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Derek Samson
Tourney bid
marks return
to grim reality
For a basketball team that lost
10 of its final 11 games, boycotted
practice and dropped another first
round game in the Big Eight Tour
nament, Nebraska was rewarded
with a spot in the National Invita
tion Tournament.
For the second consecutive year,
the Cornhuskcrs were not one of
the 64 best teams in the country.
The evidence that Nebraska has
returned to its status as one of the
worst teams in the conference and
below mediocre in the country goes
beyond this season’s statistics.
First, the coaches, players and
fans were somewhat excited at the
NIT invitation.
Not good.
Next, alter the Huskcrs lost to
Iowa State inthe first round of the
conference tournament, the same
people were proud of the effort and
the close game.
Nebraska should be Iowa State.
Nebraska has far better talent than
any Big Eight team other than Kan
sas. It should have been Nebraska
challenging the Jayhawks for the
title. It should be Cyclone fans who
were proud of playing Nebraska
close.
When people began calling for
Danny Nee’s head during the nine
game losing streak, those same
people were presented with a ques
tion. The coach boldly asked if
people were judging him on the last
three weeks or on 9 1/2 years.
OK, let’s judge him on 9 1/2
years. Nee’s gone to four NCAA
Tournaments in 10 years, four first
round losses—a statistic that would
have most coaches looking for new
jobs, not raises.
Four NIT appearances. In other
words, four years when the Huskcrs
weren’t one of the best 64 teams.
Two seasons of being excluded
from the top 96 teams (NCAA and
NIT).
iNcc never nas oeen in tne nc aa
Tournament without Eric
Piatkowski, who averaged in double
figures all four years as a Husker.
Erick Strickland and Jaron
Boone were Nee’s latest additions
to the top 18 career scorers in Husker
history. Others include Rich King,
Clifford Scales, Carl Hayes and
Piatkowski. All but Pike scored
fewer points as a senior than as a
junior.
Maybe the Huskers will rally
behind their coach (yeah, right),
escape their underachieving ways
and win the NIT.
Now back to reality.
Nebraska is again a below-aver
age team. Until there is a coaching
change, the NIT banners will con
tinue to clutter up the rafters at the
Devaney Center.
But because the coaches, play
ers and fans were proud of the NIT
invitation this year, it’s probably
fitting for this program.
Samsoa Is a seaior news-editorial
major aad a Dally Nebraska! sports
colamalst
---—
As scouts watch...
Travis Heying/DN
Lawrence Phillips rests between drills Tuesday afternoon at Cook Pavilion. Phillips was one
of 15 former Nebraska football players to perform for NFL scouts.
Phillips improves NFL stock
By Mike Kluck
Senior Reporter
Lawrence Phillips returned to
Nebraska on Tuesday to show off
his football talents one more time.
But instead of running through
defenses at Memorial Stadium, he
performed for more than 30 Na
tional Football League scouts gath
ered at Cook Pavilion.
The junior I-back from West
Covina, Calif., has opted to bypass
his senior year of eligibility for the
Comhuskers and make himself
available for the NFL Draft on April
20-21.
Phillips was tested in the stand
ing long jump, vertical jump, 10-,
20- and 40-yard dashes and a shuf
fling drill. He also went through a
series of drills in which he ran re
ceiving routes and caught passes
from Brook Berringer.
After the testing Phillips lifted
weights, but declined to comment
on his performance.
The workout for the scouts was
Phillips’ first since declaring him
selfeligiblc for the draft in January,
said his agent, Mitchell Frankel of
Boca Raton, Fla. Phillips attended
the February NFL Combines in In
dianapolis, but he didn’t work out
at that time.
“It’s much more comfortable to
Travis Heying/DN
A scout for the Philadelphia Eagles times Lawrence
Phillips in the 40-yard dash Tuesday at Cook Pavilion.
do it back at your own university,”
Frankel said. “There is so much
going on at the combines that this is
much more of an at ease feeling.”
After announcing he would turn
professional in January, Phillips re
turned home to southern Califor
nia, Frankel said. Phillips, who
weighed 223 pounds Tuesday, came
back to Lincoln for the first time
this week, Frankel said, and will
return to California soon.
Bobby Jackson, a running back
scout for the Washington Redskins,
said Phillips improved his stock
Tuesday. Phillips ran a hand-held
40-yard dash lime of 4.5 seconds.
“He had a heck of a workout,”
Jackson said. “He worked hard, in
tense, caught the ball well. Catch
See TESTING on 8
NU tries
‘to stop
bleeding’
By Trevor Parks
Senior Reporter
After losing 10 of its last 11 games,
there was no way the Nebraska basket
ball team was going to turn down a
chance to play in the postseason, Coach
Danny Nee said Tuesday. ^
Nee said every member of the 16
14 Comhuskers wanted to play in the
National Invitation Tournament.
“I think it’s a good situation,” Nee
said. “Turning down the NIT, I don’t
sec the purpose of why you’d want to
do it. Anyone who does, I can’t com
prehend why you wouldn’t want to go
to a postseason tournament.”
For the past six seasons, Nebraska
has made four NCAA appearances and
two NIT appearances. By accepting a
bid to participate in the NIT, Nebraska
is one of 18 teams to have played a
postseason game six straight years.
That streak of postseason play con
tinues Thursday at 8:30 p.m., when the
Huskers play at 18-11 Colorado State
in the first round of the NIT in Fort
Collins, Colo.
Although it doesn’t match the qual
ity of the NCAA, the NIT deserves s
more credit than it receives, Nee said.
Of the 32 teams, 11 have 20 wins this
year. Only one team, Tennessee at 14
14, enters the tournament without a
winning record. _
The NCAA Tournament has two
teams, Central Florida and San Jose
State, with losing records, and seven
See NIT on 8
NU divers
geared up
for NCAAs
By Vince D’Adamo
Staff Reporter
The Nebraska divers are licking
their chops for this Friday and
Saturday’s NCAA Zone Qualifying
Meet in Fayetteville, Ark.
seven L.orn
husker divers, four
men and three
women, have earned
the right to compete
in the zone qualify
ing meet.
Sixteen other Di
vision I schools also
will compete in the
nocKing meet. Husxer mving
coach Jim Hocking said his divers
were primed and ready.
“We’re having good workouts,”
Hocking said, “just what we needed
before we take off. Now is the time
they’ve really geared up for the
NCAAs.”
Five of the divers are bidding for
their first appearance in the NCAA
Swimming and Diving Championships
later this month. Despite their inexpe
rience in the NCAA zone meet, Hock
ing said he believed histeam was battle
tested.
“The new people have had plenty
of big meets under their belts,” Hock
ing said. “It’s like golf, they’ve just got
to take it one dive at a time.”
That simple approach has been the
key to the Huskers’ diving success, he
said.
“First we wanted to make sure we
trounced our Big Eight opponents and
seal the coffin on them,” Hocking said. "
“They have done a good job of taking
one meet at a time.”
Only two returning divers from last
. See DIVING on 8
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