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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1984)
1 Wednesday, December 12, 1C34 Daily Ncbraskan Pago 13 1 : . scomgm to test Elm By Jeff Korbellk Dally Nibrtstxa EtxITEt porter Nebraska's basketball team is off to their best start In seven seasons (5-0), and UNL's sports Information office said during Tuesday's weekly press luncheon that more people are attending the Husker games. Tonight, the Huskers will host unde feated Wisconsin (5-0) at 7:35 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center and it would be safe to assume that more than 10,000 people will watch the Huskers play. In the Husker's four previous home games, the average attendance has been 9,969. The sports information office reports that attendance is up 4,000 from last year at this time. Tom Simons, assistant sports informa tion director, said the increase in attend ance can be attributed to the team's per formance and the weather. He also said the change in the student's ticket policy may have had something to do with the increase. The increase in attendance is good news, but Nebraska coach Moe Iba has centered his attention on the Wisconsin basketball team. His team again has only one day to prepare for tonight's contest. "Wisconsin has a team a little bit like ours," Iba said. "They have an excellent shooting basketball team and I think he (Wisconsin coach Steve Yoder) likes this type of team. A year ago when we played them up there, they had a couple of excel lent athletes, but I didnt think they played together as well as they do this year." South Dakota coach Doug Martin agrees With Iba on Wisconsin's progress. - "I don't think they have made as good, of program as Nebraska has," Martin said. South Dakota has lost to both Nebraska (101-69) and" Wisconsin (95-56) this season. Muscle st By Hike Beillcy Nebraska freshman basketball player Maurtice Ivy admits the good things in life don't come easily. Ivy, a 5-9 forward who occasionally swings to guard, was one of the most sought-after high school players in the country last year. In April, Nebraska Coach Kelly Hill won a close recruiting race with San Diego State's Ernest Riggins and signed Ivy to a letter of intent. At that point, Ivy began to feel the pressure of a major college player. Hill said the bulk of the pressure does not come from the fans or the press, but from Ivy herself "Maurtice has a lot of pressure on her, mostly self oriented, to have a successful freshman season and turn our program around," Hill said. But Ivy's attempt to make Nebraska a women's basketball power has been slowed by a muscle strain she suffered in her left thigh during pre-season condition mg. She missed one game and may miss tonight's game against South Dakota. "My leg has taken everything out of me," Ivy said. "I cant play the way I want to play." The injury, Ivy said, has drained her most valuable weapon speed. "It (the injury) affects the way I run more than the way I shoot," Ivy said. "But I cant play if I cant run." Although the injury bothered her, Ivy had a successful Nebraska debut, scoring 17 points in a 103-63 victory against Arizona in the first round of the Husker Invita tional. "It wasn't bothering me too much in the first half of the Arizona game," Ivy said. "But in the second half; it started hurting." Ivy said the pain increased in a loss to Clemson in the championship game, "By the Cbxnson gams, it was bothering me even more," Ivy said. "I could see myself slacking up to take le pressure off it." The Husker Invitational was a learning experience for vy. She not only manasd to cope with the injury and "Nebraska knocked us down and Wis consin knocked us down and stepped on us," Martin said. "It should be an interesting game," Mar tin said. Their goal defensively is the same and their defensive philosophy is the same. Nebraska is much quicker, and they have the bigger center." Wisconsin is led by junior guard Rick Olson and senior forward Scott Roth. Olson leads the team in scoring with 18.4 points a game. Roth is second in scoring with 14.2 points a game. Iba said sopho more guard Brian Carr probably will draw the assignment of guarding Olson. In Nebraska's last two victories over Creighton last Saturday and Wyoming Monday night, Iba said the Huskers took some questionable shots after getting a lead. "When we get a lead in a ball game, we got to make sure we let David (Hoppen) handle it before we shoot outside," Iba said. Iba said the shots being taken are good shots. He said Nebraska will get a 1 2 or 1 4 point lead, take a couple of quick shots and allow the other team to get back in the ball game. He said if the Huskers shoot the ball quick, they will never get a chance to get into the one and one. The women's basketball team will open play for the men at 5:15 p.m. against South Dakota. Nebraska enters the game with a 1-4 record, dropping their last three games on the road. South Dakota is sporting a perfect 8-0 record. "WeVe been having good efforts in the three or four losses we have suffered so far, and I guess from a coaches stand point, we have to keep emphasizing that," jboach Kelly Hill said. r The women's team has been plagued by an injury to freshman Maurtice Ivy, who will again miss action this week because of a muscle pull in her leg. "What can I say? We need a win," Hill said. T3 (TVi W ft 5 5 mm m m . be rl 1 mi Bin i n Kevin DuganD&!!y Nfbrctkan At left, Harvey Marshall knocks a ball away from a Wyoming guard in Monday's 79-65 Husker win against the Cowboys. On offense, above, Curtis Moore tries to pull in a pass for a dunk shot. & 1 ..,(W ... "Mftx- - , ' i t I ( AJ " i 7 ( ' . f v ) i0 j .;' . 1 " v J - ' mBaBMMtlBt:WtK0&t&it4to6RKtS 'JHt: ,'e'--'-'-m progress lasiwce Ivy play with pain; she was named to the all-tournament team with teammate Deb PowelL In the Dial Classic, Nebraska lost to host team Minne sota 00-79 and to 14th-ranked Tennessee, 77-58. Ivy played sparingly in both games. "She has yet to be 100-percent," Hill said. "We want to make sure she's ready to go when the conference season starts," Hill said. "It really doesnt matter what our pre-season conference record is; the Big Eight season is when we play for all the marbles." Ivy has been riding a stationary bike and undergoing ultra-sound and whirlpool treatments to strengthen the leg. Omaha Central won 50 consecutive games with Ivy in the lineup over the last two years, and Hill said she must adjust to playing for a team which sometimes loses two or three games a week. "My biggest adjustment to the college game is that it's more physical," Ivy said. "I feel IVe adjusted to it pretty well, though." Jessica Haynes, Ivy's cousin and a senior at Central, was a member of the Eagles' two state championship teams. Like Ivy, she is one of the hottest recruits in the nation. In the Class A state finals last year, Haynes, a 5-11 forward, hit a layup in the final seconds to give Central a 58-57 come-from-behind victory over Omaha Marian. Hill hopes to reunite the cousins in Lincoln next year. "She's the number one forward on our list right now," Hill said. Ivy said she and Haynes "have talked about coming to Nebraska" but added that "I cant make the decision for her." Haynes also is being recruited by San Diego State. Ivy said she had read stories about coaches sleeping on the front porches of blue-chip prospects, but didnt believe it until she met Biggins. "I was bothered by a few coaches," Ivy said. "But I think San Diego State's coach ws3 the most bothersome."