Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Forty-five minutes before opening tip, Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon stood in the northeast tunnel of Allen Fieldhouse. Next to him stood legendary Kansas broadcaster Max Falkenstien.
Turgeon looked comfortable, in his element. And why shouldn’t he? This was home, a return to the building where it all started for the scrawny point guard from Topeka.
Photo Gallery
Kansas Basketball vs. Texas A&M
A photo gallery of the men's basketball game against Texas A&M Monday night.
“I’ve been coming to this building since I was four or five years old,” Turgeon said following the game. “I have a lot of great memories.”
Homecomings are supposed to be sweet, a figurative pat on the back for years of dedicated service as the scrappy point guard on Larry Brown's squads in the mid 80s and time as assistant coach under both Brown and Roy Williams. But apart from the raucous, spontaneous applause when he was introduced and the countless handshakes and hellos, Turgeon’s first trip back to the “Phog” as an opposing coach was anything but sweet.
The game was over within the first 10 minutes. Turgeon’s Aggies played scared, even intimidated at times. Kansas’ pressure defense kept them out of their halfcourt sets, and they looked equally as lost on the defensive end.
By the time Kansas had gotten off to its usual explosive start at home, leading 20-6 with just over eight minutes of the first half gone, Turgeon’s face was fraught with the displeasure. By the time Texas A&M stumbled into halftime trailing 40-23, the game’s outcome had already been decided.
The Jayhawks just wanted it more. And as much as Turgeon was glad to be back, he was equally appalled by the way his team represented itself in a building so close to his own heart.
“I love this place,” Turgeon said before allowing frustration to poke through his calm exterior. “It’s really disappointing because you asked about effort. That’s one thing I played with, and my team didn’t play with it tonight.”
Make no mistake. Turgeon, as a player, isn’t accustomed to leaving Allen Fieldhouse with a bitter taste in his mouth. Along with Danny Manning, his counterpart on the opposing bench, the 5-foot-11 Turgeon helped lead the Jayhawks to a 55-game home winning streak from 1984 to 1988 that is still the second longest in Kansas history.
Before the game, Turgeon showed his oldest son what all the accolades are all about. He walked him through the Booth Family Hall of Athletics. He showed him the banners, the trophies and the floor on which he helped rebuild a struggling program.
And as much as this one probably hurt him, Turgeon still has time to make his next return a more triumphant one. Two years from now the Aggies will be his team, and a trip back home will be old hat.
“I’m glad it’s behind us,” he said. “Let’s hope next time we come here we play a little better.”
— — Edited by Melissa Johnson
Texas A&M coach returns to play against ...
Mark Turgeon played guard for KU between 1984 and 1987 and also ...
A&M’s returners need to fill hole
The loss of All-Big 12 guard Acie Law to graduation and the ...
Never in doubt, Kansas wins 73-53
Kansas scored 23 points off turnovers and Mario Little was a perfect ...
No. 1 Jayhawks hold off Texas A&M
Kansas faces off against a Texas A&M team that has yet to ...
Home sweet home proving true for Big ...
Teams struggle away from home court, fans
What three men can do
How Johnson, Brown and Manning rejuvenated Kansas basketball.
Remembering the “Phog”
Dick Carson, a chartkeeper for the 1946 Kansas men’s basketball team recalls ...
Football schools improve basketball programs
Athletics Department hopes to follow the lead of other schools and make ...
Race for the Big 12 title
The Big 12 Conference regular season has reached its halfway point. The ...
Kansas meets another familiar face
Just winning against former coach Roy Williams, the Jayhawks will face John ...
No upsets in Big 12 tournament
Some winners dominate while others struggle though the first round.
Thomas Robinson declares for NBA Draft
Kansas forward Thomas Robinson announced he will forgo his senior season and ...
Jayhawks watch lead slip away in final ...
With the game on the line, everyone expected Texas A&M; to get ...
Despite troubles, Jayhawks pull off win against ...
The Jayhawks overcame a poor showing from Robinson and Johnson to beat ...
Walters returns to court as coach for ...
Fourteen years ago, Rex Walters helped lead Kansas to the Final Four. ...
Jayhawks shock the Aggies
Shannon McCabe's first half goal led Kansas to a historic 1-0 victory ...
A strong foundation: Campus architect builds legacy
After a 63-year career, Warren Corman, University Architect, will retire on Thursday.
Collins returns in DePaul victory & Basketball ...
Sherron Collins wasn't scheduled to come back from a foot injury until ...
Jayhawks feel at home on road
With success on the road and half of the Big 12 games ...
After two rough outings, junior starter bounces ...
TJ Walz’s 7 1/3 strong innings keyed Thursday’s victory over Texas A&M.
Opponent doesn’t matter
A cross-conference uplift
Coaches at Big 12 Media Day say that Kansas’ championship victory put ...
Intense A&M atmosphere awaits Jayhawks
Kansas has visited Kyle Field four times in its history and never ...
Paul Pierce to return for exhibition game
Pierce will join former coaches Larry Brown and Ted Owens at the ...
Two Jayhawks experience family tragedies
Stewart and Jackson said they appreciated the their teammates’ and each other’s ...
‘GameDay’ comes to the Phog
Jayhawks stuff Aggies 19-11
Texas A&M came into Saturday's game against Kansas as the nation's fifth ...
Men's Basketball: The season in review
Beginning with Boot Camp and ending at the Elite Eight in San ...
Soccer topples Aggies, 1-0
The Kansas squad knocks off No. 6 Texas A&M Friday in one ...
Dodd: Tuesday night brings fond memories for ...
National Championship banner elicits strong emotions
Nowhere to run
Former KU running back June Henley couldn't adjust to life without football. ...
The All-American Kansan
Vernon: Kansas can't look ahead
Kansas will be sorry if they don't focus on Texas A&M Wednesday ...
Touching others’ lives
Jayhawk hoop dreams
The Great Divide
Two men wanted to play sports at Kansas in the 1950s. One ...
Nothing like Kansas basketball
Unique traditions add to the experience of watching a Kansas basketball game ...
Jayhawks win ground battle
Kansas’ early fourth-and-one stop of Texas A&M set the tone for the ...
Wiebe: Allen Fieldhouse still the best
Hinrich, team, fans still feel the electricity of the building.
Kansas baseball beats No. 2 Texas A&M
Kansas breaks eight-game losing streak
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID