Pep Talk
By David Caravielh
-
NCAA Tournai
Henson, mini U
Fasten your seatbelts, folks. It's c
tourney time. * r
Now that the regular season and \
conference champions have been s
decided, it's time to see who'll walk 1
away with the National Champion- i
ship on April 3rd. i
You know, National Champion. 1
The Big N.C. Head Honcho. Top t
Dog. The Real Number One. !
Sorry, Super Bowl and World I
Series fans. Face it, the NCAA j
basketball tournament is the greatest
single-elimination playoff system in 1
the annals of sport. Winner takes all, ;
no ifs, ands or buts about it. <
Suspense, action, adventure, intrigue !
and romance like no other sport. A
hardwood version of Gone With the
Wind.
Because of this year's unusual
amount of parity in college basketball,
the Brass Ring is up for grabs.
So, to enlighten you on the pairings
ranH tr? hr?n/?fnllv h(*lr? vmi win a ffW
WW I?VKV.-.V ..?f J
bucks, this fearless columnist will
take you on a bracket-by-bracket
analysis of each region and give you
the inside scoop on who'll back up
the truck come April.
Pad and pencil handy? We'll begin
in the weakest division and work our
way up.
West: When the NCAA committee
gave out powerhouses, this region
was last in line. Arizona and Indiana
are the cream of a sparse crop and
are the only two teams with any
hopes of making it out alive. Possible
first-round upsets are Louisiana
State over UTEP and Idaho over
UNLV. Idaho? Yes, Idaho. You
can't bet against a team nicknamed
the Vandals. If they lose, they come
over and wreck your living room.
Seriously, the boys from Moscow
, (Idaho, mind you, not Russia) looked
impressive in the Big Sky tournament
and could have what it takes to
show the Rebels an early exit. Indiana's
pressure defense should stifle
Arizona in the final and send the
Hoosiers to Seattle.
Midwest: This region should end
up as The Lou Henson Show, for his
Fighting Illini seem to be the
strongest of only four contenders in
another weak division. Two classic
Sweet 16 matchups should evolve
here, Illinois vs. Louisville and
Missouri vs. Syracuse. Henson's club
will have two tough games, Louisville
and predictably Missouri, but the Illini
should emerge as a Final Four entry.
First-round upsets could be Ball
State over Pittsburgh (seeded too
higti), Loyoia-Marymouni over
Arkansas and Texas over Georgia
Tech.
Southeast: This region should sell
some movie rights as The Return of
Billy Tubbs. After last year's loss in
Kansas City, Tubbs and All-America
?Big
Guys, if you're \
turning 18, you have
go to the post office
It only takes five mil
worry, there hasn't 1
1973. The country ji
name in case there's
emergency.
Register. It's qi
And it's t
"l5;~.r.T ~L~
A public service of thi
n r
merit returns;
o claim crown
:enter Stacey King have vowed to
eturn to the Final Four ? and they
vill. Although the Sooners showed
iome signs of mortality in the Big
Bight Conference tourney, a healthy
omp over East Tennessee should
ectify the team. Oklahoma should
omp an overrated Florida State
earn and squeak by Michigan into
Seattle. Tar Heel faithful may pro:est,
but it doesn't look like UNC will
*et by Michigan in a predicted Sweet
16 game. Bet on Oklahoma. In a fairly
top-heavy region only one upset
seems likely, 12th-seeded Providence
aver No. 5 Virginia. The Wahoos are
seeded much too high, and if the ,
Friars don't kill them, the altitude i
will. I
East: Here, mama, is where the big
boys are. The Mike Tyson region. Of
the sixteen teams, half have spent
time in the Top Twenty, and nearly
everyone can beat everyone else. Two
first-round upsets stick out: Notre
Dame over Vanderbilt in a close one
and USC over North Carolina State.
