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Show The Salt Lake Tribune SPORTS COLLEGE BASKETBALL Saturday, March 10, 2001 ; spartans Sputter Penn State hurts College Scoreboard Michigan State’s goal of No. 1 seed THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CHICAGO — Michigan State might have costitself a No. 1 seed.If the Spartans keep playing like this, they're going to cost themselves much, much more. Joe Crispin made an off-balance three-pointer with 21 seconds left, then sealed Penn State's victory with a pair of free throws as the Nittany Lionsupset the sloppy Spartans 65-63 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournamentFriday night. “Do I think we're deserving of a No. 1 seed? I don’t know whoelse is University of Utah photo going to lose. I would say probably not,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo Kylee Wagner,a juniorfrom Salem,Ore., is a three-event performer for the Utes, competingin the floor, beam and vault. said. “Do I think we're deserving ofa No. 2.seed? Yes, and maybe a No.1 if the right teamslose. you know what? I don’t really care,” Izzo said. “If we don’t play bet- Oregon State’s Loss ter and win the battle of the effort stats, we're not going to accomplish whatweneed to accomplish.” Tt was an all-around ugly effort from the second-ranked Spartans(24- WasUtes’ Big Gain 4), who won a share of their fourth consecutive regular-seasontitle and were looking for their third straight tournament crown. They couldn't Wagnerleft homestate to compete for Utah Ted S, Warren/TheAssociated Press take care ofthe ball, turning it over 17 Penn State’s Joe Crispin shoots past Michigan State’s Aloysius Anagonye,right, as Spartan Jason Richardson looks on Friday night at the They also couldn't niake free United Centerin Chicago. Crispin scored 22 points as the Nittany Lions throws, going 16-for-30 from theline. times and giving up a whopping 21 points off the miscues. The only thing that kept secondseeded Michigan State in the game was its offensive rebounding, but eventhat wasn’t enough. “You're not going to win against good teams doing that,” Izzo said. “And makeno mistake aboutit, Penn State's a good team.” ‘The Spartans are the highestranked team Penn State (19-10) has ever beaten, and the players rushed the floor as the buzzer sounded. Coach Jerry Dunn embraced his son and daughter while Gyasi ClineHeard picked up the Nittany Lion mascot and threw him over his shoulder, The victory might F ve sealed an NCAA bid for the s enth-seeded Nittany Lions, who were onthe bub- ble after losing three oftheir last four regular-season games, “We were looking to come here and do something special,” said Crispin, who finished vith 22 points, 12 from three-point range. “We feel like this locksit up.” If it does, the Nittany Lions have Crispin tothank. PennState's leading scorer struggled against Michigan on ‘Thursdaynight and againin thefirst half against the Spartans, But he found his groove in the second half, and Michigan State couldn't do anything to stop:him. He had two Michigan State defenders hanging onhim when he hit the three with 21.6 secondsleft, giving Penn lead. feeling I'll neverforget,” Crispin said. “I thought it sealed the deal. But after Jason hit his three,I ‘That's Jasonas in Jason Richardson, who made three of his own with rondsto go. The Spartans had no choice but to foul, and the first player they could get to was Crispin. He made both shots with 5,7 secondsleft to give Penn State a65-62 lead. PennState then called a timeout, and Dunn showed some inspired coaching, telling his players to foul. Dean Oliver added 16 points for lowa. Brian Brown led Ohio State with 18 in a foulfilled game Hawkeyes and 27-for-39 bythe Buckeyes. ACC: Georgia Tech 74, #12 Virginia 69: Alvin Jones scored 20 