OCR Text |
Show “ DAILY awaitsecond meeting with Utes Where: Marriott Center TV: KBYU Channel 11 Records: Utah 15-5 overall, 63 MWC: BYU 19-1, 9-0 “But I think we'd be in good shape even if welost that game,” Gillespie said. “We've shownanabilityall yearto bounce back. I guessthe play was kind of-half luck becauseI just happened to be in the right spot. But that’s whatgood teamsdo,is find a way.” The one BYUloss came in December,at hometoNorth Carolina State. Since then, it's beenarelatively smooth march. The No. 18 Cougars showed some serious moxie Thursday. in a win against New Mexico,then the No. 16 teaminthe country. They fought off foul trouble to starters Ambro: ia Andersonand Dani Kubik to hold onfor five-point win Afterward, New Mexico's Don Flanagan. like several Mountain Westcoaches have. praised Judkins. He pointed out BYU'srecruiting. style of play. team confidence and patterns of substi- tution. BYU's leader, in his fifth season, is fast to pass the praise to the players. But the general consensus around the leagueis that Judkins is doing his finest work with this team “If anything, it's because we've beenable to get players in the programthat werethe right kids for the system, that believe in what we do.” Judkinssaid. “Youstart with this seniorclass. and I've got three players in Ambrosia, Nancy (Seljaas) and (Jennie) Keele who understand everything about what we're doing. And the youngerplayers I've had time to workwith. “WhatI’mproudestofis this is the best de- fensive team I've coached. Theyplayvery herd onteamdefense.” THE ASSOCIATEDPRESS CHAPELHILL, N.C. — J.J. SHARON M. STEINMANAssociated Press BYU's Jennie Keele, center, works for control of the ball against TCU’s Adrianne Ross,left, and Natasha Lacy on Jan.23. Keele’s return after aninjuryredshirt last season hashelped the Cougars to'a 19-1 record this season. Keele’s return is one of the biggest sparkplugs, especially on defense against Utah. She'll likely guard Kim Smith,a 6-foot-1 guard senior guard whowaspartly responsible for making sure the Cougars hadn't wona meeting since 2002. She had 14 pointsin the first meeting, five below her average. “Having Keele backis huge,” Judkins said of the junior whoreceived a medical redshirt after last year. “Especially to guard Smith. (Keele) doesn’t get caught on screens. And ... she’s a gamer. Somepeople just knowhowtoplay in big-time games.” Tonight's happensto bebig in the eyes of both teams,although it's-not as crucial to BYU. With a three-gamelead in the MWCstandings against second-place teams New Mexico and the Utes (15-5, 6-3) there’s some margin for error for the last seven games for the 18thranked Cougars Judkins has a few theories why Utah hasn't been quite as successful. He believes the loss o! sophomore center Deanne Hanchett to chronic kneepain hasbeena critical setback. Also, there’s the simple fact that teams are gunning for the Utes again. Inevitably, the pack had to catch up. Anotheroneis the loss of LanaSitterud, a former standout from Highland whose graduationpossiblyleft the Utes without the dirtywork player who successful teams crave. “She did all the little things that sometimes get overlooked,” Judkinssaid. “She did for themwhat Melinda Johnsen and Keele do for this team. It really means a lot.” Like beating the Utes, evenif it comes witha Redick praised the defense he faced and gave If passing marksfor his own performance. Thenhe saved his highest praise for Duke's effort against its biggest rival. “Very few teams playing on the road,in a big game like this, with such a big momentum swing,could have made enoughplaysto pull out a win,”.Redick said. “I think we're oneof those teams that’s capableof doing that.” The : TOP 25 ing starad ROUNDUPS 22f his 3 —_— pointsin the bec half, freshman Josh McRoberts added a season-high 17 points and the second-ranked Blue Devils held off No. 23 North Carolina 87-83 Tuesday night. Playingforthefinal time in the Dean Smith Center, Redick was 12-for-22 from thefield — includingfive 3-pointers — andset a career high with four steals. Three of those led to breakaway layups. “It’s very satisfying to win the ballgame,” Redick said. “I guess I'm leaving here 2-2 at the Dean Dome, whichis not bad. To go out with a win as a senior,it feels good.” His previous best against the Tar Heels was 18 points, but he struggled with his shooting in the previous seven matchups (34 percent). There was no suchproblemin this one, and Redick savedhis bestforlast. With Duke(22-1, 10-0 Atlan- tic Coast Conference)clinging to a one-pointlead, Redick calmly swished a 3 over Wes Miller to increase the margin with 1:54 remaining. Helater added anotherwith the shot clock winding downto makeit a seven-point game. “You'vegotto give J.J. cred- kinds of games. In past years we would've lost it,” North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. “He made two big-time’shots.” It was enoughtohold off a furious rally by the Tar Heels them.” (14-6, 5-4) and help the Blue little good fortune. “I think what that game showed more than any thing wasour mental toughness,” Judkins “Nowwe knowwe an pull out those » Jason Franchuk can be reached at Hranchuk@heraldextra.com BYU earnedplayerof the week Continuedfrom C1 West in consecutive weeks. The Cougars(14-6, 6-3) have won four consecutive games and awards from the Mountain another monthto change their Wednesday, February 8, 2006° Reddick lifts Duke past NC Confident Cougars Mallary Gillespieis willing to go as far as “half luck”in describing one shot that changed the way the BYU women's basketball team feels aboutitself, and rival Utah. Losers three timeslast year to the Utes, the Cougars won Jan. 7 meeting in Salt Lake City ona last-second putback that the sophomore, Gillespie made after catching anairballed jumpshot. For a team with onlyoneloss (19-1) and undefeated in league play (9-0), it may have been the last mental hurdle. Utah at BYU The teams meet again tonight (7 p.m., MarriWhen:Tonight, ott Center, KBYU-TV). 