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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 2001)
Ffriend has hopes for late-season run BY BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON Two years ago, a tall, wiry Jamaican brought his likable accent and raw basketball skills - to Lincoln with some major hoop dreams. As Nebraska senior Kimani Ffriend has found out, not all dreams come true. “I got mixed feelings," said Ffriend, now two years wiser and about ready to finish his Cornhusker career. “I had per sonal goals and team aspira tions, but unfortunately so far we haven't fulfilled (the goals) team wise.” Despite not checking off • every goal on his list at Nebraska, you can bet Ffriend wants to fin ish his home career in style with a win over Texas A&M (10-17,3 11 Big 12) at 7:05 p.m. tonight at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Ffriend is one of five<Husker seniors, all important cogs on the team, who will play their last home game against the Aggies tonight Guards Cookie Belcher and Rodney Fields and forwards Steffon Bradford and Craig Wortman join Ffriend as exiting players. Nebraska Coach Barry Collier said the five seniors would start tonight's game. ‘There’s a natural flow of emotions of remembering days gone by for those guys in particular.” Barry Collier NU basketball coach “There’s a natural flow of emotions of remembering days gone by for those guys in particu lar,’' Collier said of Senior Day. “It usually turns out to be a good thing if you channel it correctly.’’ Nebraska is in desperate need of a win after two straight losses. NU presently sits at 13-14, 6-8 in the Big 12. A win tonight would lock up the No. 7 seed for the Huskers in next week's Big 12 tournament A win would also give NU a push heading into the season finale, a road trip to Iowa State on Saturday. Ffriend still maintains dreams of making a late surprise run and said NU hasn’t given up hope that they can run die table at die Big 12 tournament “I haven’t thrown in the towel yet, and I won’t until that last game and I see that clock read zero,” he said. Belcher up to challenge of opponents'best players BELCHER from page 10 own. “Steals are what everybody knows me by," he said. “They are all hustle, anticipation and aggressiveness. “Everyone sees you score and rebound and all that stuff, but steals are one of those things that not many people look at I can tell by looking at that whether or not I was aggressive and worked hard or not" And Belcher had a shot, as slim as he said it might have been, to have that stat all to himself in the NCAA record books. Starting the season, Belcher needed 105 steals to tie Eric Murdock for the record. His total, which stands at 346 right now, will likely stop twenty or so short of die necessary 371. Belcher won't fall short of the mark without a fight He concedes it wont happen, but he isn’t by any means bitter about not reaching it * “It was kind of a long shot at the start of the season, and I would have had to average a lot of steals to make it up there," Belcher said. It's easy to tell how much it would have meant to Belcher to have the mark all to himself. He pauses when asked about the record’s importance, looks up, and mutters under his breath, “I don’t know.” Belcher is the kind of player who, when asked to name the five best guards he has defended in his career, thinks long and hard about the question. But he can only come up with three - Paul Pierce, formerly a University of Kansas star and now a Boston Celtic, Richard Hamilton, UConn standout and now a Washington Wizard and Cory Carr, a former Texas Tech gunner. Missouri s Kareem Rush, Iowa State’s Jamaal Tinsley and Oklahoma State's Maurice Baker are the three toughest he has faced this year. One has to wonder how many of those six would mention Belcher as one of the hardest to score on. Most of their coaches already have. *♦* When Barry Collier took over for Danny Nee this season, Belcher had to adjust to a new style of defense. No more in your face, pressure defense - the style Nee preferred. Collier wants his players to sit back in the passing lanes and play a sag and help style. Belcher said this neither ham pered nor helped his attempt at the record. Deception, which Belcher said is a major part of his game, can be used in either style. “That is key for a lot of defens es," Belcher said. “I put myself in situations where I know I can get to the ball, but other players think leant” But Collier hasn’t been deceived by his senior leader’s (day this season. Collier said Belcher is the most athletic guard he has seen in his 25 years of coaching. Whether or not that translates into an NBA call, Collier is not sure. Like Williams, Collier is aware of the kind of weapon he has had at his disposal this season. “He reads the passer's eyes very well and still knows where his man is,” said Collier, who thinks the guard is All-Big 12 material “I think there is a knack to it” he said. “You can point it out and try to teach it to others, but clearly there has to be a level of poise out there to look for that opportunity” Wonderlic tests brain not brawn NFL from page 10 properly, Stark said. What the test determines may not actually translate into reality, he said. For starters, the test doesn’t account for learning disabilities, Stark said, and the fact that it’s a timed test will affect die scores of some of its participants. Stark also noted that the test isn’t that specialized, as anyone can administer it IQ tests, which many people confuse with the Wonderlic, require licensed pro fessionals to give them, Stark said. “For what they want," Stark said, “there’s a lot of other ways to get it" Stark said examining the pos sible presence of learning disabili ties and inspecting college and high school grades would be effec tive as well. “What they’re really trying