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ROUNDING UP CAMPUS NEWS SINCE 1900 LARIAT SPORTS SECTION B WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010 © 2009, Baylor University PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 6 PAGE 7 Loyalty pays Broosin opponents Rux takes over Clawing to survive Matt Larsen discusses the Led by Broosova, Junior Jordan Rux has Women’s basketball managing rewards of college coaches women’s tennis geared inherited the No. 1 tough conference slate without staying with their schools for NCAA title run singles spot for Baylor team captain Block Party at the Ferrell Center Udoh providing much-needed defensive spark for men’s basketball, efforts echoing throughout team since I have been (at Oklaho- Udoh may have more tangibles Forward on pace ma),” said Sooners’ head coach than Baylor’s all-time lead- Jeff Capel, whose 90-61 defeat ing shot blocker. According to to shatter school against Baylor was the first for ESPN.com’s Chad Forde, Udoh single-season the school since 1974. “They could sneak in as a lottery pick are different. What is different in the 2010 NBA Draft. How- block record about them is defense.” ever, many expect Udoh’s stock Udoh transferred from the to rise further if his dominance BY JUSTIN BAER University of Michigan after his continues in a premier confer- SPORT S EDITOR sophomore year as the third- ence like the Big 12. leading blocker in school his- While Drew would love to University of Oklahoma tory with 159 shots blocked and see Udoh stick around another sophomore All-American Wil- earned a spot on the Big 10 All- year, especially with one of the lie Warren notices a gaping Defensive team. While it’s prob- nation’s top big-man recruits hole in Baylor’s zone defense. able he would have eclipsed Perry Jones coming in, he real- While Bears’ center Josh Lom- Courtney Sims’s record of 213, izes he must reap the benefits ers is occupied with 6-foot-10, Udoh has already dented the Udoh provides this season. The 295-pound mammoth Tiny Gal- Baylor record books. Udoh’s obvious benefits include blocked lon, there is a capacious alley 4.4 blocks per game rank first shots, but Drew said Udoh’s to the basket left unattended. in school history, and his 68 to- presence extends further than Warren makes a quick cut to the tal blocks are the fifth-highest displacing shot attempts. hoop in hopes of exploiting Bay- amount in a single season. (The “The times he doesn’t block lor’s lapse. top four spots belong to current shots and alters, he affects or Gallon threads a pass to him, Los Angeles Clipper Brian Skin- even has people going in there and just as Warren goes up for ner.) hesitant, I think that number’s a the easy basket, the dangling Furthermore, Udoh became lot larger than the actual blocked arms of Ekpe Udoh descend only the fifth player in school shot numbers,” Drew said. “So upon him. Udoh violently swats history to record a triple-double when you combine both of those Warren’s shot, and the crowd on when he posted 18 points, 17 you can see what a huge impact explodes with ruckus. rebounds and 10 blocks on Jan. he has on the game. As far as Whether it’s salvaging a 6 against Morgan State Univer- when he does block a shot, it’s mistake, or punishing those sity. But Udoh humbly admits an easy way for us to get quick who dare to attack him, Udoh’s that his statistics are irrelevant. transition. presence beneath the basket has As a disruptive force in the “Ekpe’s one of those block- made riveting effects to oppos- paint, Udoh prides himself with ers who can keep the ball in play ing coach’s game plans. his defensive prowess, but cred- after he blocks and does a great “Ekpe just being on the court its his teammates for supporting job allowing us to get transition makes everyone better,” Lomers him throughout each game. with that. But again, I think how said. “He is amazing offensively Teammate Tweety Carter has he alters and affects the other and defensively. He is some- become highly fond of Udoh part of the game is greater than body (opposing teams) are al- since he has come to Baylor. just the number of shots he does ways having to worry about, so Carter cites Udoh’s passion for block.” it makes everyone’s job a little the game as the underlying rea- Udoh’s recipe for block- bit easier.” son for his instant success. ing shots comes from obvious The self-proclaimed “Night- “To have him out there length and height. The