THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
SPORTS Four years in the making, Devonte’ Graham and Kansas are finally going to the Final Four
The University Daily Kansan
vol. 136 // iss. 19 Mon., Mar. 26, 2018
SEE GRAHAM • PAGE 8
INSIDE Students were denied a chance to say their piece to the Kansas Supreme Court p. 2 Netflix series leaves you wanting more and NBC game show misses mark p. 5
FINALLY
Missy Minear/KANSAN
KU HEADS TO FINAL FOUR Several years of early tournament dropoffs and Elite Eight losses came to a head Sunday with a dramatic overtime defeat of the Duke Blue Devils, 85-81
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Monday, March 26, 2018
staff NEWS MANAGEMENT
Editor-in-chief Chandler Boese Managing editor Erin Brock Digital operations editor Brady Maguire Social media editor Nathan Mize Associate social media editor Emily Juszczyk ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT
Business manager Baylee Parsons SALES MANAGER Cooper Scott SECTION EDITORS
News editor Emily Wellborn Associate news editor Katie Bernard Sports editor Shaun Goodwin Associate sports editor Michael Swain Arts & culture editor Josh McQuade Associate arts & culture editor Rachel Gaylor Opinion editor Danya Issawi Visuals editor & design chief Gracie Williams Photo editor Missy Minear Copy chiefs Gabby Cinnamon Emma Green ADVISERS
Court denies request on funding case
Student presidents won’t get to weigh in on a case over K-12 education funding, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled EMILY WELLBORN & KATIE BERNARD @KansanNews Editor’s Note: One of the sources in this story, Mark Johnson, is the chair of the Kansan Board of Directors. The Kansas Supreme Court denied an application Thursday from a committee of student leaders who are fighting to keep millions of dollars from being cut from college and university funding and reallocated to K-12 education. “It’s up to the court to decide what they want to hear and, for whatever reason, they didn’t want to hear this,” said Mark Johnson, who is representing the committee pro bono. The Student Advisory Committee, comprised of student body presidents for the Board of Regents schools, submitted an application early this month to file an amicus curiae brief in the school funding lawsuit, Gannon v. Kansas. The lawsuit resulted in a court ruling in October 2017 that the Kansas school funding formula is unconstitutional. Current proceedings are to determine how to restore adequate funding to Kansas public schools. Amicus curiae briefs allow third parties with a stake in the court’s ruling to submit their own argument for consideration. This particular brief would argue that higher education institutions should
SAVANNA SMITH @savsmith20
Editorial adviser Gerri Berendzen
With rows of Spaghettios and green beans lining the walls of his office, Student Veterans Association President Jonathan Ehlrich, a third year law student, prepared for the upcoming SVA event: The Kansas Student Veteran Consortium Hike and Conference. Participants in the 13.5 mile hike from Lecompton to Lawrence will collect food along the way at designated food drive locations to benefit the Campus Cupboard, a volunteer-run food pantry on the University campus. “I gained so much from the army and the army national guard that I feel compelled to give back to the Veteran community,” he said. Ehlrich said he was inspired to organize the event by the “rock march” or a walk with a weighted backpack, which he did during his time with the Iowa National Guard. Participants will hike 13.5 miles, many carrying cans of food in their packs, from Kansas Constitution Hall in Lecompton to the Campus Cupboard, where they will donate the collected food, and hike back to the Lawrence American Legion. The SVA vice president of media, Mike Ellis,
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The Kansas Supreme Court denied student request in the funding case. be included in the definition of public schools, opposing recent litigation’s focus on K-12. This argument would attempt to prevent colleges and universities from facing an 18 percent funding cut that is expected to be imposed on all state agencies, including $23 million cut from KU, if one option for a new funding formula was pursued. “Accordingly, the Students’ Advisory Committee believes the Court should consider the impact of this case on the suitable
provision of funding for educational interests of all students in Kansas public education institutions, not just K-12,” the application said. Johnson said that he wasn’t sure why the application was denied, especially since he said denying applications isn’t common, a statement KU Student Body President Mady Womack agreed with when the committee submitted the brief. However, according to the order issued Thursday, the court denied that
application because of the content of the request. “An amicus brief cannot raise issues not raised to the trial court,” Chief Justice Lawton R. Nuss said in the order. However, the student presidents believe that their respective schools are affected by this matter. Members of the committee argue that the article of the Kansas Constitution discussing school funding mentions public education, not specifically K-12. Since the institutions receive
Tianna Witmer/KANSAN
funding from the state, the committee members said they believe that their schools shouldn’t face cuts in order to fix Kansas’ education budget. “This is a serious cut,” Womack said in a previous Kansan article. “The two (higher education and K-12) aren’t supposed to compete.” Johnson said that the next step for the committee is to meet to discuss their options, which may take a few days given that the University is on spring break.
