University Daily Kansan / Monday, October 31, 1988
Sports
13
Big 8 coaches choose OU, MU
Oklahoma center, senior Stacey King, will lead the Sooners in their quest for a second straight Big Eight Conference title.
Media predicts Kansas basketball to end '88-'89 in fifth place
By Arvin Donley Kansan sportswriter
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One conclusion can be drawn after listening to the Big Eight Conference men's basketball coaches speak about the upcoming season — the number one and two positions, at least in the preseason, belong to Oklahoma and Missouri.
"After Missouri and Oklahoma, it's really wide open," Kansas State coach Lon Kruger said at yesterday's Big Eight media day. "I think it will be an interesting league. Last year each team had a senior who was obviously going to be their leader. This year, outside of Missouri and Oklahoma, it's going to be fun from a fan's perspective to see who steps forward for each team."
All eight conference coaches and two players representing each team spoke with the media yesterday at the Kansas City Airport Marriott Hotel.
In the Big Eight media's preseason basketball poll, Oklahoma was picked first followed by Missouri, Kansas State and Oklahoma State in the first division. Defending national champion Kansas was picked fifth by the media, followed by Iowa State, Nebraska and Colorado.
Unlike some coaches, Oklahoma's Billy Tubbs said he enjoyed trying to live up to the expectations of being the preseason favorite.
"I like to be picked first." Tubbs said. "That doesn't bother me whether it's nationally, locally or whatever. That's what we're playing for and that's all we're interested in. That didn't bother us because it's good for hype, but we all know it will be settled on on the floor.
The Sooners, who lost to Kansas in the NCAA championship game last season, return point guard Blailey Blaylock and center Steve King, who was one of the players as presseason player-of-the-year in the Big Eight.
"I think we're going to have a great conference race. The people who think the Big Eight will drop off after the year we had last year are in for a real surprise."
With four starters returning from last year's 19
11 team and the addition of three bluechip fresh
I like to be picked first. That doesn't bother me whether it's nationally, locally or whatever. That's what we're playing for.'
Billy Tubbs
Oklahoma basketball coach
men, Missouri is expected to challenge Oklahoma for the conference crown.
Tigers coach Norm Stewart said, though, he had not been pleased with Mizzou's performance in preseason practice.
"I'm concerned from the standpoint of consistency," Stewart said. "We're not as consistent as we should be with eight returning players. The big problem is that kids who have been in the program for three or four years are not doing the fundamental, consistent things and that's a big concern."
Stewart, who is beginning his 22nd season at Missouri, said the conference is stronger from top to bottom than it had previously been.
"I tell you what, if Nebraska finishes seventh in this league, there's going to be seven teams in the NCAA tournament (from the Big Eight)," Stewart said.
Returning only one starter from last season's 25-9 team, Kansas State coach Lon Kruger said his new players would have to contribute to finish in the upper division.
"We've got so many new faces," Kruger said.
"This year's the opposite of last year in the sense that last year we returned a lot of kids. After (Junior) Steve Henson, we have very few certainties."
Oklahoma State was picked fourth, but Cowboy coach Leonhard Hamilton said he was surprised by the prediction because of the Cowboys' youth and injury problems.
"We have improved our talent pool — it is stronger," Hamilton said. "But I have 10 players who have never been in a major college basketball game.
"We've had an unusual rush of injuries that have set us back quite a bit. We've been practicing and we've been having fun."
First-year Kansas coach Roy Williams has a similar problem. The Jayhawks have only 10 players eligible for this season — only three of whom are taller than 6-foot-6.
"The only disappointing thing is that we're so limited size-wise," Williams said. "Mike Madlox (6-6 sophomore forward) will have to end up guarding 6-10 and 6-11 guys."
Williams said he was not worried about the high expectations at Kansas.
We don't worry about where we're being told. But I guarantee you we'll show up for every game.
Cyclone coach Johnny Orr said his team was better than a sixth place team.
Iowa State, which finished 20-12 last season, was picked to finish sixth by the media after losing leading scorers Jeff Grayer and Lafester Rhodes to graduation.
"As the year goes by you're going to hear more and more from us," he said. "We have some very fine basketball players on this team and we're going to be awfully tough in Ames."
Although Nebraska was picked seventh, many coaches said the Cornhuskers have the talent to win.
