Show Satjrsay Ma'ch 9 1531 3B Sports - StaoCard-Ena’nin- er Reborn Villanova shocks Syracuse top-seed- ed The Associated Press Villanova and Tennessee had disappointing regular seasons but they're making up for it in their conference tournaments d Villanova upset Fri8 Syracuse in free the East on two Big day throws by Greg Woodard with 47 seconds left The victory came just 18 hours after the Wildcats rallied to beat Boston 3 in the tournament College opener at New York's Madison Square Garden A few days ago Villanova appeared to have no chance to make the NCAA tournament are Now the Wildcats (16-1two victories away from an automatic berth “All I’m concerned with is Eighth-seede- 70-6- top-seed- 74-7- 3) winning tournament” this Villanova coach Rollie Massimi-n- o said “A lot has to happen between now and Sunday night” Villanova will play Seton Hall in the semifinals The Pirates 9 on (20-8- ) beat Pittsburgh Oliver Taylor’s driving layup with one second left In another Big East quarterfinal Providence upset St John's 4 Tennessee’s situation is strikingly similar to Villanova’s The seeded last Volunteers in the Southeastern Conference tournament upset 0 Friday to Mississippi State reach the semifinals at Nashville Tenn For the second straight day the Volunteers beat a team that had beaten them twice during the regular season Tennessee 70-6- 72-6- (11-2- 1) top-seed- ed 87-7- downed Mississippi I 94-8- da 5 Thursday night “We’re still playing and we know that as long as there's a tournament and we’re still alive there's a chance to keep going" Tennessee coach Wade Houston said In other SEC quarterfinals 7 and AlAuburn beat LSU 5 abama ousted Florida LSU played without star center Shaquille O'Neal sidelined with a leg injury Coast At the Atlantic Conference tournament at Charlotte NG North Carolina State 8 and beat Georgia Tech 92-7- 71-6- 82-6- North eliminated Carolina Clemson 9 At the Big Eight tournament in Kansas City Mo Missouri beat 1 Oklahoma Iowa State 6 State downed Kansas State and Kansas topped Colorado 67-5- 97-8- 77-6- 82-7- 6 Pacific beat Fullerton State and UC Santa Barbara de6 in the feated Utah State first round of the Big West tournament in Long Beach Calif Villanova rallied from a 7 deficit with 9:35 left to beat Syracuse for the first time in six postseason games “The kids showed a lot of perseverance" Massimino said “We set goals With five minutes to go we wanted to be down six With two minutes we wanted to be down by three and that’s pretty much where we were" The loss ended Syracuse’s string of eight consecutive semifinal appearances in the Big East tournament It also may cost the Orangemen a No 1 seed in the NCAA tournament which begins Thursday Syracuse star Billy Owens finished with 1 7 points and 22 rebounds but he was on the bench for 2 Vi minutes during Villanova’s rally after picking up his fifth foul “With Billy out we don’t react well to pressure or play well offensively” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said “We don’t play well without him but they made the key plays down the stretch Villanova plays us tough They 74-6- 7 80-7- 63-4- 2 SMU upset Houston 8 and ArTexas beat Baylor 1 kansas routed Texas A&M at the Southwest Conference tournament in Dallas Arkansas’ victory margin was the biggest in SWC tournament history tournaAt the ment in Detroit Ball State downed Central Michigan 9 Toledo defeated Miami of Ohio 9 and Eastern Michigan 7 beat Kent State St Louis beat Loyola of Illialways have” Woodard led Villanova with 8 to reach the final of nois 18 points the Midwestern Collegiate ConAllan Houston scored 23 ference tournament at Dayton fiinto the Ohio Idaho moved points and Carlus Groves added nal at the Big Sky tournament 22 to lead Tennessee over Miswith a 4 victory over Neva sissippi State 65-6- 88-7- 1 OS-6- Mid-Americ- an 77-6- 70-5- 66-4- 89-7- 93-7- The Associated Press Villanova’s Marc Dowdell raises his arms in jubilation after the Wildcats beat Syracuse Suns’ many guns scorch Bullets The Associated Press In the end talent tells The balance and depth of the Phoenix Suns proved to be too much for the Washington Bullets Friday night and both teams continued streaks Jeff Hornacek scored 20 points and five of his teammates were in double figures as the Suns won their fifth straight game 117-9- 1 The Suns also extended their road winning streak to five games and gained their seventh straight victory over an Eastern Conference team Five of those seven have come on the road The Bullets meanwhile have lost their last eight games overall their last five at home and the last seven against Western Conference opponents The is home losing streak a since Washington’s longest e skid nine years ago “Some of the things aren’t correctable" Washington coach Wes Unseld said when asked what he might do to change things “Looking at what we have and what the other teams have there’s not much you can five-gam- do” and four rebounds Scott Skiles had 20 points Jeff and 20 assists for the Magic Hornacek v while Jeff Turner scored 20 Adams led Denver with 27 points He scored 20 The Nuggets got as close as points while 1 on an Orlando Woolridge five teamlayup with 6:21 remaining in mates also the third period scored in dou9 four The Magic led ble figures minutes later when Adams left arc” Hornacek said “We