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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1987)
Tuesday, Februarys, 1937 Daily Nebraskan Pago 7 Me says Soorneirs inn dliiS5gjrLaitr; dls .act By Tim Hartmann Senior Reporter It will be a clash of two different levels of talent when Oklahoma and Nebraska meet Wednesday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, Nebraska basketball coach Danny Nee said at his press luncheon Monday. "There's no comparison," Nee said. "It's like comparing a Model-T Ford with a race car." Nee said the Cornhuskers can't match Oklahoma's ability to score quickly and often. If they try to match Oklahoma up and down the court, the Huskers will be in trouble, Nee said. To back up that statement, he used one more car analogy. "I think it would be like a Volkswagen and a Jaguar," he said. "I really do. You could take everyone off the floor, and we couldn't score as fast and quick as Oklahoma can score." But that doesn't mean Nee thinks Nebraska can't win. "What we have to do to win is we have to play our best," he said. "We have to do everything right. We can't break down in the free-throw shooting or the boxing out or in any area." Nebraska will also need some help from the crowd and from Oklahoma, Nee said. "I think the kids are very excited about the game," he said. "I think we need fan support. We need our students, the band; we need everything going to be ready to play and then hope that Oklahoma comes in not ready to play." Nee said that if the Sooners are prepared, they're one of the most talented teams in the country. The Sooners are currently 17-3 overall and 5-1 in the Big Eight conference. Among their victories are wins over Kansas, North Carolina State and Nevada-Las Vegas, the top-ranked team in the country. "I think they are probably one of the premier teams in the country," Nee said. "I think their win over N.C. State yesterday (Sunday) afternoon was really significant. I think they're on a power roll now." Huskers ranked first in Big 8 By Rich Cooper Staff Reporter Nebraska's women's basketball team took over sole possession of first place in the Big Eight Conference Saturday night as it defeated Oklahoma State 75-61 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Going into Saturday night's game, the Cornhuskers were in a three-way tie for first place with Oklahoma State and Kansas State. Nebraska was aided by Missouri's 78-74 win over the Wildcats in Columbia Saturday night. Nebraska was led by Maurtice Ivy and Amy Stephens, who scored 26 points each. Oklahoma State's Clinette Jordan was the Cowgirls' leading scorer with 23 points. Nebraska coach Angela Beck said she was pleased with the Huskers' performance. "I think we put together a total ball game," Beck said. "These kids are com ing out with fire in their eyes. They want a championship, and I'm real in t"" "'.' ' - By Kyle Schurman Staff Reporter ' After back-to-back 1 Uh place finishes in the ail-around at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships during irjury-pl&gucd seasons, Ne braska's Kevin Davis has set his sights higher for this season, which he is hq :n; will be a healthy one. "I wc:;t to lit teast finish in the top three h the NCAA a!! around, but I'd like to win it," Dvis One area where the Huskers must stop Oklahoma is on the offensive boards, Nee said. "You can't allow them more than one .shot, because then they just really hurt you," he said. "Their athletes (Darryl) Kennedy and (Tim) McCalister are just great players. I think that Harvey Grant, the junior-college transfer, and Kicky Grace really complement (David) Johnson, who is playing the best basketball of his career at Okla homa." Nee says there are two main reasons for Oklahoma's success the past five years. One is how Oklahoma coach Billy Tubbs coaches his players. "I think Tubbs does one thing that is very significant. I think he evaluates the talent that he has and develops a style of play to their strengths," Nee said. "I don't think he ever asks his team to do things they're not capable of doing," he said. "I think he knows their strengths and their limitations, and he really plays to their strengths." The other reason for the Sooner's success, Nee said, is their ability to assemble talent. "Obviously, he (Tubbs) has the tremendous knack of recruiting good quality kids and getting that good blend of junior college kids to get the chemistry." Nee said that once Oklahoma re cruited Wayman Tisdale, who later became an Ail-American, their recruit ing success was almost guaranteed. "Success breeds