NU gymnast says title caps season, career
By Erik Unger
Staff Reporter
Lisa McCrady’s second Big Eight women’s
gymnastics all-around championship in three
years added some pressure while taking some
away.
McCrady, a senior for Nebraska, went to the
1989 championships with no pressure to win.
Not so for this year’s event, March 23 in
Columbia, Mo.
“When 1 won two years ago, it was a nice
surprise,” McCrady said. “This year, I had
more to lose. I would have been disappointed if
I wouldn’t have (won).”
But she scored 38,85 points to edge Julie
Dorn of Missouri, who had 38.75 points.
McCrady tied for first in the uneven bars, tied
for third in the balance beam and vault and tied
for fourth in the floor exercise.
As a team, Nebraska was second behind
Oklahoma. The Sooners beat the Comhuskers
191.15 to 189.90.
McCrady said winning the title capped off
her season and her career.
“No matter what happens, I won’t leave my
senior year empty-handed,” she said. “I know I
have a championship under my belt.”
McCrady said she was more focused at the
Big Eight championships than she was in the
past.
“I just woke up that morning feeling confi
dent,” she said. “I was prepared, everything
else had fallen in place and I was healthy.”
McCrady said consistency had been a prob
lem ail year and it was good to finally put four
good routines together.
“I was glad I could compete under pres
sure,” she said. “In the past, I was predicted to
win, but I came up short.”
She said the added pressure made this Big
Eight title better than her first one two years
ago.
She still hasn’t reached her ultimate goal,
though, she said. She would like to compete for
a national championship and have a chance to
be an All-American.
McCrady said being a senior creates some
extra pressure.
“In the past, I could say, ‘Maybe next year.’
Now if I don’t do it, I will never have another
chance,” she said.
She said staying focused is the key to reduc
ing some of the pressure and making her last
chance her best.
“If God wants me to, I 11 be an Aii-Ameri
can,” McCrady said. “All I can do is try my
best, relax and stay focused.”
McCrady said Nebraska’s second-place finish
in the Big Eight meet puts the team in a good
position going into the Huskers’ NCAA re
gional this weekend in Tucson, Ariz.
“We are going into regionals with nothing
to lose. We aren’t defending a title and have
less pressure,” she said.
She said the Huskers’ strong finish, above
189 in their last two meets, now puts pressure
on the regional favorites. It also puts them in a
good position to qualify for nationals. McCrady
said this is what separates this year’s team from
last year’s team, which was expected to finish
in the top 10.
“This year, if we make nationals, it would
be a success in itself,” she said.
Blue Devils hope ninth time s a charm
NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP 1991
1st Round: 2nd Round: Regionals
Thurs.-Fri. Sat.-Sun.
March 14-15 March 16-17
WEST
1) .!.M.NLY. UNLV 99-65
16) Montana j
I UNLV 62-54
SlftWOTtown.Ki«o|genwn 70:6a|.
9) .YantierWlt.I Tucson, Arlz. UNLV8366
51 .MteWOAn.SU.I Michigan St. March 15-17
12)W!5,.G.reen tisy J 60-58
I Utah 85 84
41.Wta!?..| Utah 82-72 |dbi. overtime
131.5, Ala&ama.1 Seattle, Washington
ci u ii ctqip Thurs.-Sat.
•I—■-••••■“®.-aCreighton 64-56 March 21 & 23
11) Creighton 1
u I Seton Hail 81-89
| Seton HaH 71:51 J 5^ Lake Seton Hall
1.41 Pepperdin#..f Ctty.Utah 81-77
71Y!fB!n!«.., Brig. Young 61-48 Thurs.-Sat.
I -..March 14-16
10) Brig. Young | *
“*”• . . I Arlz. 76-61
2) Arizona . , _ I.
.| Arizona 93-80 |
tL-i £*# 'Da \ I
Indianapolis Monday, April 1 Indianapolis Regionals 2nd Round: 1st Round:
Sa'u,day Saturday Sar.-Sua
March 30 March 30 _
EAST
1) N Carolina
N. Carolina 101-66 |A.
.116) Northeastern
8) Princeton .
Vlllanova 50-48 r *.
- ■ .19) Villanova
_ New York .