Student veterans prepare for charity hike
Chief financial officer Jon Schlitt
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of The Kansan are 50 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at the Kansan business office, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS., 66045.
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Chance Parker/KANSAN Jonathan L. Ehrlich (left), third year law student from Russel, and Mike Ellis (right), Junior from Overland Park are President and Vice President of Student Veterans of America which has sponsored a hike and a campus wide food drive. who served five years as a Navy hospital corpsman, said the event is open to everyone. He is a two year member of SVA and said the the group helps veterans get involved and assume leadership roles on campus. “For me, SVA is a beacon here on campus for all vets,” Ellis said. “It really just helps guide us to get involved.” Ellis said he focused on advertising the event and is asking anyone who would like to be involved to come to the hike on April 6. The group will meet at the Lawrence American Legion before driving to Constitution
Hall, but urges others to meet there. Vietnam veteran Green Beret Steve Fitzgerald will speak at the event to kick off the hike. In an email with the Kansan, Ellis said the conference, which will follow the hike on April 7, will host veteran groups from universities and colleges across Kansas. He said “the purpose of the hike is to team build.” Multicultural Student Government and Student Senate are supporting the group in the hike. Libby Stauffer, Senate communications director, said Senate will urge members to collect food. MSG will participate in a portion of
the walk and hold a food drive. MSG president, Constanza Castro, said outreach is her major focus right now and she sees this as an opportunity to support campus veterans, who she said are a very important group on campus. MSG leadership will walk the on-campus segment
of the trip from the Union to the Cupboard. “SVA came to us and said they were doing their hike and they wanted our involvement because of the populations we reach, and we were very excited to jump on it,” Castro said. Additionally, the Senate SVA representative, Brandon Decker, plans to participate in the hike and said he strives to complete the full 13.5 miles with food on his back. Decker, a son of two Navy veterans, said he is excited about the speaker at Constitution Hall. “As a son of two veterans I kind of think it’s my duty to help veterans on campus here,” Decker said. SVA is looking for donations of non-perishable items that could be made without a full kitchen. Ehlrich said items such as granola bars, single serve mac and cheese and other snack items are appreciated. Items can be donated at the SVA office in Summerfield Hall.
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‘Emotional’ Mass Street celebrates KU win
Miranda Anaya/KANSAN A Kansas fan waves a KU flag in celebration after Kansas defeated Duke to advance to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament, for the first time since 2012.
EMILY WELLBORN @EmWellborn As the Kansas men’s basketball team fought to stay in the NCAA tournament on Sunday, Massachusetts Street was quiet, except for the sounds of cheers escaping from every packed restaurant and bar with a television. “I’m really thankful I go to this school,” said Hope Nordhues, a freshman from Chicago who started watching the game during the second half. Seconds after Kansas defeated Duke 85-81 and moved onto the Final Four,
thousands of Jayhawk fans stormed the street to celebrate the overtime win. “When you come to KU, you know that if KU goes to the Final Four or the National Championship, you come to Mass Street,” said Sim Johal, a junior from Shawnee. Fans of all ages sang the Rock Chalk chant, took photos, and waved flags through the street. A few fans blasted music through second-story windows and others climbed trees and telephones to see see the full scope of the crowd. Some said that the win
was made sweeter by the losses in the past two Elite Eight games. “Losing two or three in a row in the Elite Eight hurts really bad, so I feel like it’s so good to finally make it past that struggle,” Johal said. It’s been six years since the Jayhawks made it to the Final Four. The last time was in 2012, when the team took second in the tournament to Kentucky. “I feel like it’s really emotional for a lot of the students. A lot of people ... have been waiting for this,” said senior Nim Jo-
hal, Sim’s sister. Other fans who have been waiting include fans who stormed Massachusetts 10 years ago after Kansas’ win over North Carolina in the 2008 National Championship, including sophomore Macey Sutter, who grew up in Lawrence. “I was really young, so it’s really cool to see it now as a college student versus when I was like, 12,” Sutter said. “It was so fun to be able to watch it and it actually be the school I was going to.” Seth Sanchez, who graduated from the Uni-
versity in 2008 and witnessed the championship win, said that he was glad to celebrate exciting moments like these with his other fans. “That’ll always be my favorite team moment, but it’s good to see Devonte’ [Graham] and Svi [Mykhailiuk] get to a Final Four,” Sanchez said. He brought his dog Olive to the celebration, but said, “Tonight, her name is Malik Newman.” Newman scored 32 points during the game, including a three-pointer that pushed the Jayhawks to a win with a minute and
39 seconds left in overtime. The Lawrence Police Department said that no arrests were made despite the large crowd. The crowd began to dissipate around 8 p.m., but fans said that they would be back if Kansas makes it to the the national championship. The next game will be against Villanova, who ended Kansas’ tournament run in 2016 in the Elite Eight game. Tip off will be at 7:49 p.m. on Saturday in San Antonio.
