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Show 1- THE UNNERSJTY JOURNAL· SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY · THURSDAY! DECEMBER 3, 1998 9 IB3J1IBID) §IFCQ)lliim O n35 'Birds look to get back on track Tonight, SUU's men's basketbaJI team will be looking to bounce back from a lived up to his pre-season billing so far in the young season. Tabbed as a key to disappointing finish at the Great Alaska Shootout when the 'Birds host SU's success even before workouts began , Hancock has risen to the occasion, Youngstown State in the Mid-Continent Conference opener for both teams. Tip off leading SU in scoring in three of the first six games and is the 'Birds' leading scorer is·slated for 7:35 in the Centrum Arena. at 17.5 points per game. Hancock was limited to just four shots and three poincs Youngstown State brings a 2-2 record into tonight's against Notre Dame, but prior to that contes t he had game after picking up a 66-64 win at Loyola-Chicago scored in double figures in every game this year. He is Saturday. also the team 's second-leading rebounder (5.3 rpg), is "Youngstown is an outstanding defensive team, I hitting 90.9 pe rcent of his free throws and 50.7 think that is the strength of their team , but they're also percent of his shoes from the floor. an excellent perimeter fshooting] team. Lewis , Although SU is hitting a respectable 78.9 p ercent of Crockett and Hannan arc all dangerous outside its free throws, opponents are getting co the line shooters," said SU Coach Bill Evans. more than twice as often as the 'Birds are. Going imo This w ill be the third meeting between SU and tonight's game. the 'Birds have attempted 95 free Youngstown Seate. The teams split a pair of games lase throws, succeeding on 75, while opponents have year, with the ' Birds taking an 86-80 overtime victory gone to the line 19 1 times, succeeding on J 47. SU has in Cedar City and the Penguins prevailing, 66-50, at been called for 135 fouls, while opponents have been Youngstown , Ohio. Kenyatta Clyde led the 'Birds in whistled 97 times. scoring in both contests, with 19 at ho me and 15 on SU scored a season-low 63 points agains t Cincinnati , the road. but came back with season-highs of 77 points against After giving sixth-ranked Cincinnati all it wanted in both St. Mary's and Notre Dame. Jimmy Faulkner an 86-73 loss in the opening round of the Shootout, scored a career-high 21 points against Notre Dame the 'Birds (2-4) faltered down the stretch against both and had a season-high six rebounds. ln that same St. Mary's and Notre Dame to finish 0-3 at the game, Jeff Monaco had a season-high 15 points and tournament. SU led St. Mary's 60-45 with just over 11 dished out a season-high eight assists. Although the minutes to p lay before dropping that contest, 85-77, 'Birds arc on the short end in free throws, they have and led Notre Dame 69-64 with five minutes to go, but fared better than the opposition in every other dropped that contest by an 81-77 margin. statistical category except rebounding. SU has 99 Kenyatta Clyde was named to the Great Alaska assists to opponents' 71 , have 80 turnovers to Shootout All-Tournament team after averaging 20.3 opponents' 87, lead in blocks 23-9, in steals 42-33 and points and 7.7 rebounds per game lase week. Clyde have outshot opponents 46.2-42.0 from the floor, was named Player of the Game against St. Mary's after ~'33.3-32. 1 from 3-point range and 78.9-77.0 from the scoring 27 points and pulling down nine rebounds. ! free throw line. However, SU has been out-rebounded During the tournament, Clyde shoe 5 1.3 percent from 0208·1,81. the fi eld, hit 2 1 of 25 free throws, had three assists Monday, the 'Birds w ill travel to Pocatello, Idaho, to and blocked two shots. He was the team 's leading ffilake on Idaho State in the second Mid-Con game of scorer in one game and leading rebounder in two. i5 the season . SU and Idaho State have met IO times and Clyde is currently the ' Birds' second-leading scorer at ~the series is tied at five wins apiece. 