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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 1997)
Huskers rout ISU: Kansas next «-————— People say ‘can you handle playing in a close game?’ Well, we didn’t make it close. ” , Angela Beck NU women's basketball coach ISU from page 9 “I was frustrated with her several times,” Beck said, “but McClain is a big reason this game was won because she took two huge charges that were momentum changes. She also hit those two crucial inside shots. She played tough and I felt Una McClain proved she had tough character tonight.” The Huskers character was in doubt the first 10 minutes of the game as the Cyclones built a 16-10 lead. After a Nebraska time-out the Huskers installed their 2-2-1 press and went on a 19-2 run in the next 7:04. The press forced Iowa State to com mit six turnovers, but more impor tantly, the Cyclones were unable to get a good look at the basket. During the Huskers’ run, Iowa State missed seven shots, six from behind the three-point line. “We came out in a press and really flustered them,” DeForge said. “Our defense picked it up and they weren’t getting the good looks they were get ting before. We have fallen back on our defense before and once again it prevailed for us.” The Cyclones were able to cut the Huskers lead to 32-26 at halftime. Nebraska opened the second half with a 9-2 run to take 13-point lead with 15:10 left in the game. Although Iowa State cut the lead to six with 11:18 remaining and eight with 3:18 left it was never able to get closer. Nebraska was also aided by the ejection of Iowa State Coach Bill Fennelly with 1:24 remaining. Fennelly received two technical fouls for protesting a call and walking to mid-court to have words with an offi cial. Following the technicals, DeForge made six straight free throws —eight in a span of 12 seconds — to open a 20-point lead. The win sets up Sunday’s show down with co-North Division leader Kansas. The Jayhawks defeated Texas Tech 69-52 Thursday to improve their record to 15-3 and 6-1 in the league. The game begins at 4 p.m. Sun day at the Bob Devaney Sports Center and will be regionally televised by Fox Sports (Cable Channel 58). “The Kansas game is going to be tough,” DeForge said. “It’s our first TV game, but we are really excited about it. We needed to get some con fidence out of this game going into that game.” Beck said the game will be a big step for the Huskers in realizing their goal of winning the Big 12 title. “Right now we have the best record in our league ” Beck said. “We are still looking to win a Big 12 Champion ship. It means you either beat them and haye a chance to win or you don’t.” SOONERS from page 9 •• ' ; ' •• > . • “They have a good team,” Allen said. “Theyjust weren’t ready for what we were at the Rocky Mountain.” Allen said the Sooners (5-1) will be led by two of the top all arounders in the nation, seniors Casey Bryan and Jeremy Killen. OU is coming off 226.85-220.700 over New Alltl Mexico last week end. The Huskers, Allen said, will bring a more balanced attack to the meet with junior Bill Mulholland and fresh man Derek Leiter leading the way in the all-around. In the six-team field at the Rocky Mountain Open, Leiter was third in the all-around (54.5) behind Mulholland (56.3) and Bryan (57.3). Sophomore Marshall Nelson could provide some of the highest scores of the evening, Allen said. At the Open, Nelson scored a 9.7 on the floor, a 9.65 on.the pommel horse and a 9.6 on the parallel bars. Nelson, a native of Greeley, Colo., will compete in every event but the still rings, Allen said. > Junior all-arounder Jim Koziol will not compete Saturday. Koziol is recov ering from shoulder surgery he had in December and may not return until mid-February, if he returns at all this season. Allen said both the women’s and M We need to get going and see how good of a team we’re going to be.” Francis Allen NU men’s gymnastics coach ~ .«- - - - men’s teams would benefit from hav ing the meet in Lincoln. “I think its going to be a little more relaxing for us,” he* said. “We need to get going and see how good of a team we’re going to be.” NU faces tough odds at Kansas KU from page 9 put it that way.” Since his return, Vaughn has mas terfully directed KU’s potent attack, averaging 10 points and 5.4 assists. Forward Raef LaFrentz leads Kansas with a 17.6 point-per-game average, super sophomore Paul Pierce scores 15.1 points and Jerod Haase adds 13.3 points per game. “They don’t even blink an eye,” Nee said. “They find a way to win. This is what it’s all about. This is why you come to Nebraska, to play the No. 1 team in the country.” Last year, Nebraska entered Lawrence losers of six straight games, but with 8:50 to play, NU took a 60 59 lead before Kansas pulled away to win 81-71. Tyronn Lue, then a fresh man, scored 21 points, playing just as well — if not better — than Vaughn, who scored 13 points with seven as sists. “I love playing at Kansas,” Ne braska forward Venson Hamilton said. “It’s one of the most enjoyable places to play at.” Decade-old statistics do little to back up Hamilton’s liking for Allen Fieldhouse. Nebraska last won in Lawrence in 1983, and the Jayhawks own an average victory margin of 14 points per game since NU’s last win. Kansas, ranked in the Top 10 for 46 straight weeks, carries a 39-game home winning streak and a 6-0 record against ranked foes this season into Saturday’s showdown. With a win over Nebraska, KU will start 22-0 for the first time in school history, eclips ing the record of 21 -0 set in the 1935 36 season. “They’re playing with tremendous confidence and harmony,” Nee said. “They’re; playing like a team that has momentum on their side. We picture their big goal as the national champi onship. I think that’s what they are gearing themselves for.” Note: ‘ NU sophomore Larry Florence, who didn’t play Wednesday night be cause of a nagging knee injury, re turned to practice on Thursday and should be available to play Saturday. The 6-5 Florence has started 17 games for the Huskers this season, third most on the team. He averages 8.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Tampa guard still likes NU Rodney Fields, a 6-3 guard from Tampa, Fla., who signed with Ne braska last spring but did not meet NCAA academic requirements, is en joying a successful season at Tyler (Texas) Junior College. Tyler Coach Fred Rike said Thurs day that Fields “has his heart set on attending Nebraska” after completing his junior-college eligibility next sea son. -y.vi? "£ u.- \ “I don’t think Rodney would even Consider looking at another school,” Rike said. “He really liked what he saw up there, and I know he was really disappointed when he didn’t make it.” Fields, the only freshman starter on Tyler’s 14-5 team that began the season ranked No. 1 in the nation, averages 13 points and eight rebounds per game. “Rodney is big-time,” Rike said. “He’s just a winner. He had the high est grade-point average on the team last semester, and he works hard ev ery day.” Stephen Eldridge, a 6-10 Tyler sophomore, has also drawn recruiting interest from Nebraska, among other schools. Rike said Eldridge will choose a school shortly before sign ing a letter of intent in April. - I ( W Promotion; ^ V Senior Day %: _■ --1 * J i ‘ t g 1
