Tuesday, March 20, 1984
Pago 12
Daily Ncbraskan
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Nebraska loses to Xavier
in final minutes of NIT game
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Cra'.g AndresenDaily Nebraskan
Dave Hoppen scores in Nebraska's first National Invitation Tournament
game against Creighton. -
By Ciu Pospisil
CINCINNATI Nebraska's National
Invitation Tourney chances were "X'ecT
out by Xavier Monday night as it fell in
a 58-57 loss before 9,51 9 at the Cincin
nati Gardens.
Three times the Huskers held the
lead, and three times Nebraska went
scoreless as they fell behind again.
The last and fatal lapse occurred,
after Dave Hoppen had given Nebraska
a 49-48 lead on a goal-tended basket
with five minutes left.
Baskets by Xavier's Victor Fleming
and Dexter Bailey in the next 1:20
regained the lead for the Musketeers.
Eric Williams' basket brought Ne
braska to within one point with 1:36
left but the teams traded scores down
the stretch.
Xavier clinched the victory with six
of six free-throw shooting in the final
43 seconds, Ralph Lee, Fleming and
John Skimko each sinking a pair.
"We got tired late in the game," said
Nebraska Coach Moe Iba," and we
made some bad passes."
Earlier, it appeared as if Nebraska
would blow open the game, midway
through the second half.
The Huskers held Xavier scoreless
for the first five and a half minutes of
the second after trailing 30-25. After a
Jeff Jenkins basket, two Stan Cloudy
free throws gave Nebraska a 33-23
lead, with 14:06 remaining.
Then, consecutive three-point plays
by Hoppen and Curtis Moore resulted
in a five-point Husker lead.
Fleming, who led the Musketters
with 20 points, then single-handedly
boosted Xavier in front by scoring
three consecutive baskets, following a
basket by Jenkins.
The teams exchanged the lead six
times in the next five minutes before
Hoppen's basket produced Nebraska's
final lead.
Xavier's pressure defense, which was
used game-long, dealt Nebraska fits
the final four minutes of the first half.
The Musketeers went on a 1 2-1 scor
ing spree to erase a six-point Husker
advantage.
"In the last minute, we broke down
defensively,"Iba said. "Our guards did
not get back on defense. We jdid the
same thing against Crcighton."
Jenkins ignited the rally with two
baskets and following a Hoppen free
throw, Fleming went to work sand
wiching two baskets around four free
throws.
Iba said Nebraska was hurt by Xav
ier's transition game and the baskets
that were produced. "We missed a
couple of little shots down close," he
said.
Cloudy, who was questionable for
the game, played 27 minutes coming
off the bench and scored 12 points.
"After the first half," Iba said, "I think
he saw he could play."
Cloudy said, "After a while, I said
'what the heck' and forgot about it."
Ten of his points were scored after
intermission.
Hoppen's 22 points left him two shy
of the school record of 600 set by
Andre Smith in 1980. The 6-11 sopho
more completed his first two years
with 1,043 points, making him the first
Husker to score more than 1 ,000 points
in his first two seasons.
David Ponce, who along with Cloudy
and Williams, completed their Husker
careers, finished with 10 points after
hitting his first three shots of thegame.
"You've got to give them (Xavier)
credit," Iba said. "We called people and
we knew what they would do. It's not
hard to get the team up when you look
at the schedule and see they beat Mar:
quette and Dayton.
"I'm proud of the way we came back
tonight. We just had three bad per
iods." Nebraska finishes 18-12, while Xav
ier, 22-9, advances to the quarterfi
nals of the NIT Friday night.
Ruggers hope season
ends in nationals trip
By Mona Z. Koppelm&n
UNL ruggers have a tough season ahead, but the
club hopes for a dark horse bid for national cham
pionship play this spring.
The UNL Rugby Club cancelled their game Sunday
with the Lincoln City Club because of the snow
storm. UNL rugger Matt Forkner said bad weather
has been UNL's biggest handicap.
"We just haven't been able to get on the field,"
Forkner said. "We've been running and practicing a
little in Mushroom Gardens, but we're going to try to
get outside Thursday if at all possible."
Forkner said that although the club is used to
playing in bad weather conditions, practicing when
it's cold, snowy and muddy can lead to too many
injuries.
Despite lack of outdoor practice time, Forkner
said the club can expect a good season.
"We're looking at a very experienced team this
year," he said. "Our backs are probably the strongest
part of the team."
Forkner said Scott Toad" Johnson and Lane Liley
are two of the most talented and aggressive men in
the backfield.
Forkner said the scrum will be stronger because
experienced players return after injuries kept them
out of matches last season. Taimor Tanavoli, at
prop, was out with back problems last fall, but will
play this season.
"We also have some new players that are looking
real good," Forkner said. "Quite frankly, we're a
. strong team."
The club will travel Saturday to Grand Island for
its first scheduled match. Forkner said Grand Island
is a strong team with active sponsors and or
ganization. Sunday, the UNL ruggers will return to Lincoln to
face Columbus.
"Columbus' team hasn't been in existence too
long, but they get people out," Forkner said. "They're
more enthusiastic than they are experienced."
The match will be at 1:30 p.m. at East Campus.
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TanavoU, far left, escapes during a nifey game at snow-covered Kearney last spring. UNL ruggers
are expecting more bad weather for their early season games this year.
The University of South Dakota rugby team will
have the home field advantage when the Huskers
play them April 7. The USD club has improved dur
- ing the last few years and will be a tough competitor
this spring, he said.
UNL will face Creighton in Omaha April 13. The
UNL club may be the stronger club, but Creighton
always hasa few surprises in store, Forkner said.
"Creighton's always up for us," he said. "They make
a big thing out of our matches, but it's a very nice
rivalry. We always have a real good time at Creighton."
On April 1 5, UNL returns to Omaha to take on the
Greater Omaha Area Traveling Squad better
known as the GOATS. Forkner said that the GOATS
are one of the top teams in this area and the match
promises to be a close one.
,TJleWTestern Collegiate Championships begin April
21 . If UNL defeats both USD and Creighton, they will
qualify for the regional championships, which are
tentatively set for Norman, Okla.
The Omaha tournament is scheduled for April 28,
a traditional season-ender for Nebraska clubs But
Forkner is hoping for a UNL bid to the Rupby
National Tournament May 5-6 in Monterey, Calif.
"It's a 32-team bracket, so it's tough. But I think we
have a legitimate chance to compete in nationals,"
Forkner said.