to figure out is what the players can learn,” Stark said, “because when they get to camp, they’re going to throw a three-inch playbook in their lap.” 826'TStfMt • (402) 477-2277 Jones'energy sparks NU I jwi»Trom page m_ points and 5.3 rebounds in the last five games. Not bad for someone who is, according to Sanderford, essentially a fresh man after sitting out most of last year with a tom anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. It was fitting the injury came by crashing into the scorer's table while diving for a loose ball. "She brings a lot of energy and emotion to the floor,” Sanderford said. "Some players try to be cool and play without passion. I think its cool to have passion, and she shows it” Jones has needed passion the last two years. Last year, she had the bum knee, which made her even more antsy than nor mal “I’m definitely a better player because of it, though,” Jones said. This year, it has been the los ing. "I think I’d be a lot happier if we were winning. It’s just frus trating ... we just have to play harder, work out more. What else can you do? God says ifyou work hard, things are going to happen. You just don’t know when.” Like many developed per sonality traits, this innate aggression came from child hood and adolescence. Jones had two older brothers who wouldn’t let her play basketball with them, and she had to fight jum iu ue seen. That’s easy to believe. What may not be is that Jones, although she seems to be in full steam mode all the time, is not a punk. She says her aggressive ness on the court differs from some in that she doesn’t trash talk and doesn’t play dirty. And although she went to Benson, a school known for its urban toughness, she’s not just a brutish basketball player either. Her passion for excellence in the game carries over into life - she had a religious upbringing and was an honors student, a Fellowship of Christian Athletes member and devoted volunteer. Being “someone no one wants to play” doesn’t mean being someone no one wants to meet “It comes from my mom -1 was very well disciplined,” Jones said. “My parents always said whatever you do reflects on you. Never do anything that people would look down on you for.” Like tearing off people’s jer seys the first time you meet them? Jones offered up a rare smile when reminded of that encounter with Sutton. “It was just like one of those Hulk Hogan shirts that rip right off,” Jones said. “(Causing a scene like that) wouldn’t be acceptable in what I was raised in.” But she sure makes a strong impression. Roux looks for strong finish ROUXfrompagelO best score. While she has started strong in the spring, the autumn was rough for Roux. After finishing the Alltel Husker Invitational tied for ninth, her next-best showing was 25th place at the 2000 Prices/NMSU Invite. "I wish the fall would have gone better,” Roux said. For Roux and her teammates, it has been a long, cold winter for NU to mull over its lackluster per formance in the fall after last spring's NCAA championships berth. Cold weather has relegated the team to practicing in the Bob Devaney Sports Center: Lack of outside practice time makes getting a feel for the game difficult "It doesn't hurt ball striking, but it has hurt our short game,” Krapfl said. “You can't simulate dripping and putting inside.” The Huskers traveled to warmer weather for a practice dual against New Mexico in early February. Despite the golfing vacation, Nebraska’s 1 l^-place finish at the Midwest Gassic was its first finish outside the top 10 this year. The lack of outside practice bothered die Huskers’ play slight ly, but, Roux said, that can’t be used as an excuse. “Some northern schools have posted some good scores this spring,” she said. "If they can do it, we can too.” NU will try to match last year’s strong showing by making a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. Ori paper, the Huskers have a decent chance to do so with four starters back from last year’s squad. The only loss is Elizabeth Bahensky, who finished second on the team in stroke average last spring. ' To make a repeat appearance, Krapfl said the team needs a con sistent fifth player to step up. Roux agreed. “We can’t be a contender until we get four scores in the 70s,” she said. P Newly Engaged? P Park Centers & The Boulevard can help. Trying to plan a reception in Lincoln and feeling overwhelmed? We Offer: w Student Discounts w 17 Years of Experience w 3 Large Halls • Large Dance Floors * FREE Parking • Room for 50 to 500 w Great Food W. .—3*5 Call: 477-5177 To schedule a free 1/2 hour consultation _ I gfe .—-s&a 4 WE'LL ERASE YOUR COLLEGE LOAN. If you’re stuck with a (federally insured) student loan that’s not in default, the Army might pay it off. If you qualify, we’ll reduce your debt— up to $65,000. Pay ment is either 1/3 of the debt or $1,500 for each year of service, whichever is greater. 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Nebraska, which finished a respectable sixth in its season opening Rice Invitational last weekend, placed 12th in the USTA Invitational in San Antonio, which was completed on Tuesday. Big 12 foe Texas Tech finished atop the 12-team tournament fir ing a three-round score of 853, eight strokes ahead of second place Texas-San Antonia Individually; die Comhuskers were paced by Jim TYoy, who fin ished tied for 29th place with a three-round score of 224. The „ sophomore fired the lowest round by a Nebraska golfer with an opening-day 72. Seth Porter was Nebraska's most consistent golfer. The junior fired three consecutive rounds of 75 and finished tied for 34th. He placed seventh at the Rice Invitational a week ago. The next time Nebraska takes the links will be in Lafayete, La., for the Louisiana Classics on March 12-13. 1 1 " IS ..—.. 1 m \i p K ? Get a HUEE 8 oz. 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