Show W DS The Salt Lake Tribune COLLEGE BASKETBALL Thursday January Utes Head Strong Cast as WAC Play Begins BY STK K 11 HM Mountain Division contender for excruciating losses to perennial ) powers Western Kentucky the Lobos and Texas Tech ) would be unbeaten New Mexico leads the WAC in scoring defense allowing just 51 4 points a game ): The H Texas-E- I Paso Miners best win came against New outUTEP's one Mexico State ing against a prominent program reloss to Texas Tech sulted in an Scoring is a problem: UTEP averages only 63 points ): Two days after B BYU Utah beat Idaho by by 26 points the Vandals defeated BYU by 10 Though comparing scores is often misleading the Cougars dont appear to be a (77-76- THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE (5-5- The University of Utah women's basketball team is undefeated ranked in a national poll for the first time m school history and has two of WACs best players Coach Elaine Elliott says that not with the Utes means nothing opening the WAC season tonight at the Huntsman Center against Texas-EPaso "I cant complain where we are Elliott said "The kids have done a wonderful job and some good things have happened But now we start all over again That's reality in this business The next game is the only thing that's important That's our mentality: We're not anymore We re " 1 (5-4- (68-5- B Wyoming The Cowgirls e enter WAC play on a losing streak including a 1 debacle at Nebraska Them only wins: Pan AmerAlbertson College (80-5ican (105-50- ) Ouch ) and Weber State (3-6- ): four-gam- 82-4- 8 92-4- (5-5- (68-63- ): The Rebels B UNLV losing streak with snapped a an victory over Loyola Mary- 86-6- 0 ( Sutton is second in the league (to ' Krommenhoek) with three per game 11 SMU ): The Mustangs are a threat in the Pacific Division Against top opposition senior guard Kveta Truchlikova is hitting 52 percent on and sophomore guard Karlin Kennedy averages 17 points S Rice ): The Owls returned team and it four starters from a shows They lead the WAC in scoring margin and are second in defense Rices only losses have come against LSU Colorado and Mississippi ): B Fresno The Bulldogs will battle San Jose and UNLV for the divisions final tournament berth Fresno is extremely young and that translates into inconsistency: The Dogs have beaten Long Beach but lost to Southern Utah St (4-7-): The Sp H San Jose tans rank near the bottom of the W AC in scoring (615) scoring defense (692) and field goal shooting (363X 8 over the last five San Jose years had better get ready for morg of the same (7-3- seamount on Tuesday After a son this program is still struggling though junior forward Dye could play anywhere once-prou- d PACIFIC DIVISION ): B Hawaii The Rainbows (9-1- play rugged defense They allow only 60 points a game Opponents shoot 35 percent Hawaii has beaten LSU Michigan State and UC Santa Barbara while losing only to Iowa State (64-6- B TCU ): Like TCUs mens team the Frogs run and gun They average 78 points though the schedule has been soft Freshman guard JU1 (9-2- 1993 three-pointe- rs 3 B Air Force ): The Falcons 15th in average 60 points per game the WAC But junior guard Elycia Hall (155) is one of the leagues best good enough to make Air players Force a team few opponents can overlook (65-62- 1 41-9- three-pointe- rs SI San Dis$a St (4-5- ) A rugschedule com ged bined with aa epidemic of injuries have slowed the Aztecs progress But rookie Coach Barb Smith has a talent ed team: It would be unwise to dismisj A San Diego State as a contender M Tulsa (3-5- ): The Golden Hurrg cane have lost four straight including to Wichita State and St Louis Tulsa ranks last in the league m defense (727) but sophomore forward Lila Osceola (144 points) leads the WAC in field goal shooting at 6$ (7-3- 16-1- 1 St (5-6- percent 9-- Not so Behind their wonderful senior 1555 WEST backcourt tandem of Julie Krommen-hoeand Alii Bills Utah is off to its r start The Utes are ranked 25th m the USA Today ESPN poll and 26th by The Associated Press Utah has beaten teams such as Kansas State Montana and Arkansas Still the WAC race won't be a run- k best-eve- 3500 SALT LAKE CITY change without notice Subject to stock availability Hurry in for