Late Night in the Phog not just for the boys

Monday, October 20, 2008

The women’s basketball team didn’t raise any banners at Late Night in the Phog. Nor was Bonnie ball responsible for making fans cry with last season’s highlights.

Still, the deafening excitement for Bill Self’s boys flooded into the women’s portion of Kansas’ annual tradition, and it resulted in the best Late Night of the Bonnie Henrickson era.

“It felt like this year people were more into it,” junior Danielle McCray said.

“It was even more fun than last year,” added sophomore Nicollette Smith.

The team started practicing its dance routines at the start of school and kept up with it three times a week leading up to the performance.

Freshman Angel Goodrich didn’t visit Late Night before committing to Kansas, so Friday was her first look at a full Allen Fieldhouse.

“I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be,” Goodrich said. “It was exciting having so many people watch you.”

Henrickson said she watched dance practice for the first time, and it made her more nervous than she’s ever been at Late Night.

“I walked away thinking ‘That’s why I don’t dance in front of 16,000 people, because I look worse than that,’” Henrickson said. “If they have fun, I’m all for it.”

The team split into two groups for the dance routines. Goodrich and fellow freshman Aishah Sutherland were in the first group, which danced to Ne-Yo’s “Closer.”

The second group donned trench coats and boogied down to “When I Grow Up” by the Pussycat Dolls.

After the dancing, the Jayhawks changed into their jerseys and prepared for the first practice of the season. Goodrich emerged from the fog first, leading Kansas out of the tunnel.

The teams, split into red versus blue, played a back-and-forth contest that very much resembled the first practice after a long offseason.

“They looked a little anxious and a little nervous at first, but then they kind of settled into a decent rhythm,” Henrickson said.

Neither team could gain much of an advantage and the contest ended in a 17-17 tie.

The game came down to a showdown between Goodrich and senior Ivana Catic with time running out. Goodrich looked over to Henrickson for a play, and while the incumbent guard was trying to run the play, last year’s starting point guard stole the ball and took it down the court.

Catic traveled as she tried to score the decisive points, but the play showed that competition at every position will be stiff this season.

Goodrich and Sutherland will each have a chance to crack the starting lineup because Henrickson has started a freshman every season at Kansas.

“Kids come here understanding that there’s an opportunity to play right away as a freshman, if you produce,” Henrickson said.

Senior Marija Zinic, who has come off the bench for the majority of her career, led all scorers with seven points.

“We just told her, ‘It’s your senior year, and if you can rebound the basketball then you can help us,’” Henrickson said. “At some point you need to figure out that this is your last go-round and make the most of it.”

Smith said that the team chemistry at this point is better than it was last year and the team seems more motivated to perform after a disappointing end to the 2007-08 campaign.

The sparkplug in turning the corner and getting to the NCAA tournament could be its new pint-sized point guard. Goodrich doesn’t have a championship ring, but as much as any of the men’s team, she appreciates wearing the crimson and blue.

“I’m so excited for practice to start,” Goodrich said. “Putting on this jersey felt so good.”

— — Edited by Rachel Burchfield

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