Miranda Anaya/KANSAN Fans celebrate after the men’s basketball team defeats Duke 85-81 in overtime on Sunday.
Miranda Anaya/KANSAN Immediately after Sunday’s defeat of Duke to move onto the Final Four, fans from nearby bars and restaurants flocked to Massachusetts Street.
Danya Issawi/KANSAN A fan crowd surfs during Sunday’s post game celebration.
Emily Wellborn/KANSAN The Lawrence Police Department closed Massachusetts Street to traffic directly after the game; however, one truck was able to make it through.
opinion Monday, March 26, 2018
Text your FFA submissions to 785-289-8351 or in the Free For All section on Kansan.com
K A N S A N .C O M /O P I N I O N
Kauffman: Escape, or endure? REBEKAH KAUFFMAN @rebekahlodos
FFA of the Day: “everyone keeps telling me you only get to college once so live it the f--- up” i haven’t been on top of my s--- in approx. 22 years How illegal should it be that my calc instructor has an assignment due on the night spring break starts? Thinking about asking this airport bar to put shots of rum straight in my coke bottle, how’s your spring break going? Get you a mom that will lie to insurance companies to help you stay on the car plan Suburban mom culture is sending each other a birthday card with 2 horses that says “it’s your birthday, do the neigh-neigh.” Getting stuck in a snowstorm in a nasty motel in Lexington Kentucky is not exactly how I expected spring break to go “Without modern medicine I would be pregnant and depressed.” Seeing Grayson Allen in person makes me feel sick. It’s like seeing a real life super villain Making it mandatory for students to work on game days should be a crime. Wichita State losing added 5 years to my life tbh I wanted them to win solely because their mascot is a dog “I am shaking watching this game, I can’t even text.” “I’m addicted to fortnite” Imagine an app that’s Yelp but for hookups. Honestly, Love, Simon was so much better than I expected and it is so important and I would die for the entire cast tbh This episode of criminal minds from tonight includes a killer clown and that’s it I’m done “I’m willing to trade my virginity to win this game”
“Is It Just Me?” is a bimonthly mental health column where we talk about things we all feel but aren’t brave enough to say. If there’s something on your mind, shoot an email to rebekahlodos@gmail.com. What do you do when you don’t want to be yourself anymore? Your moods and thoughts are just too much to argue with right now, and you’re tired, and people are overwhelming, and your brain just won’t shut up. You need something mindless and entertaining to drown the noise and take you somewhere less threatening. You turn something on. A podcast, an episode of “The Office.” Anything. Soon, the habit of escape becomes a survival tool, and the thought of being still is frightening. Distraction keeps you sane. We’ve all felt that way. Studies by Harvard University and the University of Virginia showed that, when given the choice, most people would not enjoy sitting alone with their thoughts for 15 minutes. In fact, a quarter of women and over two-thirds of men would prefer to administer electric shocks to their own body rather than to just sit quietly and do nothing. (Side note: Men, are you OK?) We don’t like being still, which is perfectly human. But we are the first generation to make it socially acceptable to walk around while continually stimulated. We live in a wonderland of diversions, where it could not be easier to
Illustration by Gracie Williams/KANSAN mentally flee from the despair of existence. We can wear a protective veil of music, podcasts, online validation and television shows about other people’s lives — a strong and steady bulwark against the cruelty of reality. In a sense, we are lucky. Reality is indeed cru-
el, and escapism isn’t all bad. Let he who has never self-medicated cast the first stone. Frode Stenseng, a Norwegian psychologist, developed a theory classifying escapism in two categories: self-suppression and self-expansion. Self-suppression happens
when we engage in escapist activities to run away from negative situations, states of mind or moods, whereas self-expansion is the type of escapism we pursue to gain a positive experience. Stenseng’s studies showed similarities in our mind when we practice escapism to the
state of “flow,” a concept popularized by Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, which proposes that we are happiest when fully absorbed and immersed in what we are doing. We crave an escape from the humdrum of life because we like the feeling of being fully absorbed in something. A story with a great plot that grips us, or a game that transports us somewhere else — things that are not inherently bad in themselves. But ask yourself this: is your constant consumption expanding who you are, or making you smaller, more afraid, more withdrawn? “Escaping to” is different than “escaping from.” One makes us larger and more able to engage passionately with things we care about, while the other makes us a little more cowardly and unable to deal with ourselves. We must curb our content gluttony. If we don’t, the person in our heads will always haunt us. Facing our inner turmoil, 15 minutes at a time, can give us the ability to endure uneasiness a little longer and stop running away from ourselves. Stop for a few minutes, then — maybe when you get in the car, or before you sleep — and silently reacquaint yourself with who you are. Ask yourself whether you’re running away. Negotiate with your turmoil again and acclimate yourself to the feeling of discomfort.
