Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 1998)
NU looks to correct errors in rematch Matt Miller/DN NEBRASKA FORWARD Andy Markowski blocks KU forward Raef LaFrentz’s shot Sunday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Huskers play host to Kansas State Saturday at 12:45 p.m. ■ The Huskers hope to end a three-game losing streak with Saturday’s 12:45 p.m. home game against KSU. By Sam McKewon Senior Reporter If Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Danny Nee has his way, his team’s performance against Kansas State Saturday will bear no resem blance to its previous performance vs. the Wildcats. In that Jan. 28 contest in Manhattan, Kan., the Cornhuskers scored only 19 points in the second half of a 72-49 loss that started NU’s current three-game losing streak. Now, Nee said, Nebraska has to eliminate costly errors to win the rematch, set for a 12:45 p.m. start at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. “The same mistakes that have cost us in the last few games are the same ones that cost us against Kansas State,” Nee said. “We’ve got to get rid of things like turnovers if we’re going to win.” A win, Nee said, would be “very important” for the Huskers. After losing its first home game of the season to Kansas last Sunday, NU fell to Missouri 81-76 in overtime Wednesday, lowering the Huskers record to 4-5 in the Big 12 Conference and 13-9 overall. Junior forward Andy Markowski said a larger issue was at stake Saturday: defending the home floor. “We’re at home, so we know we’ve got to win these games,” Markowski said. “We can’t give anything away here.” But some things need to change if the Huskers are to defeat KSU (13-9 overall, 4-5 in the Big 12), Nee said. One of those things, he said, is shooting. In the past three games, NU has shot 39 percent from the field, including a 33.3 percent performance against KSU. Point guard Tyronn Lue has been among the team’s worst shoot ers, making 19 of 58 attempts (32.7 percent) over the three-game stretch. “Everybody has to shoot the ball better,” Nee said. “We’ve got to focus on ourselves.” Turnovers also continue to be a problem for the Huskers. NU has aver aged 18 turnovers over three games, including 13 in the first half against Missouri. “We just can’t turn it over,” Markowski said. “Offensively, we’re Men’s | Basketball Starters Saturday, 12:45 p.m. Bob Devaney Sports Center Kansas St. 13-6 (4-5) Pos. Name Ht. Yr. G Aaron Swartzendnd»r 6-1 Sr. G Duane Davis 5-11 So. C Shawn Rhodes 6-11 Sr. F Manny Dies 6-8 Jr. F Ayome May 6-5 Jr. Nebraska 13-9 (4-5) Pos. Name Ht. Yr. G Tyrann Lue 6-0 Jr. G Cookie Belcher 6-3 So. C Venson HamSon 6-10 Jr. F Andy Markowski 6-8 Jr. F Larry Florence 6-5 Jr. I hurting our chances.” One aspect Nebraska would like to maintain from the first game with Kansas State will be its containment of KSU’s leading scorer, Manny Dies. Dies, who averages 16.9 points per game, made 4 of 10 shots and scored only 11 points against the Huskers in Manhattan. In that game, the Wildcats coun tered their star’s poor performance by making 9 of 18 shots from 3-point range, including four straight to start the game. “We want to do the same types of things against Dies that we did last time,” Markowski said. “Hopefully, some of their 3-pointers don’t go in like they did down there.” Other key players for KSU include center Shawn Rhodes, who averages 11.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, and guard Aaron Swartzendruber, who averages 9.2 points and 3.2 assists per game. One player to watch Saturday will be Lue. He scored just seven points against KSU Jan. 28 - the first time in 36 games that he did not score in dou ble figures. “If anything, the game Tyronn had against Kansas State before is going to motivate him,” Nee said. “He’ll be ready.” Markowski agreed. “If you ask him, Tyronn will say he stopped himself down there,” Markowski said. “We know what he’s capable of doing.” Lone scholarship goes to Nebraskan From staff reports With only one volleyball schol arship at his disposal, Nebraska Head Coach Terry Pettit didn’t have to look very far to find a suit able prospect. Next year, Pettit will wel come Jenny Kropp of Grand Island along with walk-on Pam Krejci of Crete to a team that lost only one senior to graduation. Kropp signed a national letter of intent with the Cornhuskers Wednesday, after verbally commit ting to NU in December 1996. Kropp, a 6-foot-2 middle block er at Grand Island Central Catholic, is a three-time all-state first-team selection and a third-team prep All American. “She has good lateral move ment, good vision, and she’s also an excellent basketball player - just a great all-around athlete.” Pettit said. Pettit also said Kropp has a chance to make an immediate impact m her freshman season. The departure of NU’s lone senior, Lisa Reitsma, will leave a scholarship open for Kropp. Krejci, a three-time Class B state selection will jom a long list of Nebraska natives to walk on. JN U hopes to hmsh strong By Jay Saunders Assignment Reporter Two weeks ago the Nebraska women’s basketball team was in the middle of the Big 12 Conference pack. Three home conference wins later, the 25th-ranked Cornhuskers (17-6 overall and 6-3 in the conference) take to the road again in an attempt to finish near the top of the pack. They are cur rently ranked fourth in the Big 12. Nebraska travels to Ames, Iowa, Saturday to face Iowa State at 1 p.m. The Cyclones (18-4 and 7-2) are in second place in the Big 12, one game behind Texas Tech, a team ranked sev enth nationally. Nebraska extended its home-court winning streak to 13 games w'ith a 79 61 win over Missouri Wednesday, but the road has not been as kind to the Huskers this season. All three of NU’s conference losses have come away from the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Iowa State has not exactly wel comed opponents to the Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones have won 12 in a row at home. “I am looking forward to going on the road and playing Iowa State,” Sanderford said. “We’re ready to play anybody - bring it on.” NU scoring leader Anna DeForge and the rest of the Huskers have used tenacious defense to jump out early on teams. Against Oklahoma State, NU started the game with an 11-0 run. Wednesday night, NU led Missouri 9 2 in the first five minutes. “We came back from the Baylor game and totally turned around our season,” DeForge said. “(Iowa State) is a key game that we have to win.” Standing in the way of a Husker road win is an Iowa State team that has won eight of its last 10 games, includ ing an upset of Texas Tech. Women’s ^ Basketball MB Starters Saturday, 7:00 p.m. Hilton Coliseum Nebraska 17-6 (3-3) Pos. Name Ht. Yr. G Nicole Kubik 5-10 So. So. F Jami Kubik 5-11 Sr. F m Iowa St. 10-10 (2-8) Pos. Name Ht. Yr. G Stacy Frese 5-8 So. G Amanda Bartz 6-0 So. C ' - JjiftttOWiilF F Jayme Olson 6-2 Sr.