seem the game for a brief rest By the to go on one or two good spurts time he got back in the game 2:26 later that break the game open” Andrew Lang of the Suns 102 Heat 96 scored the first four points of Hawks Duane Ferrell came off the the second quarter on two free throws and a dunk and Washbench to score all eight of his ington got no closer than seven points during an 18-- 6 second-hal- f run that propelled Atlanta points the rest of the half Phoenix led at halftime to a win over Miami 6 the Hawks The Bullets were able to close Trailing to within six points twice in the scored seven straight points third quarter the last time with five by Ferrell before a basket 5:19 remaining in the period and a free throw by Miami’s Phoenix closed the quarter with Bimbo Coles closed out the a 16-- 6 run getting points from third quarter with the Hawks 1 seven players in taking an 2 leading Ferrell added three more lead into the fourth period “That’s the way it is now” points and Spud Webb contribHornacek said “They can’t uted four as Atlanta completed the run by outscoring the Heat double anybody” 3 to open the final period Magic 129 Nuggets 113 lead with 5:16 retaking a Dennis Scott scored a career-hig- h maining 40 points to lead Orlando 'Miami did not score its first field goal of the fourth quarter to a victory over Denver The rookie forward hit 16 of until the 5:39 mark but 22 shots including 4 of 5 climbed back into the game with an 2 run that featured six as the Magic improved break 6 since the of Sherman Douglas’ 8 points to That gave Atlanta a 4 lead The Nuggets led only twice with 1:30 left both times in the first 10 minWebb answered for the utes of the first quarter After Michael Adams gave Hawks with a jumper 5 lead with two After a Miami basket Webb adDenver a ded two of four free throws in minutes left in the first period 6 on an run the final 22 seconds to create Orlando went Michael Ansley came off the the final margin Doc Rivers led Atlanta with bench in the second quarter to 19 points Willie Burton had 18 trigger the run with 13 points 83-8- 94-8- 60-5- 0 78-7- 88-7- 83-8- 11-- Phoenix has no such problem “Teams used to double Kevin (Johnson) and Tom (Chambers) all the time” Suns coach Cotton Fitzsimmons said “Now we have other guys that make it tough to cover Now you have to decide which poison you want to take” Phoenix took control in the closing minutes of the first quarter going on a 10-- 3 run 8 over the final 2:26 to lead Hornacek keyed the spurt and with a pair of another jumper from just inside 36-2- line the “That’s the type of team we 94-8- 4 three-pointe- rs 8-- All-St- 7-- 1 ar 98-9- 20-fo- ot 27-2- 18-- Questions abound as NCAA tourney bracket is determined for Miami 16 in the first half while Rony Seikaly had 20 rebounds By JaNAE FRANCIS Anthony Frederick scored 15 21 points in the second n Sacramenhalf as to defeated Cleveland forward Frederick a who began the season in the Continental Basketball Association started in place of Antoine Carr one of four injured Kings Sacramento dressed the league minimum of eight players Brad Daugherty also scored 21 points for Cleveland and 24 regrabbed a career-hig- h bounds The Cavaliers trailed 2 at halftime but used a 10-- 0 run early in the third quarter and a 10-- 2 run late in the period to tie it at 60 entering the the fourth quarter Larry Nance had 16 points on the road for Cleveland 20 Jim Les had a career-hig- h Bill and and Wennington points Lionel Simmons each grabbed rebounds for the Kings lb- 12 at home OGDEN — Utah State University cowboy Clel Robinson said that once in a while at a rodeo ev- Standard-Exanmne- of his injury-ridde- 45-3- 7-- 1 1 Celtics 104 Clippers 98 Larry Bird’s 22 points inwith cluding a 2:48 to play helped Boston to a win over the Los Angeles Clippers that clinched a playoff berth for the Celtics Bird’s only points of the fourth quarter were followed by eight Celtic free throws in the last 1:09 to hold off the Clippers despite Ron Harper’s 36 in the fourth quarter points Los Angeles made several runs at Boston getting as close as two points several times in the second half only to have the Celtics pull away three-point- 1 er 1 Govern of Kentucky another INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Sonnative of Ireland was second in loss of key players be seeded? ia O’Sullivan who led Villanova 15:5306 cross women’s NCAA center State the to Shaquille The NCAA selection committee Louisiana last “It had a lot of effect on me” Southeastmiss will the O'Neal year championship faces some very specific quescountry 5000-mctbesaid of her bid for a O'Sullivan won championthe tournament Conference ern bracket the it as tions prepares NCAA in double his the at championship cause of a hairline fracture ship Friday night for the NCAA Tournament Here Carlette Guidry of Texas who left leg He might not be back for Indoor Track and Field Champiarc a few led the Lady Longhorns to their the NCAA tournament Alaonships What happens to Georgetown third women’s championship in Other individual champions which has 12 victories against bama’s top reboundcr Robert Nifive years last year repeated in from included determined Friday Horry has been suspended Division I opponents? The tourthe women's 200 in 2323 after will be Fredericks Frank reprebut team the probably