Big 12 Conference officials are expected to determine this week what action to take in the wake of a brawl after Saturday’s Kansas-Missouri women’s basketball game in Columbia, Mo.
While the teams were shaking hands following Kansas’ 55-52 victory, kicking, punching and shoving broke out.
KU coach Marian Washington said MU players made obscene gestures to the Jayhawks and that her players were spat on by Mizzou’s band.
Washington called the postgame atmosphere one of the worst she has seen in her 31 years as the Jayhawks’ coach.
“I still can’t believe it,” said Washington, whose team plays host to No. 15 Colorado at 7:05 tonight at Allen Fieldhouse.
Washington stressed she has no plans to discipline anyone on her team. However, Missouri officials are expected to take disciplinary action.
Missouri coach Cindy Stein said her review of videotape from the fracas proved “it is clear that several players reacted in an inappropriate manner” she deemed intolerable.
Without elaborating, Stein said Missouri has recommended to the Big 12 Conference “action to be taken on our behalf,” with acceptance of any further action the league deems necessary.
Dru Hancock, Big 12 associate commissioner in charge of women’s basketball, said Stein admitted that MyEsha Perkins, a senior guard from Detroit, threw a punch at a Kansas player.
Mike Alden, Missouri’s athletic director, called the episode he helped break up “an unfortunate incident and not indicative of proper behavior” at Missouri.
Alden said the school would send a full report to the Big 12 later Monday. League officials were expected to review the tape today.
Kansas and Missouri are scheduled to meet again a week from Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas City, Mo ? Dale Kelley certainly isn’t Moses or even Charlton Heston but Kelley delivered Thursday what amounts to an 11th Commandment for college basketball.
During Big 12 Conference Media Day, Kelley, coordinator of conference basketball officials, invoked the name of the inventor of basketball while vowing a crackdown on rough play in the pivot during the 2000-2001 season.
“We have serious problems in the post,” Kelley said. “It’s a finesse game and it should be played the way Dr. Naismith intended.”
Later, veteran broadcaster Fred White asked me, tongue-in-cheek, if I planned to deliver the word personally to Dr. Naismith, who was laid to rest nearly 61 years ago in Lawrence’s Memorial Park cemetery.
“Sure,” I told White, “I’ll drive out on East 15th Street and inform the good doctor. And while I’m at it, I’ll also tell him they will continue to stress the principles of verticality.”
And, I should have added, I’ll tell Dr. Naismith they’re now using square basketballs.
As you may know, Kansas coach Roy Williams is chair of the college basketball rules committee. Long has he petitioned for punishing those who would bump, tug, thump, whap or otherwise impede big men as they go on their appointed rounds.
I’m sure Williams has many allies among his college contemporaries, but he doesn’t appear to have that many in the Big 12, where, as it was in the days of the Big Eight, they play basketball like Tina Turner sings “Proud Mary.”
Big 12 Conference basketball is not for the faint of heart so it’s easy to envision foul-plagued starters sitting during the second half of countless games next winter if Kelley’s vow is indeed true.
Iowa State’s Larry Eustachy didn’t win the Big 12 championship last year just because he had Marcus Fizer and Jamaal Tinsley. Eustachy won with rugged defense and he knows it, and he isn’t thrilled with the new emphasis on gentlemanly inside play.
“I have a problem with it,” Eustachy said. “College basketball isn’t hockey or football, but it’s not ballet, either. I have a problem with eight-hour games with 80 fouls.”
As an example, Eustachy used not one of his players, but Kansas sophomore forward Nick Collison, a preseason all-league selection who fouled out of six games last season.
“What about Nick Collison?” Eustachy said. “He gets a touch foul for his fourth foul in the second half and he has to sit, and people who saved up to go watch him play don’t get to see him play.”
Eustachy calls that the Barbra Streisand Syndrome.
“When you go to see Barbra, you know you’ll get to see her,” Eustachy said. “She doesn’t get disqualified.”
Add Texas coach Rick Barnes to the Doubting Thomases.
“This is what Roy believes,” Barnes said. “He truly believes it’s the way the game should be played. Can it be officiated that way across the country? I don’t think it can be.”
My favorite comment, though, came from Oklahoma guard Tim Hesket, a veteran more known for his three-point shooting than his defense.
“We’re not gonna change because they changed some rules,” Hesket vowed. “We’ll have to adjust, but we’re not gonna change.”
Excuse me? Don’t change and adjustment mean the same thing? Oh, well, maybe Hesket meant the OU guards would continue to play rough and it would be up to the Sooners’ big men to adjust.
Then there was Iowa State forward Martin Rancik, who sounded like he believed Derek Jeter would become ambassador to his native Slovakia before rough play in the post would be strictly enforced.
“Before each year they say it won’t be as physical,” Rancik said, “and then they just play college basketball.”
Dale Kelley may be right. Martin Rancik may be right. That’s why they play the game.
