Saturday, July 19th, 2008

The good, the bad and the offseason

Five things Kansas did right and wrong this year and what they can do with their down time

With three separate lists, we look at why Kansas succeeded, why they disappointed and what they can do in the offseason.

By Taylor Bern (Contact)

Thursday, April 3rd, 2008

5 reasons Kansas was successful

1. Danielle McCray is a Beast

There’s really no better way to put it. McCray led the Jayhawks in per game points (14.9), rebounds (7.1), minutes (31.9) and total steals (58). A 5-foot-11 guard shouldn’t be as dominant on the boards as McCray is, which makes her a truly special player. McCray’s unique combination of speed and power make her a threat for 20 points and 10 rebounds every game and she was the go-to player for Kansas all season.

2. Freshmen Phenoms

It didn’t take long for at least one of the trio of incoming freshmen to make a statement. In the first game of the year, a 76-72 victory against Hartford, forward Nicollette Smith led Kansas with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Smith then settled in as the Jayhawks’ top three-point threat while center Krysten Boogaard emerged as the top inside threat and second scoring option. Boogaard led Kansas in points or rebounds 16 times throughout the season. The third freshman, guard Chakeitha Weldon, tore her ACL on Feb. 5 and missed the remainder of the season, but in the three games previous to that she stepped up her game and gave fans a sneak preview of what’s to come.

3. Taylor McIntosh down the stretch

Senior forward Taylor McIntosh has been called the grandma of this Kansas team since her sophomore year, but for much of the season granny was taking a nap. McIntosh took a back seat to Boogaard in the post, which was fine, but she didn’t step back up when Boogaard struggled. However, at the end McIntosh was again a force down low. In Kansas’ two wins against Nebraska, its last regular season and only Big 12 tournament victories, McIntosh averaged 12 points and nine rebounds. She also scored 15 points and pulled down 16 rebounds in the Jayhawks’ final Big 12 road game.

4. Rebounding

Out-rebounding the opposition was about the only constant, win or lose, throughout the season for coach Bonnie Henrickson’s team. In several games, Kansas gave up a few too second chance shots thanks to offensive rebounds by the other team but on the season it gathered in almost three more rebounds than its opponents in each contest. That’s three more possessions each time they take the court.

5. Chakeitha Weldon’s pre-game chant

It’s difficult to describe other than to say that every witness to it, no matter their gender or age, is ready to suit up and take Michael Jordan one-on-one. Weldon dives into the center of her circle of teammates and goes into a trans-like state to deliver a spine-tingling cheer that’s well worth the price of admission.

5 reasons Kansas disappointed

1. Turnovers, Turnovers, Turnovers

If there’s one thing that the 2007-08 season will be remembered for, it will be the Jayhawks’ chronic problem of giving the ball away. Traveling, offensive fouls, bad passes – Kansas did everything and more to give its opposition more possessions. The Jayhawks turned the ball over a Big 12 worst 19.4 times per game and there were more than a few games lost because they just couldn’t hold onto the ball.

2. Second Half Jitters

Maybe Henrickson should of asked Weldon to bust out her pre-game chant again at halftime to get the team psyched up, or maybe she could have channeled her inner Gene Hackman for a “Hoosiers”-like halftime speech. Either way something needed to be done because Kansas’ lackluster performances out of the break were the key to its five game losing streak to end the regular season. No lead was safe – including a 12-point halftime lead over Texas Tech – because a second half lapse was sure to come.

3. Road Trips

After Kansas finished 0-8 on the road in Big 12 play, Henrickson joked that she would look into playing all games at Allen Fieldhouse next season. No joke, this needs to happen because the road was cold and cruel to the Jayhawks this year. They were blown out at Nebraska, Baylor and Oklahoma, blew leads at Colorado and Texas Tech and simply couldn’t hang on at Kansas State, Missouri and Iowa State. A few of those were close, but road trips to Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State will be incredibly difficult next season unless Henrickson can pull off the greatest schedule alteration of all time.

4. Foul Trouble

Boogaard, McCray, McIntosh and Smith, four of the top six scorers, combined to commit 359 fouls and fouled out of 10 total games this year, and you can’t score points from the bench. Early in the Big 12 season the games got out of hand when McCray would go to the bench for picking up two early fouls and the other team would go on a big run. When the top point scorer also has the most personal fouls then there’s a problem and that’s exactly what took place.

5. Injuries

This is the major concern for every coach at the beginning of the season and it’s impossible to control. For the most part Kansas got through the year with only minor scrapes – McCray and sophomore guard Kelly Kohn both missed time due to leg and ankle injuries – but the one major injury came at the worst possible time. Weldon was just starting to get some substantial playing time, working into the point guard rotation, and she went down right when it looked as if she could push for the starting spot.

5 things to do in the offseason

1. Find a point guard

Finding capable applicants won’t be a problem but deciding which one will be the first game starter should present an interesting challenge for Henrickson. Junior guard Ivana Catic and sophomore guard LaChelda Jacobs each made starts at the point position this year, and before her injury Weldon saw some significant time as well. 5-foot-3 incoming freshman Angel Goodrich, who will participate in the WBCA/Nike High School All-America game in Tampa Bay on Saturday, may also factor into the equation. Weldon probably won’t be at full strength until later in the season but the other three should start jockeying for position immediately.

2. Lock Boogaard in the weight room

Lock her in and throw away the key. Coaches can send her food and water through a slot in the door. Boogaard, at 6-foot-5 has the height, but everybody in the Big 12 knocked her around and early in the season she spent way too much time on the ground. Lower body work will give her better balance to handle the hits while beefing up above the waist will help Boogaard dish out some hits of her own next season.

3. Run every practice outside of Lawrence

Clearly the team needs to become more comfortable with itself outside of Allen Fieldhouse. Maybe they could go on a tour this summer to every other Big 12 city and spend a few days playing in their stadium with only a smattering of KU fans in the stands. Either that or petition the Big 12 for 16 home league games. One of those two ought to work.

4. Decrease Turnovers

There are plenty of drills that Henrickson can make her team perform again and again, but she’s already done that throughout the season. The key to dropping the total number of turnovers next year will be finding a fun way for her players to hang onto the ball. Perhaps constructing some basketballs with yo-yo strings attached, a-la the Harlem Globetrotters, would make the players realize how enjoyable it can be to hold onto the ball.

5. Beg Courtney Paris to leave early

OK, this is probably a futile effort, but it’s at least worth a shot. Paris, a junior, was named to the AP All-America team for the third time this season and the only thing keeping her around is Oklahoma’s lack of success in the NCAA tournament. Of course, even if Paris were to leave there’s still twin sister Ashley, but one Paris is better than two. Just ask France.

— Edited by Jared Duncan

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