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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 1987)
Page 8 Daily Nebraskan Friday, February 20, 1987 if f -.A In spite of loss to Missouri Huskers feeling good about game, hopeful for tournaments By Rob White Senior Reporter The Nebraska women's basketball team was up against more than just Missouri when they took the court Wednesday night in Columbia. And even though they dropped an 87-81 decision, the Cornhuskers still came away with something positive from the game. "We lost the battle, but we won the war," Nebraska coach Angela Beck said. "We had a tough fight psychologi cally, because we've never won there in eight games. So with that history you can see where we were at psychologi cally. "We feel now as a team and as a staff, that if that is the best there is in the Big Eight and we can play them within six points on the road, then we'll be alright and have a chance in the Big Eight championships to fare well." The Huskers had been deadlocked for first place in the conference with out," Beck said share of second place, while a loss by the winner of the Missouri-Kansas State game would give the Huskers a tie for first. Beck said that when the Huskers play Oklahoma Saturday, the Sooncrs will have something to prove. "I think they're a frustrated team, they were upset on their home floor in the last game," Beck said. "They'll be hungry, and I think they're embar rassed about their place in the league." Oklahoma is No. 7. The Sooners use the same offensive strategy that has given the Huskers problems lately, Beck said. "They have a pretty balanced scor ing attack," she said. "They like to try to stick the ball inside and wheel and deal in there, and that's been pretty effective against us lately." Nebraska lost to the Sooners 97-81 in Norman Jan. 24 in the first meeting between the two teams this year. "We had it within five points late in the game and then Tice (Ivy) fouled we were m the game the Tigers and Kansas State. All took all the way. They had some problems 7-4 records into play this week, but the stopping our running game, and that s loss by the Huskers dropped them one what we'll try and do again." game behind with two to play. Saturday's contest will mark the "We want the rings (for the confer- final home appearance of seniors Stacy ence championship), but maybe it just Imming, Angie Miller and Shelly Block, wasn't in the cards for us this year," Beck said she is anticipating an enthu-. Beck said. "But still, the mood of the siastic Nebraska team for the game, team is healthy, we know we'll be in the "I hope so," she said. "I've been upper half of the bracket (in the con- putting a lot of pressure on our seniors ference tournament) and we could still to pull through this year, because we re Doug CarroSiDaily Nebraskan Nebraska's Maurtice Ivy looks to pass the bail during the Missouri game Jan. 23. Ivy and the Cornhuskers will try to improve their 7-5 Big Eight Conference record Saturday against Oklahoma. get in there if someone gets upset." Missouri's final two games will be on the road, including a matchup with Kansas State. The Wildcats, besides playing Missouri, will have to play at in-state rival Kansas. If Nebraska wins its final two games (a hoine match with Oklahoma Satur day pd a game at Oklahoma State), the Huskers would clinch at least a confident we'll win a lot of games in the future. "Imming has been playing extremely well, just playing her heart out, Miller is starting to come around after having mono, and Block does all the things that go unnoticed.. Those three kids have contributed more to the success of the program than a lot of people realize." fiiiskers By Kyle Schurman Staff Reporter a I .a .Tr . U JLQJU lJf JUL EL JLJL s kJ? J V ilW "Student athlete' may have a fuzzy definition at some universities, but it has a clear definition at NU, said Corn usker swimmer Doug Hubner. . Hubner said he chose Nebraska over tfther schools, including Arkansas, Texas, Southern Methodist and Kansas because of the balance between athle tics and academics that Nebraska has. "I see athletics as a way to get an education, and Nebraska stands out in that department," Hubner said. "Nebraska has great orgnization that others don't have. We also have the luxury of an established scholastic program with good tutors, who really help when you go on the road." Doug's brother John is a swimmer and a sophomore at Nebraska. His brother Mike is a high-school senior in major and will graduate in May, so he Tulsa and is being recruited by Nebras- set some high goals for his final season, ka and others for