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Show SPORTS B1 ON THE • • • • •• • • 1 • 41 • • • ••• • • • ••• • • • • • • • ••••• • • • !a to • • •• •• TAN vAtter Vit Y wws atirrOme t ?EGION 18 HAPAPIONS OWISS100 I PROVOSPONAL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS UNIT111 tillSATTRALL LEArailE Mr auxosa CHAMPIONS 2010-11 CHAMPIO 1996 RI' '-12 NJCAA All-AMERICANS rim . mrs• Mgt . Sim •wq• Vt. • en. .••• -I- R VW *ma mar,' . purr - • ...*•••••11. . itATEF PEW NEM UM IBEZi I want them to score 80 points and I don't want them to have turnovers, but I thought we really did the process well and I think the next step for us is that we are able to perform at our best, regardless of who we play. CATHY NIXON Head Coach. Mir PRESTON OLSON/UVU REVIEW Taylor Huber lays it up on Chicago State as the Wolverines cruised to victory over the Cougars, 71-38. Huber ended the night with 10 points off the bench for UVU. Wolverines win second conference game against conference rival Chicago State By Matthew Baiamonte Sports Writer Twitter @baiamontematt Cruise control. That's something the Wolverines enjoyed in their win over Chicago State in their second conference game of the year. The Wolverines started the game on a 16-3 run and never looked back, defeating the Cougars 71-38. At one point they led by as many as 27 points. Head Coach Cathy Nixon was happy with the performance but not completely satisfied. "I'm pretty greedy," Nixon said. "I want them to score 80 points and I don't want them to have turnovers, but I thought we really did the process well. I think the next step for us is that we are able to perform at our best, regardless of who we play." Sammie Jensen was her usual self, recording another double-double with 22 points and 13 boards. She collected her sixth Great West conference player of the week in the process. She ranks second in the country in double-doubles and fifth in rebounding. Those are astounding numbers for someone who isn't even the third tallest player on the team. In the defeat of the Cougars, Jensen wasn't alone. She was one of 4 players with double figures. Kaycee Mansfield, Tina Doughty and Taylor Huber also scored 10 points or more in the 71-38 game. "I think the balanced scoring is something that is helping us right now," Nixon said. "We've always had Sammie with those doubledoubles , but it's good to have other kids in double figures." The Wolverines have been working on bench production and defense all season long, and the hard work looks like it's paying off. They had 16 bench points against the Cougars and held them to a season low 38 points. "I think the best thing that happened to us recently is we had a week of practice," Nixon said. "We haven't had that in a while, and I think that will result in us being a better team." At halftime, Coach Nixon issued a challenge to her team to hold Chicago State to less than 40 points. Challenge accomplished. There must be some great reward for having accomplished such an amazing feat. "We probably won't have to run," Kaycee Mansfield said. Sounds like an excellent reward, especially for a team that cruised to victory. Confidence in spite of change It's the little The UVU softball team looks to eclipse last year's record-setting season prior to joining the WCC things By Kyle Spence Sports Writer Twitter @kyledspencer Winning the greatest amount of games in UVU softball Division I history has raised the team's level of confidence. After 33 wins last season, all but two players return from the team that captured the Great West Tournament championship last May. "We're replacing them with kids that, we're hoping, can step right up," interim Head Coach Rachel Hartgrove said. "I expect us to be in the hunt. I expect us to be competing very well. This should be the best team we've ever had." Coach Hartgrove is no stranger to being the best. As a player she earned Division I All-Independent First Team honors three straight years at UVU and was recognized as the Division I Independent player of the year in 2005. Stating that this team should be the Wolverines' best softball team ever is bold, and coach Hartgrove believes her team can support her prediction. "The easy part here is that I have a great group of kids. They do everything I ask, and they've been awesome. The transition, as difficult as it is, those kids have made it as simple as it could be," Hartgrove said regarding the move from top assistant to interim head coach. Despite the confidence and talent of the Wolverine softball team, the changes this year will bring new challenges. UVU softball will join the West Coast Conference in the 2014 season and will compete against many of their future conference mates this spring within the Pacific Coast