University Daily Kansan/Friday, January 20, 1989
Sports
13
Colorado's Events Center a tough challenge Jayhawks hope to repeat last year's victory
by Mike Considine Kansas sportwriter
Kansan sportswriter
It is not exactly "Spoon's Temple of Doom," but Colorado's Events Center has been a tough place for the team. The basketball team to play in recent years.
Kansas lost to the Buffaloes, 66-56,
at Boulder, Colo., in 1987, and the
Jayhawks 1986 Final Four team won
by just five points. 79-74.
"In the past, they've been looking for one person," Jayhawk forward Mitt Newton said. "They'd job the job of shitting Danny (Manning) down; we're really a whole new team, and you have to look at us differently."
Kansas leads the series 72-37, but Colorado has a 24-19 home-court advantage (5-4 in the Events Center). The Buffalooes have a 5-11 overall record (0-3 in the Big Eight Conference), but are 3-2 at home.
When Kansas (14-3 overall, 21-1 in conference) plays Colorado in tomorrow's game, the Jayhawks will
hoping for a result much like last year's 85-64 victory.
In that game, Colorado led 44-42 with 15-48 remaining in the second half and kept the score close until Newton and Manning were ejected for fighting with Colorado senior Brian Robinson late in the game.
The Jayhawks are looking for a similar change of momentum after Wednesday's 123-95 loss to Oklahoma.
The game seemed to signal the start of the Jahaywaks' stretch run, which culminated in a national championship.
"It's important because it's the next game," Newton said. "It's a game we have to win. We can't afford to go around losing games."
Kansas coach Roy Williams said the Oklahoma game got away from the Jayhawks in the second half. He said Kansas was unable to slow down the Sooners' fast-paced offense.
"It's hard to cover people when they make the three-pointers, and
"We're upset that we lost, but we can't let it get us down." Newton said. "We have to be ready for Colorado to win. We've been down moments all season. We've been through worse things than this before."
they have the inside threats like they do," Williams said. "We would try to front, but we're not big enough, and they'd lob over us. And we'd play behind, and they'd turn around and shoot it in our faces."
Lorida has had difficulty winning close games this season. The Buffaloes are 3-4 in games decided by 10 points or less and 1-2 in overtime. They stayed close in each of their games until late in the second half.
Missouri pulled away from the Buffaloes to win 84-75 Jan. 7 in Boulder. Colorado lost 81-77 in overtime at Iowa State Jan. 11 and 98-84
Kansas has lost two of its last three games. Colorado has lost five consecutive games and seven of its last 10.
at Kansas State Wednesday.
K-State led by just seven, 73-66 with 6:57 remaining.
Newton said he had seen Colorado play Iowa State.
"It it just happens" over and over, sophomore center Sean Vaniver said. "But we decide to be men and not stop it, it will keep going that way."
"They like to slow it down and play a deliberate style," he said.
Vandiver leads Colorado in nine offensive categories. The Romeoville, ill., sophomore was fourth in the Big Eight in scoring (19.4 points) twice and second in rebounding (10.9 per game) before Wednesday's games.
The 6-foot-10, 220-pound center scored 24 points against K-State to raise his average to 19.7.
Sophomore guard Steve Wise (11.5)
and Robinson (10.4) are the only
other Buffaloes averaging in double
figures.
Game 18
Kansas Jayhawks
Coach: Roy Williams
Record: 14-3 (2-1)
Colorado Buffaloes
Coach: Tom Miller Record: 5-11 (0-3)
PROBABLE STARTERS
Player Ht. PPG
F-Mark Randall 11.7
F-Milt Newton 6.4
C-Sean Alvarado 6.10 5.1
K-Gevin Pritchard 6.3 14.6
S-Scooter Barry 6.4 7.3
Player Ht. PPG.
F-Brian Robinson 6-5 10.4
F-Rodell Guest 6-5 5.8
C-Sean Vandiver 6-10 19.7
G-Steve Wise 6-2 11.5
G-Reggle Morton 6-1 7.3
**Game notes:** Kansas leads the series 72-37, but Colorado has a 24-19 edge in games at Boulder. The Jayhawks have lost two of their last three games, including a 123-95 loss to Oklahoma on Wednesday. The game will be televised on the Jayhawk Television Network (KSHB-41.WIBW-13). The game will be broadcast on KLZR 106-FM. Tip-off will be at 8:08 at the CU Events Center
Lady Jays face No.20 Colorado tomorrow
by Mary Neubauer Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas women's basketball team will face a top-20 team for the fifth time this season when it travels to Boulder tomorrow to play the 20th-ranked Colorado Lady Buffs.
Coach Marian Washington said that Colorado had recently been playing some of its best basketball of the season.
"They've always been a team that has had great perimeter shooters," she said. "I don't think they'll be any different now."
'T
They draw better crowds than their men. They had about 6,000 people there when Louisiana Tech came to play them. I think that wonderful crowd will come back to watch them play Kansas.
