Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1998)
more dance NU returns to Big Dance but bows out in first round By Darren Ivy Assignment Reporter Getting back to the promised land - otherwise known as the NCAA Tournament - for the first time since 1994 highlighted the year for the Nebraska men’s bas ketball team. But the Cornhuskers (20-12) didn’t satisfy all their desires. “Our goal was to make it to the tourney and win one game,” sopho more Cookie Belcher said. “We didn’t accomplish our overall goal.” But the Cornhuskers finished fourth in the.Big 12 Conference with a 10-6 record, won 20 overall games and had a first-team All-Big 12 player in junior Tyronn Lue. 6 and finished fourth behind Kansas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. For Nee, the 10-6 conference mark was his best in 11 years at NU. The Huskers also learned how to win on the road in the confer ence, going 4-4. NU was the only team to defeat Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla. Nee credited solid team defense for keeping the Huskers in most games. Having Lue also helped. Lue was the focus of most opposing teams this season. The junior from Mexico, Mo., averaged 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. Despite being the focus of other teams, Lue led NU in scoring 25 of the 32 games. Lue said he also was disap pointed with the season finale. “I wanted to win,” Lue said after the Huskers’ tourna ment game. “There’s no pride for me. We were up by 10. We just gave it away.” The Huskers « I wanted to win. There s no pride for me. We were up by 10. We just gave it away.” Tyronn Lue NU point guard Alter the sea son, Lue declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft. “He gave us a lot in his three years,” Nee said. “He got us back to the NCAAs. He is a big-time player.” But it was the time Lue went out during the opened the sea son with five wins in a row at home before falling to Tulsa 85-68 on the road Dec. 1. Coach Danny Nee said the Tulsa loss was one of the low points of the year. NU led 44-38 at halftime but was outscored 47-24 in the second half. Another low came nine days later when NU lost to Creighton 84-73. Winning on the road was some thing NU had a hard time doing in nonconference play, going 1-3. However, the Huskers’ lone win was a big one: Dec. 13 against Minnesota. “Everybody was down mentally after the Creighton loss,” Belcher said. “We had to come back and win this one.” Going into conference play, NU was 9-4. In the conference, NU went 10 first half of the Baylor game Feb. 14 that Belcher said he remembers vividly. Belcher said the game was the most memorable game for him because the team stepped up when Lue went out. “It was neat to see how the team pulled together,” Belcher said. “We went on a 21-0 run. Tyronn saw how well the team can play without him.” The win came during the sec ond game of a regular-season-end ing six-game winning streak. Nebraska then defeated Baylor again in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament 65-46 before falling to Kansas 91-59. All of the wins were necessary for NU to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament, Belcher said. With its 19-12 record, NU notched an 11th seed in the Big Dance and earned a date with Matt Miller/DN Despite being held by Kansas’ T.J. Pugh, NU’S ANDY MARKOWSKI blocks Kansas’ Raef LaFrentz at the Sob Devaney Sports Center. The Cornhuskers qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994. Arkansas in the first round. Nebraska played well for 30 minutes, leading by 10 points with 10 minutes left, but then fatigue set in. Arkansas came back to win 74 65. “I wish we could have won one more game,” Nee said. “I feel the next step is to win a game or two - maybe become a Cinderella team.” For the Huskers to make it back, NU is going to need a point guard. Tyler (Texas) Junior College guard Joe FJulmes is one possibili ty- x With the exception of Lue, how ever, the Huskers return every starter. Returning is Venson Hamilton, the leading rebounder and third leading scorer; Belcher, NU’s sec ond-leading scorer; Andy Markowski, the Huskers’ second leading rebounder; Larry Florence; and Chad Johnson. Belcher said he thinks NU will have a good team next year. “We have a solid nucleus com ing back,” Belcher said. “We will have to pull together and play as more of a team next year.” Sanderford sets standard for success in his first year By Sarah Dose Staff Reporter At the beginning of the season, first-year Coach Paul Sanderford wanted to make NU women’s basket ball more visible. At the end of its regular season, a record 12,181 fans watched NU cruise past