Kansas University athletics officials announced Wednesday that KU will host New Orleans and Birmingham Southern Dec. 2-4 in Allen Fieldhouse.
Originally, the games were scheduled to be part of the UNO Lady Privateer Tournament on those dates, but the event had to be moved because of the damage done by Hurricane Katrina.
The Jayhawks will take on Birmingham Southern at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2. The next day, the Jayhawks will play UNO at 1 p.m. On Sunday, Dec. 4, Birmingham Southern will face New Orleans at noon. Season-ticket holders will be admitted to these games at no extra charge.
“After all UNO and the city of New Orleans have been through, we hope that by hosting this event we can ease some of the burden on those coaches and players,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “With their
campus closed, they needed to find places to play their games, and we are happy to do whatever we can.”
Kansas also announced that the Jayhawks’ home game vs. Texas has been moved one night earlier to January 3.
Roy Williams isn’t the only Kansas University basketball coach with a team suffering from beyond the three-point arc.
Marian Washington’s women’s basketball team has had its own problems from long distance, hitting just more than 30 percent (19-63) of its three-point attempts.
Opponents have made nearly 37 percent (47-128) of their three-pointers, including nine by Creighton in last Saturday’s 72-58 defeat of the Jayhawks (4-3).
Kansas may have that problem solved today against the University of Missouri-Kansas City when Stacey Becker dons a Jayhawk uniform for the first time in a game.
Becker, a sophomore transfer from Wichita State University, is eligible to play for Kansas now that the fall semester is over. Her marksmanship from behind the three-point arc could be crucial for the Jayhawks.
“She’s a good outside shooter, so we think she will definitely help us when we face zones,” said coach Marian Washington, whose team meets UMKC at 2 p.m. in Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Becker averaged 3.5 points in two games for the Shockers last season, hitting one of five three-pointers, before leaving the team. She was McPherson High’s all-time leading scorer and was twice the Ark Valley League most valuable player.
“It’s going to be a big help,” Washington said of Becker’s three-point shooting ability. “The players have responded … and they can find her open. Yesterday she nailed every one of them. I think it’s just another element that will help them with their confidence.”
On a three-game losing streak, the Jayhawks shouldn’t have to worry much about long-range shooting from the Kangaroos, who have made less than 27 percent of their three-point shots.
| When: 2 p.m. today.Where: Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.Records: Kansas 4-3, UMKC 3-5.Series: KU leads 9-1.Last Meeting: KU won 70-56 on Dec. 20, 1997 at Kansas City, Mo. |
The Kangaroos, 3-5 after going 7-21 last season, could be a dangerous opponent, though. They average 62.5 points per game, while Kansas averages just less than 62 points, even with an 83-point outing against Texas Southern.
“I’m sure that they’re going to be hungry, but we’re going to be hungry also, in that it’s time for us to get back on the winning side of things.”
Erica Hallman, centerpiece of Kansas University’s women’s basketball recruiting class, has been lost for three or four weeks with a knee injury.
Hallman, a 5-foot-8 point guard from Covington, Ky., suffered a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during a practice session over the weekend. An MRI on Monday confirmed the damage.
“She just slipped after making a fast-break pass,” KU coach Marian Washington said Tuesday. “It was unbelievable.”
No surgery is planned for Hallman, who was named Miss Kentucky Basketball after the 2001-2002 season. She has started the rehabilitation process under team trainer Kuniko Yamamoto.
“She’s doing very well,” Yamamoto said. “She’s walking around and moving pretty well. Hopefully, she’ll be back practicing in three or four weeks.”
If Hallman rehabs successfully, she could play in the regular-season opener on Nov. 24 against Texas-El Paso in Allen Fieldhouse.
“My fingers are crossed,” Washington said.
In all probability, though, Hallman will miss exhibition games against the Basketball Travelers on Nov. 13 and Fort Hays State on Nov. 17.
Washington thinks so much of Hallman that she had planned to take her to today’s Big 12 Conference Media Day in Dallas along with sophomore Blair Waltz, the top returnee from last year’s team.
Hallman, who led Covington Holmes High in suburban Cincinnati to a No. 1 state ranking by averaging 22.8 points and 5.6 assists per game, is one of the key players in Washington’s attempt to bounce back from last season’s miserable 0-16 conference finish.
Another freshman expected to contribute right away is Tamara Ransburg, a 6-4 forward from Virginia Beach, Va., who chose KU over Connecticut, Old Dominion, Duke and North Carolina after averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds a game in high school.
However, Ransburg’s eligibility wasn’t certified until last week so she is in only her second week of preseason practice.
“Physically, she’s not in the best of condition,” Washington said of Ransburg, “but she’s an outstanding athlete so it shouldn’t take long.”
Hallman and Ransburg are among six freshmen and one junior college transfer Washington brought in to help right the ship. The other freshmen are Crystal Kemp of Topeka High, Ebony Haliburton of Overland Park Aquinas, Nichelle Roberts from Houston and Alicia Rhymes from Shreveport, La.
Aquanita Burras, a guard from Central Arizona Community College, is the juco transfer. Burras was tapped by Washington to fill in for Hallman at today’s Media Day.
“Everyone is really working hard,” Washington said about preseason drills. “We’re young, but the effort has been outstanding. We have a lot of new players stepping up.”
Kansas’ women’s basketball team will entertain sixth-ranked Iowa State this afternoon in a nationally televised game. The 3:05 p.m. contest will be shown on ESPN2 (cable channel 49).
A “Take a Kid to the Game” promotion will be held today, with youths 18 and under admitted free with a paying adult at the door.
Following the game, KU will play host to the annual KU Fan Fest, which will include games and autographs with member of various KU athletic teams, including the women’s basketball, volleyball, soccer and football teams. KU Fan Fest will be held at Horejsi Center, west of Allen Fieldhouse.
The Jayhawks will take a 9-14 overall record and 3-9 Big 12 mark into today’s game. Iowa State is 20-3 overall and 10-2 in the Big 12.