swimming. However, "I want to qualify for the NCAA's in Doug said he hasn't put any pressure both the 100 and 50 freestyle," Hubner on his brothers to come to Nebraska, said. "I would really like to end my "Both of them had their own chance career by placing at the NCAA's. I'm to choose where they want to go," Hubner said. "However, they know that Nebraska gives its athletes a great education." . Hubner is a sprint freestyler for Nebraska, and he swims the 50-, the 100- and the 200-yard freestyle events. Nebraska coach Cal Bentz had nothing but praise for Hubner. "He is a good, consistent sprint per former for looking forward to ending the season on a positive note." Hubner said the No. 16 Huskers are on track to accomplish their goals. "We want to score in the top 20 at the NCAA's. This team has the talent to do so," he said. Hubner said his favorite events are the 100-yard freestyle, 400-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay. Hubner swims the 100-yard freestyle in us," Bentz said. "Ha will have a very good championship season, ' both relays. and he has the capability of making Hubner won the 50- and 100-yard NCAA cuts in both the relays and indi- freestyle at the Husker Invitational in vidual events." December. Bentz said he thinks those Hubner is a senior criminal-justice wins helped improve his consistency. "X Hubner ; c 1 ct t; .:(:0.. . By Rich Cooper Staff Reporter Gym coaeii puts tfiie past v. The last time the Nebraska's men's gym- nasties team faced UCLA in a dual, the Bruins, behind 1984 Olympian Peter Vidmar, won. Later that year, UCLA won the NCAA Championship, ending Nebraska's winning streak of five consecutive championships. Sunday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, No. 1 UCLA will face No. 4-ranked Nebraska at 7 p.m. Nebraska men's gymnastics coach Francis Allen said he doesn't like to remember 1884 because nothing seemed to go right that year. Allen said the meet against UCLA will be the toughest his team has had this season. He said the Huskers' success will depend on junior Kevin Davis' performance. Last Sunday night Davis injured his wrist while working out on the high bar. Allen said he doesn't know how serious the injury is, but he expects Davis to compete against the Bruins. Allen said Nebraska needs freshmen Patrick Kirksey, Bob Stelter and Mark Warburton to have excellent meets. "I think the freshmen are finally coming around. I guess we'll find out how much they have improved this weekend," Allen said. "To beat UCLA we are going to have to buckle down and turn out some good routines. It's going to come down to what team performs and who stays on the events." Against Oklahoma on Feb. 7, the Huskers fell 12 times but still managed to score a 179. The meet against the Bruins is going to be close, Allen said. If the freshmen can score at least a 9.0 on every event, he said, it will give Davis, Tom Schlesinger and Neil Palmer the chance to score high. All three upperclassmen can score a 57 in the all-around, Allen said. In the meet against UCLA fans will get to see five potential Olym pians: sophomore Curtis Kclsworth, the 19S3 NCAA pommel-horse champion from UCLA; Tony Penedaj a member of the 1934 Mexican Olympic team; and Davis, Schlesinger and Palmer. "I'm not expecting my team to peak for this meet,"Allen said. "But I know they are going to be psyched up for it and I'm antici pating a excellent meet from our guys." Nebraska's women's team will have its hands full with Big Eight Conference rival Oklahoma in a dual in Tulsa Friday night. The last time th? Huskers competed against the Sooners, at the Heartland Invitational on Feb. 7, they won 184.90 to 182.20. Nebraska women's coach Rick Walton said this weekend's meet will be more difficult because the Sooners will have 1888 Big Eight all-around champion Tatiana Figueiredo back, as well as Kelly Garrison-Stiebs. The Sooners will come out with "fire in their eyes," he said. "This meet could be a preview to the Big Eight Conference meet and the Midwest Region meet," Walton said. "When we beat Oklahoma two weeks Ego, it was the first time I had beat them since coming here, and I don't think they liked that too much, so they are going to be coming after us Friday night." Walton said he v;ill cr.ly use two"&Il arounders against the Sooners. In the meet Egynst Auburn the tcp tll-srounder for the Huskers was sophomore Crystal Savage, who scored a career-high 37.50, Jeaneane Smith finished only one-tenth of a point behind her. Walton said the reason he's competing with only two all-arounders is because nobody else on the team can put together four solid events.