Best Selection! Hi MOUNTAIN DIVISION How long can the Utes stay unbeaten "Who knows? (9-0- ): says Elliott Approaching games against top opposition include New Mexico (Saturday) at Colorado State s (Jan 18) and a rematch with the in Albuquerque (Jan 29) Colorado St (9-- 1 ): The Rams lead the conference in scoring and field goal percentage Junior guard Becky Hammon is the WAC's top scorer (25 average) CSUs shootout only loss came in a 105-9with UC Santa Barbara Lo-bo- UT Prices subject to away In the Mountain Division New Mexico and Colorado State are legitimate challengers to Utah In the Pacific Division Hawaii has emerged as the favorite though SMU g San DieRice TCU and go State can't be discounted "There are several strong teams in our conference this year says ElIt liott And that's nice to see should be fun " Utah SOUTH -WwpSMWWtliPWfflWf! f' if 9 H New Mexico (10-2- ): Except Hayes Breaks Tradition to Play for BYU O ' f-M- u w '"fJXiV'j M IH ViRYTHIN BY WENDY CARPENTER AT LIAS! THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Only a few people were at the Marriott Center to watch a kind of "homecoming for Brigham Young PROVO women's basketball player April Hayes crowd Before a quiet on Dec 19 the Cougars met Idaho State ISU tried to recruit Hayes BYU's only freshman and the school holds much history for her Hayes grew up in Pocatello Idaho and learned to play basketball from her father Steve She has not seen much playing time with the Cougars averaging about five minutes a game but that will probably change next year "It was a really really big game for me living in Pocatello and having it be where my Dad used to coach Hayes said "And it really felt good to go out there and w in and show that BYU can play well and play as good as we did Steve Hayes Idaho State and basketball have a linked past Steve a seven-foo- t center played at Idaho and is considered State from 1974-7one of the school's legends He left as the Bengals' leader in rebounds and scoring average He was drafted by the New York Kmcks in 1977 though he did not make the team He played four years in Europe and the CBA grabbing two championship rings before returning to the NBA where he including played for several teams the Jazz (1985-86- ) Though April Hayes spent a lot of time traveling when she was growing up her family returned to Idaho and Steve coached the Bengal women He has remained with from 1995-9the university working with special projects Choosing BYU "was a really hard I was really decision" says Hayes leaning toward going to Idaho State considering my dad had gone there and it s close to home But I really felt that BYU is the place for me to be I'm really glad I came here I don't have any regrets You just can t get the team unity that we have here While Hayes says being the lone freshman can be hard "I don't even feel like a freshman" she says They tease me every once m awhile but they make sure that feel like I belong with the team " It probably helps that Hayes is the second-talleplayer after Angela Burgess center is one of five players The who did not experience last years troubles which resulted m former coach Soni Adams resigning after the season But she senses this year is different for BYU Just from hearing the girls talk its really positive this year and they're just really into being together as a team and doing things outside of basketball as a team to promote team It's just the whole changeunity over everybody's just excited Giving it a new perspective and that's why its so excitmg much better Hayes who also competed in volleyball and track at Pocatello s Highland High played on the varsity basketball team for four years BYU Coach Trent Shippen likes what she has done in his program "Apnl is the youngest player on our team says Shippen "She has a great willingness to learn The Cougars concluded their Tuesday and open WAC play - otoday against New Mexicy HARDWARE AUTOMOTIVE LUMBER PAINT LAWN BATHROOM PANELING MUCH MUCH MORES LYMIPIC LAWN t GARDEN TAW 7 00 6 Protects Wood BoautfuKy olywipTc a 1 6-- 3 ALL BATHROOM G VANITIES & TOPS (in hardware dept) 7 - pre-seas- Chfecks&Cre ds Afrted 7 AB FfociL iY iYmH I iPufTjjumj!r?ii ALL ROWES TOOLS & ACCESSORIES |