nament has never taken an gerian 2068 in and soon 16 Young keeping her bid for another back than Brigham Pepperdinc’s fewer with senting team Cobb LSU’s Coast 200 and West the I the Christie Mary championship in today’s Division over oppoDoug victories final alive earlier hurdles the valuable 761 in playConference's most nents or a 500 record IreSlate’s Tony Li of from a because season for O’Sullivan the senior out regular-seasoWashington er is Is there room for detended China the also to successfully land who knee cona in of help hopes lost that injury” champions crown his indoor 99() title team the Wildcats wrest tying the ference tournaments such as 15 set by record of NCAA 708 the meet won 5000 Texas in Hank from of death Last year the James Madison (Colonial) Rut1984 less in seconds than 4946 Roger Kingdom weakened minutes Gathers Northern Loyola gers (Atlantic 10) and Weber State University’s Brad Mary mount in the eyes of the three hours after qualifying for Illinois Dein final Barton 44188 mile placed eighth in lus heat Where will teams that have committee and the Lions were today's Mc in mile with a time of Valerie the the seeding fending champion been weakened recently by the dropped in er Weber State finds the competition tough Kings 87 Cavs 79 Villanova star wins The Kansas Oty Star cowboy claims two rodeo events USU f rodeo I owe it to her to give it the best 1 got” he said correspondent Robinson said his older brother and “head coach” Clint keeps him going as he lives vicariously through Clefs performances Clint’s rough stock riding career ended early a few years ago in a rodeo accident that left him para- erything will go right for him Friday night’s event at the Golden Spike Arena sponsored by Weber State University was one of those nights Robinson won both the saddle lyzed Clel said today his brother can be his worst critic as well as his best supporter Weber State’s Stokes said his secret o winning is his style “I like to lay way back and ride real aggressive” he said bronc riding and the bull riding events WSU cowboy Sean Stokes was the winner Friday in the bareback riding event with a score of 72 Already this year Stokes has won the average at all three previously held intercollegiate rodeos In other events Weber State competitors found tough competition from the visitors Robinson said riding as well as he did in two events at the same performance is rare for any rough stock competitor “It’s tough to draw a good horse and a good bull at the same time” Robinson said “Then you end up Before Friday’s performance Stokes said Walker the horse he had drawn was just an average But he still planned to win “I can win if I spur him every jump get a good spur out and be aggressive and strong without quitting" he said That’s what he did at least until it was time to get off Stokes was hung up for a good four to five seconds Being hung up back to Stokes’ reer He’s already off with a broken being hung up Stokes’ friend thinking more about one event or the other and you don’t do well in both" After Friday’s performance in which he scored a 69 in saddle bronc and 70 in bull riding Robinson pointed to his narrow lead in the region in those events He is also in third place in the region for title the The veteran competitor said he’s been on a hot streak and he attributes his success to his recent en- gagement and his brother’s coaching Robinson said he’s been more focused since his engagement and hence become a better rider because he knows how much he needs the potential prize money “I figure if Amy’s going to let me ar rodeo ca- spent some time leg as a result of and teammate Trcver Asher said the secret to Stokes’ success is his dedication to the sport “We try to stay mentally and physically ready all the time” Other Weber competitors to place in the top four in their respective events were: Dave Shupe who was second in the bull riding event with a score of 69 Kari Gaz who placed third in the barrel racing with a time of 147 seconds and Tracy Ann Nichols who placed fourth in the breakaway roping with a time of 7 seconds 1 title 5000-met- er of the in finished of Utah University 4:0739 to take seventh in his heat Neither qualified for the fi- 4:0554 John Schicfcr nal Elizabeth Kcalamakia of Weber State took third in her heat in the 400 meters with a time of 5502 not good enough to qualify for the final Brigham Young's Anu Kaliur-an- d turned in a time of 787 in the 55 hurdles for a fourth-place heat finish n (Mid-Continent- )0 has been a draw six-ye- Earlier Notre Dame's Raghib Ismail had his streak of 23 consecutive heat victories in the dash end then came back to rocket into Saturday's final with the day’s fastest time of 613 Ismail who has the year’s best collegiate speed in the event with a school record 607 burst quickly out of the blocks and appeared to slow up as he drew near the finish line in his semifinal heat Ismail undefeated in a collegiate final had his streak of heat victories snapped in the prelims when he eased up with about 20 meters left and coasted to second place in 619 Washington Stale’s Augustine Olobia of Nigeria won the heal in 618 and finished second to Ismail in the semis at 614 er seconds “I was hoping that would end pretty soon because people like to make a big thing out of it" Ismail said of the streak |