17.3 points per game and leading rebounder at 8.7 '---------.:...JL________.....______. Q. Admission to the Youngstown State game is free for rpg. He has also attempted a team-high 37 free throws SU's Tyson llancock puts a shot up. The 'Birds open students with a current activity card. and hie a team-leading 30. their Mid-Con play tonight at 7:35 in the Centrum KBRE FM 94.9 and AM 940 w ill broadcast both Tyson Hancock, a transfer from Snow College, has Arena against the Youngstown State Penguins. games. J Won,en open Mid-Con play today SU's women 's basketball begins the 1998·99 MidContinent Conference schedule at home today, against Youngstown State at 5:15 p .m. and Saturday, against Oakland at 7:30 p .m. Both games will be played at the Centrum Arena. SU is 0-3 lifetime against Youngstown State, after losing all three meetings last season against the Penguins. All three losses to Youngstown State were by JO points last season; 84-94 at the Centrum, 7 1-81 at Youngstown State, and 73-83 at the Mid-Con tournament semi-final. "Youngstown State is the defending champion and are always tough to play. I know they do a good job and they have players that can shoot the ball," said SU Coach Joe Hillock. The Oakland game will be the first meeting between the 'Birds and the Grizzlies on the basketball court. The road has not been kind to Oakland University. The Grizzllcs are 0-3 on the road, but arc 3-0 in neutral court games. Oakland Universciy has won its only home game, defeating Morehead State, 95-61. Oakland is led by the dynamic duo of Sarah Judd and Tamika Bates. Judd leads the t<'afll in scoring as a true freshman, averaging 19.6 points a game. She is also the second-leading rebounder, pulling down 8.6 boards a contest. Judd has led the Grizzlies in scoring in four of seven games this season. Bates is the team's second-leading scorer and leading rebounder, averaging 15.1 and 9.4, respectively. Courtney Ruffing is the main threat from the perimeter, leading OU in three-point attempts (49) and makes (15). Ruffing averages 13.4 points a game. "Oakland is a good team. They won the Army tournament. A lot of their points are coming_from the paint," Hillock said. SU's Sarah Pratt as named the Mid.Con 's Player of the Week for her two double-double performances last week. Pratt averaged 13 points and 9.7 rebounds, while blocking four shots and recording six steals in three games. She scored 15 points and pulled down 10 boards against BYU. ln the Fresno State Gassic, Pratt recorded a 10 point, nine rebound night against Wichita State and dropped in 14 points and had 10 rebounds against Loyola-Chicago. Today's game against Youngstown State will feature all three of this season's Mid.Con player's of the week. Youngstown State's Leslie Majewski and Lisa Rotunno were the first two players to win the honor, while Pratt is the most recent honoree. Freshman Megan Lofthouse has been the stand-out player for the 'Birds in the early going. Loft.house is the leading scorer, averaging 13.4 points a game off the bench, includJng a season-high 24 against BYU and is the third-leading rebounder, pulling down 5.8 boards a game. Lofthouse has been cool at the free throw line, making 29·32 (.906) of her attempts, including 21 straight to start the season. SU opened Mid.Con play at home last season with a 86-64 win against Oral Roberts. Including two seasons in the American West Conference, SU is 13.3 in conference home games, 5·3 in Mid-Con games, and 3-0 in conference home openers. SU ranks fourth in the Mid-Con in scoring offense ao.8 points per game) and is second in scoring defense (65.8 points pe,r game). The 'Birds also lead the league in free throws made (110), attempted ( 150) and are second in free throw percentage (.733). SU's early-season shooting woes have the 'Birds ranked eighth in field goal percentage (111 -313, .355). kOur players are excited about playing in league games and opening up league play at home," Hillock said. I' . SU's Sally J ohnson drives the ball down court.. The Lady 'Birds will take on the Youngstown State today at 5: 15 p. m. in the Centrum Arena. |