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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1993)
Sports ot-shooting Cyclones blow past Huskers I ay jcii omyei Senior Reporter AMES, Iowa— Nebraska’s men’s basketball team went to the well once too often in finding good fortune at Iowa State. The Comhuskers, who had won in their previous two games at Hilton Coliseum, had their winning streak at Ames broken as the Cyclones admin istered a 96-69 pounding Wednesday night. Nebraska couldn ’ t overcome Iowa State’s balanced scoring as well as their own shooting woes in the loss before sellout crowd of 14,202 fans. With the loss, the Huskers’ two game Big Eight winning streak was broken and Nebraska dropped to 2-4 in league play and 14-7 overall. In a near flawless performance by the Cyclones, Iowa State oulshot the Huskers 55 percent to 45 percent from the field in the game to even its Big Eight record at 3-3 and remain undefeated at home. Comhusker freshman guard Jaron Boone, who scored 14 points in the loss, said Iowa State’s hot shooting could be attributed to poor Nebraska defense. “They shot the hell out of the ball," Boone said. “I think our trouble is that weren’t playing together on defense.” Nebraska coach Danny Nee said his team wasn’table to get going soon enough against the Cyclones. “Iowa State did a great job to night,” Nee said. “They came out ready to play and did the things nec essary to win the game.” Early in the game, both teams ex changed leads. But after Chandler’s layup put the Huskers up 12-10, Iowa State went on a tear, oulscoring Ne * braskawitha29-16run intheremain F der of the first half. The Cyclones built a 17-point lead late in the half before Nebraska Robin Trimarchi/DN Nebraska forward Eric Piatkowski drives by Missouri’s Melvin Booker in a game earlier this whittled the lead to 39-28 at intermis sion. The second half was no easier for the H uskcrs, although Nebraska made its first 12 shots after halftime. But 67 percent shooting by Iowa State never let Nebraska getcloser than nine points for the remainder of the game. Nebraska was led in scoring by center Derrick Chandler’s 19 points, but that was offset by four Cyclones who scored in double figures. Guard Justus Thigpen led Iowa State with 23 points, followed by Julius Michalik (17), Ron Bayless (15) and Loren Meyer (12). Chandler said one of the biggest problems Wednesday was several MusKer players triea to torce too many shots. “The shots just didn’t fall — ev erybody was just U7ing to do too much,” Chandler said. Iowa State coach Johnny Orr said his team executed well in improving its overall record to 13-6. “We were hot,” Orr said. “It was a good win, a win we really needed.” Thigpen said he didn’t want to see Nebraska leave Ames with another victory. “We didn’t want them to beat us two years straight,” Thigpen said. “It was good to beat them by this large of a margin.” Husker forward Bruce Chubick said if there were any positives from the loss, it was that “maybe it will wake us up.” Nebraska, now in sixth place in the conference, will host No. 3 Kansas on Sunday. Nebraska ... 28 41 — 69 at Iowa State ... 39 57 — 96 Nebraska (14-7) — Badgett 3-7 0 0 6, Chubick 2-6 3-4 8, Chandler 8-13 3-319, Johnson 2-2 0-0 4, Piatkowski 3-8 2-2 9, Gregory 1 -2 0-0 2, Strickland 0- 52-32, Boone 5-112-214, Woolridge 2-4 1-2 5. Totals 26-58 13-16 69. Iowa State (13-6) — Eaton 4-11 1 - 2 9, Hoiberg 4-7 0-0 9, Meyer 3-7 6-6 12, Bayless 5-8 3-415, Thigpen 10-15 1 -2 23, Wheat 1 -4 5-6 8, Michalik 7-11 1- 1 17, Beechum 1 -1 0-0 3. Totals 35 64 17-21 96> 3-point goals — Nebraska 4-14 (Chubick 1-3, Piatkowski 1-3, Strickland 0-3, Boone 2-4, Woolridge 0-1), Iowa State 9-18 (Hoiberg 1-2, Bayless 2-4, Thigpen 2-4, Wheat 1-3, Michalik 2-4, Beechum 1-1). Re bounds — Nebraska 32 (Badgett 9), Iowa State 34 (Hoiberg 7). Assists — Nebraska 15 (Boone, Woolridge 3), Iowa State 30 (Bayless 14). Total fouls — Nebraska 18, Iowa State 13. A — 14,202. Osborne signs 19 recruits By Susie Arth Senior Reporter Even the cold weather, the state’s isolation and the late start by Ne braska football coaches didn’t keep 19 athletes from choosing to become Comhuskers. “All that aside, we still did fairly well,” Nebraska coach Tom Osborne said Wednesday. Osborne said he received 19 letters of intent Wednesday on National Let ter of Intent Day, the first day univer sities are allowed to extend scholar ships to athletes. Osborne compared this recruiting class to the class of 1992, which he said was one of his best ever. “I’m not saying this is the best group in the country, but it is a good group,” he said. — 46 I’m not saying this is the best group In the country, but it is a good group. —Osborne Nil football coach -99 _ Speed, he said, was the quality he tried to emphasize in his recruits dur ing the past few years. “We've got good speed here, and I think it’s going to show up over the next couple years.” Seven of the 1993 recruits arc from Nebraska. “We’re very pleased with the re sponse we’ve gotten from Nebraska players,” he said. “If that ever slips, we’ve got big problems.” Of the eight scholarships that were offered to Nebraska players, seven were accepted, he said. The only in-statc player who re jected Nebraska's