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Monday, February 4, 2008

Ex-Jayhawks reminisce about MU

Gurley recalls '92 victory; boos stick with Robertson

By Gary Bedore

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Hawks rally in second half

After falling on the short end of Michael Beasley's guarantee Wednesday night in Manhattan, Bill Self and the Jayhawks packed their bags Saturday for a battle in Boulder against the Buffaloes.

Border War memories ...

Former Kansas University guard Greg Gurley, a color analyst for home-game replays on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6, has vivid recollections of past Border War contests.

"The best game might have been my freshman year. Peeler had about 50, but we won," Gurley said.

Anthony Peeler scored 43 points, not nearly enough, as KU tripped Mizzou, 97-89, on March 8, 1992, in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks cut down the nets that day after assuring a tie for the Big Eight Conference title.

Another Gurley moment ...

"I remember getting punched in the face by (MU's) Lamont Frazier and them (refs) calling a foul on me because I flailed my arms backward. I ended up losing a molar because of it," Gurley said.

¢Records insignificant: It's a cliche, but one really can throw out the records when KU and MU meet in basketball.

"I don't think they were ever ranked when we played them. It always used to be a different game, took on a different tone," said former KU forward T.J. Pugh, who played for KU from 1995 to '99, recording a 5-4 record versus the Tigers.

"I knew there was no way we'd breeze through that game. It doesn't work that way, especially in Columbia (Mo.) where we only won once."

Pugh was asked what he remembered the most about the Border War confrontations.

"I think of the Antlers usually," he said of MU's student cheering section. "I think of the comedy that came with some of their fans."

He was on hand for one of the great individual plays in modern KU history. KU's Raef LaFrentz read the flight of a Jacque Vaughn miss perfectly and, after charging the lane from the top of the key, grabbed an offensive rebound with his left hand and rammed it home versus MU on Feb. 17, 1997 at Allen.

"Physics can't explain what he did, catching the ball in front," Pugh said.

Missouri has had one especially memorable dunk make and one miss versus the Jayhawks in the fieldhouse.

Ricky Paulding skied over Eric Chenowith and jammed one-handed in a loss to KU on March 4, 2001 - his freshman season and Chenowith's senior campaign. Arthur Johnson was rejected by the rim and fell on his backside on Jan. 28, 2002.

¢Boos revisited: MU ended KU's school-record 22-game win streak to open the 1996-97 season. The Tigers topped the Jayhawks, 96-94, on Feb. 4, 1997, at Hearnes Center.

"Double overtime was winding down. There was a loose ball. Jacque (Vaughn) has it and we're streaking the other way. It got knocked to (Corey) Tate, he shoots it at the elbow and they win with one or two seconds left," former KU guard Ryan Robertson said.

Robertson, who was booed every time he touched the ball during KU's one win and three losses in Columbia (the fans were miffed the St. Charles, Mo., native spurned MU for KU in recruiting) remembers the Mizzou game as the most competitive on KU's schedule.

"It didn't matter what kind of team they had. They played like the No. 1 team in the country against us," Robertson said. "Being a Missouri kid, I knew they were frustrated they could play at such a high level against us and on a typical regular-season night they'd look bad."

ESPN recently showed a replay of KU's 74-73 loss to MU during Robertson's junior year in Columbia.

"I had three or four threes that game," Robertson said. "Some of my friends called me to remind me of the boos. I remember the boos."

¢Bud's the best: Bud Stallworth dropped in 50 points, many from long-range, in a 93-80 victory over MU on Feb. 26, 1972. Stallworth's 19-of-38 shooting effort was witnessed by KU's 1952 title team, which was in town for a 20th reunion.

It's the most points scored by a player in any game in the KU-MU series and second-highest output by a KU player in school history. Wilt Chamberlain had 52 versus Northwestern in 1956.

"We all recognize Bud as a great shooter, and we all think of the 50-point game," said Ted Owens, Stallworth's coach at KU. "What made that performance even more amazing is, over 10 shots he hit were beyond three-point range."

But the three-point line was not in effect in those days.

"If he did it today, he'd have over 60. It was an incredible performance by an incredible shooter," Owens said.

¢More KU-MU memories: KU beat Missouri, 80-70, to wrap up the 100-year-anniversary weekend celebration on Feb. 8, 1998. ... Danny Manning scored 27 points in a 100-66 blasting of MU on Feb. 11, 1986. It's KU's biggest victory over the Tigers in the fieldhouse. ... Coach Dick Harp grabbed the microphone on Feb. 23, 1958, and asked KU fans to stop booing Mike Kirksey on the free-throw line. Harp was ignored, and the KU coach asked the official to call a technical foul on the fans. Kirksey made three free throws, but KU won, 85-81. ... Norm Stewart scored 20 points as MU handed KU its first loss in the fieldhouse - 85-78 - on Feb. 6, 1956. ... KU's 95-92 victory on March 3, 2002 wrapped up a perfect, 16-0 conference season. ... KU tamed MU, 82-77, on Feb. 27, 1988 in Columbia to snap a two-game losing streak. The win gave KU a 17-10 record, yes just a 17-10 record in what turned out to be a national title season. A loss to MU, some believe, might have sent the Jayhawks packing to the NIT.

¢Self against MU: KU coach Bill Self is 11-2 overall against Missouri, 8-2 versus MU during his five years at KU. He went 3-6 versus MU as a player at Oklahoma State.