Iowa State 68-60 to a perfect home record. “I don’t think women’s basketball has ever been as visible in the state as it is now,” Sanderford said after the Cornhuskers’ loss in the NCAA Tournament to Old Dominion. But Nebraska, which finished its season 23-10, broke more than just attendance records in its 1997-98 sea son. Senior forward Anna DeForge fin ished her career fourth on the Husker career charts in four different cate gories: points (1,859), rebounds (804), assists (392) and steals (222). As a team, the Huskers recorded the most home wins in a season with 16 and tied for most wins in a season with three other seasons. Despite losing to Oklahoma State in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament, NU advanced to the NCAA Tournament, where it defeated New Mexico 76-59 in the first round. But Nebraska’s success didn’t last long. The Huskers fell to No. 2 Old Dominion 75-60 in the second round of the Big Dance. As a team, the Huskers finished the game shooting just 39 percent from the field. DeForge, who finished the season u I don’t think women s basketball has ever been as visible in the state as it is now ” Paul Sanderford NU women’s basketball coach shooting 42 percent from the field, hit only 8 of 23 field goal attempts. During four years at Nebraska, DeForge was twice named to the first team All-Big 12 team and was also an honorable mention All-America selection. Last month, she opted to enter the Women’s National Basketball Association draft. After NU’s loss to Old Dominion, Sanderford said it would be hard to replace seniors DeForge and Nicole Kubik. DeForge also said she would miss the team. “I’ll never have teammates like this again,” she said. “This is some thing that is never going to be replaced.” But Sanderford remained confi dent for the future. “I can guarantee you those sopho mores and younger players are going to learn from this,” Sanderford said. “This might be the first time that I brought Nebraska to the tournament, but it won’t be the last time.” f Check out the new Revised Schedule for % the 1998 - 1999 School Year at UNL. August 24 (Mon.) August 31 (Mon.) September 4 (Fri.) Sofiiotiibor 7 (Mon.) September 11 (Fri.) September 18 (Fri.) October 14 (Wed.) October 16 (Fri.) Pet. 19 - Nov. 6 Oct 2*27 (MoihTuoi November 13 (Fri.) November 25 (Wed.) Nov. 26 - 29 (Thur-Sun.) December 12 (Sat.) Dec. 14-18 (Mon. - Fri.) December 19 (Sat.) Dec. 24-Jan 1 January 11 (Mon.) Jommry 16 (Moo.) January 19 (Tue.) January 22 (Fri.) January 29 (Fri.) February 5 (Fri.) February 10 (Wed.) March 5 (Fri.) March 8 (Mon.) March 14 - 21 (Sun.-Sun.) March 29-Apr. 16 April 9 (Fri.) May 1 (Sat.) May 3-7 (Mon. - Fri.) May 8 (Sat.) First Semester begins Last day for late registrations and adds including adds of thesis or dissertation credits (census date) Last day to drop a full semester course and receive 100% refund Last day to drop a full semester course and receive 75% refund Last day to file a drop to rempve course from student'9 record Labor Day (Student A Staff HoMday) Last day to withdraw from a full semester course and receive 50% refund Last day to withdraw from a full semester course and receive 25% refund Tuition and fee payment deadline Last day to change a course registration to or from "Pass/No Pass" Priority Registration for Second Semester fa* Semester Break (Student Holiday, UNL offices open) Last day to withdraw from one or more courses for the term Student Holiday (UNL offices are open) Thanksgiving Vacation (UNL offices are closed) Last day of classes First Semester Final Exams First Semester Commencement Holiday Closedown(UNL offices are closed) SECOND SEMESTER 1998-99 Second Semester begins Martin Luther JHpg Day (Student & Staff HoBdayl Last day for late registrations and adds including adds of thesis or dissertation credits (census date) Last day to drop a full semester course and receive 100% refund Last day to drop a full semester course and receive 75% refund Last day to file a drop to remove course from student's record Last day to withdraw from a full semester course and receive 50% refund Last day to withdraw from a full semester course and receive 25% refund Tuition and fee peyment deedline Last day to change a course registration to or from "Pass/No Pass" Early Registration for Summer, 1999, begins Spring Vacation (UNL offices are open Monday through Friday) Priority Registration for First Semester, 1999-00 Honors Convocation Last day to withdraw from one or more courses for the term Last day of classes Second Semester Final Exams Second Semester Commencement .' . X ' 1 Bofd/fteltc Events are Changes from the Previously Published Calendar