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked six shots as Georgia Tech solidified its NCAA credentials with a victory in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference toumamentin Atlanta. The fitth-seeded Yellow Jackets (17-11) completed a three-game sweep of fourth-seeded VirQinia (20-8) with theirfirst ACC tournament victory in five years. Georgia Tech, playing just a mile rn campus before a toumament record crowd of 40,083, eamed its seventh victory over a suteam. Roger Mason scored 20 points to lead the Cavaliers, who have lost seven straight ACC toumament games. #6 North Carolina 99, Clemson 81: Jason Capelmade all six of his three-pointers and scored 23 points for the Tar Heels. #3 Duke 76, NC State 61: Jason Williams scored 10 of his 19 points during a 15-0 first-half run as Duke begandefense ofits two straight ACC tiles with a comfortable quarterfinalvictory. #11 Maryland 71, #22 Wake Forest 53: Juan Dixon scored 15 points and Lonny Baxter added 14as the dominated the boardsto beat the Demon Maryland (21-9) has defeated five ranked teams onits current streak, including Wake Forest (19-10) twice. The average margin in those victoties: a Scary 19.5 points. Robert O'Kelley led Wake with 20 points, but noneof his teammates had morethan eight. SEC: #14 Mississippi 86, Tennessee 73: Aaron Harper scored 21 points and Rahim Lockhart added 17 to lead the top-seeded Rebelsinto the semifinals of the Southeastem Conference tour- namentin Nashville #15 Kentucky 78, South Carolina 65: Keith Boganshit five three-pointers and scored 23 points as the Wildcats clinched their 11th consec- tive 20-win season. #5 Florida 69, Alabama 61: Matt Bonner had make a shot, miss the second, grab 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Brett Nelson the reboundandget off another shot all with only 1.7 seconds on the “I didn't want to gi time to get a tip bac! They didn't. Mai them enough Dunnsaid Taylor made his first shot and missed the second, but Penn State's Ndu Egekeze came up with the rebound and the game was over. added 19 points for the Gators. « Udonis Haslem added 12 points for second seeded Florida (23-5), which hi 12 of its last 13 and eight in a row. Travis Stinnett scored 11 points for Alabama. (21-10), which had won five straight. Arkansas 77, LSU 72: Joe Johnson scored 27 points and Teddy Gipson added 13 as the Razorbacks rallied from an 18-pointfirst-half deficit to oust the Tigers Richardson led Michigan State with 19 points, and Andre Hutson added 17 and ninerebounds. Charlie Bell hadjust six points, eight below his average. OTHERBIG TEN GAMES: Drew Gooden added 21 points for the Jayhawks, who won the first three Big 12 toumament BIG 12: Baylor 62, #7 lowa State 49: Big 12 player of the year Jamaal Tinsley scored justeight points before fouling out and lowa State shot 31 percent ‘a8 Baylor stunned the Cyclones in the quarterfi- nals of the Big 12 toumiament in Kansas City, Mo. #4 Winols 83, Purdue 66: Frank Williams scored 13 points and dished out a season-best 11 assists as the Illini cruised. Marcus Griffin scored 14 points, and Cory Bradiord and Sean Harrington scdd 13 epee fo he p-seniedHr (246) ‘but Johnson hit thefirst of two foul shots with 13.2 ‘seconds remaining to cut the margin to one. overtime gave Pitt the victory in the semifinals of the Big East toumamentin New York. ston Shumpert,its leading scorer(19.8 points) and second-leading rebounder (6.0). Shumpert was poknd in the right eye late in the first half and sustained a comeal abrasion. He was given eye drops, but his vision remained blurry and he retumed to the bench early in the second halt with a huge patch over the eye. He finished with nine points after scoring 45 in the first two touament games, #10 Boston College 75, Seton Hall 48: Troy Bell, co-Playerof the Year in the Big East, led the top-seeded