Rebekah Kauffman is a junior from London studying journalism and international relations.
Johnston: Voter ID laws protect elections SCOTT JOHNSTON @scottawatomie The will of the people is spoken in the form of an election system where one person equals one vote, and the system is fundamental to our republic. The security and integrity of this system is a matter of utmost importance, and for that reason, voter identification laws should become the norm nationwide. If the people believe elections are rigged or unfair, then the system will lose credibility. Voter fraud is an avenue where this loss of credibility can happen . It can include impersonating another citizen, voting as a deceased citizen, voting as a non-citizen or double voting. According to a Pew research study, approximately 2.75 million people are registered in multiple states, 1.8 million de-
ceased individuals are still registered, and one out of every eight voter registrations were outdated or inaccurate. This study shows our nation is in serious need of both an improved voter registration system and a way to deter voter fraud at the polls. This is necessary because every vote represents a voice. Whenever a vote is cast fraudulently, one of those voices is silenced, and the pool of honest votes is diluted. With close elections, this can swing the results and have a major impact on our government. Even the Supreme Court affirmed deterring fraud and promoting election integrity is a “valid interest” of the states, further supporting the critical importance of maintaining secure elections. One of the best ways to help prevent voter fraud at the polls is to utilize
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voter ID laws. This would include requiring forms of identification that act as proof of residency and citizenship when individuals register to vote, as well as at the polls, to verify identity. One of the major arguments against this is that those living in poverty, or those without identification, won’t be able to vote. Luckily, there are possibilities for policies that can both facilitate secure elections while also not being burdensome for eligible voters to comply with. Kansas has had such a program, the SAFE act, since 2012. This act, which was drafted by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, requires identification to be presented at the polling place and has provisions allowing a valid ID to be obtained at no cost if necessary. Kansas will literally provide you with an ID for
free if you don’t have the means to obtain one, yet many still hold to the idea that voter ID is harmful, even racist, calling voter ID laws “baseless attacks against minority voters.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. Numerous aspects of daily life require you to have an ID, including driving, opening a bank account, purchasing alcohol or tobacco, entering government buildings, renting an apartment, applying for welfare and many more. Nobody is campaigning against removing the requirement to show ID in other situations where age or identity must be verified, but when it deals with voting, it suddenly becomes racist. This is a fear-mongering tactic and an attempt for politicians to convince the public that these type of laws are racist and out to get them, even though
contact us Chandler Boese Editor-in-chief cboese@kansan.com
Baylee Parsons Business Manager bparsons@kansan.com
these policies protect our system for everyone, regardless of race. With elections being the most important check and balance the people have against the government, it is vital that we provide reasonable regulations on the voting process to maintain legitimacy. As long as states ensure that those who can’t afford an ID can be provided with one, there is no downside to the nationwide adoption of secure election practices. Every citizen of this country deserves to have their voice heard, and a strong set of voter ID laws helps preserve those voices and maintain trust in our duly elected leaders.
Scott Johnston is a junior from Berryton studying microbiology.
editorial board
Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Chandler Boese, Erin Brock, Danya Issawi and Baylee Parsons.
arts & culture Monday, March 26 2018
K A N S A N .C O M /A R T S A N D C U LT U R E
TV Stock: ‘Genius Junior’ falls short
“Genius Junior” fails to put a modern spin on classic game shows, but “Requiem” proved worthy of a spring break binge
Neil Patrick Harris hosts NBC’s new game show “Genius Junior,” which features kids competing in teams for the Genius Junior Grant. parents, Matilda and Hal are later invited to lodge in Mr. Dean’s mansion by his charismatic Australian heir, Nick (James Frecheville). As the series progresses, Matilda uncovers more tangled information about Carys’s disappearance and her own history. The paranormal threat — and a persistent sensation of being watched — overlay the mystery, leaving viewers desperate to piece the puzzle together before it’s too late. You’ll be hardpressed not to watch “Requiem” in one sitting.
nior,” definitely falls into the “miss” category. With only one episode out (premiering March 18 and currently streaming on Hulu), “Genius Junior” has already lost my interest. Most everything that this show attempts to do has already been done — and done in a more compelling fashion. The premise of the series is that 12 teams, each containing three “genius” children, compete in a tournament-style match to win the show’s ultimate prize: the Genius Junior Grant. In each episode, two teams compete head-to-head in a series of rounds, with the winning team moving on to the final round in “The Cortex” to win up to $10,000. Questions cover a range of topics, from spelling to math to memorization. Unfortunately, “Genius Junior” falls short. I found it hard to get invested in any of the contestants.
