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Show V DAILY THE CHRONICLE UTAH J: Gymnasts Start Season Tonight Utes Top Wyomin " nlWC Opener RORY BRUNNER Chronicle Asst. Sports Ed. tor Tonight the quest begins for the nth national title. The members of the Utah women's frymnastics team lX)k to rebound from an overall fifth place at the NCAAs last season as they open up tonight against Ohio State (o-i- ) in trie Huntsman Cen- ERIC WALDEN Chronicle Sports Editor v The U women's basketball team spent the days leading up to its Thursday MWC season opener speaking of the need to bring it for ; ter. a full 40 "We were disappointed in our finish last year primarily because we didn't do what we were capable of in team finals," said coach Greg Marsdcn. "We should have been a top three team then, and this year's team lias the potential to Ik- considerably stronger." That's because this year's team nearly mirrors that of a year ago. promptly suffered through lull against Wyoming a mid-gabefore recovering for an 9 victory at the Huntsman Center. After building a 2 lead, the Utes (8-were outscored no between the waning minutes of the 80-5- 37-2- - opening half and the first three of the second as the Cowgirls (7-pulled to within four. would be nice if you could be in control from start to finish, but that's not the nature of the game," said U coach Elaine Elliott- - "You just have to do what you can, whether thafs adjusting to what they're doing to you or what you're doing to yourself. We fixed things." First, Elliott went to a different lineup when the team appeared "Sired early in the second hail" Freshman Shares Hendrix provided a quick spark, scoring a Lsyup, hitting a jumper and providing a jurnpsUrt o-- 6, Wolf was the only graduate from the 2001 edition of the Utes. Junior Theresa Kulikowski, the NCAA champion as a freshman and NCAA balance beam champion last year, returns after leading the team with 20 wins last season. and Last year's top e NCAA Region Gymnast of the Year Deidra Graham returns for her senior season. Graham achieved first team status by finishin at last the ing eighth NCAAs. year's Senior Shannon Bowles has earned 1) It l') er two-tim- gymnastics, 1-- 0) 5, Theresa see minutes-Th- en A Deidra Graham and page 7 the Utes are ranked fifth in the nation. "Sharee Hendrix gave us a big boost," Elliott said. "She gave us the quickness we were lacking in that stretch." Next, the Utes had to adjust to rt the Cowgirls pressure, then find ways to pick apart the defense in the halfcourt set With Wyoming's zone, it turned out fmdicg the seams and exploiting the holes was a matter of time. Senior gunners Erin Gibbons and Lindsay Herbert drifted to the perimeter and did what they're so adept at dropping bombs. They to score 20 hit a combined and 19 points, respectively. "When you have shooters on the court, I don't know why you would play a zone against it," Herbert said full-cou- "We got some open looks." Finally, the U had to make due without senior center Lauren Beck-ma- n (14.5 points per game), who pLryed 26 minutes and went to the bench for good when she picked up her fourth foul with 742 to go. Reserve Carley Marshall picked it up, scoring 15 off the bench. Though she was shooting, nailing free throws. io WQMEM'S H00p'S;:"page 7 UB egms MWC, With Sp lvey RORY BRUNNER Chronicle Asst. Sports Editor Rarely has a team with so a one-gam- winning streak been seven-gam- e luke-war- Such is the case for the Utah men's basketball team (10-MWC) as it enters Saturday afternoon's MWC opener MWC) in the Huntsman Center against UNLV (8-has Utah not lost since its Dec. 4 loss to Arizona State, but could be heading into the opener without point guard 3, 0-- 0 5, e Travis Spivcy, who is coming off a suspension for an apparent argument with coach Rick Majerus. Although Spivey is now practicing, not even the man responsible for the decision is certain of Spivey's future. "I don't know what's going to happen- - In my 13 years at Utah and three more at Ball State, I've never suspended a player," Majerus said in a teleconference Thursday. "I don't know if he is going to rejoin the team or not" "I'm in the dark on the situation. We're planning in terms of playing on him not coming back," said Britton Johnsen. "I think hell be back, but we all have to pick up the slack" Spivey's senior teammate and Brit's brother Jeff shed some light on the situation. "It depends on the way he responds in the next few days. Every time you get a second chance you have to prove yourself again," he said. Majerus said the decision whether to reinstate Spivey would fall on the shoulders of him and his senior players in a "shared sense of responsibility." On the court, the Utes will attempt to protect a mark of 44 consecutive conference wins in the Huntsman Center. "I think there's a lot more at stake in conference games J, because if we lose a game, it puts us back in the standings," said Jeff Johnsen regarding the streak. However, lately the Utes have merely tried to stay afloat The manner in which the U has won its last two games following an emotional victory over Texas does not look like a team on a hot streak. 7 Utah defeated Division III Whitworth and St. and were outrebounded in both games. Mary's "People say we're up and down, but we've still won seven in a row. Against UNLV we need to rebound well," said Jacobson. "Right now we're a good team. When we play as a team. 1- -1 t. a t 71-- iv i O 1' n 7 ' . I l - M-Q.- S v. " 5 61 63-5- 41-3- 5, Utah has won seven straight, but the see MEN'S HOOPS, page 7 last two were ugly. I GYM MASTICS vs Ohio State Utah 111 (0-1- ) (0-0- ) at 7p.m. at Utah Washington 111 All d Huntsman Center Day Federal Way. Wash. CHRONICLE SPORTS EDITOR 1 vs UNLV (8-5- Utah (10-3- 111 ) ) at p.m. 1 d Huntsman Center ERIC "WALLY" WALDEN ' - Usdsif 5 --- -- V;rua (ri;r,t) VJZti II phts i- -i 6 - tCz';:i$ h ' V: ? 1 rdx V MEM'S HOOPS SWIMMING f TRACK WOMEN'S HOOPS at Utah Weber State vs ColoFado St. Utah 112 all day 0gden, Utah EWALDENCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU (12-3- ) (8-5- ) 112 at 3:30 Huntsman Center 581-704- 1 1 |
