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
