Consistency, home court wins
give Sooners successful season
Coach gives credit
to good-luck outfit
for latest victories
By Trevor Parks
Staff Reporter
After three consecutive wins over
teams ranked in the top 20, Okla
homa coach Kelvin Sampson took
Sunday off to go on a recruiting trip.
But Sampson made sure he didn’t
miss the chance to speak to the media
during the Big Eight coaches’ weekly
teleconference Monday.
Sampson answered questions in
midair, while he was on board a plane
returning to Oklahoma City.
The first-year Sooner coach had
nothing but good things to say through
a static connection.
He said his team had done a great
job during this crucial stretch of the
season.
“We didn’t sit back and have any
illusions,” Sampson said. “The thing
I’m most proud of is that our team
stayed consistent.”
The No. 16 Sooners have been
consistently good as shown by their
21-6 record.
Oklahoma is also third in the Big
Eight with an 8-4 record.
After beating then-No. 9 Missouri
94-89 last Saturday, Oklahoma then
beat No. 1 Kansas 76-73 two days
later and continued the winning streak
by beating No. 18 Oklahoma State
82-74 Saturday.
Winning those three games at
home left the Sooners with a 15-0
record in Norman this year.
That marked the fifth time in the
20-year history of the Lloyd Noble
Center that the Sooners had gone
undefeated.
Also Oklahoma improved to 5-0
at home against No. 1 ranked teams.
The Sooners have defeated UNLV,
Arizona, Missouri, and Kansas twice
in that streak.
Last year, Oklahoma struggled at
home, going only 9-5 in Norman.
Sampson said his first season at
the Lloyd Noble Center had been a
memorable one.
“Playing at Lloyd Noble was a
tremendous advantage,” Sampson
said. “I’m starting to realize that it is
some place special.”
One other thing that helped
Sampson over the stretch was being a
little superstitious.
Over the three-game stretch
Sampson has worn a blue denim shirt
with khaki slacks.
He said he didn’t intend to change
that in the future.
“I’m not sure I should pack any
thing else,” Sampson said. “I don’t
need it off the court, but I do need it
on the court.”
Sampson said he might need his
good-luck outfit as the Sooners play
two more games against ranked teams
— Iowa State and Missouri — to
close out the regular season.
Oklahoma has struggled on the
road, going only 2-4 in road games
this year.
No matter what happens in those
games, Sampson said he was happy
with the way his team had progressed.
“It’s fun to watch us develop,”
Sampson said. “We’re playing to our
ability level, and that is my goal, to
get us as close to that as possible.”
"UNFORGETTABLE!
- SISKEL & EBERT
Thursday, March 2 - Saturday, March 11
^ Monday - Fridays at 7p.m. Saturdays at 1 & 7 & Sunday at 3 & 7. j
Despite injuries, team
succeeds at tournament
By Jeff Griesch
Senior Reporter
The Nebraska baseball team de
livered some big hits in San Diego
this weekend, but the Comhuskers
took some hits too.
Outfielder Mel Motley unleashed
thejComhuskers’ biggest blow when
he connected on a 3-run home run in
the seventh inning to beat Oklahoma
Jg|te 6-5.
Motley’s homer gave the Cow
boys their first loss of the season after
an 11-0 start.
Even more impressive than what
the Huskers did against Oklahoma
State was who they did it without.
The Huskers beat the Cowboys
without Darin Erstad, Todd Sears
and David Crain, and Coach John
Sanders said the Huskers proved
something to him Sunday.
“It shows that we are on the road to
having a team with some mentally
tough people,” Sanders said. “We
found reasons for winning instead of
excuses to lose.”
Crain was the first Husker to leave
the Arthur Gallagher Tournament.
The senior catcher suffered a con
cussion in the opening game Friday
against New Mexico State.
The Lobos’ Andre Champagne
collided with Crain while trying to
score from third on a ground ball to
shortstop Darin Petersen.
Crain blocked the plate and
Petersen’s throw was in time to beat
Champagne, but the blow knocked
Crain out of the game.
