Analysis
Get ready for a fast and furious season
Stop frame. March 16, 1995. Lubbock Texas.
The Kansas women's basketball team dominates the Wisconsin Badgers, leading in the second half by as many as 16 points. Then, with three seconds remaining in the game, the Jayhawks' domination as well as their season is over.
Wisconsin's Sharon Johnson drains a jumper from the free throw line. The scoreboard reads 73-72 and 00:00. Kansas goes home and the career of All-American Angela Aycock is cut short.
Fast forward.
Stop frame. March 24,1995.Kansas City Mo.
The Kansas men's basketball team has advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament after somewhat shaky wins
against Colgate and Western Kentucky. Many expect the Jayhawks to breeze through the regional finals, which is being played in their home away from home — Kemper Arena.
Then the picture gets fuzzy. The Virginia Cavaliers are putting up a fight that few expected. Their guards scrap and pester the Jayhawk guards. Jacque Vaughn, Jerod Haase and Billy Thomas never catch fire
SPORTS EDITOR
But it is Virginia's all-around strength that will haunt Kansas during the game and throughout the offseason. The Cavaliers push the Jayhawks around, outlast a team that is 10 men deep and win 67-58.
Fast forward.
Stop frame. October 14, 1995. Lawrence.
After enduring nearly six months without Kansas basketball, fans pack every available inch of space in Allen Field House. Some have even been turned away.More than 2,000 in fact.
As midnight approaches, all 16,300 faces turn upward toward the scoreboard and count down.
Five. Four. Three. Two. One!
Suddenly, there they are. Jacque Vaughn breaks through the tunnel and runs onto the floor followed by the rest of the red and blue clad Jayhawks.
Basketball is back, a chance to avenge last year's losses is in sight, and all is good in Jayhawk land.
Hey, wait a minute. No more fast forwarding. Stop, Isay. Stop!
Is everything really, truly good in Jayhawk land?
Sure, most of the national preseason magazines are ranking the women's team in their top 20 and the men's team is No.1 in just about everybody's book. Everyone of course but Dick Vitale, who ranks the Jayhawks behind Kentucky.
I hate to tell old Dicky V, and any other doubter, but you're wrong B-A-B-E-E! Better get a T.O., because once Kansas takes
the floor, you're going to need the extra energy.
If any of you Kansas faithful are feeling a tad bit apprehensive about jumping completely on the bandwagon, let me give you a good shove.
Both of these Kansas teams are good. Really good.
First, let's talk about the women.
I had the good fortune of covering this team last year for the Kansan. I was there for the letdown in Lubbock. I watched the final basket fall, saw the tears in Angela Aycock's eyes and heard the distress in Marian Washington's voice when she talked about the game.
But the coach need not be distressed now. She might have lost Aycock, a Kodak All-American, but she's got a backcourt that rivals any in the country.
The real key to the backcourt's success is sophomore transfer Erinn Reed. Reed should be the starting point guard, allowing junior Tamecka Dixon to move to the shooting guard position. Dixon was forced out of that two spot, which is where she played in high school, because the Jayhawks had no true point guard during the last two season.
Look no farther. Reed is a true point guard. And if you add sharp shooting Angie Halbleib and preseason Big Eight Conference player of the year Charisse Sampson into the guard mix, the Jayhawks are lightening quick and deadly from outside.
The women's team has a great season ahead of it. I hope you get out there and witness some of it.
Now for the men's team. This group of Jayhawks is deeper than the Grand Canyon. The guys that back up the starters would be starters themselves on most any other team in the nation.
It's likely that every basketball fan in the nation has heard about Kansas' backcourt. But it still amazes me when I think how good these players are.
Junior point guard Jacque Vaughn will contend for every national individual award while dishing out those nifty no-look passes.
And Jerod Haase will be.Jerod Haase, diving onto scorer's tables and throwing his body into any hard surface that gets in his way.
Oh, by the way, he can score, too, to the tune of 15.0 points a game last year.
Don't forget about Calvin Rayford, Billy Thomas, C.B. McGrath or Ryan Robertson in the backcourt either. Like the women's team, these Jayhawks can run and shoot.
But what will win a national championship for the men's team is the versatility of its big men, especially junior center Scot Pollard and sophomore forward Raef LaFrentz. If anyone can keep up the pace with the Kansas speedy guards, they can.
And with experienced senior swingman Sean Pearson and McDonald's All-American Paul Pierce, the Jayhawks are ready to put it into fast forward.
It's likely that the next stop will be in East Rutherford, N.J., at the Final Four.
-Hill • November 15, 1995
The March to March 3
3