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Show Friday, February 27, 2009 % 1 HE SIGNPOST SPORTS Cats chop down NAU McCoy drains career-high 27 points, as WSU wins 10th straight Shame on you Matt Gerrish Standing Out By Matt Gerrish sports editor The Signfiost the Lumberjack offense with four field goals and five rebounds. He would end the night as the only The Weber State University Lumberjack in double digits with Basketball Team hosted the 21 points. The Wildcat defense battled Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks in a game that if back late in the first half and WSU won, would give them proved too strong for NAU, quickly 10-straight wins and the outright quelling the Lumberjack offense regular season Big Sky Conference with WSU senior Daviin Davis, who blocked three shots on Championship. the night, providing the The Lumberjacks Wildcats with support were fighting for their on defense throughout Big Sky tournament life the night. and desperately needed a win to stay afloat in "That's a very good the conference and offensive team we continue to have a shot played," saidWSU Head at post-season play. Coach Randy Rahe. WSU 70 "But we got after them The first seven points Northern Ariz. 51 defensively, which we of the game came from Wildcats shoot over 57 needed to do." WSU senior Kellen percent from the floor McCoy, as he powered "You never know the 'Cats to a 7-2 lead in how the kids are going the opening minutes. The 5 feet 6 to react after the win we had up inches tall senior went on to score at Montana," Rahe said. "But they 15 points in the first half, nine of were ready to go tonight. I've got which came on a trio of three- a very mature group that I really pointers. trust." "It felt good out there," McCoy The second half saw the return said. "My teammates were doing a of the McCoy show, as the Big great job of finding me and giving Sky MVP candidate put in two me open shots." more three-pointers and scored WSU redshirt freshman Kyle a total of 12 points in the second Bullinger also helped out with first half to give him a season-best 27 half scoring with five points of his on the night. The feat topped his own and two assists. 25-point performance on the road The 'Jacks mounted a comeback at Northern Colorado University at the midway point of the first earlier this month. McCoy also half on the back of seven Wildcat had two assists and four rebounds PHOTO BY CATHERINE MORTIMER I I Hi. SIGNPOST turnovers, six of which came from as he led the WSU attack. McCoy, the only dark spot on his Davis' defense overcame the Weber State University guard Kellen McCoy dishes out an assist during a 70-51 victory over Northern Arperformance. izona University Thursday night. McCoy managed a career-high 27 points on 10-12 shooting. McCoy also NAU's Shane Johannsen led See Chop page 9 drained five three-pointers, leading WSU to a total of 12 on the night. WSU has now won 10 straight. By Gentry Reinhart correspondent I The Signpost Last weekend I discovered the Big Sky Men's Basketball Championship is going to be held from Mar. 10-11, which falls in the middle of our Spring Break. The tournament, which will be hosted by Weber State University at the Dee Events Center, conflicted with my vacation plans and I was upset about it. From there, I believe I made one of the biggest mistakes of my young career as a journalist and I gave a knee-jerk reaction in a column I boldly dubbed "Shame on you Big Sky." In the column, I called out the Big Sky Conference for scheduling the tournament during Spring Break, and wrote the column hastily, using pedestrian research at best. For this, I give my most sincere apology to the Big Sky and its administration. I used phrases such as "Big Sky officials didn't have the smarts to schedule the season with a little more tact," and "The Big Sky in all their great wisdom conveniently schedule the tournament to take place from March 10-11." In hindsight, these comments make me painfully aware that I was the one not using tact, and for that I am ashamed. As a journalist, it is my job to report the facts. Even though the story was written as my opinion in a column, I failed to research the topic properly before I formed my opinion and published it in The Sigfipost. For this, I also want to apologize to The Signpost readers. I allowed my personal misfortunes to bleed over into my work and I did an injustice to you for not giving you my full effort when writing Monday's column. While this is no substitution for my poorly researched opinion in "Shame on you Big Sky", I'd like See Shame page 9 Billiards heading to nationals Sascha Kiehne is 'Cats have strong outing at regional tournament, send player of the week Barker, Daines to national tournament in Kentucky By Tim Brownell correspondent 1 The Signpost Arizona and smaller colleges in Wyoming. "Playing in the regional The Weber State University tournaments really help us for Billiards Club traveled to Utah national ranking as well as national State University last weekend to publicity'," said Jacob "Preach" take part in the American College Dent, WSU Billiards President and Union Incorporated (ACUI) Captain. regional billiards tournament. The 'Cats had a very successful The club took a total of 10 showing at the tournament with players, nine men and one woman two men qualifying for the national to Logan, Utah, to compete in the tournament in Kentucky and one tournament. A total of 43 people woman finished third, falling short from region 13 competed in the by one point to qualify. tournament. Other universities The qualifiers were junior that took part in the competition Charles Barker, who finished were New Mexico State University, second and junior Matt Daines, New Mexico Tech University, Utah who finished third. Freshman State, University of Utah, Arizona Moriah Wilhelm was the sole State University, University of female from WSU to attend, who missed qualifying by a single shot. There were many firsts that happened in the tournament. It was the first time WSU has sent two players to nationals, the first time that anyone has gone to nationals in 10 years and the first time the team has placed two players in the top-three. "I am relieved, excited, fulfilled and glad I got to meet new people," Wilhelm said. "It is just a fun social activity that takes skill, concentration and focus." Charles Barker did not start playing pool until five years ago. "I played once and I liked it," Barker said. "You just have to love See Billiards page 9 SOURCE: ROBERT CASEY Sascha Kiehne receives Men's Tennis award from Big Sky Conference • Kiehne went • Kiehne led WSU to its undefeated in fourth and fifth-straight singles and doubles wins over University competition last week of Northern Colorado in a pair of road wins and U.S. Air Force for the Wildcats. Academy. • He has now won three-straight singles matches and fourstraight doubles matches after starting the season 0-4. P H O T O BY FRANCES KELSEY | I H t S!C,\!\ )s/ Weber State University billiards team member Matt Daines practices in the pool hall at the Student Union Building yesterday. Daines and teammate Charles Barker recently played in the ACUI regional billiards tournament at Utah State Universiy. Both Daines and Barker qualified for nationals in Kentucky. t |