Now before you start shaking your
head, listen to the facts. State is coming
off a devastating loss to
Maryland that may have decimated
their confidence. I don't think State
will come out all-fired up and looking
to get revenge on their first-round
opponent because they've had a week
to let the loss sink in and think about
it. The Gamecocks have proven they
can hang with the elite in their trio of
wins over Top Twenty teams.
Hopefully, the Gamecocks will get
over that "we're just happy to be
here" attitude and try to make some
noise for the first time in fifteen
years. And finally, USC matches up
extremely well with the Wolfpack
with defensive specialist Barry Manning
on State's most explosive player,
Rodney Mohroe. It could happen,
but don't Look too far beyond that
because Iowa, the predicted secondround
opponent, is just too strong.
As far as region champion goes, take
Cinderella Stanford. In a region with
so many strong teams, the big boys
? notably Georgetown and Duke ?
could get bumped off early. The Cardinal
can cut it.
For national champion, Illinois
seems to be the best bet. Kendall Gill,
recently back from a foot injury,
serves as a catalyst for an Illini team
that compounded all four of its losses
while he was out. A recent shellacking
of a very good Iowa team shows
just how strong Illinois is.
So the Fighting Illini will win it all,
Lou Henson will get an extension on
his contract and become richer than
he already is, and ChampaignUrbana
will be a very pleasant place
to live.
Bet the farm on it.
jIL^V
mm
vithin 30 days of
: to register. Just
and fill out a card,
lutes. And don't
>een a draft since
ist needs your
X 1
ever a national
lick. It's easy.
s publication, (^j^l
1989 NCAA Women's IV
1) Louisiana Tech
8) Miami Fl.
9) Oklahoma State
5) Purdue
12) Arkansas
4) LSU
3) Iowa
1
South Carolina I
11) Tennessee Tech
7) Illinois State
10) NW Louisiana
2) Stanford [
Lady Gamecock Martha Parker receives c
at halftime of the USC-DePaul contest Mi
Parker's No. 13 jersey would be retired folk
rest of the Lady Gamecocks open NCAA to
against Tennessee Tech.
Rent
\c
\ V
\A
r
THE UN
VOL
For those stude
volunteer servu
General Motor:
your campus "(
spirit of studen
your campus w
3 sha
A m<
A spi
Cam
If you, or som
be considered
VOLUNTEER 1
RUSSE
PHONE (8
lidwest Regional
TEDDY LEPP/The Gamecock
ongratulations from her mother
arch 1, when it was announced
wing the season. Parker and the
urnament play tonight at 7 p.m.
ircling Vol
PRESENTED BY G]
& GMAC FINANi
IN ASSOCIA
IYERSITY 01
iUNTEER SE]
'fits who distinguish thems
:e, we proudly present the
s and GMAC Financial Se
}M Spirit Award," an awa
t volunteers within your ui
ill be named as "GM Spiri
res of GM stock (GM Comr
runted certificate of recogr
sciai oil-campus picacinan
pus and hometown media
eone you know is a volunt
for the "GM Spirit Award
avail*
SERVICES OFFICE
ILL HOUSE UNIVE
03) 777-5780 DEAD]
GM encourages yc
van con
ILLil oEveoiii^Foe
IDKX'CAWJ
General Motors."
use begin
national tit
By CHRIS SILVESTRI
Assistant sports editor
The 17th-ranked Lady Gamecocks
will participate in the NCAA tournament
for the second consecutive
season, but for only the fourth time
in the program's history.
USC, 23-6, received a bid to the
tournament as the sixth seed in the
Midwest region, and the Lady
Gamecocks will play host to No. 11
seed Tennessee Tech in the opening
1 ?"7. A A o*
IUU11U lUIllgiil ai / .v/v/ ai vai umia
Coliseum. The winner will play
eighth-ranked and third-seeded Iowa
in Iowa City, where the Lady
Hawkeyes own a 40-game home winning
streak.
"I was surprised we didn't get a
bye in the first round," USC head
coach Nancy Wilson said, "but now
it's time for us to go out and prove
we can end up on top."
