Sunday, January 11, 2009
MANHATTAN — Bonnie Henrickson looked shell-shocked. Junior guard Sade Morris looked even worse, her eyes red and blurry as she faced reporters deep inside Bramlage Coliseum’s concrete belly.
Moments earlier Kansas State players had wrapped up a triumphant victory lap, slapping high-fives with a healthy portion of the 7,128 adoring fans who stuck around to celebrate. The 72-39 scoreline only told part of the story. The whole truth was Kansas looked listless, outhustled and outclassed by their neighbor down I-70.
Photo Gallery
Kansas Women's Basketball vs. Kansas State
A photo gallery of the women's basketball game against Kansas State Saturday night at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, KS.
Henrickson, usually in her element among members of the press, didn’t even attempt to muster her usual opening statement, preferring instead to face questions immediately. Morris, along with junior guard Danielle McCray and sophomore forward Nicollette Smith, spoke quietly, clearly shaken by the thorough nature of the defeat.
“We weren’t very good today,” Henrickson said, the frustration apparent in her voice and facial expression. “I think that was pretty obvious. Been pretty obvious for about the last two-and-a-half hours.”
There wasn’t much more to say. What could be said about another loss to the Wildcats, the ninth in Henrickson’s 10 games in charge, by 33 points no less?
After losing by six with a young squad last season in Manhattan, Kansas had reason to think it could at the very least compete. But as composed and calculated as K-State and its All-Big 12 point guard Shalee Lehning looked tearing apart its in-state rival, Kansas looked just as frustrated and flustered by its inability to cope with the nation’s leading scoring defense.
The Jayhawks tallied 20 turnovers compared to four assists. McCray, the Big 12’s third-highest scorer at 18.1 points per game, was 2-12 from the field, finishing with seven points and four turnovers.
“Twenty miles per hour over is reckless driving,” Henrickson said. “That’s how we played on the offensive end.”
nutgraf
After losing by six with a young squad last season in Manhattan, Kansas had reason to think it could at the very least compete.
Lehning, a Preseason Wooden Award candidate from tiny Sublette and the nation’s assist leader, ran circles around the same defenders who couldn’t slow her last season in Lawrence. With her ankles enveloped by two enormous braces that seemed to swallow her legs below the knees, she scored 14 points and chipped in 10 assists and six rebounds while driving the Wildcat’s half-court offense seemingly singlehandedly.
Her two cohorts, senior forward Marlies Gipson and junior forward Ashley Sweat, are Kansans too. Both are McPherson Bullpups. Against the Jayhawks they combined for 28 points, nine rebounds and five blocks to overshadow Smith and sophomore center Krysten Boogaard.
Ironically, Henrickson said the Jayhawks were coming off their best practice of the season on Friday. But as disgusted as she was by Kansas’ performance, she advocated having a short memory with a mind to correct the issues Kansas State exploited.
After all, there is no rest for the weary in the stacked Big 12. Missouri travels to Allen Fieldhouse on Wednesday, hoping to give Kansas two black eyes to start the conference season, something Henrickson’s team cannot afford.
McCray, the only Kansas native on the losing side, said everyone needed to come to practice on Monday with a different attitude, but the message was even simpler.
This wasn’t going to be good enough if the Jayhawks want to accomplish any of their goals.
“We all got to change,” she said.
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