Also, many of the challenges revolved around raw memorization. While memorization on this scale is quite impressive, I wouldn’t exactly consider it a mark of being a “genius.” I really wish the show had gone a little further in pushing the kids to apply their talents in a more practical manner. Neil Patrick Harris is a fairly decent host. He is nice and supportive to the contestants, which is quite heartwarming. However, his jokes are corny and not entirely funny, even to the kids. Their laughter always seems more polite than genuine, which is uncomfortable to witness. Overall, “Genius Junior” is not a game show I anticipate watching in the future. I’d rather stick with tried-and-true favorites like “Wheel of Fortune” and “Deal or No Deal.”
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) Support friends for a common goal. Maintain your part of a team effort. Keep a sense of humor to ease an awkward situation.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) Despite temporary confusion or chaos, you hear the siren call of the open road. Satisfy your wanderlust with an investigation or exploration, near or far.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) Work together for shared aim today and tomorrow. Someone attractive makes a good point. Collaborate for mutual benefit. It could get romantic.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) A professional test requires your focus for a few days. Postpone travel or romance to meet a deadline. Put in extra effort to exceed expectations.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) Keep your patience with your partner. You may not always agree. Misunderstandings pop up. Listen carefully to another’s view and withhold judgment. Aim for workability.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) Maintain physical exercise and health routines and practices. Balance a busy work schedule with time for yourself. Recharge your batteries. Stretch and rest.
the narrative. “Requiem” opens with a chilling sequence of a man rushing through a huge and beautiful old home — destroying every mirror in sight before jumping to his death from the roof. As he moves through the house, some unseen, omnipresent force seems to follow him, whispering indistinguishably. Already, viewers can be assured that some paranormal, malevolent force is at play — but determining what this force is will drive much of the story. The show’s protagonist, cellist Matilda Gray (Lydia Wilson) is introduced immediately afterward. Matilda is an illustrious up-and-coming musician exploring the opportunities of her budding career. She has a big performance coming up and is beginning to consider moving to the U.S. from Britain. Her plans are turned upside down when her mother Janice (Joanna Scanlan)
commits suicide by slitting her throat in front of Matilda. Naturally, Matilda is devastated by this unexpected turn of events. While sifting through her mother’s belongings and trying to make sense of her decision, she stumbles across a plethora of pictures and newspaper clippings about the disappearance of a young girl named Carys two decades before. Janice’s potential role in the disappearance is as intriguing as confusing, and Matilda sets out to investigate. Joined by her friend and piano accompanist Hal (Joel Fry), Matilda sets off to Carys’s hometown of Penllynith. Upon arriving, the two travelers spot a funeral in progress, which is revealed to be for the man shown jumping in the opening sequence, Mr. Ewan Dean (Nick Hobbs). After trying quite unsuccessfully to talk to Carys’s
Ah, game shows… who doesn’t love them? There’s something thrilling about watching contestants face off for huge cash prizes. However, there’s no denying that game shows can be hit or miss. NBC’s newest game show, “Genius Ju-
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) Fun with family, friends and your sweetheart takes priority. Expect the unexpected... a flexible attitude allows you to take advantage of unforeseen opportunities.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) A fascinating story sucks you in. The truth gets revealed. Don’t get distracted by a heckler. Organize the data you’ve been reviewing and summarize.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) Focus on your own interests and priorities today and tomorrow. Groom your personal image and look. Make long-term visions and plans.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) Listen to what your family wants. Domestic changes take focus over the next two days. More work is required. Make improvements for shared benefit.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) Today and tomorrow are good for making money. Love gives you strength. Check your intuition with hard data. Prepare budgets, estimates and invoices.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) Rest and recuperate from recent activities. Allow time for introspection, reflection and meditation. Contemplate where you’ve been and what’s ahead. Savor peaceful privacy.
JAYA CHAKKA @jaiyaofthebees Despite being over a week in duration, spring break always seems to fly by. Hopefully you all enjoyed yourselves and are mentally prepared to return to class on Monday. (I’m not sure that I am.) If you’re not quite ready to let go of those good spring break feelings, check out this week’s newest shows to escape from reality for awhile.