. E. Michigan 76-56 —®9!?*.lPPi?r.-..
M>reh 15-17 I.112) Eastern Michigan
EMich,71.^| 4) ucla
overtime | p*™ st. 74-69 | .
- .* .... .113) Penn State
East Rutherford, N.J. .
UNl.V 77-65 Frl.-Sun. 6) N. C. State
March 2° & 24 N. C. St. 114-85 ( A.
MVCfl 221 24 |.111) southern NBss...
Okia. St. 73-64 I u
.I 3) Oklahoma St.
College | Okla. St. 67-54 |.
hm *.114) New Mexico
Temple 72-63 ™ .
. Thur#.-Sat._. „„ 7) Purdue
a,M'm Mated 14-16 .I .
I I.101Tot|M..
Temple 77-641
. ..I 2) Syracuse
I Richmond 73-69 | - ‘7.
.115) Richmond
MIDWEST
1) Ohio St.
...I Ohio St. 97 86
.M8.Iojwgn.ai..I.(Ohio St. 65-61
.|r I Dayton,
| Ga. Tech 87-70 | rtKi„
9) DePaul.|. _°*° St.John's
Frt.-Sun. ..
S-SSS.,T»M
.1?) .St.-. Peter!?..1.1 St. John* .
4) ft. John’s 184-76
13) No. Illinois | - l P°n,l,c' Michigan
•••*.1 Frt.-Sun.
6) LSU..„ „ ^ M March 22 & 24
I Connecticut 79-62
.llJ.Connecfcut,. |.1 Conn. 66-50
3J Nebraska . IMInnsa polls,
,l«.X«y!efiqhjo).„J-—'." “urTSt' ——~
7) Iowa Mar.14-16
•'.a Iowa 76-/3
10) E. Tenn. SI. | (Duke 85-70
2) Duke I
.. ....I Duka 102-73 |
!.5) Northeast La. ..I 'Numbers denote seeding
Results as of 10:20 p.m. EST Saturday
I Kansas 79-731
^| SOUTHEAST
, 1 ■' ' ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■'•••:■■■■■■.'.
I . 1) Arkansas
Arkansas 117-76 | ....
Arkansas 97-90 I .1.1.6). GeOffliaSL.
Atlanta, I 8)ArlzonaSt..
Qeoraia I Arizona SL 79-761
Arkansas 93-70 g^ .".l.?)..R.u?0*r.*.
March 15-17_ . _ ^ke Fofe»?.
Ala.96-88 I...l.1.?).Louj.s!ana.T.ech;.
4) Alabama
I Alabama 89-79 I.
Charlotte, N.C. ■.1.1.3). Murray St.
Thurs.-Sat. .
•*•"»»»* NM*. 76-68OT -
Kansas 77-66 I.I.I.D.Gao'.gia.
Louisville, I 3) Kan*as..
Kansas 83-65 Kentucky .|, 4) Queans
■■•••. Thurs.-Sat. .
March 14-16 _ 7) Florida State
Florida Stale 75-72 |”A.
Indiana 82-601.110) Southern California
2) Indiana
| Indiana 79-69 |. .
.|.l 5) Coastal Carolina.....
AP
INDIAN APOLIS (AP)—So what
now, Duke?
With UNLV and one horrible
memory out of the way, will it be a
championship at last or a champion
ship game disaster again?
A year ago, Duke came up flat
after a tough, up-tempo, full-court
semifinal win over Arkansas and lost
by 30 points to UNLV 48 hours later.
The Blue Devils (31 -7) turned the
tables on the Runnin’ Rebels on Sat
urday night with a 79-77 victory, but
UNLV did not give up its chance at a
repeat title and undefeated season
without an intense, physical 40 min
utes.
Now the opponent for the NCAA
men’s basketball championship game
tonight (8:10 p.m. tip-off on CBS)
will be Kansas (27-7), a 79-73 winner
over North Carolina.
Can it happen again? Did the Blue
Devils just lay out too much to get a
chance at cutting down the nets?
Duke’s stars, Christian Laettner
and Bobby Hurley, both played the
whole game, and Laettner was so
dehydrated afterward that he needed
an hour and 15 minutes to provide a
drug-testing urine sample.