Edmond, mare” has been the cornerstone knowing he wants to do those Okla., native possesses an 88- of Baylor’s defensive turn- types of things, to have him on inch wingspan to coincide with around. Notoriously known as a my side is big,” Carter said. “As a 6-foot-10 frame. However, jack-it-up team on offense that is long as we keep playing, he is Udoh claims that the yearning lackadaisical on defense, Udoh’s going to continue to get stats for defensive success separates intensity on defense has rever- like this, because that is the type him from other great defenders. berated throughout the squad of player he is. He wants to be “I think I’ve been blessed and is a prominent reason why the best player on the floor no with being long and tall,” Udoh Baylor is third in the Big 12 with matter what, even in practice.” said. “But I think it’s really just a 62.4 points per game allowed, Udoh has quickly become a want to play defense and block DANIE L CERNERO | LARIAT S TAFF compared to last year’s squad fan favorite, and it’s easy to see shots. You have to have a desire Ekpe Udoh (middle) blocks James Anderson’s lay up during Saturday’s 83-70 victory against Oklahoma State that was 10th in the league al- why. The Bears have longed for to do anything in life, and if you University. Udoh leads the Big 12 and is fourth in the nation with 4.4 blocks per game. lowing 70.1 points per game. a commanding post-presence put your mind to it, you can do “This is the best Baylor team since the days of Skinner, and it.” Griner revolutionizing women’s basketball in multiple ways BY CHRIS DERRETT The maturation process was ner said. “I really am just play- Griner Stats SPORT S WRITER evident in Baylor’s first game, ing my game. I don’t come out a road loss to the University of each game and say that I need to • 105 blocks It is only 30 seconds into the Tennessee, in which Griner re- achieve this.” • 6 feet 8 inches tall Lady Bears’ home conference corded four blocks but commit- Yet the record books cannot • 88-inch wingspan opener against the University ted three fouls in the first two help but show Griner’s shot- • 18.9 points per game of Oklahoma, and she has done minutes of the second half. blocking ability. Wilson’s record • 9.1 rebounds per game it again. It comes as no surprise “Just like Brittney and every fell in Baylor’s next game, and • 459 blcoks as high school senior to anybody in the Ferrell Center, freshman, those kids are in a new later Griner set the Baylor and • 52 dunks as high school senior yet the crowd roars like they did environment,” Mulkey said after Big 12 single game record in her the first time, and the second the game. Griner’s game would shot-blocking clinic against the Career Blocks time, and the 89th time. be broken down, Mulkey added, Sooners. Because when Brittney Griner to determine areas of needed im- Even when Griner is not 1. 249 Danielle Wilson - 2006-09 sends a shot hopelessly flying provement. sending shots back toward their 2. 159 Steffanie Blackmon - 2001-05 away from the rim, they cannot In the 13 non-conference source, her competition often 3. 141 Kacy Moffitt - 1995-99 help but cheer on the 6-foot-8, games after Tennessee, Gri- feels her defensive pressure. 4. 131 Sophia Young - 2002-06 5. 119 Maggie D. Stinnett - 1986-89, freshman phenom. ner averaged only 2.1 fouls per Every time an opponent thinks 1990-91 Griner has 105 blocks on the game, including a five-block, twice about trying to shoot over 6. 116 Monica Arnold- 1997-01 season, including 11 in the 57-47 one-foul performance against her and Griner forces the ball 7. 114* Carol R. Brandenburg - 1977- win over the Sooners. Her defen- then No. 11-ranked California. elsewhere, she has altered a 81 sive impact has proven invalu- 8. 105 Brittney Griner-2009-10 She also swatted eight shots in shot. The shots she alters, says 9. 104^ Jackie Reiter - 1980-84 able for the Lady Bears this year, the Lady Bears’ 70-66 win over Mulkey, are crucial to the team’s 10. 94 Jessica Morrow - 2005-09 as teams must adjust to a force No. 14 Arizona State University success. that even coach Kim Mulkey has and did not commit her second “Brittney’s presence in the * AIAW competition never before experienced in her foul until 10 seconds remained paint is as important as any ^ Combination of AIAW and NCAA competition basketball career. in the game. dunk she’ll ever have in her ca- “You’re seeing a lot of blocked After a 100-46 drubbing of reer.