Eagles (25-4) with 24 points, Xavier learned about Utah gymnastics,” sherecalls. “Aki sold me on where I shouldgoto college.” The Junior Olympic champion- Conterence shipsin Seattlein the spring of 1998 sealed thedeal. there, eeeyou just know a Campbet 24, Toy Sato 55 Goorga Stato 76, Stetson 70 ‘Ahlaic Conference Texas Christan 76, Rice 58 Hawai 97, Southern Methodist 88 fourth on floor exercises and eighth on Tsaw thatin Kylee,” says Marsden, who watchedherfinish vaultin that meet. When OSU snoozed onits scholarshipoffer, Mars- Kevin Johnson scored 20 for Tulsa,including a den moved in. Ute gymnast Marilyn Ekdahl gave up her scholarship in 1998, and Wagner was the CONFERENCEUSA: den called. “took thecall inthe first gymnast Mars- Charlotte 75, Southern Mississippi 63: Rodney White scored 22 points as the 49ers ad- vanced to the Conference USA toumament for the fourth time in five years by beating Southam Miss in Louisville, Ky. Cincinnati 89, Memphis 79: Steve Logan matched a career high with 32 points to lead the top-seeded Bearcats into today's final, Kenny gym in Salem andaccepted the scholarship immediately,” says Wagner.Shesignedonher high school graduation day: May31, 1998. ‘The Beavers’loss has been a three-event gain for the Utes, Notthat success has comeeasily for Wagner. As a freshman in 19981999, she competed alongside timately became the NCAAallaround champion. “I was in awe of Holy Cross 68, Navy 64, UT: ag henipe made a key basket late in regulation, then added Temple (20-12) to its third straight toumament final. George Washington coach Tom Penders was irate after the call, claiming Groer jumped into Ngungba to draw the foul ‘two three-pointers in overtime as the Crusaders earned the Patriot League's NCAA berth by beat ing the Midshipmen in Worcester, Mass. wac: 46 Southwest Missouri State 86, Northern lowa 54: Jackie Stiles scored 14 of her 16 points in the first half as the Bears won in the semifinals of the Missourl Valley Conference tournament in |, Mo, ‘Southwest Missouri (24-5) will face Drake University (23-5), a 64-59 winner over Evansville, in the toumament championship game today. WOMEN’S TOP 25: Stiles, the nation’s leading scorer and the NCAA's career scoring leader, was held to 16 points after getting into foul trouble early in the second halt LUBBOCK, Texas James Dickey Friday as Texas Tech's basmame the wayfor the possiblehie ofBob Knight. Myers eee eee said Be decision todrop Dickey was made week ago and that he and school president David Sctunidiy met 2 with Knighton Monday in Florida. talk to Bob Knight to assess his inter- “T have the highest regardfor Bob estand also our interest,” said Myers, Knight as a basketball coach,” Myers said, “I happen to know him very well, Yes, | would say he'd be a top Myers said he spoke with Knight on Friday to tell him he was making the announcement “and that we would be in touch with him in the candidate for this job, although we're near future to discuss the possibility not to a point of saying who the top candidates are.” State law requires the job to be open for 10 business days, which meansnodeal could be official before 5 p.m. MST March 23, according to Cindy Rugeley, spokeswoman. a school Knight has been out of coaching since Indiana fired him Sept. 10 for a ttern of unacceptable behavior,” He won three national champlonships in 29 years at the school, but his tenure was emotional outbursts and physical attacks, ‘ ee PATRIOT LEAGUE: of a campus visit.” and science/ Ute gymnastics coach Olympic team first alternate who.ul- Kulio and the other upperclass- Leeee : hascomea long way ere, too. “I was man,”she says. Her season highon ‘beam is 9,895, Marsdensays Wagner is “depend- able and consistant Shescores well on ” every eventshe competes! ti et ah = oarWa nest ute reflects how far Wagner has comesince those days of awe in 1998; “She doesn’t so much look up to [her teammates] now. She's one of them,”says Marsden. Ute Notes:Free general admission family passes for the nextto-last home meet are availableat the ZCMIand Crossroads Malls. . . Utah is ranked No.2 in the nation and OSU is No. 14... , Utah is No. 1 nationally on beam (49.295) and No,2 on floor (49.440)and bars (49.415). Kulikowskiand junior ‘The toughest thing for freshmenis they can't comeinto a established program like ours andbe the queenbee,” says Marsden.