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Show HERALD DAILY Thursday, March 8, 2007 B5 COLLEGE BASKETBALL ' Weber State earns spot in Big Dance ' THE Weber State tost to Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAAs in 2003. But it has yup with 4:55 to play to cut the something of a reputation as deficit to 75-7It was the clos- an upset team, having beat est Northern Arizona would North Carolina in the first get, but the Wildcats wouldn't round in 1999 and Michigan State in the first round in '95. exhale until Dezmon Harris' drive with a minute to play put them up WAC Northern Arizona was forced to foul to regain posses- I Nevada 61, Utah St 60: At Las sion, and Weber State convert- Cruces, N.M., Dellena Criner ed from the free throw line. scored 23 points and Jessica Preslar's basket with 32 sec"We came out just feeling onds left gave Nevada a good..." Harris said. "But we kind of messed it up in the sec- win Wednesday night over ond half." Utah State in the quarterfinals Harris was close behind Pat- of the Western Athletic Conference tournament. ten with 20 points. Juan Pablo Nevada (17-1advances to Silveira had 21. The Wildcats took full adFriday's semifinals against New ), which Mexico State vantage of being at home, beat Louisiana Tech, to making 16 of their first 19 shots and shooting better than end the Lady Techsters' streak 84 percent through the first 10 of 25 consecutive NCAA tourminutes. They took a 7 lead nament appearances. failed to Utah State into the half. score in the final 5:43. The AgBut Northern Arizona wasn't going away that easily. gies never got a chance to get off a shot in the final 32 seconds Stephen Sir led the comeback, as Nevada, which had just three scoring 12 of his 23 points in the second half. He was helped team fouls to that point, fouled three times and took much of by the plucky play of Wilson, the remaining time off the clock. a guard who didn't shy away The Aggies' final chance from going inside, and Ruben came with 2.3 seconds left, but Boykin, who scored 24 points. The Lumberjacks also used they were forced to inbound an edge on the boards in their the ball in backcourt and comeback bid, outrebounding couldn't get off a shot before time ran out. Weber State MEN'S ROUNDUP ASSOCIATED PRESS OGDEN One year after a last place finish, David Patten was being carried off the court by Weber State fans. Patten, the league's MVP, scored a team-hig22 points Wednesday night, leading the Wildcats to the Big Sky Conh . 83-7- ference tournament title with an victory over Northern Arizona. The win put the Wildcats (20-112-into the NCAA tournament for the 14th time in school history, the first since 2003. Patten was the only returning starter from the team that finished last in the conference a year ago. Under first-yea- r coach Randy Rahe, the Wildcats engineered one. of the most surprising turnarounds in Big Sky history. "You imagine it, sure," Patten said. "I don't know if we thought it was doable, but it was a goaL" And the personal escort around the Wildcats' court? "That was fun," he said. "That was the best ride I ever had." Weber State let Northern Arizona (19-1back into the game after building up a lead in the first half. The hosts shot 72 percent from the floor in the first period. But the Lumberjacks' Josh Wilson converted an easy la-88-8- 0 1, 2, 61-6- 0 (12-17- 63-5- (11-1- 34-1- a PRESS Ml LAS VEGAS Dionne Marsh scored a 19 points to lead New Mexico to an game-hig- h 2 victory over UNLV in the quarterfinal round of the Mountain West Conference wom80-5- en's tournament Wednesday. 5 Marsh was from the field and from the foul line. She also had five rebounds and five assists. Katie Montgomery added 17 points and eight Vald New Mexico (22-8assists for erie Kast and Julie Briody had 12 points apiece for the winners, who now play No. 2 Wyoming in the semifinals Friday. The Lobos jumped to a 17-- lead before the Rebels finally scored a point 7:15 into the game, and later led 21-- UNLV, which turned the ball over 23 times, did not have a field goal until there was 10:12 left in the half. Faye Muller (eight rebounds) and Kameca Simmons led the No. 6 Rebels (14-1with 12 points apiece. After New Mexico led 8 at halftime, the Lobos never let the Rebels closer than 19 and later built a 38f)oint lead with 3:47 left. The Lobos went (58 percent) from the floor, while the Rebels were 49 (38 5-- third-seede- -- CRAIQ L MORQANLas 60-5- 8 88-8- free throw with men's tournament title game Wednesday. 