Tuesday, February 21, 1934
Daily Ncbraskan
. H
Heidi
Mai-
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. o --- ...
"What's wrong with those I fuskers?"
Nebraska fans have often asked
that question recently as the Huskers
have. stumbled to a 4-6 Bkj Eight
record after home losses to Kansas
and Iowa State.
It amuses me that the people
i
Stu Pospisil
questioning T.nose tiusKcrs were
the same onces embracing "our Hus
kers" after Nebraska's success in the
National Invitational Tournament
last season.
What a difference a year makes
for fans' memories.
A year also makes a difference in
the chemistry of a basketball team.
And Nebraska clearly is not of the
same composition as the 1982-83
team.
Claude Renfro, Greg Downing and
Terry Smith gave Nebraska strength
on the offensive boards, despite each
standing 6-foot-6 or less. Too often
this season; no Husker is crashing
the boards as another 25-footer is
launched; in fact, some take off
running downcourt before the shot
hits the rim.
Let's face it, Nebraska's offense
revolves around Dave Hoppen, and
Moe Iba will be the first to agree.
But when teams play a collapsing
zone defense around the Husker
center, as the Cyclones did Satur
day, Hoppen can't pass back to his
teammates for an open 15-footer.
Nebraska's problem position all
season has been power forward,
where John Matzke, Ronnie Smith
and James Moore seem to be caught
in a revolving door. Combine the
strengths of those three, and you
have Bill Jackman who sits on the
bench, clad in a three-piece suit,
while he redshirts this season.
Undoubtedly, expectations were
too hih for Nebraska entering the
season. The NIT experience plus
four returning starters equaled a
Big Eight championship in the minds
of many fans.
It quickly became apparent that
Nebraska did not have the bench it
had. Instead of Smith, Kenny Wal
ton and Lenard Johnson, the seats
next to Iba are filled with redshirts,
juco transfers and freshmen a!!
lacking game experience.
Yes, in December Nebraska did
defeat Creighton and Arkansas, which
defeated North Carolina last week.
But close victories against Wiscon
sin, Wyoming ind -Colorado State
lost luster because those teams aren't
among the leaders in their confer
ences. In the Big Eight, er, the Big Two
and Mediocre Six, Nebraska's four
wins have been by a total of eight
points. The Huskers lost second-half
leads to Colorado, Kansas (twice),
and Missouri
Nebraska is an enigma at home,
losing four of five in the once-friendly
confines oftheDevaney Sports Cen
ter. The Huskers have a 3-2 road
record, however; only Oklahoma's
(4-1) is better.
Some have even suggested that
Nebraska would be better off by fin
ishing fifth or lower, thus ensuring a
fust-round road game in the Big
Eight Tournament.
There won't be a trip to the NCAA
championships for Nebraska" this
season, not unless the Huskers upset
Oklahoma in Kansas City, and a
return to the NIT is questionable.
Continued on Pae 9
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Cti2 AndressnDEliy tobrtsksn
Nebraska's Stan Cloudy reaches for a paa3 headed cut cf bounds In
Saturday's loss to Iowa State. Cloudy end. the rest cf the Huskers are part
of a lojara in the Eig Eiht standings far which everyone has en explana
tion. -
1Q,
,
ig EigM boiskeiball:
balance or mediomiy?
By Bob Asniussen
An optimist would say
there are six teams tied
for third place in the Big
Eight basketball stand
ings. A pessimist would
say there are six teams
tied for last in the Big
Eight standings.
Kansas State, Missouri,
LMy Scoreboard
(Sportsmanship ratings in parentheses)
Women's Casket!; -II FlaycfTa
Rebels (4.3) 45, Kappa Delta (4.3) 32
Hooper Poopers (4.3) 44, Jesus is Lord (4.3) 23
Animals (3.6) 42, Bruins (4.0) 33
Smith Tetn def. Chi Omega by forfait
Mixed Nuts (3.3) 32, Good Duds (4.C) 2
The Team (3.2) 43, NPI Grads (2.7) 42
Hot Shots II (3.0) 35. Burr Thrca East (3.0) 22
Free Agents (4.3) 31, Abel Thirteen (4.0) 0
Gutter Dusters, Er
;t Unisn
1.3
Sigma Alpha Epsilon B def. Alpha Gamma Sigma B by forfeit
Theta Xi C (3.5) 43. Kappa Sigma B (3.0) 33
Phi Kappa Psi B (3.7) 42, Tau Kappa Epsilon C (4.0) 30
Farmhouse B 1 (3.2) 50, Theta Chi C (3.0) 32
Phi Gamma Delta B 1 (3.5) 63. Phi Delta Theta C (3.2) 32
Sigma Phi Epsilon B 1 (3.0) 50, Delta Tau Delta C (3.2) 32
Beta Sigma Psi B def. Sigma Alpha Mu C by forfeit
Sigma Phi Epsilon C 2 (3.5) 54, Sigma Nu B 1 (3.7) 25
Beta Theta Pi B 2 (3.7) 41 . Acacia C (4.0) 33
Delta Upsilon C (2.0) 52, Chi Phi C (2.0) 33
Alpha Tau Omega C (3.7) 33, Phi Delta Theta B (3.2) 34
. Sigma Alpha Epsilon B 2 (3.0) 40. Triangle B (3.2) 33
Farmhouse C (4.0) 50, Sigma Phi Epsilon B 2 (4.0) 31
Lambda Chi Alpha C (4.3) 43, Sigma Nu C (4.0) 47 OT
Phi Gamma Delta B 2 (4.0) 42. Chi Phi B (4.0) 42
Phi Kappa Psi C (3.7) 52, Lambda Chi Alpha B (3.7) 31
Sigma Chi C def. Theta Chi B by forfeit
Delta Tau Delta B def. Kappa Sigma C by forfeit .