“Yesterday was an even harder
game because Vegas was better,” Duke
coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “They
were just so good, but our team is
different. They’re more resilient. It
has listened even better.”
Duke has made more Final Four
appearances without a title than any
other school — eight. Its ninth trip
and fourth in a row has brought its
fifth championship game appearance
and third since 1986.
“The accomplishments of this team
have been great,” said senior forward
Greg Koubek, the only player to appear
in four Final Fours. “This is my last
opportunity to do this and we are
going to have to be focused and we
are going to be ready. What happened
the last three years will not have any
effect at all on this year’s final.”
See BLUE DEVILS on 9
lennessee takes win in overtime
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Dena
Head made two free throws to tic the
score at 60 in regulation, then hit five
more in overtime to give Tennessee a
70-67 victory over Virginia and the
NCAA women’s championship.
It was the third NCAA champion
ship for Tennessee, which won it in
1987 and 1989, was runner-up in 1984
and tied for third in 1988 and 1986.
T nncsscc also lost in the AIAW
.npionshipgamc in 1980 and 1981.
\; \.W was the women’s athletic
ration that preceded the NCAA.
Virginia led 60-55 with 1:25 to go
i regulation when Head was fouled
v Tonya Cardoza and converted a
nrcc-point play.
Tammi Reiss and Dawn Staley
b< 'h missed with 48 seconds remain
ing in regulation, but Tennessee
couldn’t gel the ball across midcourt
against the Virginia press and had to
call timeout, barely beating the time
clock.
With seven seconds left in regula
tion, Staley fouled Head, who made
both free throws to tie it.
Cardoza gave Virginia a brief lead
in overtime, but Head hit two more
free throws, Peggy Evans scored on a
rebound, and Head made a free throw
to make it 66-62.
After Cardoza’s basket, Virginia
(31 -3) got its only points from Staley,
an offensive rebound and basket off
her own miss with 1:01 left and a
three-pointer with four seconds re
maining.
Tennessee trailed for 16 minutes
in the first half, falling behind 23-14
at the 7:44 mark, after a dazzling
performance by Virginia’s Staley,
Player of the Year in women’s bas
ketball.
Staley, 5-foot-5, twice went inside
against Daedra Charles, 6-foot-4, and
Kelli Casteel, 6-2, and came away
with points — once on a spin move
around her taller opponents and again
on a bchind-thc-back dribble along
the left baseline.
The Volunteers took the lead with
1:56 tc go in the half. Charles then hit
the front of a onc-and-one, making it
25-24, and Casteel hit a rebound off
Charles’ missed free throw.
Head led Tennessee scoring with
28 points. Charles had 19 points and
seven rebounds.
Staley scored 28 points for Vir
ginia, Cardo/a had 11, and Heather
Burge had 10.
Virginia was ranked No. 2 in the
final poll and Tennessee was No. 4.
Tennessee (30-5) is 6-1 over Vir
ginia in postseason play, including a
loss in the AI AW tournament in 1981.
Graf wins hardcourt title,
feels confidence returning
^ SAN ANTONIO (AP) —Steffi
Graf took a step toward regaining
the top women’s tennis ranking on
Sunday with a6-4,6-3 victory over
top-ranked Monica Seles to claim
the U.S. Women’s Hardcourt Cham
pionship title for the third time.
It was Graf’s first tournament
victory since November’s Virginia
Slims of New England and her first
over Seles since 1989.
Graf, ranked No. 2 in the world,
had last met Seles in the 1990 French
Open finals, which Seles won 7-6,
6-4. Graf maintains a 4-2 career
lead over Seles.
Seles, 17, ascended to the No. 1
world ranking on March 11, after
Graf’s record reign of 186 weeks.
Because the U.S. Women’s
Hardcourt Championships is only
a 32-player draw, Graf will not
overtake Seles in the computer
rankings.
But Graf, 21, acknowledged that
she hoped her victory Sunday would
be a turning point.
“1 think I’m on the right way
now,” a smiling Graf said. “1 think
I made her play. That’s a good
feeling to have.”
Graf said the ranking matters
less than the return of her confi
dence that had waned in the last
lew months.
“The way I played the last few
matches makes me feel better, and
I look forward to the next few
matches,” Graf said.