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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 4, 1998)
Sam McKewon Hey Tyronn! Don’t make NU Lueless Dear Mr. Tyronn Lue, Nebraska basketball superstar: It’s getting down to decision time, buddy. You know what 1 mean. Is it going to be one more year with the Cornhuskers or off to the NBA'? I know, y ou want to concentrate on the Big 12 and NCAA tourna ments and try to deliv er NU to its first Big Dance in four years. But in the back of y our mind, the decision has to be lurking like that ever-present Clash song: "Should I stay or should I go'?" However, I think 1 speak for almost all of the student body and all Nebraska basketball fans in asking y ou to do one simple thing after the season is over. Stay Stay tor me. because 1 m seltish. 1 want to see you for one more season, breaking down defenders while going to the hoop or dazzling opponents with those fast-break passes. The occasional one-handed, pull-up jumpers weren't bad either. Stay for yourself, because you can get better. You still turn the ball over a lot for a point guard, and there are times when your diot leaves you. Take a year at the college ranks to perfect it. And don't forget that college degree. Stay for the team, and make it the best in Husker history. With five returning starters and a couple of emerging bench players, your Huskers would have top-20 capabili ties and a chance to make some real noise in the NCAA Tournament. May tor tne big 11 Lonterence, because they're going need you bad. With names like LaFrentz, Carr, Pierce. Brewer and Skinner gone after this year, you would represent the conference as its best player. Who else is going to do it, Manny Dies? I don't think so. Stay to spite the NBA. Hey, do you want to be sent off to basketball's Siberia in Toronto like your former Big 12 mate Chauncey Billups was because he wasn’t ready for the big leagues? Don’t let the NBA make you a business commodity ... yet. There are two drawbacks to stay ing. One is the money, which, to say the least, will tempt you. But if you’ve went without it for three years in col lege, a fourth can’t be that bad. The other is injury, which none of us can predict. Getting hurt is part of the business, though, and who’s to say it wouldn’t happen in the NBA? And where would you rather be injured: alone in Siberia, er Toronto, or around your teammates in Lincoln? Think about it Tyronn. You could take this Nebraska team to another level next season. Or you can play for the 20-62 Vancouver Grizzlies in those pretty, neon-blue uniforms. What'll it be° Sam McKewon is a sophomore political science and news-editorial major and Daily Nebraskan senior reporter. OSU aims to slow down NU By Mike Kluck Staff Reporter KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Sleep will come a lot easier the next few days for Oklahoma State Coach Dick Halterman with a win over Nebraska today. The Cowgirls, 18-9 overall, and the No. 25 Cornhuskers (22-8) bat tle today in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., at 2:20 p.m. According to some NCAA Tournament experts, the Cowgirls are on the proverbial NCAA bubble. However, Halterman and Nebraska Coach Paul Sanderford both believe OSC has enough wins to advance to the tournament despite the outcome of today's game. “There's no doubt in my mind we're one of the top 64 (teams),” Halterman said. “Now if we were to lose to Nebraska tomorrow, would I be worried on Sunday? Very wor ried. A win over Nebraska is a defi nite NCAA Tournament trip. “We should be in, but for me to sleep well until Sunday, we've got to have a win against Nebraska.” Sanderford, who watched Oklahoma State's first-round come from-behind 67-48 victory over Missouri Tuesday, said the Cowgirls are playing like a team on a mission - but so is Nebraska. “One of our goals was to win this tournament,” Sanderford said. “Whoever gets on a roll has an opportunity to do that.” For Nebraska to start its roll, the Huskers must stop Oklahoma State's inside play, Sanderford said. The Cowgirls start 6-foot-7 freshman Devon Magness at center and seniors Cheri Edwards and Renee Roberts at forward. In NU’s 77-47 victory over OSU Jan. 31, Nebraska limited the trio to 15 points. Halterman said Roberts was in the middle of a mid-season slump in which she scored 16 points in five games. Roberts was a sec ond-team All-Big 12 selection last year but was just honorable mention this year. Against Missouri on Tuesday, Roberts poured in 14 points, while sophomore Sara Jackson scored a career-high 18. The Cowgirls trailed Missouri by five with 12 minutes Please see OSU on 8 Women’s Basketball Starters Today, 2:20 p.m. Municipal Auditorium - Kansas City, Mo. Oklahoma St. 18-9 (11-6) Pos. Name Ht. Yr. G Sara Jackson 5-9 So G Jennifer Crow 5-9 So C Devon Magness 6-7 Fr. F Cheri Edwards 6-2 Sr. F Renee Roberts 5-10 Sr. Nebraska 22-8 (11-5) Pos. Name Ht. Yr. G AnnaDeForge 5-11 Sr. G Nicole Kubik 5-10 So. C Corf McDili 6-1 Jr. F Jami Kubik 5-11 Sr. | F Brooke Schwartz 5-11 So. Daniel Luedert/DN NU FRESHMAN SHANDRA JOHNSON, a native Nebraskan, is making a splash on the Husker swim team, breaking Nebraska and conference records. Johnson jumps into Big 12 spotlight By Jay Saunders Assignment Reporter At this time last year, Shandra Johnson was starting to celebrate a state swimming title at Omaha North High School. This year, Johnson has a chance to be a national champion. A freshman, Johnson came to Nebraska to help the Comhuskers in the freestyle and the backstroke. She chose NU over Auburn, Tennessee and Texas A&M. No one knew what kind of an impact Johnson would make in her first year, but both Johnson and the Huskers are happy with the result. Going into the Big 12 Conference Championships, Johnson was swim ming a time of 4 minutes, 56.48 sec onds in the 500-yard freestyle, which was her signature event in high school. Johnson exploded onto the scene at the Big 12 meet with a time of4:43.48 in the 500 freestyle, break ing the school and the conference record by seven seconds. 44 than" ? "ever / am g^ld I COUld go^JohTon come in and help " said. _ “Swimming SHANDRA JOHNSON like that in the NU swimmer 500 is a great .. accomplishment for me.” Johnson wasn’t done though. She swam conference-record times in the 200-yard backstroke and the 200 yard freestyle. She also swam on two relay teams. Please see SPLASH on 8