"I remember our game against them in '83 in the Big Eight tournament," said Self, a former OSU guard who helped the Cowboys to a 93-92 victory in double overtime. "The end of regulation and the end of the first overtime both ended in last-second shots to force the second overtime. I know everybody fouled out. We had a young man who lives in Kansas City now, at the time was a walk-on. He wasn't after that. Rick Anderson made some free throws to win the game for us. He was going against 'Stipo' (Steve Stipanovich) and winning the game, so it was a lot of fun," Self added.

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Comments

kushaw (anonymous) says...

As long as Mike Anderson and his tigers try to keep pace with the Jayhawks it will be a high scoring affair and I give the edge to the Jayhawks. You can never tell with rivalry games, but I give the Jayhawks a win by 9.

If Mike Anderson wasn't so stubborn for his style of play, I would suggest him to slow the tempo against the mighty Jayhawks. I've said it all season that that is the Jayhawks only weakness and it was exploited by the KSU Wildcats. The wildcats dictated 36 minutes of that game until Bill Self tried (Panic Mode the last 4 minutes) in pressing and trying to speed up the tempo. Maybe it was a good game for us in a hostile environment, but I would really like to get 3 or 4 more games like the KSU game to prepare for teams like UCLA, Washington State, USC, any Big 10 team, and some of the mid-majors who are going to slow it down against the jayhawks in the tournament. Just a thought. I just wish Mike Anderson would throw the Jayhawks a complete 360. Won't happen, but I can still wish for it.

February 4, 2008 at 7 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawkinatl (anonymous) says...

I think w/o Hannah, KU rolls.

February 4, 2008 at 7:35 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Solomon (anonymous) says...

Self is 10-2 vs. MU as a coach according to the KU media guide. He beat them twice when he was coaching Illinois, I believe.

February 4, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KU (anonymous) says...

Solomon, he may have been 10-2 vs MU when the media guide was printed, but he won in Columbia earlier this year.

February 4, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jacqueshock (anonymous) says...

As I recall, Robertson didn't really start to get booed that loudly at Mizzou until after the incident with that one Tiger player. What was his name? Sutherland! It just came to me. He's the guy who wanted to take on Raef.

I think it was the 1997 Big 12 Championship game and Robertson and Sutherland got a bit tangled up while falling to the floor. Sutherland was flailing his arms to get loose instead of just getting up naturally. For the rest of the game KU fans booed him whenever he got the ball. Starting the next season in Columbia is when Robertson really started hearing it.

February 4, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

not_important (anonymous) says...

As far as memorable MU dunks go, I'll never forget Keyon Dooling dunking over Ashante Johnson. It was the first half because he was going toward the north goal. He took off from at least 12 feet away from the left side of the lane and it seemed like his arm kept stretching like Michael Jordan's in Space Jam. He barely got his fingers to the rim, but he threw it down. The refs called him for a charge, which was a horrible call. That is still one of the more ridiculous dunks I've ever witnessed.

February 4, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

oldalum (anonymous) says...

kushaw: I got as much slow-down basketball as I ever want to see at CU. I thought I might nod off during that first half. I had forgotten how boring that Princeton offense is.

February 4, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

kushaw (anonymous) says...

oldalum: That is my point! Colorado did it for a half, but what happens when a decent team can do it for 40 minutes. We barely pulled it off against Southern Illinois last year and we know what happened against UCLA. There has to be a way that when teams are slowing it down that Bill puts in some type of full-court token press, etc. to speed up the oposing guards. Let's take two teams for example.

Duke and KU: Has anybody seen the remarkable job that Coach K has done with with this squad? As everybody watched the KSU game in disgust, did anybody closely watch how much room KSU guards were relaxed on the perimeter. I mean there were plenty of times when the guard was dribbling on the perimeter or out top with at least 5 feet between him and his defender. You're not going to force any tempo playing defense like that.
I have to use Duke as an example because I've seen almost everyone one of their games, living here in Charlotte, and I can't help but respect their team. They are so young it's ridicoulous, but the relentless pressure they're putting on teams is amazing. They are completely wearing out teams with that in your face defense for 94 feet. KU plays in your face defense just beyond the 3 point line. There is a big difference there and I think if Bill Self used Rodrick, and Reed in the lineup more just to keep the pace going, I think we would be in better shape. Just my thoughts. I hate Duke, but I can't believe the things they are doing with that team. They have been down 3 or 4 times this season by 7 or more points at half and come out win easlily by double figures. I actually like the way Duke is playing more so than KU. I can't believe I said that, but sometimes I have to face the facts. I wish we could play D like Duke.

February 4, 2008 at 1:37 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

The KU-MU game I remember (enjoyed?) the most is when Aaron Miles drilled a 3 pointer (like it was on a rope!) just as time was expiring at the Hernia Center. Gorgeous!

The second best moment... when Padget dripped in a put-back two just as time was expiring to give KU the win in Columbia as well. Almost as gorgeous!

February 4, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

OklahomaJayhawk5 (anonymous) says...

It also didnt help Mr. Robertson much that his girlfriend was a Missouri student and spent a good amount of time around the area!

February 4, 2008 at 5:22 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

Love the Hernia Center reference, JayCeph. I can't believe I haven't heard that before.

So many great memories of beating the tiggers, but one of the best has to be the last game at Hernia. How sweet was it to send them off from their arena with a loss!?!

February 5, 2008 at 3:54 p.m. ( | suggest removal )