Center said that they did not fit into the team concept.
Vissepo, a senior, was named the 1993 Big Eight Conference individual champion in both No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles.
"There were some philosophical differences on what I thought was important." Center said.
Vussepo said the differences stemmed from last year when Center could not handle the team losing.
"He's not a very good loser, and he has to learn that there's more than tennis," he said. "I resent him a lot for what happened last year. I didn't like his behavior, and he didn't like mine."
Vessepo said he had fond memories of Kansas, but it was very difficult for him to transfer with one remaining semester of tennis eligibility.
"I'll miss my teammates the most but definitely not the coaching staff," he said.
"I wish him the best," Center said. "I hope things work out for him."
Kansas basketball to face 'women's dream team'
Richard Devink / KANBAN
USA Basketball Women's National Team guard Teresa Edwards works against an assistant coach during practice last night in Allen Field House.
Former college stars expected to be too much for Jayhawks
By Bill Petulla
Kansan sportswriter
As her team prepares for tonight's game against the Nationals, the question for Kansas women's basketball coach Marian Washington can be as specific as how to contain such a well-versed and well-conditioned squad of all-stars.
A quick glance at the player profiles of USA Basketball Women's National Team demands respect. Words like Kodak All-American and player of the year as well as scoring averages in the 30s flood their resumes.
Or it may be as general as the question Keanu Reeves raised in the blockbuster movie "Speed" — "What do you do? What do you do?"
"It's like passing the torch," Washington said. "Collegian teams that have a chance to play the National Team this year are helping them prepare. We're going to give it our best shot. It shouldn't be any other way, and hopefully, we can scare them for a little while."
The No. 13 Jayhawks take on the National team in an exhibition game at 7:30 tonight in Allen Field House.
The National Team, which is made up of former college All-Americans and former overseas professional basketball players, is likely to make up the 1968 Olympic Team.
Playing the 10th game of their 20-
game tour, the National Team has
As if Kansas doesn't already have its work cut out for it, the Jayhawks will have do play the National Team without guard Charisse Sampson.
"They've beaten some very polished and experienced clubs," Washington said. "It's like bringing Michael Jordan in here now. Do you think they won't win?"
"We're going to need more than one player to fill her shoes," Washington said. "（Angie) Halbleib is going to have to move in, and Suni Raymant is going to see more time."
The senior captain, who was one of 10 players nominated for the Nallsmith Player of the Year Award, will miss the next four games after knee surgery. She is expected to return to the Jayhawk lineup Dec. 16 in the Sprint Shootout against Penn State.
stormed across the country leaving few doubters in its path. The Nationals defeated then-No. 1 Connecticut 83-47 and then-No. 2 Georgia 100-53. In fact, the closest any team has come within reaching USA was the Volunteers' 24 point loss.
Washington said that although no one player could replace Sampson, certain players would be called upon to step up.
Kansas junior guard Tamecka Dixon, who has a team-leading average of 18 points a game, is "toiling forward to meeting up with the "Women's Dream Team."
"I'm kind of using them as a ruler to see where I am and if I can capable to play at that level," Dixon said.
"The Dream Team" has credentials that may seem, well, dreamed up. Combining the accomplishments of only the starting five — Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Ruthie Bolton, Teresa Edwards and Katrine
McClain — there have been eight AL-American honors, six Final Four appearances, 23 total years playing professionally overseas and three retired jerseys.
"When I was growing up, we didn't have women's basketball player role models to look up to," Azzi said. "I think it's really important for the future of the sport that young girls have people to look up to and not not Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson."
For Kansas junior guard Angie Halbleb playing the National Team is a opportunity to settle a score.
According to guard and former Stanford star Jennifer Azzi, the role that the National Team is playing goes beyond the playing court.
opportunity to the
When the Jayhawks met up with
Connecticut last season, then-
Huskie senior Rebecca Lobo
blocked a Hableble offering in
emphatic fashion. According to Hableble, the block made Lobo's highlight film for her player of the year award.
"I'd like to see Lobo again. I remember her swatting my shot into the eighth row, "Halbleib said. "One of my friends said he found the ball in his backyard."
Despite the good fortune of being selected to have the National Team play at Kansas, a representative from the ticket office said only about 1,000 tickets have been sold for tonight's game.
"We have a chance to bring to the University of Kansas and our community something some people may never see and that is to watch world-class athletes," Washington said. "I'd just hate to see people miss this opportunity."
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