success," Nee said. For now Nee is hoping to get that one recruit that would turn Nebraska into a national powerhouse. "That's the thing I put my little head down on the pillow and dream about," he said. ."He's going to come out of Hastings in a cloud of dust like a tornado and come across, come into Lincoln and save me. "Getting the first great one to come is probably the toughest," Nee said. "The more success that (former Husker Dave) Hoppen has in the NBA, the more he'll be able to help us get another player." proud of them." Nebraska's zone defense managed to hold Oklahoma State's shooting to 33 percent from the field. The Huskers shot 59 percent. Before Saturday night's game, Ne braska led the Big Eight in field-goal percentage at 48.9 percent. Nebraska began where it left off Wednesday night against Missouri, jumping to an 8-0 lead to start the game. Oklahoma State cut the Huskers' lead to four points, 17-13, with 11:51 left in the first half on a 14-foot jump shot by Jordan. Jordan was fouled by Shelly Block during her shot and made her free throw to complete the three point play. Nebraska answered with a 15-foot jump shot by Stephens with 7:15 remaining before halftime to give the Huskers a 25-16 lead. Beck said Nebraska's defense was the key to the win. "Jordan, who's one of their best players, had people around her all I L ' ' '.' VI - ' f r " i said. 1ti: important to stry he WW Davis's latest irjury was a d!:;! cated ankle last season, v.l.k.h kc; t him out for two months. lie .: ! he felt that injuries have set him back quite a bit. "In certain events they still hurt some," Davis said. "The forehand vault fif;:ravates my injuries. How ever, I've been healthy so U this Vf i I think it's sV:vn." i V en V 1 1 Linda StoryDaily Nebraskan Nebraska men's basketball coach Danny Nee reflects Monday-morning enthusiasm for his team's performance against Oklahoma State Sunday. The Cornhuskers beat the Cowboys 73-66. ' - - - ' Following Sunday's win over Okla homa State, Nebraska is now 12-7 and has a chance of getting in the National Invitational Tournament. "I think 15, 16 (wins) would do it," Nee said. "If we just are competitive, win the ones we're supposed to and steal one, we'll be in the hunt," Nee night, which forced her to make shots," Beck said. "The Cowgirls really ham mered us on the boards early, but once we had a little talk with the team, we came out, pulled down some boards and made some things happen. The offense was flowing well tonight." Jordan wasn't the only Oklahoma State player who had trouble scoring. Nebraska held guard Jamie Siess to only four points on the night, ending her 51-game streak of double-figure scoring performances. Nebraska continued to dominate in the second half as they increased their lead to 20 points, 59-39, with 10:40 left in the game. The Cowgirls cut the Huskers' lead to 10, 61-51, but that was as close as Oklahoma State would come as Nebraska scored 12 unans wered points to seal the win. Stacy Imming, who scored nine points and pulled down eight defensive re bounds, became Nebraska's all-time career assist leader. Her 11 assists against the Cowgirls tied the Bob Dev aney Sports Center record for number of assists in a single game. Beck said Nebraska is a legitimate contender for the conference cham pionship. The Huskers' next four games will be crucial, she said, because two are on the road. If Nebraska can win at least half of the road games, they'll be in "good shape" for the rest of the season, Beck said. During the first half of the season, Nebraska was 1-3 on the road against Big Eight teams, but the Huskers are 4-0 at home against conference oppo nents and have won their last seven home games. Nebraska's next home game will be Feb. 1 1 against Iowa State. The Cyclones are 0-6 in the Big Eight. said. The win over Oklahoma State pleased Nee because Nebraska played very well at times, he said. "I thought that in the first half of the Oklahoma State game we played as well as we had all season," Nee said. "In the second half Oklahoma State Stacy Imming works the ball Saturday. During the game, career-assist record. - 'A" " f - : " i i '.,,t j ' S " f r fx r'- r f 1 I "A, I I U 1 i ' ' I '. - i f i ""' TTZ I . J , A . JV !' J I ; I played extremely well." Nebraska's free-throw shooting and poise down the stretch ensured the win, Nee said. He praised guards Brian Carr and Henry Buchanan. "I thought he (Carr) really played a good leadership role and Buchanan (played) the same way," Nee said. Ooug CarroilUaily Nebraskan inside against Oklahoma State Imming set the new Nebraska