Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 10, 1999)
Sports Van Horn’s attitude challenges team By David Wilson Staff writer The phone rings. “It's probably Bill Byrne,” says Nebraska Baseball Coach Dave Van Horn as he glances down at his desk. These five-minute phone conversations between Van Horn the NU athletic director have become common within the last 13 months. Just a quick update. They talk about last week end's games, next weekends games, the new bats, the new „ u facilities and the weather. Van Horn Then it’s over. “It was Bill Byrne,” Van Horn says as he tries to remember what he was talking about prior to the call. Though he might not have mentioned it on the phone. Byrne has been excited about the direction of the baseball program since Van Horn took over prior to last season. Bvme is not alone. The key to success, Van Horn says, is a winning attitude - something he has tried to instill since day one. And that's something many players say was missing at the end of Coach John Sanders' era. “Coach Van Horn said we're a team that comes out and plays hard every day,” senior pitcher Jay Sinanni said. “I don't ever remember hearing that from Coach Sanders.” A pitcher pokes his head in Van Horn's door as the coach discusses his open-door policy, which has also likely helped Van Horn earn the players' respect. On the field. Van Horn says, the team is first. Off the field players are fiee to discuss their indi vidual situations anytime. “1 try to be real up-front with the players and real honest,” Van Horn says. “They always know what's on my mind. I don’t hold too many secrets from them. You can come in here and talk about where you stand or what you have to do to get in the lineup. The bottom line is that the team is No. 1.” Winning is right up there, too. That means going into every game thinking you’re going to win, which has always been a Van Horn philosophy. One of the first things Assistant Coach Mike Anderson will describe to recruits is Van Horn’s energetic drive to win. “He’s highly competitive,” Anderson said. “He’s going to try to beat you at Ping-Pong as hard as he tries to beat you at tiddlywinks.” And that drive has rubbed off on the players Please see BASEBALL on 8 u Coach Van Horn said we re a team that comes out and plays hard everyday. I don’t ever remember hearing that from Coach Sanders.” Jay Sirianni NU senior pitcher Huskers ready to stop Rebels’ run Hamilton, Nee say team is focused to play By Adam Klinker Senior staff writer Just as their team nickname sug gests. the Nevada-Las Vegas basket ball team should be bringing their up tempo, fast-paced attack with them tonight for their game with Nebraska. And that's just fine by the Comhuskers. The Runnin' Rebels will seek to run in a 7:05 p.m. contest at the Devaney Sports Center in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. And if UNLV (16-12 overall and 9-5 in the Western Athletic Conference) is running, so are the Huskers. “This may be the most athletic team we've played,'' NU forward Andy Markowski said. "All their guys want to run and want to take it the bas ket, so that should play into our hands. We play well against teams that are more up tempo and like the fast break. We should be able to plav the style we like to plav.” Leading the way for the Rebels on the offensiv e end is junior forward Shawn Marion, who is averaging 18.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 Marion has had to step up as UNLV s go-to big man after center Kaspars Kambala underwent surgery to repair tom cartilage in his right knee Feb. 17 and has missed the rest of the season. "ShawTi Marion is one of the most prolific players in the country." Nebraska Coach Danny Nee said. "I just think he's dynamite " Senior forward Kevin Simmons is also putting in double digit point totals with 13.1 ppg and 7.2 rpg. As a team, the Rebels posted big wins over Tulsa twice and Colorado State twice, both teams that Nebraska lost to in the 1998-99 season. UNLV also lost to Kansas and Oklahoma State. Overall, Nee said it should be a good game between two evenly-paired teams. "I like them," Nee said. "They're a very good basketball team. 1 look for it to be a great game." And it should be a fast-paced one, too, as all indications point to a marathon of sprinting and fast break offense. ^mm_j DN File Photo NEBRASKA POINT GUARD Chad Johnson helps lead the Nebraska basketball team in the NIT. The Rebels are averaging 75.3 points per contest as a team, the Huskers. 65.2. Besides the points, both teams are fairly evenly matched in all other statistical categories. Nee said NU will maintain its quick game and should be able to stay on pace with the Rebels. “We'll play the way we normally play: If the break's there, we'll take it,” Nee said. "1 think we'll match up well with them.” For the Huskers, honorable men tion All-Amencan and Big 12 player of the year Venson Hamilton and the rest of the NU seniors hope to keep up well enough to extend their college careers. Hamilton said he’s ready for a run ning game and knows what it's going to take to put the skids on the Rebels' equally tenacious motion offense. “They’ll push the ball.” Hamilton said. “That's all they do. They go on transition, they go one-on-one. Our focus point is to stop the penetration and stop the fast break.” Big 12 still searching for respect By Brandon Schulte Staff writer Respect. For three years, the women's basketball teams in Big 12 conference have been trying to gain it. By virtue of placing five teams in the NCAA tournament, they may have finally gotten the recognition they deserve. While not up to par with the Southeastern conference yet, which features perennial powerhouse Tennessee as one of the eight confer ence teams that made the tournament, the five from the Big 12 mav not be far off. The five Big 12 teams allotted NCAA berths - Texas Tech, Iowa State, Nebraska, Texas and Kansas - tie with the ACC and have more berths than the other major conferences: the Big Ten, Big East and Pacific-10, which all had four teams mvited. The strength and respect of the league is apparent to Texas Coach Jody Conradt, whose team was the fifth and final conference team selected into the field, despite a 16-11 overall record. “Our bid is all about the strength of our conference and how much respect people have for our league,” Conradt said. “We were a ‘strong’ four in our conference regular season play. 1 was hoping that a conference ranked as the second-toughest would get more than four bids.” While placing five teams in the tourney is an accomplishment, the abil ity to get wins in tournament play against quality’ competition will show the true mettle of the conference to the rest of the country'. No. 2 seed Texas Tech (28-3), the highest seeded conference team, will most likely be the flag^bearer of the conference teams. As a one seed last year, the Red Raiders suffered a devas tating home loss to Notre Dame. “This season won’t be successful unless we can erase the memory of last year,” Tech Coach Marsha Sharp said . They will be aided this weekend with the opportunity to stay in Lubbock, Texas, and play on their home court against Stephen F. Austin (17-11) and then the winner of N.C. State (16-11) vs. Mississippi State (17 10). Fourth-seeded Iowa State (22-7) will also benefit from home court Please see NCAA on 8