REQUIEM: TRENDING UP Airing in full on March 23, this Netflix-BBC collaboration is a tantalizing mixture of drama, mystery and paranormal horror. Though only six episodes long, the series boasts an incredibly rich and complex plot line which builds at a steady speed. Nothing feels rushed or added simply for the sake of rushing
Evans Vestal Ward/NBC
GENIUS JUNIOR: TRENDING DOWN
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Trio of Jayhawks earn first place finishes
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The Kansas track and field team kicked off its outdoor season at the Arkansas Spring Invitational on Saturday with three athletes taking home firstplace finishes. Senior Brandon Lombardino earned his victory with just a single throw in the discus, recording an attempt of 50.32 meters that was not only never surpassed, but also beat out the competition by nearly two meters. Lombardino also placed fifth in the shot put with a throw of 16.56 meters. Senior pole vaulter Laura Taylor cleared 4.20 meters to claim the sole victory for the Kansas women on the day, good for second in the NCAA this season and first on the Division I West qualifying list. Taylor’s fellow Kansas pole vaulters also performed well at the meet, with three other Jayhawks
Missy Minear/KANSAN Then-junior Brandon Lombardino takes an attempt during the men’s shot put on April 22, 2017 at the Kansas Relays. placing in the top eight. Sophomore Andrea Willis (3.95 meters) placed fourth, junior Alexis
Romero (3.95 meters) placed sixth and freshman Khristen Bryant (3.70 meters) placed eighth.
Junior Joel Long tied a personal best in his season debut, hitting 2.11 meters in the long jump. Long
was one of two competitors to clear the mark, but his prior attempts earned him the victory as neither
could clear 2.14 meters, according to a KU Athletics release. In the women’s long jump, junior LaTyria Jefferson finished third, setting a new personal best with a jump of 6.23 meters. Her performance cracked the top-10 of Kansas women’s outdoor performances, placing her ninth all-time. Senior Aaron Thacker also added to the list of Jayhawks who posted personal records at the Invitational, finishing third in the 100 meters with a time of 10.68 seconds. The Jayhawks will continue their outdoor season next week, splitting up to travel to three different meets. Kansas will compete at the Texas Relays March 28-31, the Stanford Invitational March 30-31 and the Oral Roberts Invitational on March 31.
Kansas softball swept by Texas to open Big 12 play
ANDREW ROSENTHAL @Rosentrotter Capping off a two series road trip in Texas, Kansas softball was swept by the Texas Longhorns 3-0 this weekend in the opening series of Big 12 play. The loss for Kansas marks the 10th time in 11 games that the Jayhawks have suffered defeat to the bats of the Longhorns. The loss also means Kansas has begun its Big 12 campaign with an 0-3 record. Kansas was outscored 18-4 throughout the three-game series, producing sparks of offense game-by-game, but never able to turn that offense into something productive. Junior pitcher Andie Formby didn’t last her first inning on Friday’s first meeting, departing after a five run rally in the first inning. Freshman Tarin Travieso came in to relieve Formby, but the Longhorns still pinned on a further two runs to take
Chance Parker/KANSAN Junior pitcher Andie Formby pitches the ball against St. Louis on Saturday Mar. 17. Kansas defeated St. Louis 4-0 at Arrocha Ballpark. a 7-0 lead in the first inning. The Longhorns tagged
on a further three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a swift
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10-0 lead. Texas standout junior Bekah Alcozer had four RBI’s by the end of Texas’ eventual run-rule 10-2 run, while the Longhorns’ Kaitlyn Washington also finished 3-for-3 from the plate. After walking senior catcher Harli Ridling in the first, Texas junior pitcher Brooke Bollinger retired ten straight batters through the fourth inning. By the time Kansas had a chance to make some noise, it didn’t matter. The Longhorns earned the run-rule win with an eight run lead as the Jayhawks only scored two runs in the fifth inning. Looking to show they could compete with Texas in game two, the Jayhawks made things a little closer as they lost 5-2. Kansas senior pitcher Sarah Miller kept it a one run game for the first four innings, only giving up three runs by the second inning. Kansas had a hold on Texas with a tie ballgame in the middle of the second inning. Senior right
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10 innings, earning her second win in game three as the Longhorns claimed a 3-0 victory. As Bollinger was tagged out by redshirt junior Erica Wright, the Jayhawks loaded the bases for their best chance at a win this series, but kept the runners stranded as senior designated hitter Jessie Roane was struck out to end the inning. Texas sealed the win with another run in bottom of the sixth off Formby. Following a five game stretch in Texas, in which Kansas managed just one win in five games between Incarnate Word and Texas, the Jayhawks return home for a one game series against SIU-Edwardsville on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Arrocha Ballpark.