Last minute goal by Omaha foils victory for soccer team
Coach Danny Nee returns two starters from last year's 13-18 squad. The Cornhusker's roster is dominated by 10 freshman and sophomores.
"We have a lot of talent on this team that hasn't matured." Nee said. "We need more junior and seniors. But we have a lot of young players with the talent and ability to win. I think we'll improve a lot during our non-conference schedule and be ready to go when the conference season opens."
Having lost leading scorer Scott Wilkie to graduation, the Colorado Buffaloes were once again picked to finish last. But coach Tom Miller said the loss of Wilkie might be a blessing in disguise.
"We often relied on Scott too much because he could do things that others couldn't do," Miller said. "This year we're not going to be concerned with one or two guys doing all the work. We had our best games last year when we had a balanced attack."
By Ken Winford
Kansan sportswriter
Hodes scored the first Kansas go- 17 minutes into the second half. The goal was set up by a Jason Paekep ask on a free kick.
Steve Hodes and Eric Syphers scored second-half goals helping the Kansas men's soccer club to a 2-12 win in Omaha-OMaha yesterday afternoon.
Syphers' goal gave the Jayhawks who trailed 10 at halftime, a 2-1 lead with two minutes left in the game.
Omaha goal.
The Jayhawks had what would have been their 14th victory of the season taken away by the Nebraska-
However, with one minute left, Nebraska-Omaha took the ensuing kick off and scored the tying goal from about 45 yards out.
"After Eric scored, our guys were already celebrating." Shirtliffe said. Their last goal was a fluke of a shot he kept unfortunately misjudged.
The Jayhawks, 17-2-3 who already had clinched the Midwest Collegiate Soccer League title, took a team of 8 "and 10 'B" team players to Omaha.
Kansas soccer coach Glenn Shirtlife said the Jayhawks had trouble getting started yesterday.
"We were pretty shaky in the first half," Shriftle said. "We had a good talk at halftime, and play was much better in the second half.
"It was a game we could have easily won. Given the squad we took and the lack of playing time they had
together, the tie was an acceptable result."
Kansas will play its final regular-season game this Saturday against Nebraska-Lincoln. The National College Soccer Association Championships will take place in Ames, Iowa the following weekend.
Shirliffe said he would use the Nebraska-Lincoln game as a final evaluation period before choosing whom the players would be eligible to play at Ames.
The Jayhawks tied a team of Kansas alumni, 2-2, in a match played Saturday in Lawrence.
"They were probably one of the best teams we have played all sea-ice. Shirltiff said. "A lot of those guys are still playing, so some good soccer being played."
Sports Briefs
HARRIERS RESULTS: The Kansas men and women's cross country teams finished sixth and eighth at the U.S. national meet; they meet Saturday in Stillwater, Okla.
Iowa State won the men's title, while Nebraska took the women's championship.
Junior Steve Hefferman was the Jayhawk's top finisher in the 10,000 meter race placing 100th with a time of 24.45. He finished 24th with a time of 31.40.
Junior Kelly Coffey was Kansas' best runner on the women's team. Coffey finished 40th in the 5,000 meter race with a time of 19:00. Kansas finished one point behind seventh place Oklahoma
BOWLERS FINISH THIRD: The Kan
sas men's bowling team placed third out of 12 teams in the Midstates Intercollegiate Bowling Conference last weekend in Kansas City, Kan. Six of the competing teams were ranked nationally last year.
Wichita State won the men's title with 15,237 pins. Nebraska was second with 14,372, and Kansas finished third with 13,803.
Defending national champion West Texas State won the women's title with 13,548 pins.
Steve Smith averaged 209 and had the top average for the Jayhawks. Others Kansas averages were John Pereval at 183, Jeff Alton at 198, Jeff Ebert at 205.
The women's club finished fifth with 12,212 pins.
The bowling club will not compete again until conference play begins in two weeks at Wichita State and Emporia State.
**GRAF WINS AGAIN:** Steffi Graf, saving her most powerful display of the tournament for the final, trounced Manuela Malevae 6-2, 6-0 yesterday to win the Midland Group title. She also dominated her 11th title of the season.
Judy Fiester averaged 188, followed by Rochelle Melin at 185, Amy Genzel at 175, Debbie Wolf at 171 and Traci Goebel at 170.
