Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1989)
Sports David Fahleson Daily Nebraskan Nebraska guard Eric Johnson applies defensive pressure to Colorado’s Steve Wise. Explosion leads NU Hot shooting leads the Huskers to a 38-point rout of Colorado I By Nick Hodge Senior Reporter and Mark Antonietti Staff Reporter A first-half explosion Wednesday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center led the Ne braska men’s basketball team to a 97-59 vic tory against Colorado and carried the Com huskers out of the Big Eight cellar. Nebraska coach Danny Nee said the Huskers were fortunate that Colorado had an off night. The Buffaloes connected on 31.8 percent of their field goals in the first half, compared to 73.1 percent for Nebraska. Colorado also fin ished the first half with 16 turnovers, compared to 11 for the Huskers. Those figures helped Nebraska score the final 14 points of the first half to take a 50-20 lead at halftime. “In all aspects of the game, it was obvious that we caught a cold Colorado team,” Nee said. “I really have to give credit to the kids who came out and played good defense. They were aggressive on the boards - took the game at Colorado.” Buffalo coach Tom Miller agreed. “The key in the first half was the 16 turn overs and being outrebounded 17-7,” Miller said. Nee said he wanted Nebraska to establish its transition game in the first half. He said he See NEE on 17 _i_ Nebraska guard Amy Bullock drives towards the basket as Colorado's Crystal Ford pursues. History in the making Colorado uses balance, maturity to keep Big Eight record perfect By Jeff A pel Senior Editor There was at least one person who was im pressed by the Colorado women’s basketball team following its 71-63 victory against Ne braska Wednesday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Nebraska women’s basketball coach Angela Beck said she was impressed by Colorado, which kept its hopes alive of becoming the first women’s team in Big Eight history logo unde feated during the conference’s regular-season. The win raised the No. 10-ranked Buffaloes record to 23-3 overall and 13-0 in the Big Eight. “They deserve to be where they are,’’ Beck said. “We got beat by a team that’s undefeated and you know why. I see a lot of maturity in them. I see great balance.” Beck said Nebraska lacked that same type of maturity down the stretch, as the Comhuskers were outscored by Colorado 13-7 during the game’s final 4:14. She said the Buffaloes ex ploited Nebraska’s weaknesses en route to dropping the Huskers’ record to 14-12 overall and 5-7 in the Big Eight. “I thought we had great effort but effort doesn’t win ball games,” Beck said. “I think we’re a good basketball team but we just lack some leadership to get the job done down the stretch.” See BECK on 17 Oklahoma Big 8’s best bet for NCAA title There won’t be another “Cinder ella" national champion from the Big Eight this season. If a Big Eight team wins the NCAA title, it won’t be an upset like last year, unless a team like Nebraska or Colorado wins it. Then it wouldn’t be just an upset — it would be a phenomenon. — i—rr~t Needless to say, the Big Eight is a much improved conference from top to bottom. And the top two teams in the conference can compete with anybody in the nation. This season could produce a re peat of last years’ NCAA champion ship game, only substitute Missouri for Kansas. Kansas won last year’s NCAA title by defeating Oklahoma 83 79 in Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo. But don’t count out Kansas State I or Oklahoma Slate. The Wildcats are having a season much like Kansas did last year. The only thing the Wildcats are missing is a center/forward like Danny Manning, who led the Jay* hawks to the title and was the Na tional Basketball Association’s No. 1 pick in the amateur draft in June. Some say last season’s dream game, which pitted two Big Eight teams against each other, was a fluke. Those people won’t be talking much in March. Oklahoma coach Billy Tubbs has said he’s expecting the Sooners to make another Final Four appearance. He also said he won’t be satisfied with anything less than a national championship. And don’t be surprised if he ’ s very content at the end of the 64-team tournament. With seniors Stacey King and Mookie Blaylock leading the way, it will be an upset if the Sooners don’t return to the Final Four. . _ . Tubbs is already preparing for the tournament. Last week, the No. 1 ranked Sooners defeated No. 3 Mis souri, then No. 1-ranked Arizona and defending national champion Kan sas, which is ineligible for this year’s tournament. “This isn’t a cupcake schedule,” Tubbs said. "This is a champagne schedule.” Since the Sooners came away with a 3-0 record that week and regained the No. 1 spot in the country, Okla homa fans will have something to think about besides a crippled foot ball program. And how about Missouri? The coach Norm Stewart-less Tigers (he will miss the rest of the season because of cancer and stom ach surgery) have enough balance and depth to play with anybody. If they can concentrate with all the things surrounding the program right now, they’ll be very much in the hunt. But die Tigers must get by the first round of the tournament, something they have failed to do each of the past seven seasons. When Missouri handed the Com huskers an 89-72 loss in Lincoln ear lier this season, (remember - after the game Stewart called Nebraska coach Danny Nee a bush-league coach), some Tiger fans were holding signs that said “Nebraska chokes in bowl games,” referring to the Husk ers football team. Well, Tiger fans, that may be true, but you don’t have much room to talk. Losses to Rhode Island and Xaivcr in the first round of the NC A A Tour nament aren’t something to boast about It seems that maybe the Huskcr football team lets Missouri use their noose during basketball season. Oklahoma Stale could also be making a run, provided the Cowboys play all their tournament games on neutral floors. The Cowboys have had their prob lems playing on the road this season. A prime example of that would be Tuesday night’s 89-87 loss to Ne braska. Regardless, it’s highly unlikely that the Big Eight will place three teams in the “Great Eight’’ or two in the Final Four. But one is likely, and the Big Eight’s high hopes for a repeat na tional champion rests in the hands Oklahoma. Derowitsch Is a Junior news-editor 1st m^jor and Is a Dally Nebraskan senior re porter and sports columnist. ; By Craig Christensen _OCR Relations Director [HOSER8 (5-0) RUNNING REBELS (4-0) SPANISH FLYERS (4-0) StGEPB-2 (5-0) ATO B-2 (5-0) DELTA TAU DELTA B-2 (5-0)1 FIJI A (S-1) ATO A (3-1) UNL TCOB (5-1) . BETA’S (0-1) i CHI PHI vs. FIJI A S 6PM., FEB. 23 Military & Naval Science Building