1: 10 left. percent). New Mexico got revenge after losing last year to UNLV in the quarterfinals at Denver. The then No. 21 Lobos were upset 5745 by the Rebels. That also stopped New Mexico's three-yea- r reign as tournament champions. seven rebounds. (12-16- 19-1- 7-- 0 37-2- 8 nt afternoon. 17-1- 4 from the free throw Bolerjack went line and had six rebounds. Also for the secondeeded Cowgirls (21-8Hanna Zavecz had 11 points and nine rebounds, while Dominique Sisk added 10 points and the break. I Utah 68, TCU 67: At Las Vegbas, Kalee Whipple hit a shot with 1.6 seconds left to lift Utah past TCU in the late game. MEN'S TOURNAMENT BRACKET FRIDAY CSTV TODAY The mtn. Games on Games on East Northeast Conference advanced to play Pittsburgh (26) today. third-seede- d No. 18 Marquette 76, St. John's 67: At New York, Dan Fitzgerald scored eight of his I Cent. Connecticut 74, Sacred Heart 70: At New Britain, Conn., 65: At New York, Demetris Javier Mojica scored 25 points, Nichols scored 28 points, hitthat including a late and Eric helped Central Connecticut beat ting seven Sacred Heart in the Northeast Devendorf added 19 points to d help Syracuse beat Conference tournament chamConnecticut in the opening pionship and earn an NCAA bid.The Blue Devils (21-1won round of the Big East tournament and bolstered its case for their third NEC championship in the last seven years. bid to the NCAAs. an I Syracuse 20 points during a 153 run midway through the second half and Marquette held off d St. John's in the opening round of the Big East tournament. Wesley Matthews added 15 points and Lazar upset-minde- Hayward 14 for the 78, Connecticut fifth-seede- sixth-seede- d Golden Eagles (243), who THE ASSOCIATED WOMEN'S ROUNDUP PRESS OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma had trouble against to notch her 61st career double-doublTexas' defense getting the tying the Big 12 ball inside to record set by Baylor's Sophia center Courtney Paris. Once Young last season. It was the 56th consecutive double-doubl- e she did get involved, it was for Paris. the Longhorns that started to After getting only four shots struggle. in the opening half, Paris took Some hot outside shooting Soonfive in the first 2 Vi minutes by the eleventh-ranke- d ers helped Paris break free to after halftime. She made three score 12 of her 17 points in the in that span, and later added a three-poisecond half and lead Oklahoplay to make it as Texas suffered through ma to a win over Texas in the Big 12 quarterfinals an extended shooting drought after halftime. Wednesday night. "We established ourselves on the outside first and then No.13TexasA&M62, ColoTexas had to adjust, and then rado 45: At Oklahoma City, Takia Starks scored 16 points the second half I was open a Texas A&M lot more," Paris said. and Paris also had 18 rebounds beat Colorado in the quarterfi Litke that could surprise some people, Old Dominion. They went and played Georgetown, the No. 1 Continued from B2 seed in the Big Easfhis week, in a building where Georgeseason to the big guys was to brethren town hadn't lost in something give their the nonconf erence games they like 27 yearsf "I'm not saying that conbargained, begged, taunted and even threatened lawsuits ferenceplay isn't important, to get. Drexel went on the road don't giet me wrong. But with 18 times to build a resume and unbalanced schedules in some of those big conferences, you won 13 of those games. Compare that to the two road wins may pot even play the best tear in the league twice. ... Michigan State and Georgia So fhe league you play in Tech had combined. "I think the committee will shouldn't determine the final do what it's said it will do for a decision. I