The West German's winning prize money of $30,000 boosted her 1988 earnings past the $1.3-million mark and enabled her winning match streak to 44
La-crash
Kansas' Mike Beaty, St. Louis senior, left, fights for a ground ball against a Creighton defender. The Jayhawk lacrosse team lost to the Blue Jays 14-10 yesterday at Shenk Complex, 23rd and Iowa streets.
Back from injury, Jackson helps Raiders beat Chiefs
Defeat drops KC into NFL cellar
LOS ANGELES — Quarterback Steve Beuerlin returned to the starting lineup and passed for 248 yards yesterday, while Bob Jackson and Marcus Allen each scored touchdowns as the Los Angeles Raiders beat the Kansas City Chiefs 17-10.
Bouerlein, who started the first three games this season before being replaced by Jay Schroeder, completed 18 of 29 passes when he was intercepted once and sacked once.
The Associated Press
Jackson, returning from an injured right hamstring which limited him to two rushing yards on the team a week ago, gained 80 yards on 17 carries and scored on a 22-yard run in the first half.
The Kuders, who beat the Chiefs 27-17 two weeks ago, are 4.5 while Kansas City's 1-7 also was in a tie.
Allen, who rushed for 70 yards on 21 carries, became the Raiders' all-time leader in touchdowns when he scored on a one-yard drive late in the second period.
The Chiefs got their points on a three-yard touchdown run by Paul Palmer in the second quarter and a 45-yard field goal by Nick Lowery with 3:13 left in the game.
Jackson's touchdown capped a 92-yard, 11-play drive on the first Ratters possession. He then scored a 60-yard touchdown.
The Chiefs tied the game by using 9:13 of play on a 74-yard, 15-play march finished by Palmer's scoring run with 5:41 left before halftime. The drive started after Deron Johnson pitched a pike by Beutleren at the Kansas City 26-year old on the first play of the second period.
Los Angeles then went 67 yards on 11 plays and took the lead for good on Allen's drive.
New England 30 Chicago 7
Douglie Flute, sent back to the scene of his college stardom by the Chicago Bears, threw an interception.
NFL Roundup
England Patriots to a 30-7 upset over the Bears.
Atlanta 27 Philadelphia 24
At Philadelphia, second-year quarterback Chris Miller threw for three touchdowns as the Falcons snapped a five-game losing streak.
Cleveland 23
Cincinnati 16
Herman Fontein returned a blocked punt one yard for a touchdown and set up another score with an 84-yard kickoff return as Cleveland moved within one game of Cincinnati in the AFC Central with a 23-16 victory over the Bengals.
Buffalo 28
Green Bay 0
Free safety Mark Kelso returned an interception 78 yards for a touchdown, and defensive end Leon Seals recovered a fumble for the defense as the Bills defeated the Packers 29-0.
Los Angeles Rams 12 New Orleans 10
Mike Lansford kicked field goals of 37, 18, 17 and 30 yards to supply all the points needed by Los Angeles to snap New Orleans' seven-game winning streak with a 12-10 victory.
Miami 17 Tampa Bay 14
Dan Marino threw third-quarter touchdown passes of five and eight yards to Mark Clayton as Miami won for the fourth time in games with a 17-14 victory over Tampa Bowl.
Phoenix 16 Dallas 10
New York Jets 24 Pittsburgh 20
A 42-yard pass from Neil Lomax to Ernie Jones set up Earl Ferrell's one yard touchdown plunge with 50 seconds to play as Phoenix defeated Dallas 16-10.
John Botty blocked a punt to set up Freeman McNeill's five-yard touchdown run, then intercepted a pass with two minutes to New York's 24-20 victory over the Steelers.
New York Giants 13 Detroit 10 OT
A blown handoff by Detroit's Tony Paige on the first play of overtime set up Paul McFadden's 33-yard goal that kept New York atop the NFC East with a 13-10 victory.
Seattle 17 San Diego 14
Rookie Kelly Stouffer passed for two touchdowns, including a six-yarder to fullback John L. Williams with 3-43 left, as Seattle Wildcats won FC West with a 17-14 victory over San Diego.
San Francisco 24 Minnesota 21
Minnesota 2 $ ^{4} $
Reserve quarterback Steve Young scrambled 49 yards for a touchdown with 1:58 remaining as San Francisco rallied past Minnesota 24-21.
Houston 41
Washington 17
Houston's Drew Hill, criticized last week for a key dropped pass, caught touchdown passes of 22, 33 and 11 yards from Warren Moon and 41-17 victory over the Washington Redskins.