— Marian Washington Kansas women's basketball coach
The Jayhawks are 1-3 against the top 20 teams. They lost to 9th-ranked Mississippi, 10th-ranked Rutgers and 15th-ranked Stephen F. Austin but defeated 7th-ranked Iowa.
Senior guard Bridget Turner leads the Lady Buffers, averaging 14.3 points a game and grabbing 6.8 rebounds a game. Senior center Crystal Ford averages 11.8 points a game for Colorado.
Turner was named Big Eight Player of the Week Jan. 10 after leading the Lady Buffs to a 61-60 win over 2nd-ranked Louisiana Tech.
Washington said the Colorado crowd would also help the Lady Buffs.
"They draw better crowds than their men" she said. "They had about 6,000 people there when Louisiana Tech came to play them. I think that wonderful crowd will come back to watch them play Kansas.
Shafeel, a 5-foot-9 Riviera Beach, Fla., forward, led the Jayhawks in scoring at UMKC with 11 points. McCloud, a 5-10 Forward, has had the quad two twice in scoring and five times in stealing. He scored 5-6 Independence, Kan., guard, scored 10 points against Nebraska on Wednesday.
come back to starters for Kansas
Probable starters for Kansas
include freshmen Danielle Shareef,
Martha McCloud and Geri Hart.
"We suffer a great deal not having a larger following. That's why I can't say enough about the people who do come out and who are loyal."
The two leaders of the Jayhawk squad this season have been juniors Lisa Bradday and Lynn Page. Braddy ranks sixth in the Big Eight in scoring, averaging 14.6 points a game. Page is fifth in the conference in rebounding, with an average of 8.4 points a game.
time in Harvard Washington said that no matter what the outcome, she was happy with her team.
Brady, a 5-8 Kansas City, Kan., native, has led the team six times in scoring this season. Page, a 64 center from Tulsa, Okla., has led the squad twice in scoring and eight times in rebounding this season.
"I'm just real proud of this young team," she said. "They've really handled an extremely tough schedule very, very well so far."
Cincinnati Bengals and former Kansas quarterback Mike Norsell will join former Jayhawk Harry Sydney, a running back for the San Francisco 49ers, in Super XIII Sunday in Miami.
Two ex-Jayhawks Super Bowl bound
hv Brett Brenner
Kansan sportswriter
Although the Kansas football team may be experiencing hard times right now, we won't force it to pounce on the pinnacle of football success, the Super Bowl.
Mike Norseth, a 1985 KU graduate.
Mike Norsest, a plays for the Cincinnati Bengals as a third-string quarterback; and Harry Sydney, a 1980 graduate, is a special teams performer and running back for the San Francisco 49ers.
Sydney
A highlight of Norsett's college career came in 1984, when he directed the Jayhawks offense in the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.
Norseth ended his career at KU ranked third on the all-time passing list with 4,677 yards. He also holds the records for most yards in a single game, with 400 yards against Vanderbilt in 1985, and most yards during a single season, with 2,995 that same season.
Although Norseth has found a championship team relatively quickly, Harry Sydne played with numerous teams before finally finding a home in San Francisco two years ago.
The Cleveland Browns signed Norsett in 1986, and he played for the Browns for two seasons before being put on waivers. The Bengals picked him up as a free agent in 1987.
Don Fambrough, who coached the Jayhawks during Sydney's final two seasons at Kansas, said he was surprised at the success Sydney had achieved in the National Football League.
As a Bengal, Norseth occupies the unusual position of number three quarterback. Few National Football League teams have more than two quarterbacks on their roster. Norseth has yet to throw a pass in a game for the Bengals.
during the 1978 season, with 605 yards, and the leading rusher in 1979 with 541 yards.
"He wasn't that overblessed with speed, but is an overachiever." Fambrough said. "He was the type of young man who could do everything. He could run, always catch the ball, block . . . He's just all around good football player, the kind every coach would want on their team."
Sydney was a three-year letterman for the Jayhawks at both running back and quarterback from 1978-80. He was the Jayhawks' leading passer
Sydney was drafted in 1981 by the Seattle Seahawks but missed the final cut. The Cincinnati Bengals signed and released him in 1982.
In 1984, he gained 961 yards rushing and 354 yards receiving and scored 13 touchdowns. In 1985, Sydney managed to gain only 341 yards rushing and 79 yards receiving, scoring 4 touchdowns.
Sydney was the Gold's leading rusher in both 1983 and 1984. In 1983, he compiled 801 yards on the ground, along with 366 yards receiving, while scoring 11 touchdowns.
He played from 1983 to 1985 for the Denver Gold in the now defunct United States Football League.
His longest run last season was for 15 yards against Houston, and he threw a 90-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice against New Orleans. He also led the special teams in tackles, with 27.
In 1987, he joined the San Francisco 49ers and was used mostly in short-yardage situations. He appeared in more statistical categories than any other 49er last season, including rushing, receiving, passing, kick returns and tackles.
