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Show Take Note: § Friday, Feb. 2,2007 The track team competes in the Air Force Invitational today in Colorado Springs, Colo. 797-1761 sports@statesman.usu.edu Looking back, WAC performs well in bowl games Down P Line BY D A V I D BAKER Staff Writer With Super Bowl Sunday nearly upon us, it's a good time to look back at this year's college bowl season, one that was particularly kind to the Western Athletic Conference. One month and one day ago, the Boise State Broncos won the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, beating the Oklahoma Sooners 43-4-2 in overtime. The exciting game, which had one of the greatest endings to a college football game ever, capped off a bowl season that saw the WAC post a 3-1 record. Along with Boise State, [Sp_orts_Notes _ j _ j the University of Hawaii and San Jose State-University turned in impressive bowl wins, beating Arizona State and the University of New Mexico, respectively. The University of Nevada was the only WAC bowl team to lose. They suffered a one-point loss to Miami University (Fla.) in the MPC Computers Bowl. The 3-1 mark tied the WAC for second, with the Mountain West Conference, for the best record by a conference in bowl games this season. The three wins • WAC 2006 BOWL APPEARANCES The 3-1 bowl record by the WAC this season ties the conference with the Mountain West Conference for the second most bowl wins this year. Hew Mexico Bowl MIAMI (AP) - Dwyane Wade turned the ball over Miami (FL) 21 New Mexico 12 more than any Miami Heat player in history Thursday San Jose State 20 WOLF PACK Nevada 20 night. His teammates will likely forgive him. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Wade had 12 turnovers, Hawaii Bowl two more than his previDec. 24,2006 Jan. 1, 2007 ous career worst and one Arizona State 24 (9) Boise State 43 more than the dubious mark Hawaii 41 (7) Oklahoma 42 Kevin Edwards set during the Heat's expansion season 18 years ago. But Wade more than atoned for that by making 23 of 24 free throws. Wade had 41 points - including a team-record 24 points in the final quarter - and Miami came from behind to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 92-89 in a game that had some bizarre occurrences down the stretch. With the Heat up 87-86 with 20.4 seconds left, Wade took a hard foul in the face marked three falls in this meet - two BY VIVIANA RAMIREZ LeBron James. Wade from one person - and lost the event to by Staff Writer made both free throws to Boise. Markle said what happened was push the lead to 89-86. a little strange. She was first on the The Aggie gymnastics squad had a line-up and had a good routine and great night as they defeated long-time another career high of 9-525. Lewis rival Boise State University Thursday, followed the falls in the line-up but Feb. 1, 193.725-191.650, winning every managed the high score of the event at event but the beam. 9-675. "I asked them to come out and be "I was just trying to let the nerves aggressive and they did that," Head go and do the best that I could do at NBA Coach Ray Corn said. that time," she said. The Aggies started the night on Lewis said that she was just tryEASTERN CONFERNCE the vault where they tied their previing to get the team back on track. W L Pet GB ous season-high of 48.950. Freshman Parenti- Otte who followed pulled out Atlantic Division Katy Schilla and the WAC Athlete of a 9-525 to tie Markle. Toronto 23 2 3 . 500 _ the Week Senior Jessica Parenti-Otte Although nerves may have gotten 22 24 478 1.0 New Jersey led the way for the team each with a team down on the beam they still 20 28 417 , 4.0 New York score of 9.825. Fellow freshman, Devin the managed to bring their energy level 15 3 2 .319 8.5 Philadelphia Markle followed with a career-high up for the last event of the night. The 12 3 3 .267 10.5 9.800. It was just the first of many for team Boston scored a season-high 48.875. Markle throughout the meet. Central Division Parenti- Otte and Markle led the "It's probably the most exciting W L Pet GB team at 9-825 a piece while Lewis thing IVe ever done," Markle said 26 18 .591 _ Detroit and Nicki Felley followed with 9.800. about her night. "It doesn't even com26 19 .578 0.5 Cleveland Unfortunately for the team, during the pare to club gymnastics. It's exciting." 26 20 .565 1.0 Chicago exhibition performance team captain After the first rotation Utah State 24 21 .533 2.5 Indiana Alex Martin coming off of a groin led with a score of 4-8.950 to BSU's 18 28 .391 9.0 Milwaukee injury - landed short during a pike 47.625. double back and injured her left ankle. Southeast Division Utah State then moved on to W L Pet GB Corn said the team wouldn't be sure the uneven bars where once again about the extent of the injury until xWashington 27 18 .600 _ Markle scored a season-high of rays are taken. 