“I never worried about Kylee making it.” By April of Shannon Bowlesare tied for No. 1 in thenation on beam (9.93), with Kulio No.2 on bars (9,955) and jun- ior Deidra Grahamis No. 4 on all- around (39.4)... . OSU is led by Annie Campbell in. theall-around (39.90). In Season’s Best Performance, Aggie Gymnasts Upset Cougs THE SALTLAKETRIBUNE Utah State delivered easily its best performance of the season to upset Brigham Young in women’s gymnastics Friday night at the Smith Spectrum in Logan, The Aggies won 196,025-195.500. “Wefelt it was necessary for us to Tonight, the behavioral on Greg Marsden tumaround jumper over Brandon Wolfram that tied the score 56-56 with 1:30 remaining. Dickey’s Firing May Open Door for Knight at Tech ‘THE ASSOCIATED PRESS sheboasts. She also set a personal bestof9.925 onfloor that night. explode. I saw that in ony in exhibitions Kylee.” on beam asa fresh- Bearcats, who have won nine of their last 10. No, 2 seer Tulsa (21-10) shot just 31,7 layout Tsukahara.“I practiced it only two daysbefore hitting a {career-high}9.9 vs. ArizonaState,” potentia!Lis ready to , Colonials. the WAC championship. pike to a 10.0 half-on,half-offfront ‘ three-point attempt and was fouled by Patrick Ngongba. Greer, who scored 24points and had ‘overcame their worst shooting night to advance to gonefrom a 9.8 handspringfront “Sometimes, you just owenriba knowagymnast’s beamrotation. She Theresa Kulikowski, a 1996 U.S. seven assists, drained all three foul shots to send ficulty into her beam routine,”says len. Nowhere has progress been more pronounced than on vault. She has gymnast’s potential . isready toexplode.§ ———_ rally the Owls to a dramatic victory over the Satterfield added 24 points and five assists for the With the Owls trailing 76-74, Greer fired up a the summer,learning a new 10.0 difficulty vault, upgrading her tumbling on floor and putting more dif- Ute coach Greg Marsden was Colorado Stato 7, Now Mexico 65, Bigham Young 87, tah 50 Southwestern Athletic Grambing State 80, Souther University 69 ‘Neo Stato 74, Alabama Sato 68 ‘Trans America Athletic percent, but made the big points at the end. held the Miners scoreless in the final 1:50 and lowa 75, £24 Ohio Sate 66: Glen Worley scored 18 poins, and low raid from a. 13-point Gok nba erecta ane ay Wagnerattended a Team USA Gym- Singletary added 15. on a three-point attempt with 2.9 seconds left to “She worked herheart out over Ute assistant Aki Hummel was her coachforsix weeks.“That's when I Drake 64, Evansvite 59 ‘SW Missouri St. 86, N.lowa 54 ‘Mountain West tutes of regulation and the overtime without Pre- Even though monoended her season, it was a temporary setback. nastics camp in New York, where \Wisconsin-Miwaukoo 80, Loyola, I 49 ‘Missouri Val ey “It was my only chance to compete before all my friends and family,” shesaid. she says. Kylee Wagner But during her junioryear in high school, Wisconsin-Green Bay 72, Chicago $5 Panthers (18-12) into theirfirst conference championship game, Syracuse (24-8) had to playthefinal 24 min- the Utes’ visit to OSU on March 12. 