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fielder Annie Mehringer sent home two runners off a double for the Jayhawks’ first runs of the game, giving Kansas a brief 2-1 lead. Leaving a total of 12 runners stranded throughout the rest of the game, Kansas’ offense was within striking distance of the Longhorns, but failed to actually strike the killer blow. Miller was dealt with the loss, falling to 6-4 on the season, after she gave up two runs in the bottom of the fifth to surge Texas ahead by three runs. Junior pitcher Brynn Minor finished the game for Miller in relief. Kansas acted as the home team in game three, but failed to compete any different offensively. Formby was again matched up against Bollinger, but this time, kept it a scoreless start. She gave up her first two runs in the third inning as Texas jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Bollinger held the Jayhawks throughout the contest to four hits over
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Monday, March 26, 2018
K A N S A N .C O M /S P O R T S
The four-year journey to a Final Four
SHAUN GOODWIN @ShaunGoodwinUDK
Sunday night was the best night in Devonte’ Graham’s career. Standing in the center of the podium set up on the court of CenturyLink Center, the senior guard took the Midwest Region trophy and hoisted it over his head. Red and blue confetti littered the hat teetered on top of his hair, with the words “Final Four” in crimson and blue stitched across the front. “This is what we’ve been working to for the last four years,” Graham said, unable to describe how he felt. The senior, who has experienced the pain of losing in the Elite Eight twice before already, was the first to climb a ladder and cut the net in front of a roaring crowd. “I was too anxious to get up there,” he said with a laugh. The Jayhawks reached their first Final Four since 2012, as they defeated the Duke Blue Devils 85-81 in overtime on Sunday evening. The matchup between the two blue blood schools was one for the ages, with neither team asserting any dominance. But for about two minutes, it looked like the Jayhawks would be going home at the Elite Eight for the third straight year. Having found himself in foul trouble early on, sophomore center Udoka Azubuike was walking on eggshells for much of the game. With two minutes remaining, the egg shells finally snapped, when Azubuike came down on top of Duke’s Grayson Allen for his fifth foul of the game. Kansas’ star center, who
Missy Minear/KANSAN Senior guard Devonte’ Graham cuts down the net after Kansas’ 85-81 victory over Duke on Sunday, March 25.
had 8 rebounds and 9 points on the night, could only sit on the bench and watch as Allen sunk both free throws to give Duke a 70-69 lead. Playing in his place was freshman forward Silvio De Sousa. “If [De Sousa] was still at IMG, we’d be home right now,” Self said after the game. At first though, it looked like De Sousa would be the reason Kansas was going home. On his very first possession after replacing Azubuike, De Sousa tossed a
ball over the head of senior guard Svi Mykhailiuk and into the scorer’s table that read “NCAA Elite Eight.” Allen made another pair of free throws to give Duke a three-point lead with 1:25 remaining. Redshirt sophomore Malik Newman missed a three point attempt on the next possession, almost draining hope of a trip to the Final Four out of Kansas fans’ hearts. But an empty possession by Duke gifted Kansas another crack at tying the game.
With the ball in Graham’s hands and determination on his face, the senior took a hit. While fans shouted out in anger, Graham found Mykhailiuk wide open at the top of the arc. As his shot arced through the air in near-identical fashion to a shot he had missed less than three minutes earlier, every soul in CenturyLink Center held its breath. “Svi made a huge shot, biggest shot of the game,” Self said. Hitting nothing but net, the veteran tied things up for
Kansas at 72-72, giving Duke the last possession of the game with 26 seconds left. Allen was the one to take the ball up the court for Duke — who else, but the senior leader on a team full of freshman. With five seconds remaining, Allen drove at Newman. The redshirt sophomore did everything he could to stop Allen, but he still got a shot to bounce toward the basket. Off the backboard and toward the basket. Off the inside front iron. Then back out and away as the buzzer sounded. Time stood still for Self as the ball rattled inside the basket and back out. But what mattered was the Jayhawks survived and the game was going to overtime. “Malik defended it perfectly, but [Allen] still got it off the back board and kind of spun around, looked like it had a chance to fall in,” Self said. “Fortunately, when it came off, it was at zero, so there was no time for any rebound.” The ensuing five minutes will be known in Kansas history as the “Malik Newman overtime.” Having only been able to sit on the sidelines as a redshirt last season when Kansas lost, Newman wasn’t going to bow out of the tournament that easily this year. Newman scored all 13 of Kansas’ points in overtime, living up to the name that Graham gave him earlier in the week of “postseason Leek.” The two teams traded baskets in the first three minutes of overtime, with Newman hitting a three pointer and trio of free
throws in that space of time. But then Duke went on a point drought, while Newman worked his way into Kansas folklore. “[Newman] went crazy from the corner man,” Graham said. “We knew we could get the shots in in the short corner threes, and we were just trying to stretch the defense out and drive and throw it into the corner.” The Blue Devils began to foul the Jayhawks with 28 seconds left in the game, and that was the moment Graham knew he would finally be heading to the Final Four. “That’s what you come here for, to play in those moments,” Graham said. With the final buzzer sounding, Graham ran over to Mykhailiuk and fellow senior Clay Young and hugged them, knowing they finally got over the “hump” as Graham described it. He next ran over to his mother and grandmother, with tears in his eyes. Self let out a rare emotional shout and fist pump, as his bench charged out onto the court. “I don’t think I could be, or we could be, more excited or more proud than we are right now,” Self said. “Not only going to San Antonio but the way we did it, beating an historic program, maybe the greatest college basketball coach of all time and such a talented roster.” The Jayhawks have booked their tickets to San Antonio, returning to the city where former Jayhawks snagged a national championship in 2008. Kansas will face off against Villanova in the Alamodome at 7:49 p.m. on Saturday.
