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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1997)
InCCMI, HUSKBIS hang tough late hi win nor Tigers Doage’s return, DeForge’s 26 points spark NU to a win at the Big 12 Tbumament. By Mike Kluck Senior Reporter KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tina McClain wasn’t going to let her Nebraska basketball ca reer end with a loss to Missouri. After all the senior from Montrose, Mo., had never lost to her home-state school and she wasn’t going to let the Tigers steal a victory and end her career in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday. So in the final 30 seconds of the game, McClain made two clutch free throws and grabbed two key rebounds to propel the Comhuskers to a 62-58 win over MU. The victory was Nebraska’s 16th straight over the Tigers — 10 of which have come dur ing McClain’s career. The win also sent the Huskers (19-8) into tonight’s second-round game against TexasVi - “In my career I have never Iost lo Missouri it and feels really good,” McClain said. ‘1 didn’t want to think about that before the game.” Jami Kubik had a chance to give NU a four point lead with 31 seconds left but she missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity. It was the fifth front-end ffee-throw chance the Huskers missed in the game. But McClain grabbed the miss and was fouled by Big 12 freshman-of-the-year Julie Helm. McClain — a 47 percent free-throw shooter — who was 2 of 6 from die line in the game, swooshed both attempts to give Nebraska a 62 58 lead. On the Tigers’ next possession freshman Amy Monsees missed a shot and McClain grabbed another rebound. McClain grabbed one more defensive board before the end of the game to finish with 10 rebounds and 12 points. “Her performance was big,” NU Coach Angela Beck said. “And I think she really stepped up and we have always expected that to happen. We needed that tonight” MU Coach Joann Rutherford said McClain’s rebound of Kubik’s missed free throw was cru cial in ending the Tigers’ season with a record of 1Q-1R. ? “McClain isnot'the one t£e \gragtecfao have the ball at the end,” Rutherford sai<£ “The cru cial thing was not blocking out on rebounds.” Please see WIN on 8 Matt Miller/DN NICOLE KUBIK drives against Missouri’s Tanisha Johnson in Tuesday night’s 62-58 win at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City. Tho Cornhuskers play Texas tonight. Cowboys are favorite in conference meet By Sam McKewon Staff Reporter In the Big 12 Conference wrestling world, it’s Oklahoma State and everybody else. The top-ranked Cowboys enter Saturday’s Big 12 Championships at Co lumbia, Mo., as the un disputed favorite ac cording to the league’s coaches. “Somebody is going to have to poison Oklahoma State’s wa ter,” Nebraska Coach Tim Neumann said. “That’s the only way anyone will have a chance at them.” The Cowboys are expected to send at least eight wrestlers in 10 classes to the NCAA Championships March 20 through 22 in Ce dar Falls, Iowa. OSU has been ranked in the top spot ever since beating then-No. 1 Iowa on Jan. 19 at the Cliff Keen National Duals. Cowboy Coach John Smith said he is confident about the way his team has pro gressed throughout the season, and they are ready for the last two meets of the year. “We’ve been consistent for most of the season,” Smith said. ‘We came together as a team early, and we have used that to our ad vantage as the year has went on.” The other four teams in the tournament— Nebraska, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Mis souri— are battling for position in the NCAA’s. All will most likely send wrestlers to Cedar Falls, but Saturday’s Big 12 meet gives each school a chance to improve those numbers. The Comhuskers, the Cyclones and the Sooners are ranked seventh, ninth, and 13th entering the meet. For a wrestler to make the NCAA Tour nament, at least a top-three finish at the con ference tournament or a wild-card berth is required. Teams like OU need high-placing performances in many weight classes be cause wild-card spots aren’t a sure bet. “It’s not so much trying to beat Oklahoma State as it is