He was taken to the hospital Fri
day and released. He still had a head
ache after Saturday’s games and re
turned to the hospital Saturday night.
Patrick Johnson took over for Crain
and made the all-tournament team.
Johnson, a sophomore catcher
from Salt Lake City, Utah, went 7 for
16 at the plate with two runs scored.
“Patrick Johnson filled in and did
an excellent job,” Sanders said.
Freshman first baseman Todd
Sears suffered a concussion after be
ing hit on an attempted pickoff play,
in the seventh inning of a 6-1 loss to
San Diego State, Saturday night.
Sears hit his first career home run
in a 10-2 win over Southern Utah and
a game-winning homer in the sev
enth inning of a 6-5 victory over the
Aztecs earlier Saturday.
He was taken to the hospital and
released early Sunday morning, but
he missed the Oklahoma State game.
Sears didn’t take the only hit of the
weekend either.
Darin Erstad was also injured against
San Diego State while diving for a
ball in left field.
Erstad continued to play, and hit a
home run to prevent a shutout Satur
day night, but he missed Sunday’s
game against the Cowboys because
of a bruised right shoulder.
Right-handed pitcher Sergio
Betancourt was the first Husker to
leave Saturday’s second game with
the Aztecs after feeling something
pop in his right elbow.
Betancourt took himself out of the
game with a strained right arm.
Sanders said he was happy to see
the Huskers rebound from the inju
ries.
“I think we have the potential to
have a team with more depth than we
have had in the past,” Sanders said.
“We had some guys step up, and that
is definitely a positive sign.”
Owners, players still indoors
as baseball strike continues
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP)—The
warm and sunny afternoon was per
fect for baseball, but the baseball
strike, which completed its 200th day,
kept major leaguers indoors as talks
resumed Monday.
In Florida, the Philadelphia
Phillies canceled their exhibition
opener Friday against the Baltimore
Orioles, the only team refusing to
hire replacement players.
Atlanta Braves president Stan
Kasten said there was no chance
owners would drop their plan to use
replacements, who vary from older
minor leaguers to retired maj or leagu
ers.
“Until we have a deal, that’s what
we ’re going to continue to do,” Kasten
said. “We’re not going to close down.
If you do that, there are not going to
be jobs for ushers, ticket takers, park
ing lot attendants, front office
people.”
The bargaining session was the
first devoted to the issues since Feb.
7, when President Clinton summoned
both sides to the White House.
‘‘I don’t want to set any deadline
because there’s enough pressure as it
is,” Selig said before meeting with
union head Donald Fehr and media
tor W.J. Usery.
The main issue was the owners’
demand for a luxury tax.
At the White House meeting,
Usery suggested a compromise of a
50-percent luxury tax on the portion
of payrolls above $40 million. Own
ers said they reluctantly would ac
cept, but the players said it would act
as a salary cap.
Back Row Left to Right: Troy Dumas, Marlon Jones, Rod Thomas,
Charles McClendon, Luther Harding, Terry Goods
Middle Row Left to Right: Steve Sims, Byron Berry, Donta Jones,
DonNevins, Eric Stokes Front: Sedric Collins
KAY
In recognition of the closing of Black History Month 1995, Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity has continuously pursued excellence in academics and
achievement in every field of human endeavors since 1911. Eighty-four
years ago, ten determined young men at Indiana University overcame
adversity, struggles and negative demeanor by bonding together to form a
brotherhood which has become a worldwide positive element for young
black men. On April 15,1916 the Eta chapter was founded here at the
University of Nebraska and today continues to uphold the quality and
traditions started by those ten honorable men.
Some of our community endeavors include National Guide Right Program,
Kappa League, continued support of The Malone Center, and financial aid
for the Francisco Renteria funeral services. Personally, we at Eta chapter
strive to have a graduating member every year and aid in their future
success.
We, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity challenge you, our brothers and sisters to
strive towards your own excellence.
‘Without struggle there is no progress.* Frederick Douglas
■So, struggle on because we can do all things through Christ which
strengthens us.' Phil, i: 13