This season Sydney has been used on punt and kickoff coverage. He has made 15 solo tackles and 3 assists
KU track opens with invitational Seniors important to team success
by Cynthia L. Smith
Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
"It's our first meet, so we're looking to assess the fitness level of the athletes." Schwartz said. "We're also obviously preparing the athletes for the Big Eight indoor championships. It starts right here."
The University of Kansas men's and women's track teams will host their season opener in the Anschutz Sports Pavilion. Field events begin at 11 a.m., and running events start at 1 p.m.
Kansas track coach Gary Schwartz said he would discover tomorrow at the Kansas Invitational which track team members stayed in shape during the winter break.
Pat Matson, junior pole vaulter,
has already started. He qualified for
the NCAA indoor championships with
his team on Saturday at the Kansas
Open on Dec. 14.
Teams competing in the meet include the men's and women's squads from Iowa State and Emporia State and the women's team from Arkansas. Individual athletes from other schools will also participate.
He placed second behind Oklahoma's Tim McMichel, who jumped the same height, but won on misses with an 18 foot, $ \frac{1}{2} $ inch jump at the Shearson Lehman Hutton Games in Jonesboro, Ark., on Jan. 14. He was the only Kansas competitor at the meet.
"He's one of the premier pole vaulters in the country," Schwartz said.
Manson said he was having the best indoor season of his college career.
The Jayhawk indoor pole vaulted record was set by Jeff Buckingham at 18 foot, $7 \frac{1}{4}$ in 1963. Manson said his goal was to break that record this season with an 18 foot, 8 inch jump.
Schwartz said that hurdler Mike Miller and sprinters Orrin Gains and Ornette Gains would also lead the team.
they had an excellent fall," he said. Another senior, co-captain David Babbitt, joined the triple jump and junior co-captain Stenia Smiedala will run the half mile.
"They're seniors this year, and they had an excellent fall," he said.
"It's really important that you get good leadership out of your juniors and seniors," Schwartz said.
He said junior Steve Heffernan,
senior Craig Watchee and Manson
Woodward.
nan will be running medium distance races and Watcke will run longer distances.
The Kansas men's team will face Iowa State's Brett Carney. Big Eight champion in the 800 meters while the women take on All-American Edith Nakiyangi in the 400 meters and mile relay. She was the Eight winner in the 800 meters and indoor champion in the 1,000 meters last year.
meters last season.
Arkansas competitors include
Sally Ramsdale, who was the indoor
and outdoor Southwest Conference
champion in the 3,000 meters last season.
season
Her teammate, three-time All-America Melody Meloys, will return after sitting out last season because of an Achilles' tendon injury
Kansas junior co-captain Julie Howerton can run both long- and short-distance races. Schwartz said her versatility was important.
As a hurdler and heptathlon competitor, junior co-captain Kim Hutoefer is also versatile.
Schwartz said that sophomore runner Sherlanda Brooks, who finished fifth in the 400 meters at the Big Eight indoor championship, would perform well also.
"We've got a lot of rebuilding to do, but we've got a strong nucleus on both teams," he said.
Schwartz said he hoped that the meet would be a step toward more successful meets.
Schwartz said the Kansas Relays were once considered part of a triple crown with meets at the University of Texas and Drake University.
"These were fixture meets," Schwartz said. "They were big meets, and they were well-run."
"We need a resurgence of enthusiasm and a resurgence of recruiting efforts, both on the men's and women's side," he said. "We have an impressive high school athletes who are interested in the University to come."
Schwartz said he wanted to improve the Kansas Relays, which will be held March 19-22.
He said he did not know if this stature could be regained because more schools now have the facilities to host indoor and outdoor meets, making them more competitive.
"It's a matter of trying to get out and get some input from coaches in the area and people who used to be involved." Schwartz said. "My goal is to run a real quality meet, and I have no doubt that we'll do that."
Gubicza wants record salary from Royals
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mark Gubicae established a Kansas City Royals record yesterday when he filled a salary-arbitration request of $1,425 million.
The Royals countered with a $1.275 million offer. If Gubicza gets his request, he would be the highest-paid pitcher in the franchise's 20-year history. Pitcher Bret Saberhagen has a $1.3 million contract.
a $1.5 million contract.
Four other Royals filed for arbitration.
Outfielder Danny Tartabul sought $1.07 million and was countered with $900,000. Pitcher Steve Farr asked for $625,000 and got a $75,000 offer. Infielder Kurt Stillwell asked for $475,000 and got a $425,000 offer, and outfielder Jim Eisenreich asked for $140,000 and got a $100,000 offer.
"There were no real surprises," Royals General Manager John Scherholz said. "Some were a little high. Some were not as high. But I haven't seen anything to discourage us."
Arbitration hearings will be held Feb. 1,20, although many cases are likely to be settled beforehand.
Gubicea made $635,000 last season, when he was 20-8 and finished third in Cy Young balloting.