scholarship was Scott Frost of Wood River, Osborne said. In addition, the Huskers have re ceived 12 lettersof intent from out-of state players, he said. The Huskers, Osborne said, are still waiting for one more letter of intent. Eric Alford, a junior college player who gave the Huskers a verbal com mitment, was not listed among those who had submitted his letter of intent. Osborne said he was still waiting See RECRUITS on 14 Husker combination racks up the records nayers to race Oklahoma next By Derek Samson Staff Reportw_ Nebraska senior center Karen Jennings hit a free throw Tuesday against Southwest Missouri State to become Nebraska’s al l-time scor ing leader. As usual, Meggan Ycdsena helped put her there. Y edscna, the Comhuskcrs’ start ing point guard, and Jennings have tom up Big Eight opponents for three years, and Jennings is always more than appreciative for Yedsena’s assists after the game. jcmungs was presented wan me game ball during a timeout shortly after she broke the record. “I feel like I should cut the ball in half and give it to Mcggan,” Jennings said. “She’s the reason I got most of my points.” Yedsena, a 5-foot-8 junior from Mahonoy City, Pa., said she’s en joyed being pan of the combina tion that has helped give the Husk ers a 14-4 record. “We’ve been a combo that the Big Eight has feared,” Ycdsena said. “ITm definitely going to miss her.” Yedsena’s leadership wasagain obvious Tuesday against the Bears.. See YEDSENA on 14 I Jay hawks face first conference loss if jinx isn't broken 1‘Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kan sas anymore, but thank God we’re not in Lincoln.” If Dorothy were playing for the Kansas men’s basketball team, I’m sure she would have said something like that. Over the years, the Jayhawks have been college basketball’s equivalent of the 1927 Yankees, the Dorn Perignon of fine wines and the Ferrari Testarosa of automobiles. But when they come to the Bob Devaney Sports Center, they usually resemble the Cleveland Indians, a 69 cent bottle of Super Saver wine and a well-running Yugo. So what gives? Why is it that one of college basketball’s elite programs has only been able to muster four wins in the 17-year history of the Devaney Cen ter and will be sure to have its hands full when the two teams meet Sunday in Lincoln? True, the Comhuskers have be come a force in the Big Eight as of late, but through the pre-Danny Nee era and up until a couple of years ago, Nebraska’s big winter sport was not Husker Hoops. It was the football recruiting period. Just looking at recent Ncbraska Kansas showdowns at the Devaney Center can help chronicle the Jayhawks’ woes at the Bobfathcr’s house. 1988 — The Huskers were just going through the motions, ending the season 13-18. But they made up for the dismal season by beating a Danny Manning-led Kansas team that would end up winning the national tide. It was the only time Nebraska had ever beaten the eventual NCAA champs. ^1 — Co-Big Eight champion Kansas came to the Devaney Center hoping to put Nebraska’s best team ever in its place in the final game of the season. But the Devaney Center Jeff Singer jinx again hit the Jayhawks, and Kan sas lost 85-75 in a game they were heavily favored to win. 1992 — In the most exciting Ne braska basketball game ever, the No. 3 Jayhawks (which ironically is Kan sas’ current ranking) were about to solve the Devaney Center mystery and beat the Huskers. The Jayhawks held a 79-78 lead with just a second left in overtime, but Jamar Johnson's miraculous three pointer at the buzzer forced Kansas to take another Lincoln loss out of the jaws of victory. So why can’t Kansas seem to get on track at Nebraska? Let’s look at some typical reasons why any team might have trouble winning somewhere, and see if they stack up in this case: . 1. “It’s hard for us to travel that , long of a distance and have to play.” A reasonable excuse, but considering Kansas is one of Nebraska’s closest conference neighbors, a better rea soning might be, “We couldn’t adjust to the time difference.” 2. “We’re not use to playing in front of large crowds.” The problem here is that all of Allen Ficldhouse’s games arc usually sold out, as well as the majority of the Big Eight arenas the Jayhawks play in on the road. 3. “Nebraska’s a different team at home.” True, the Huskers do have a good home record, year in and year out, but a dynasty like the Jayhawks shouldn’t be affected by such mini mal distractions. Kansas coach Roy Williams said it’s probably the level of talent the Huskers have been able to put on the court, because “their teams have just been so doggone good.” But more often than not, Kansas’ teams have been as doggone good or better than the Nebraska teams they’ve faced over the past 17 years. The real reason seems to be an unidentifiable circumstance, similar to the Bermuda Triangle, that we could call the “Devaney Center mys tique,” which seems to entrap these Jayhawks and turns them into help less fowl. But the “mystique” better be in high Bear Sunday, because if it isn’t, it will mean an undefeated Big Eight season for the eventual conference champion Jayhawks. Singer is a senior news-editorial and po litical science m^jor and a Daily Nebraskan sports senior reporter.