1998. “I didn't ‘Howard 86, Hampton 83 ‘Delaware State 72, South Carolina State 50 ‘Midwestern Conterence: Hawkins, who entered the game shooting better from the field than the foulline, lifted the appointment was notbeing a part of know another schoolexisted,” a James Madson 72, George Mason 68 ‘0d Dominen 62, Wiliam & Mary 49 Nig-Amedcan Conference Semifials Toledo $8, Noro lino 38 Ker Sata 8, anOho) 70 Pittsburgh 55, #17 Syracuse 54, OT: Isaac Hawall 76, #25 Fresno State 67; Predrag Savovie scored 23 points as Hawaii upset top seeded Fresno State in the semifinals of the Westem Athletic Conference toumanient in Tulsa, Ona. Tulea 59, UTEP 56: The Goklen Hurricane paar igf bein grr #23 Wisconsin 52: Kirk Haston scored on,em and Indiana held Wisconsin without a field goal for almost 14% minutes as the Hoosiers advanced. Big WestContrence ‘Semifinals BIG EAST: from her,” says Marsden. ‘Then, mononucleosis struck her down oneyear ago. The biggestdis- home OSU meetfrom 1988- Uc Bara Bra Ste 78, Si 69 Hawkins’ free throw with three seconds left in the type of progress we expected rarely missed a ‘Montana 64, Montana State 67 Idaho St. 66, Weber St. 55 ‘other end of the cour. more season, registering career That's quite Big Shy scored with 3.2 seconds left a owason s 66-65 lead, and Missourithrew the ball awayat the seeded Minutemen reached the conference the first the last of theirfive consecutive titles in 1996. Temple 77, George Washington 76: Lynn Greer made three free throws after getting fouled highsof9.9 onfloor,9.85 on beam and 9.875 on vault.“It was exactly aswitch for Wagner, who ‘Vermont 81, Drexel 61 He missed the second free throw, but Okla- homa (24-6) got the ball back when Missouri's Kareem Rush and T.J. Soyoye collided going for the rebound and the ball wentout of bounds. Massachusetts 75, #21 St. Joseph's 70: Monty Mack scored 27points to lead UMass to an of top-seeded St. Joseph's and into the fi‘nalsof the Atlantic 10 toummamentin Philadelphia. Mack shot 10-for-16 from the field, including 5-10r-10 from three-point range, as the fourth- Tonight(7 p.m), as a 21-year-old University of Utah junior, her goal will be to beat the Beavers at the Huntsman Center. WOMEN Americ East Conference Delaware 60, Harrd 47 ‘gave the sixth-seeded Tigers (19-11) a 65-63 lead, As herconfidence improved, her scores rose, Wagnerwas a three- eventperformer for the Utes through the middleofher sopho- miles south ofHier hometown. #16 Oklahoma 67, Missouri 65: Nolan ‘scoring the go-ahead basket, liting the Sooners to the quarterfinal victory. dustin Gage's basket with 293 seconds left Utah's floorrotation and scored a 9.8 in the NCAAs. State University in Corvallis, just 36 she was destined to attend Oregon Johnson atoned for a crucial missed free throw by ATLANTIC 10: herfreshman year, sheled off on nast growingup in Salem, Ore., that before lowa State broke their streak last that featured 31-for-45 free-throw shooting by the titles season. That meant Michigan State hadto clock BY DICK ROSETTA THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Kylee Wagnerfigured as a gym- upset MSU, 65-63. USU's Nicole Kilpatrick claimed the the second-highest score in school history, with season highs in every event except beam. “It's what we've been waiting for all year long,” said USU coach Ray Corn, “For some reason tonight, we were able to put it all together.” BYU had its moments, high- two-woman all-around competition, 99,325-38.700 over BYU's Kim Little. lighted by Little’s school-record 9.95 Cougar star Kelly Parkinson competedonly on vault and bars be- school record with 49.526 floor per- has another meet coming up tonight in Provo against Stanford and “This was a 197 waiting to happen and: we didn’t reach down and pickit up,” Cattermole said. “Beam was a twilight zone tonight, We’‘ve Just got cause she a sore back and BYU Southern Utah. But the Aggies would have been tough to beat, regardless, USUposted t floor score. The Cougars tied a formance, But coach Brad Cattermole wanted more. toget our brains in the game,” ¢~ |
