—a
Andrew Strnad
Is K-State
a fraud or
real thing?
L ast year 1 wrote a column call
ing Kansas State a fraud (See Oct. 2.
199'’. Daily Nebraskan in the
archives on the Web ifvou're interest
ed).
d his weekend's game against
Nebraska will effectively put an end
to that fraud investigation, which has
lasted the entire decade.
For the last 10 years. Wildcat
Coach Bill Snyder has helped trans
form the worst team in college foot
ball history to a legitimate power
house. So the story1 goes.
Along the wax', the \\ udeats haxe
defeated not txvo. not three, not fixe,
but one top-10 team.
In their defense, they couldn’t
beat any because they weren’t play
ing any top-10 teams
Despite facing a top-10 Nebraska
team nine of the last 10 years. Kansas
State has only played one ranked
non-conference opponent.
I understand what the Wildcats
hax e done is xery impressive. For
instance. Snyder has won 75 games
as coach of KSU. It took the school
28 years ( 1960-1 988) to win 75
games before his arrival.
It is also notable that K-State has
gone to bowl games each of the past
fixe seasons.
The string is six straight if you
beliexe the KSU media guide, which
calls the ’92 game against Nebraska
in Tokyo. Japan, the Coca Cola Bow l.
But until Kansas State defeats
one of the big boys (Nebraska, albeit
8-2. would be considered a big box ),
it is going to face ridicule and criti
cism from fans and writers, not just
from the so-called evil Hast Coast,
but from fellow Midwestern states.
Fm no fool. 1 know K-State is for
real. I don't think there is a better
team out there, but it needs to prove
it!
Nobody will beliex e the Wildcats
are for real until they put up some real
evidence.
The iurv hasn't uone to deliberate
yet. The Wildcat s defense won't end
until they answer the questions of the
prosecutors.
In this case, three prosecutors
remain: Nebraska, Missouri, and
Texas or Texas A&M. .Answer their
questions and the jury (media) will
acquit the Wildcats of all fraud
charges.
Better yet. the judge (Bowl
Championship Series) will drop the
charges and let K-State continue to
practice in the Fiesta Bowl.
But if the Wildcats do stumble
along the way on Saturday, then we
have 43,000 witnesses to the crimes
of fraud and conspiracy to commit
fraud.
If that happens, we’ll need to call
the 21sl district court in Kansas.
Anybody have the number?
Andrew Strnad is a senior
broadcasting and political science
major and Daily Nebraskan Staff
writer.
Matt Miller/DN
SHAROLTA NONEN and the rest of the NU soccer team will play host to Texas A&M on Sunday in an NCAA second-round game. The rivals have already played
twice this season, and the Huskers won both times.
NU to do battle with A&M again
By Darren Ivy
Staff writer
The saga continues.
W hen the NCAA tournament pairings came
out. and Nebraska Coach John Walker saw Texas
A&M as a possible second-round opponent, he had
no doubts that his team would be facing the Aggies
on Sunday in Lincoln.
Wednesday. A&M defeated No. 22 Alabama
3-1 to fulfill Walker's prophecy and set up a third
game between the two riv als Sunday at 1 p.m. at the
Abbott Sports Complex.
"It's no surprise we are playing them." Walker
said. "They are the best team we've played this
year. No question."
The No. 13 C’omhuskers won the previous two
matches, 2-0 in Lincoln Oct. 2 and 3-2 in triple
overtime last Sunday. The most-recent win during
the semifinal game of the Buz 12 Conference tour
nament in San Antonio propelled NU (16-3-1) into
the championship game. It beat Missouri 4-0.
Two of the last three years, the A&M-Nebraska
game has decided the Big 12 champion. But no
previous matchup has had as much on the line. The
winner moves on. and the loser goes home.
“The thing is. you wonder what the next chap
ter will be because every game we've played in
postseason has been a classic," said A&M Coach
G. Guerneri. “I hope my kids have it in them to try
it again."
Nebraska is hoping this third act follows the
same script as the first two. However, Husker play
ers and coaches would prefer a repeat of the first
game as opposed to the second.
In the Nov. 8 game. A&M outshot Nebraska 25
7. NU freshman forward Becky Preston said A&M
(14-7) controlled most of the game.
