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Show DAILY THE UTAH CHRONICLE mn Women's Victory Over Lobos Caps Men Win Share of Perfect Top Tourney Seed Year MWC ERIC WALDEN Chronicle Sports Editor RANDALL HARRINGTON Chronicle Sports Writer The University of Utah women's basketball team is the nation's best defensive team, as it leads the nation in scoring defense and field goal percentage. Saturday, however, it was No. 13 Utah's offense that sparked a 0 run in the final minutes and enabled the team to defeat the New Mexico Lobos 9 for its 14th consecutive win. The Utes capped off a perfect conference season officially winsixth straight conference ning their consecutive title in second title, and the new Mountain West Conference. "We just wanted to try to win a championship, and the fact that we didn't drop a game is...a pretty unusual thing," said coach Elaine Elliott. "In all the years I have been a head coach, I think it has only been done one other 16-- 64-5- (14-0- ), I The last time Utah (25-- 2 overall) went undefeated to win the conference title was back in the 1976-7- 7 season under Elliott's predecessor. Fern Gard- 2 last-pla- ner. "It is difficult to do because you women's hoops, page 14 While years of association with Utah men's basketball coach Rick Majerus have failed to make this year's" acting coach, Dick Hunsaker, anywhere near as bombastic as his mentor, some measure of osmosis has obviously been taking place. For, while Hunsaker will never be as demonstrative as his boss, he has obviously picked up plenty of Majerus' basketball sawy, having guided the Utes to yet another conference championship this season. 1 win at New With Saturday's a Mexico, Utah clinched share of the Mountain West title for the second straight season, and became a regular-seaso- n conference champion for the seventh time in as many years. "It's been an unsettling season with an unusual set of circumstances. Between meshing a new group of guys together and throwing in a new coach, and still winning the conference, ifs been a terrific year," said Hunsaker. "Obviously I'm very excited." Air Force After losing to a bit of took last Thursday night, it 66-6- time." see Title; Gain MWC Amy Ewert's tough ce see MEN'S KOOPS, page defense against New Mexico Saturday kept the Utes unbeaten in conference play this year. Perfect Final Score Relegates U to Tie RORY BRUNNER Chronicle Asst. Sports Editor 23rd-rank- ed Bottom of the ninth, two outs, tying run at third. Five ticks left, down by one. One minute to go, 90 yards to drive, down by six. Every sport has a clutch, moment, a moment .where fans hang on the edge of their seats, eyes glued to the action, the moment when heroes arc made. On Sunday, University of Washington gymnast Mandi Klug faced the ultimate suspense in women's gymnastics. Only one thing stood between the Utes improving to 1 at the in Seattle and the Huskies completing an unthinkable comeback just one last routine, one run by Klug. Her Huskies needed a perfect 10.0 floor exercise to knot the score owned by the University of Utah. As Utes Deidra Graham, Veronique LeClerc and Kylcc Wagner wrapped up the vault with respective scores of heart-wrenchi- 8-- 9.800, 9.800 and 9.875, the host and Huskies were doing a number in their best event, the floor. Amy Metcalf scored a 9.875, Stacy Wong a 9.900, and Lanna Apisukh a tri-mc- ct 9.875. The Utes were forced to watch the last performer, hoping their 196.725 would hold up and enable them to escape with a win in spite of its being their lowest score in their last five meets. Klug had other plans. She performed a flawless routine; her score: a perfect 10.0, only the second in school history. Her mark pushed the Husky total to 196.725, spoiling the Red Rocks' bid for victory as the two ended with identical scores. Both teams finished well ahead of Western Michigan, who scored a A' 194.075. The floor was indeed the difference on the afternoon, not just because of Klug's heroics, but on the Utah side of see gymnastics, page 15 Though Utah's vaults were successful, they could not propel the Utes to a win on Sunday. SOFTBALL BASEBALL MEN'S TENNIS Utah's sluggers continued their trend of tournament competition, this time hosting some nationally prominent teams at the Red Desert Going into the weekend at an even Utah's baseball team headed to California for a three-gam- e series with Sacramento The U's netters finished up a key homestand with a Classic in St. George., Utah. - 8-- State. 8, meet against Montana State. The Utes now prepare for a road trip spanning almost a month. CHRONICLE SPORTS EDITOR WOMEN'S HOOPS UtarT at MWC Tournament ERIC "WALLY" WALDEN 3710 8 Las Vegas, Nev. MEN'S HOOPS UtaE SKS2N6 MWC Tournament NCAA Tournament UtafT at at 38-1- 0 37-1- 0 S Us Vegas, Nev. EWALDENCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU g 581-704- 1 Middlebury, Vermont 13 |