24 22 522 3.5 Orlando 9-750. Teammates and team captains The team nonetheless came out on 20 25 .444 7.0 Miami Meagan Lewis and Parenti-Otte had top against the rival. They will go up 17 27 386 9.5 Atlanta the high scores of the team. Lewis against another big rival next week 17 28 378 10.0 Charlotte with a 9.825 and Parenti-Otte at when they take on the University of 9.800. USU also finished the second Utah in the Spectrum. Corn said that WESTERN CONFERENCE rotation ahead of BSU. every meet so far has been in preparaSouthwest Division The beam was the downfall for the tion for next week's game. W L Pet GB Aggies and the next event of the meet. -vramirez(3);Cc.usu.edu Dallas 38 9 , 809 Although they hit seven for seven routines at San Jose the last meet, they San Antonio 32 15.681 6.0 Dec. 23, 2OOfi W A C BOWLS see page 9 MPC Computers Bowl Wade commits turnovers, beats Cavs. Dec. 31, 2006 Gymnasts leap to win over Boise St. Aggie squad sets season-high scores, improves to 5-3 on the season Standings Patrick Oden/poden@cc.usu.edu SOPHOMORE NlOd FELLfY goes vertical as she springs off the vault during a meet against the Boise State Bfoncos, Thursday, Feb. 2. The Aggies beat the Broncos for the second time in a week. Ags look to get back on track against Spartans BY BLAIR FAIRMAN Staff Writer Coming off two rough road losses, the men's basketball team returns home to face off against San Jose State Saturday. With senior forward Chaz Spicer rising to become one of the team's leading scorers, he is sure to give San Jose a run for their money. Spicer scored 12 points against Nevada last Saturday, just shy of USU s leading scorer, junior guard Jaycee Carroll, who put 15 points on the board. Spicer improved his game against Hawaii last Monday, making three 3-pointers and leading the team with 18 points. Carroll's points per game are slowly declining, with scoring a total of only 28 points his last two games. Carroll, who made just one 3-pointer at Hawaii, will need to get back into his rhythm for USU to continue to compete at a high level in WAC play. Along with Carroll, the team as a whole has not performed well in the 3pointer area and has left the Aggies with low scores and two consecutive losses against Nevada and Hawaii. However, both of these games were on the road Meet the Challenge USU (15-7) vs. SAN JOSE STATE (2-18) StewMorrill {9th year) George Nessman (2nd year) Saturday, Feb. 2, Spectrum, 7:05 p.m. USU probable starters & ppg. C-Stephen DuCharme 10.0 F-Chaz Spicer 10.1 F-Durrall Peterson 9.5 G-Kris Clark 2.6 G-Jaycee Carroll. 20.8 NTU probable starters & ppg. C-Menelik Barbary 13.1 F-Tim Pierce 3.8 F-Lance Holloway 3.1 G-Carlton Spencer 17.4 G-Jamon Hill 9.8 the boards from the perimeter. >• REBOUND see page 10 29 16.644 New Orleans 19 26.422 Memphis 8.0 18.0 35.255 26.0 12 Northwest Division Utah against teams with tight defense on the perimeter. Fortunately for USU, who is 4-4 in the WAC, they are undefeated at home and have shown no signs of stopping the winning tradition. The last time USU faced off against the San Jose State Spartans (1-7) on Jan. 20, they beat the Spartans by one point with a win of 57-56. San Jose scored eight 3-pointers, which was twice as many as the Aggies, and had more players scoring in the double-digits. San Jose senior Menelik Barbary will not be easy to shut down. This 6-foot-10 center scored 16 points against the Aggies and is the Spartan's top returning scorer. The Aggies will be playing one of the most difficult games thus far when New Mexico State, ranked second in the WAC, comes to Logan on Monday. New Mexico, 8-1 in WAC play, showed no mercy with their_80-73 win against No. 15 nationally ranked Nevada State (8-1) last Saturday, which was Nevada's first road loss all year. Junior forward Tyrone Nelson and junior guard Justin Hawkins Watch for Chaz Spicer to add points and snag rebounds In the post while Jaycee Carroll lights up Houston Denver Minnesota Portland Seattle W L Pet 30 17 .638 22 21 .512 22 23 .489 20 27 .426 17 29 .370 GB _ 6.0 7.0 10.0 12.5 Pacific Division Phoenix L.A. Lakers Golden State L.A. Clippers Sacramento W L Pet GB 36 9 .800 _ 28 18 .609 8.5 23 22 .511 13.0 2125 .457 15.5 18 26 .409 17.5 On Deck {upcoming'events -•"^ Men's Basketball SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 7:05 p.m. Utah State vs San Jose State MONDAY, FES. 5. 7:05 p.m. Utah State vs. New Mexico State Women's Basketball SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 3 p.m. Utah State at San Jose State MONDAY, FEB. 5, 7:05 p.m. Utah State at New Mexico State Track and Field FRIDAY. FEB. 2, All day Air Force Invitational, Colorado Springs, Colo. Men's Tennis SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 10 a.m. Utah State vs Northern Arizona Trevor NielsonZctn@ccusu.edu SENIOR FORWARD CHAZ SPICER takes an open shot against the Broncos on Jan. 18. Spicer led the Aggies in scoring against Hawaii and is averaging 10.1 points per game. FRIDAY, FEB. 2, 8 p.m. Utah State vs UVSC SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 8 p.m. Utah State vs Colorado State |