“They really did outplay us," Preston said. “It
was almost embarrassing. Hopefully, that will
motivate us on Sunday "
Walker is hoping the hometown fans will also
motivate Nebraska. During the season NU aver
aged 919 fans.
“1 hope we get a large crowd nice and loud"
Walker said. “You couldn’t ask for a better game in
terms of a fan perspective.”
Junior striker Lindsay Eddleman said the
Huskers feed off the crowd.
“We always come out with more intensity' and
energy at home,” Eddleman said.
Guerrieri and the Aggies have concerns about
NU’s home-field advantage.
“Playing in Lincoln is a much tougher place
than playing in a neutral site in our home state,”
Guerrieri said. “Playing on their field in their cli
mate, 1 can think of a few places that we’d rather be
than in Lincoln this weekend.”
Walker said NU can throw its two wins over
A&M out the door because they don’t matter now
Please see SOCCER on 11
Players say media
wrong about team
By Darren Ivy
Staff writer
Last season, Cookie Belcher,
Venson Hamilton and the rest of the
Nebraska men's basketball team hid in
the shadows,
while Tyronn Lue
got all the lime
light.
The new sea
son starts Sat
urday for NU
against UNC
Greensboro, and
Lue has left for
the NBA. Media
and coaches don’t
see another Lue
and say there is no chance for Nebraska
to repeat an NCAA Tournament berth .
Inside the Husker locker room,
players and coaches don't mind the low
expectations.
uWe are motivated because of all
the doubts people have,” said Belcher, a
6-foot-4 junior guard. “I don't think a
lot of people give us respect because
we lost Tyronn. We have four returning
starters, and I think we will be one of
the stronger teams in the conference.”
Coach Danny Nee remembered the
pre-season polls last year.
“Last year the media picked us to
fmish eighth, and we finished fourth."
Nee said. “This year, they have us
picked to fmish seventh. Hopefully,
that means we will finish third."
If the Huskers are go mg to make it
back to the NCAA Tournament, they
will need to have a lot of players step it
up, Belcher said.
Senior center Venson Hamilton is
one player who will have to put up
career numbers. Nee said.
“We are going to need him every
night to play to his full potential," Nee
said. “He has to score, rebound and not
make turnovers "
As a junior, the 6-foot-10 Hamilton
averaged 11.2 points and 9.8 rebounds
per game. He had 17 double-digit
rebounding and scoring games.
Nee would like to see Hamilton
increase those numbers to 16 to 18
points and 10 to 12 rebounds a game.
Belcher said he saw a change in
Hamilton after a preseason publication
listed him as the most overrated player
m the Big 12.
“He came out and worked really
Please see HOOPS on 11
Sanderford sets sights
on drawing more fans
By Christopher Heine
Staff writer
Not next season.
Not even later this season.
Nebraska Coach Paul Sanderford
wants to fill the
seats of the Bob
Devaney Sports
Center with faith
ful, rabid fans
right now.
Naysayers
believe his mis
sion is impossible
because of the
popularity of the
Comhusker foot
ball team.
“People have told me that you can’t
get people in Nebraska to come out for
basketball in November,” he said. “It’s
my job to prove them wrong.”
The Comhuskers open regular-sea
son play Friday night against South
Alabama in the CableVision Classic.
NU plays host to the tournament that
also pairs Arizona and Wisconsin
Green Bay in the first round.
Sanderford knows it is his team’s
responsibility to generate an exciting
brand of winning basketball.
He said the Huskers will play his
style of game - a hard and fast pace
accented by good rebounding.
“We want to play uptempo,”
Sanderford said. “We want to play fast.
We want to be aggressive. Physical,
aggressive basketball. In your face.”
NU center Lisa Reitsma, quick to
point out the bruises on her shoulders
and arms, said she is enjoying the
Sanderford style.
The former All-American in vol
leyball said the Huskers will put more
points on the board because of their
full-court attack.
“I like pressuring the ball,” she
said. “We’re going to get a lot more
steals that way, and it makes things a lot
easier on the offensive end.”
Sanderford said the Huskers will
need more than steals to light up the
scoreboard. He said they will miss the
shooting of All-Big 12 player Anna
DeForge. DeFoige graduated and now
plays with the San Jose Lazers. NU will
have to make up for her departure by
getting offensive rebounds, he said.
“We might not be the best shooting
team in the country,” Sanderford said.
Please see BALL on 11