The Lady Gamecocks, who were
ousted from last year's tournament
in a second round loss to then No. 1
seed Texas, have had plenty of
regular-season experience against
NCAA tournament teams. USC,
which owns a 2-3 career record in
NCAA tournament play, has played
13 games this season against eight
teams participating in this year's
tournament. The Lady Gamecocks
have posted an 8-5 record against
those teams, which include Holy
Cross, Georgia, Old Dominion,
Southern Mississippi, North
Carolina State, Clemson, Tennessee
and Cincinnati.
USC has met Tennessee Tech five
times previously, and the Lady
Gamecocks hold a 4-1 advantage in
the series, with the last meeting in
1982. The Lady Eaglettes hold a 21-7
season mark and won the Ohio
Valley Conference Tournament,
while USC has an impressive 14-2
record at Carolina Coliseum this
year.
The Lady Gamecocks, the Metro
Conference champions for the third
time in four years, are led by their
front court trio of sophomore forward
Beth Hunt, senior forward
\ /T ?-??-* t-? o Dnrl/ or onrl iuninr r?PntAr
iViCii 111CI I ell rvci ciuu jumv/i wwavw
Schonna Banner. Sharing playing
time in the backcourt will be guards
Lisa Diaz, Sherry David and Karen
Middleton.
USC's Parker \yas namedyMetro
PlaytrW'the Ybar and was alscffEffffed
First Team All-Metro along with
Hunt. Hunt was also selected for the
unteer
ENERAL MOTORS ?1988^
CIAL SERVICES
TION WITH
? SOUTH CAR(
RVICES OFFIC
elves by their campus and/or
"GM Spirit Award"
rvices are pleased to be assoc
ird dedicated to recognize anc
liversity community. Three st
t Award" recipients. Each she
non, GM Class H, and GM Class I
lition
on ceremony and reception
exposure
eer, please nominate them (oi
i" by completing an applicatic
ible at:
!, CAMPUS ACTIVITI
RSITY UNION, BOX 1
uINE DATE: MARCH
m to be a volunteer!
CI 966
sharing your future"
s quest for
tie tonight
"I was surprised we
didn't get a bye in the first
round, but now it's time
for us to go out and prove
we can end up on top."
Nancy Wilson
Metro All-Rookie Team and was
chosen as the Metro Tournament's
Most Valuable Player. Banner was
named Second Team All-Metro and
chosen for the All-Tournament
Team.
Hunt led the Lady Gamecocks this
season with 19.3 points per game and
9.1 rebounds per contest. Banner was
second for USC in points and rebounds
per game with 14.7 and 7.5
respectively. Parker was next with
13.7 points per game and 5.7 rebounds,
and she was also second on
the team in assists with 137. Diaz led
USC this year with 166 assists.
In the Metro Tournament, the
Lady Gamecocks received a first
round bye after winning a coin toss
with Southern Mississippi, which tied
USC with a 10-2 regular season
Metro Conference record. In the
semifinals of the tournament, USC
won a tough match with Cincinnati,
63-60. The Lady Gamecocks were led
by Hunt, who picked up 23 points
and snatched 13 rebounds. USC
crushed Southern Mississippi in the
championship game, 92-65, and were
led by Hunt once again, as she scored
26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
"We feel like we're coming off a
very good weekend in Memphis, having
defeated Southern Mississippi in
the Metro Tournament," Wilson
said. "We're greatly looking forward
to playing at home again, even
though Tennessee Tech is a very good
team."
"If we can carry the momentum
from the Metro Conference Championship,
that will be a big plus for
us," she said. "The OVC Conference
is strong. We can't take them lightly.
We have to continue playing with the
same intensity."
Tickets for USC's NCAA tournament
game with Tennessee Tech are
""SfSlSWe at the USC Ticket Office on
Rosewood Drive. Prices are $5 for
adults and $2 for students.
rit...
I
)lina
:e
community
iated with
1 reward the
udents from
ill receive:
I)
r yourself) to
)n form now
ES CENTER
85128
31, 1989