trying to get wrestlers in the NCAA’s,” Sooner Coach Jack Spates said. “We want to get seven or eight wrestlers to Cedar Falls if we can.” Nebraska is coming off two straight dual losses—over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State — after winning seven «in a row. Despite the setbacks, Neumann said NU hasn’t lost much momentum heading down to Columbia. “I think we’re wrestling good for our youth and inexperience right now,” Neumann said. “Against Oklahoma State we had a lot of close, great matches.” The meet is also a final tuneup for indi vidual national title contenders to hone their skills, Smith said. OSU has four wrestlers ranked either first or second in the nation, and Smith said the conference meet will prepare everyone for the NCAA Tournament. . “This is a tournament-style format, which is what they need,” Smith said. Overall, the tournament provides its par ticipants a chance to show off for what the league’s coaches think is the nation’s best conference. “Our tradition is better than anyone’s,” ISU Coach Bobby Douglas said. “Our teams are always a threat.” By Vince D’Adamo 4 Staff Reporter y With selection Sunday for the NCAA Tour nament just five days away, the Big 12 Confer ence men’s basketball teams are still jockeying for position to earn a berth in the field of 64. Some Big 12 teams may already have their best dress ready for the Big Dance, but the Big 12 Tournament, which starts Thursday in Kan sas City, Mo., will help to decide what seed many teams will receive. The Big 12 may send six teams to the NCAA Tournament and perhaps three others will qualify to the NIT. Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, all former Big Eight teams that won at least 17 games against Division I opponents and won seven conference contests received a bid. If that follows suit in the Big 12, top-ranked Kansas (29-1 overall and 15-1 in the league), No. 18 Colorado (21-8 and ll-5),16th-raflked Iowa State (19-7, 10-jS),',Tbxas (16-10, 10-6), Texas Tech (18-8, 10-6) and Oklahoma (17-9, 9-7) will receive bids. The Cyclones stumbled in the final two weeks of the season, losing three of their last four games. Nevertheless, ISU Coach Tim Floyd said Iowa State’s funk should have little bearing on whether the Cyclones re ceive a bid. Last season, Minnesota won 18 games — including seven of its last nine — but still did not make the field of 64. Now the Gophers are ranked No. 2 with a 26-2 record and are a tour nament lock. After watching Minnesota get shafted in 1996, OU Coach Kelvin Sampson said he will not assume anything when it comes to Selec tion Sunday. “Nobody can feel secure unless you’re a Top 25 team,” Sampson said. “The good thing is that we can control our own destiny. I can’t ask for anything more.” Texas Tech Coach James Dickey said a poor may have •an.. _ ^ v r> ' '$d£|lefmitely run a risk on What happens nationally,” Diekey^jaid^think our schedule and power ratings are goodenough. I don’t know that it’s critical,hat it can hurt.” Nebraska (16-13,7-9), Oklahoma State (15 13,7-9) and Baylor (18-11,6-10) will have their NCAA Tournament fate decided by their per formance in the league tournament. Those three teams need to win the confer ence tournament or they wilf didst likely be in vited to the National Invitation Tournament. Missouri (13-16, 5-11), Texas A&M (9 17,3-13) and Kansas State (10-16,3-13) also have; to pull off an improbable feat of win ning four games in four days to continue their seasons. NU Coach Danny Nee — whose Huskers won ithe NIT title last year — said NU needs four wins at the Big 12 Tournament to make die Big Dance. “We have to win the tournament,” Nee said. “Our goal is to get the NCAA Tournament, but we’ll just play the cards that we’re dealt.” t Tournament Time The Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament starts Thursday aHflHHPP Kansas City. Here are die pairings: (6) Oklahoma vs. (11) Texas A&M (8) Oklahoma St vs. (9) Baylor * Kansas, Texas, Iowa St. and Colorado receive first-round byes. (2) UT plays either Nebraska " or Missouri (4) ^^M^ttMurTNEUS^^^^lS^ ... . X ' ■; . 4 '' *W. • U-?-***-.-—---—-;- ; ----