think what the comnumber of years now and that's mittee has to look at is the to reward teams that challenge total package, what you bring themselves in nonconference to the tournament." What the bring play," Larranaga said. "Take the other team from our league is a little romance and a large mid-maj- ) Quenese Davis led No. 7 San Diego State with 13 points and five assists. After a 9 tie with 1727 left in the game, run and never trailed Wyoming went on a again. The Cowgirls built the lead to with 6:05 remaining. The Aztecs cut it to 4340 with 3:19 left, but got no closer as Wyoming built its largest lead by game's end. Neither team had more than a three-poiat lead in the first half, and the Aztecs led I Wyoming 56, San Diego St 44: At Las Vegas, 15 points to Jodi Bolerjack scored a game-hig- h lead Wyoming past San Diego State 5644 in the quarterfinal round of the Mountain West Conference women's tournament Wednesday ), Big Patriot League I Holy Cross 56, American U. 48: At Worchester, Mass., Bethany O'Dell scored 20 points, including 14 in the second half, to rally Holy Cross to a victory over American in the Patriot League tournament championship game for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Kaitlin Foley added 14 points and 15 rebounds for Holy Cross (15-17- ). chip on their shoulder. What they've got going for them is selection committee a that will again feature a majority of voters from outside the power conferences. Whether that adds up to a few choices that will have people shaking their heads once more won't be known for a few days. But keep in mind an unlikely invitation is the jumping-of- f point for one of the most enduring fairy tales of all time, one that ends with the party-crasheventually snaring the biggest prize of all. er I Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitkeap.org. WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT BRACKET SATURDAY SATURDAY FRIDAY WEDNESDAY TUESDAY Games on The mtn. Games on The mtn. Game on Versus BYU Game on Versus (2) Wyoming lp.m. 62 1 p.m. All games Wyoming All games Mountain Standard Time Mountain Standard Time (7) San Diego St. (8) TCU 54 7 p.m. ' lp.m. (3) New Mexico' (4) Air Force f nals of the Big 12 Conference women's tournament. Texas A&M (24-5- ) posted its best defensive outifig against a Big 12 opponent this season and advanced to the semifinals against either Nebraska or Iowa State. Vegas Sun over New Mexico's Timi left, in the first half at the MWC women's tournament. UNLV's Sequoia Holmes (12) shoots 19-- (9) N.Mexico iv top-seed- 40-1- (8) TCU 58-5- 67-5- 8 0 (1) i.Hi 12-- 3 42-2- 6 ). TUESDAY ivv y 49-3- Sooners, Aggies move on in Big 12 Lobos, Cowgirls advance in tourney ASSOCIATED " ; ;if 60-5- v C ,"VV 53-3- 11-- THE : H "We had some fouls to give V. and we managed to waste some clock," Nevada coach Kim Gervasoni said. Point guard Taylor Richards led Utah State with 17 points and 5 assists. But it was Richards' turnover on a travel with 49.5 seconds left that gave the Wolf Pack a chance to take the lead. Utah State at the time was clinging to a 9 lead. Presler forced up a shot that banked in. ' 8 Utah State led with , 16:00 left after making its first six shots of the second half. v ' Nevada got back in it with a :.- -' but scored State Utah run, -, six straight to take a 0 lead with 8:37 left. The Wolf Pack kept coming and two free throws by Criner DOUGLAS C. PIZACAssociated Press with got Nevada within 3:46 left. The teams traded sevWeber State forward David Patten (24) celebrates after the eral turnovers until Criner hit a Wildcats defeated Northern Arizona 0 in the Big Sky New Mexico 3:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. i 5)Wvomlng f . i k 1 i j v. $ , a t , "lit "(6) UNLV ! i it I i ' ! j ? $ M : '2 p.m. MEN'S CHAMPION WOMEN'S CHAMPION (l)BYU f Y.' i 7p-m- - 'i (8) Colo. St. 46 y (9) Air Force (7) Utah (9) (3) San Diego St Air Force - PYU '1 I. S. ' 47 3:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m. (4) TCU 9:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m. (6) Colorado 7p.m, St (5) Utah V Utah J |