Mykhailiuk provides offensive, defensive power
MICHAEL SWAIN @mswain97
Twenty eight seconds on the clock. Senior guard Svi Mykhailiuk catches a pass from fellow senior guard Devonte’ Graham, down three points. Without hesitation, Mykhailiuk takes a rhythm dribble and pulls up with Duke’s Gary Trent Jr. contesting the shot. As soon as the shot leaves Mykhailiuk’s hands, the entire Kansas bench rises in anticipation, watching as the ball flew towards the hoop and sunk through the net — tying the game at 72. “Svi was so tired, it’s so incredible that he made that last shot because he missed short the last couple shots before that,” senior forward Clay Young said. “It’s just because he was so tired from guarding [Marvin] Bagley and playing so hard on the defensive end.” That shot was the highlight of Mykhailiuk’s crucial performance, but it was
athletes of the week
Mykhailiuk’s defense on National Player of the Year candidate and ACC Player of the Year Marvin Bagley III that was the foundation Kansas’ victory was built upon. “I thought he did everything right defensively,” Kansas coach Bill Self said of Mykhailiuk. “There is no way we win the game without Svi and his defense on Marvin.” Despite being two inches and almost 30 pounds smaller than Bagley, Mykhailiuk held Bagley to only 16 points and 10 rebounds. At first glance, it may seem like that is a great statline, but as has been the case all year, Kansas is undersized. For Kansas, and Mykhailiuk especially, to hold the rebounding machine that is Bagley to only 10 rebounds with four offensive is nothing short of incredible. Not to mention, Bagley only scored four points with Mykhailiuk guarding him. “I thought that was one of his best defensive games.” Young said of Mykhailiuk.
“He knew going into the game that it would be extremely important for him to shut [Bagley] down and keep him off the offensive glass.” “Coming into the game, we knew that [Bagley] and [Wendell Carter Jr.] got, like, 40 percent of their shots back,” redshirt sophomore Malik Newman said. “So I think Svi, he did a great job battling down low and just being tough down there.” In addition to his remarkable defensive efforts, Mykhailiuk also scored 11 points, assisted five baskets and set a new career high in rebounds with 10, three of them offensive. With Mykhailiuk on the floor, Kansas outscored Duke by seven points — more than any other Kansas player. So, how did Mykhailiuk slow down a player that averages 21.2 points and 11.1 rebounds? “I thought Svi did a good job of butt fronting him and sitting on his legs,” Self said. When any Duke player’s
Brandon Lombardino Track and Field
Senior thrower Brandon Lombardino earned one of Kansas’ three victories in discus as the Jayhawks opened up the outdoor season on Saturday. Lombardino only threw the disc once, reaching 50.32 meters. Not only did no other competitor reach that distance, the nearest throw was two meters shorter.
Missy Minear/KANSAN Senior guard Svi Mykhailiuk guards Duke’s Marvin Bagley III in the first half on Sunday, March 25. The Jayhawks defeated the Blue Devils 85-81. shot would go up, Mykhailiuk would immediately squat down into an athletic stance and back into Bagley, putting his butt just above Bagley’s kneecap, thus mitigating Bagley’s already freakish jumping ability. Something else that Mykhailiuk did to limit Bagley’s ability was moving him
off the block, forcing Bagley away from the basket and into tougher shots. “I think he did pretty good overall,” junior guard Lagerald Vick said of Mykhailiuk’s job on Bagley. “He made him shoot some uncomfortable shots.” It was Mykhailiuk’s shot that will get all the publicity,
Laura Taylor
Track and Field Senior pole vaulter Laura Taylor earned the second victory for Kansas at the Arkansas Spring Invitational. Taylor cleared 4.20 meters to claim the sole victory in the event. That result places her second in the NCAA this season and first on the Division I West qualifying list.
but it was his defensive work that played a major part in Kansas advancing. No. 1 Kansas will play No. 1 Villanova on Saturday in San Antonio for a spot in the national championship game.