Jacque of all trades leads Kansas

By Patrick Klein
Arizona Daily Wildcat
March 21, 1996

Gregory Harris
Arizona Daily Wildcat

Jacque Vaughn (11), shown here shutting down Santa Clara's Steve Nash, will draw much attention from Reggie Geary.

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Jacque Vaughn likes fat-free Fig Newtons.

If that's not enough, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Kansas point guard also devours skim milk, wheat bread and spinach.

It wasn't always that way, though. The junior, who last week was named a second-team All-American, used to go for chocolate cake and M&Ms. But before this season, Vaughn decided he needed to shed some weight from his 195-pound frame, so he consulted a dietician and hit the weights.

Off came the weight (he said his body fat now hovers around six percent), and up came his conditioning, something he said was running low at the end of last season.

The results speak for themselves. Besides All-American, Vaughn also garnered Big Eight Player of the Year honors. That award was something of a surprise, as Vaughn was only the third-highest scorer (11.3 points) on his team. What that said about Vaughn was his other attributes - the ability to distribute (his 6.3 assists led the conference) as well as lead the team - elevated Vaughn above those who scored 20 points every game.

With those accolades, and an explosiveness that can break down any defense, he is the reason Kansas (28-4) has advanced to the Sweet 16. But Vaughn's shadow for tomorrow's game against Arizona senior Reggie Geary is nothing if not confident.

"He has some strengths, but definitely, he has some weaknesses," said Geary, who describes his relationship with Vaughn as "more than acquaintances." He played against Vaughn in high school when Geary attended Mater Dei in Santa Ana, Calif. and Vaughn was at John Muir High School in Pasadena.

"In the open court, there might not be a better decision maker than him, but I hope to take advantage in halfcourt situations and in some fullcourt sets," Geary said.

When asked who had the upper hand in the high school games, Geary, who serves the same role for the Wildcats that Vaughn does for the Jayhawks, didn't hesitate.

"He hasn't beat me yet," he said. He quickly knocked on the wooden interview table as he said it.

While Vaughn is aware of the matchup with Geary, he is more concerned about avoiding a third-straight loss in the Sweet 16.

"After last year's loss, we felt we weren't ready to lose, and so I think we dedicated ourselves during the offseason and into this season as well," Vaughn said. "I think that if there is any pressure, I think that we create it, and it is a good pressure in the sense that we've got goals and we want to accomplish them, and putting that pressure upon yourselves, I think, brings the best out in you."

Vaughn, who is a first-team academic All-American with a 3.70 grade point average in business administration, also averages 3.2 rebounds a game.

The key for Arizona, according to Wildcat head coach Lute Olson, is to not let Vaughn get into the lane and distribute, something the Jayhawk thrives at because of the running start he often gets bringing the ball up the court.

"The biggest thing with Jacque is, you have to keep him out of the lane," Olson said. "The first thing he does is to try and get in the paint, and the key is to not let him get a running start at us. He's amazing. He comes at you full force on every possession."

Kansas head coach Roy Williams knows a good thing when he sees it, and he has no desire to rein Vaughn in. In fact, Vaughn, who averages 31.7 minutes, is the only Jayhawk to get more than 30 minutes a game.

"With a guy like Jacque, we're not going to walk up the court and play a 40- or 50-point game," said Williams, whose Jayhawks average 81.1 points a game.

Perhaps the one drawback to Vaughn's game might be his ability (perhaps unwillingness is a better word) to score, although he averages 48.2 percent from the field, and a solid 45.0 percent from the 3-point line.

"I'm going to keep a hand in his face, even though he's not a great, great scorer," Geary said. "I'm not going to make it any easier."

Olson gets the last word on the point guard matchup.

"Vaughn has been a point guard since he came out of the womb, while Reggie played some point guard in high school, so it's been a learned skill for him," Olson said. "But they are both guys who in the end it's 'did you win.'"

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