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Show -·- --- I1l C6) 'BIRD SPORTS ---· THE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL• SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY• MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1991 .. . I Cowboys run over SU By CHAD LAMB JOURNAL SPORTS EDITOR For the first time in three games, the 'Birds didn't jum p out to a big lead to begin the game. Instead the letdown began early, and SU never recovered as the Wyoming Cowboys jumped out to a big lead early, eventually beating the 'Birds 75-47 Saturday night. During losses last week to Utah and Oklahoma State, the 'Birds jumped out to double-digit leads early, only to go cold the rest of the game allowing of those teams to shut them down offensively. It has been that way throughout the first part of the season, making it hard to predict which SU team will show up, and what time during the game the 'Birds will actually play. In talking with Head Coach Bill Evans earlier this season, he said "basketball is a game of runs," explaining the way basketball works in most games. "T he team that has the most runs usually wins." That is exactly what has happened in all of SU's losses, games in which the 'Birds have sustained several good runs to keep the game close early on. However, their opponents have controlled the floor during the majority of the games, using big runs to dash any chance at an SU win. Against the Cowboys, SU overcam e a 13point first half deficit, but as the ' Birds pulled within six-points, the Cowboys used their own run to spread the lead to more than 10-points. By halftime, the Cowboy lead had ~ ballooned to a 41-25 Wyomi ng advantage, ""and the 'Birds were shooting just 37 percent ~ from the field. The 'Bird offense then spent :s most of second half playing catch-up in ~ which they missed several three-point ~ shots. - - - - - '~ Wyom ing went on a 16-8 run in the first Oklahoma State's 1oe Adkins (35) goes up for a shot past Dusty Walker half, then in the second the drought (42) in first half action against the Cowboys Nov. 25. continued for the 'Birds as the Cowboys ' maintained a 20-point lead, and never had any troubles the remainder of the game. "They are a very good defensive team," said SU assistant coach Bob Lowe. "They came' out and played real well early, and that set the tempo. We've been struggling offensively-and they didn't let u s get it going." The 'Birds shot horribly from the field all night against the Cowboys, finishing the game making just l 7-of-57 shots, which included 29 shots from three-point range. On the defensive side, the 'Birds allowed the Cowboys to score at will with Wyoming finishing the game shooting 54.9 percent. The 'Birds also sent the Cowboys to the line 3 1 times, with both John Williams and C had Bey fo uled out of the game. "D efensively we played probably as poor as we have played this year, 11 Lowe continued. "You have to give (Wyoming) som e credit. They did a nice job of spreading the floor and got some open shots." Tarvish Felton was the top scorer for the 'Birds with 12 points. Williams also finis hed with double-digits scoring 10 points before fouling out. Wyoming had three players finish in double digits. Jeron Roberts led all scorers with 26 points. Justin French added 14 points for the Cowboys and Gregg Sawyer finished with 12. The loss gives the 'Birds a 1-4 record as they prepare fo r a game tonight against UTEP in El Paso, Texas. UTEP is coming off a 58-5 7 loss to N ew Mexico State and will bring a 2-1 record into the contest. Over the Thanksgiving break, the ' Birds made two big trips to play against the University of Utah and Oklahom a Statetwo tea m s that are perennial w inners at the Division-I level. In both games SU had chances at keeping the game close, but suffered through several dry spells in which it was unable to score. In Salt Lake City, SU jumped out to an (continued on page 17) Women finish first at Fresno State Classic The women's basketball team picked up some big holiday wins over the break, including a first place tournament win at the Fresno State Classis held this past weekend in Fresno, Calif. Behind the scoring of Myndcc Larsen with with 21 points, a long with Sunny Myers and Jessica Littlefield fini sh ing in double-figures, the Lady 'Birds came away with a 78-72 win over Cal-State Fullerton in the championship game of the tournament. Friday night the women upset host Fresno State 71-68 to advance to the championship round. "For the first time this year we played to win, 11 said Head Coach Joe Hillock. SU shot well in both games, including 50 percent from the floor against Fresno, which was the best outing of the season for the lad~es. Against Fullerton, the 'Birds dominated on the boards grabbing 43 total rebounds to just 28 by the Titans. Larsen was named the tournament MVP for her play in both of SU's wins, and Littlefield and Myers were named to the all-tournament team. The wins gave SU a 4-2 record on the season heading into Thurday's matchup with conference foe Oral Roberts in the Centrum. 11 A lot of coaches don't really like in-season tournaments, but I do," Hillock said. "They get you ready for that tournament mentality you're going to need come conference (tournament) time, plus, they always give you something extra to play for, like the tournament title, a spot on the all-tournament team and things like that. " Before the Fresno State tournament, the ladies traveled to both Idaho and Provo for their first road 'A lot of coaches don't like in-season tournaments, but I do,' said women's Head Coach Joe Hillock. gam es of the season. On Nov. 21, the Lady 'Birds faced Idaho State in the American Dream Tournament. The Lady Bengals held on for a close 58-55 win over SU. Although the 'Birds pulled down more rebounds and shot better from the floor, the Bengals controlled the tempo through most of the game, and outrebounded the 'Birds offensively pulling down 16 boards from the offensive glass, rebounds that turned into points and gave Idaho State a nine-point advantage with 2:43 left to play. The 'Birds did m ake a comeback at the end, cutting the lead to just two points with a minute left in the gam e, but the Bengals held them off by taking advantage of key turnovers in preserving the threepoint win. Larsen scored 25 points on ll -of-14 shooting. T he 'Birds struggled all night to move the ball inside to Larsen due to strong defensive pressure from the Bengals, but Larsen fo und a way to get th e ball to lead all scorers in the game. The fo llowing night the women played in the consolation bracket of the tourney and beat Canisius 69-40 to finish take third. Littlefield and Larsen led the 'Birds with 14 each, and outrebounded Canisius 51-40. The women led throughout the game, and went on a 12-0 run to put the game away in the second half Following that tournament, SU traveled to Provo to face the Lady Cougars of BYU, a team the women beat last year here in the Centrum. Turnovers once again haunted the 'Birds though as BYU shut down SU in the closing minutes for a 76-67 win. The 'Birds led at 62-58 with 2:40 to play, then BYU guard Kari Gallup hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to one. A final 10-2 run by the Cougars in the shut down SU in the closing minutes. |