Sigma Alpha Epsilon C def. Acacia B by forfeit
Sigma Chi B (4.8) 52, Triangle C (4.0) 22
BC
Harper Five B (3.6) 45, Cather Three C (3.6) 43
Abel Nina C def. Cather Two B by forfeit -
Abel Eight B (4.0) 54. AbefSix B 1 (4.0) 47
Abel Three B Z(4.3) 57. Abel Six 2 (4.C) 43 ,
OurrOna East S dof. Cather Six B by forfeit . '
; Cather Four C def. Gather Six C by forfeit . .
' Cehraram Six'C Jsf. Curr One West 0 by forfait ; ' . "" . "
CcTsn prht B (4.C) 42, C.-'r Eleven C (4.2) tl 'U
Men's high game Lynn Summers, AGS Commandos 175
Men's high series Jerry Stssnson, Eeer Framers 454
Women's high game and series Linda Ross. Beer Framers
172.443
Zljdxcd, Ertist Uninv'
Man's high game Dan Pieper, Team 1 212
Men's high series Dan Lienemann, Team 3 540
Women's high game and series Patty Juelf s, Team 2 1 S3, 543
- Shores'
Colorado, Iowa State, Okla
homa State and Nebra
ska all have 4-6 records
in conference play. Okla
homa leads the confer
ence with a 9-1 record
while Kansas is 7-3. What
has happened to the con
ference? Is it mediocrity
or is it balance?
Kevin Widlic is in his
first year covering Big
Eight basketball for the
Denver Post lie covered
the Arizona State Sun
Devils and the Pacific 10
Conference last year.
"Each team has one or
two good players and
that's it," Widlic said. "I
think balance is medioc
rity. It's a pity that one of
them (the six teams tied
with 4-6 marks) is going
to end up third because
none of then deserves it."
The records match the
players," Widlic said.
"You've got a bunch of
mediocre teams and a
bunch of mediocre play
ers. Real good kids that
want to play basketball
Charlie Smith of the
Tulsa World said he
doesn't feel the records
of the Bi Eiht teams
show mediocrity. .
"I frankly think the over
all quality of the Big Eight
is pretty good," Smith
said. "It's kind of spread
out in the conference this
year. The talent in the
league is pretty decent. I
can remember the days
when a player like Lon
Krueger (K-State guard
in the 1970s) was the
player of the year. "
Bob Hentzen of the
Topeka Capitol Journal
has covered Big Eight
basketball for 20 years.
He said that each team
tied with 4-6 records has
a particular area in which
it is weak,
"I think maybe the big
difference is the depth,"
Hentzen said. "Also, there
doesn't seem to be the
good guard play in the
league that they've had in
Big Eight writers favor
don't want to play in the Kansas State to finish in
Today is the final day to register teams for several
activities at the Office of Campus Recreation.
Men's, women's and co-rec three-on-three bas
ketball and co-rec wifGeball entires are due at 5 p.m.
today at the office. Play begins in each sport Feb. 28...
There is no fee to enter three-on-three basketball,
but a $10 forfeit fee will be charged to wiffleball
teams.
A wiffleball manager's meeting will be 6 p.m. Wed
nesday in room 7, at the Coliseum.
Faculty and staff handball and racquetball dou
bles entries are due at 5 p.m. .today at the office.
A $2 entry fee per person will be charged for each
sport. Schedules will be mailed to the participants
on Feb. 27. , . .
r ; .-. virtu
Steve Richardson cf the
Kansas City Star echoed
Widlic's sentiment. Rich
ardson has covered Big
Eiht basketball for five
"My basic thought is
that you have two thin
in play," Richardson said.
the upper division.
"I would pick K-State
and Missouri," Hentzen
said."K-State has got a
little momentum after get
ting off to a bad start."
liichardoon lavors Okla
homa State and Kansas
State.
Kansas State mi-ht be
Number one, Oklahoma able to finish third in the
1 A. 1
is oeuer tnan everyone
else, and number two,
Kansas is a little bit bet
ter than everyone else.
Some of the tailenders
like Colorado have' come
up."
Richardson said he's
surprised by thepoorshow'
in3 of some cf the teams.
Men's, women's and co-rec frt-s throw contests
will be Wednesday and Thursday, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
in 301 Mabel Lee HaH. No advance entries are
necessary.. ... -. - "
- Men's, women's and. co-rec basketball golf will abo
be Wednesday snd Thurqdcyfrcni 6.C3.toO:C3 p.m.:
"Nebraska .is definitely happy.
league, as unbelievable
that seems," Richardson
said. "
Jack Hartman's Kansas
State Wildcats have gone
from an 0-4 team to a
contender for third place
.in the Big Efcht Hartraan
said the turnaround of
uie team has mads h'm
nui iqqq . as m pre
vious years," Richardson
said. They have just fal
. l:n apart. Mbscuri, Ne-
, braska' and Iowa' State
'have'; all pooped out -in--the
ccnfircncs.
'It's a!:.v?y3 . itratifvinf
to see your team develop
and get better," Hartman
-.said. "I'm very proud of
.the wry the tc:.:;i h-?,
'kfPtftrt WeVetcSi
Fja very well"- ..