Softball Conference before it See SOFTBALL, B3 IlL PRESTON OLSON/UVU REVIEW Ben Aird and company join hands in hopes to achieve team success against Houston Baptist. Ilunior Ben Aird takes the Men's basketball team to the next level as the Wolverines continue their season with high hopes and expectations to finish By Rachel Anderson Assistant Sports Editor Twitter @rachach3x Ben Aird, junior and center for the men's basketball team, contin- ues to be a force for good as the Wolverines are one step closer to finish off a great season, with hopes to make their way to the GWC championship. Aird received the Great West Conference Player of the Week after the GWC home game opener against NJIT a couple weeks ago. With 26 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocks, Aird matched his career-high with 26 points despite the 57-52 loss that night. "It's always an honor to be recognized but it's something, personal recognition can't be gained without your teammates and the things they do for you," Aird said. "It was ultimately a result of my teammates who did the little things and put me in positions where I could be successful." Bringing nothing but a positive and modest attitude on and off the court, Aird whole-heartedly feels he wouldn't be where he is today if not for his teammates. The trust he has in his teammates goes beyond that of an average athlete. He recognizing their own successes, L -ALAL, ....atUdicA „Amami KEVIN BRYAN/UVU REVIEW See LITTLT THINGS, 82 The UVU softball team plans to replay last season's winning record. The steroid error The Baseball HOF refuses to induct steroids into Cooperstown By Alex Rivera Sports Editor Twitter @HashtagginAlex Roger Clemens. Barry Bonds. Mark McGuire. Sammy Sosa. In years past, we have come to know these names very well. But it hasn't been for their accomplishments. Instead, they're reputations were destroyed by what some are calling steroids. I call them errors. All five of these men were on the 2013 Hall of Fame ballot earlier this year, and all five didn't get elected into that aforementioned hall. In fact, no one on the ballot this year was elected because of the many errors players decided to take upon themselves. Other players like former Yankee great Bernie Williams, Mets catcher Mike Piazza and even Boston's pride Curt Schilling were on the ballot but didn't get voted in because they were in a sea of syringes and drugs that tarnished the sport of baseball. Astro legend Craig Biggio, who was the closest with 68% of the vote into making an appearance at Cooperstown, didn't get elected, even though he himself has never claimed to take steroids. With Bonds holding the homerun record at 762, and Clemens having seven Cy Young awards under his belt, it is unfortunate to see such tremendous skill and accomplishments go unnoticed. But it is in the wake of these steroid issues that these two former greats probably won't ever get voted into the HOF. Rich "Goose" Gossage, a Hall of Famer himself, has gone on record saying that Bonds and Clemens received too many votes, but "at least they didn't get in." Five voters turned in a clean ballot, not even making a mark on their sheets, making a blank statement that they didn't want these players in the HOF. As much of a present effect this event has in baseball, the first time no one got voted in since 1996, the effects it might have on the sport and other players might end up leaving a long-term impression. IT Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees has now admittedly taken steroids. Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers hasn't admittedly taken steroids, but in 2011, a urine sample found an extremely elevated amount of testosterone in his system. Even Melky Cabrera of the San Francisco Giants, who was having a mediocre career until 2012 when his numbers skyrocketed, tested positive for an increased level in testosterone. He now plays for the Toronto Blue Jays. All of these players' legacies are now in jeopardy because of the errors they made in their lives. And who really knows about the huge power hitters of our time like Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton of the Angels of Anaheim. For all we know, they might be taking steroids as well, they just haven't gotten caught. And that's the reality of this all. We don't really know anymore who is taking steroids and who is not. The players won't admit it until the cards are stacked against them. And if they don't admit it, they'll get caught. With a new agreement in place for the 2013 season for random, in-season HGH and testosterone testing, it is only a matter of time that these errors get fixed and players can get recognized for their accomplishments rather then get questioned for them. |