7 p.m. HERALD Devils pick uptheir 16th victoryin the past 19 games in this TobaccoRoad rivalry. Yet the latest wasfar from easy. TheBlue Devils opened the secondhalf with 12 straight points to take a 52-35 lead, and Balderson said. Headcoach Dave Rose won't address history. He hasn't spokento the team aboutlast season's 9-21 record, and has only once addressed North Carolina madeit pretty easywith six turnoversin that span. Redick started the run by jumpingin the passing lane for astealthatled to a layup, and McRoberts hada big role, too. He took a beautiful lob GERRY BROOME/Associated Press Duke's J.J. Redick (4) and Josh McRoberts celebrate near the end of the Blue Devils’ victory over North Carolina on Tuesday. D No.4 Villanova71, Saint Joseph's 58: At Philadelphia, Kyle Lowry scored 17 ofhis 25 points in the secondhalf, and Randy Foye andAllan Ray each had 14 points for Villanova in the win at the Palestra that gave the Wildcats the Big5 title. After a lacklusterstart that sawthem shoot 30 percent and trail by 12 points at halftime, the Wildcats (18-2) came out running, trapping and scoring at sucha rapid rate that Saint Joseph's (10-10) must havefelt like it wasplaying a different team. Lowryconverted a threepoint play that gave the Wildcats a 39-37 lead. Dunks \d Will Sheridan 67: At Lexington, Ky., Chris two unbeaten teams in the conference and the first win for Rutgers (18-3, 10-0) on UConn's homefloor, snapping Lofton had career-high 31 points — including7 3-point- ers — and No. 11 Tennessee snapped an eight~game losing streak to Kentucl Tennessee (17-3, 8-1) won its sixth straight Southeastern Conference gameforthefirst time since 1989. The Volunteers wonat Rupp Arenafor thefirst time since 1999. an 11-gamelosing streak that spanned a decade. The Huskies (21-3, 10-1) were 121-1 in their last 122 Big East home games leader San Diego State. Balderson knows what a special night it would be to fore the seasonto finish ninth (last) in the MWC. He, like Balderson, is pass from Sean Dockery and dunkedit over his head, then points for Kentucky(15-8,,5-4), which dropped to2-3in confer- pleasedto have the chancefor stepped outsidetohit onlyhis second 3-pointer of the sea- ence home games. if the Utes aren't at nearly the strength they've been the past some meaningful final weeks. son. On the other end, Greg 3-pointers and finished 7-of-10 to be in February,” Rosesaid. Paulus dived onthefloor to completea steal, and Dockery for the game. madeit pay off with another 3. » No, 25 Northern lowa68, Wichita St. 56: At CedarFalls, Jowa, Eric Coleman scored 20 points and Ben Jacobson added 15 for Northern Iowa. The Panthers(21-4, 11-3 Mis- force the action. Rather, he'll passfirst and get in a rhythm with the rest of the game. And he’s trying to drive more instead of settling Solely for jump shots. Balderson’s emergenceis part of an upward teamtrend. Center Trent Plaisted and point guard RashaunBroadus have a win at Utah (10-10, 3-6), even 15 years. Not even BYU coaches have wonat the HuntsmanCenter. It was 1994 whenthe Cougars werelast victorious there We wantto winfor our fans win for our school,” “This is howit’s supposed “To have every game mean something.” » Jason Franchuk canbereached at jfranchuk@heraldextra.com “We knewthey were going to make a comeback, | don't eventhink we let up,” McRob- erts said. icut 56: At Storrs, Conn., Cappie Pondexterscored 18 points, including a pair of game-sealing D No. 11 Tennessee 75, Kentucky Baldersonis less likely to or different.” Still coming off the bench. D No. 8 Rutgers 60, No. 4 Connect- free throws with 7.8 seconds aretied for third place with Air Force, a couple of games behind being picked bythe media be- Women left, and Rutgers beat ConnectiCut to moveintosolepossession like I've done anythingspecial mind, kindof. But I don't feel souri Valley Conference) have won sevenoftheir last eight games and completed a season sweepof Wichita State (19-6, 10-4). After squandering a 10-point lead, Northern lowapulled awaywith an11-2 runlatein the secondhalf. Jacobson put the Panthers back on top with a 3-pointer,thenhit fadeaway jumpersfrom 15 and18 feet to pushthelead to 61-52. Randolph Morris had 20 Lofton madehis first four before Tuesday UConnrallied from a 14point deficit and waswithin twopoints twicein the final four minutes, But Rutgers guard Matee Ajavon keptthe Huskies at bay with a 3-pointer and Pondexter madesure there was no comebackatthe foul line. No.7 OhioSt. 79, WrightSt. 48: At Columbus, Ohio, Brandie Hoskins scored 20 points and Jessica Davenport added 18 tolead OhioState to its 10th straightvictory. BLINK. CONFERENCE SCHEDULE San DiegoState, Feb 22 ' ColoradoState Mar. 1 New Mexico, Mar 4 |