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Monday, January 12, 1998 staff writer \N\W\MA FOLKS | When Recus Nix was just a middle-schooler in North Charleston, he I seemed to always find himself going up against this same kid whenever he and i t* ? J - - .. * a nis menus went to the playgrounds ^ downtown to shoot hoops. Fast off the dribble, quicker with the pass, able to hit pull-up jumpers from the top of the key; this particular youngster was a defender's worst nightmare, and it was more often than not young Recus'job to try and contain him. Well, if there was any doubt be- m fore about this junior guard's skills, es^ pecially after you consider that each of I 9 the starters from his Allegheny, Md., Junior College team now play NCAA ^ Division-I basketball, let this httle tidbit put those doubts to rest. It The youngster from the playground was none other than fellow Charleston- P ian and Gamecock floor general Melvin ra Watson. "He's one of the big reasons I came here," says Nix of his teammate. "I knew Melvin when we were both in || A Charleston, and I remember playing against him for the first time when I was in the eighth grade. I never really hung out with him all that much but he was always such a fun guy to play basketball with." Recus rolls his eyes and shakes his head at the next question. "Yeah, I remember trying to guard him back then." A superb defender foossiblv the best in the nation's junior college ranks while at Allegheny), Nix comes into Coach Eddie Fogler's program with seemingly limitless athletic potential. He plays the ball with a ferocious intensity that literally blankets opposing ar point guards, and he moves away from st the ball in man-to-man coverage almost like a hawk in search of its prey. nc He jumps, he rebounds, he steals, co he assists and, one last thing: Recus to< Nix can also score. At Allegheny, he averaged 17.5 he points a game his sophomore season do while shooting an unbelievable 61.9 its percent from the floor. He also aver- m< aged 6.5 rebounds, four assists, and an three steals per game as a sophomore *7 to round out his sensational junior col- th lege career. wl "It really helped prepare me," Nix said. "We had six different guys on that 9? Allegheny team that were averaging over 15 points a game, and our com- ^ petition was always tough. Bob Kirk also taught me a lot about being patient # _ Did Yo Know.. plasma Is an essential fluid for good quality plasma. Plasma-based medicines s; here in our community. Just a few hours of your tjn difference in someone's lif< Bayer compensates you ea how often you donate, you Bayer is seeking STUDENTS health with people In need, meet our health require while you earnl For more information call 803-254-6683 ^ I HB -< k %JBI ? Ti * ? ill aiP! ' if : ; > inior transfer Recus Nix has m; e bench for the 10-2 Gamecocks id waiting my turn, because I didn't art my first year up there, either." Recus says that while he may it start this season in USC's backurt, if he has his way it shouldn't be d far-off in the future. "I know I need to learn the system ire. I think once I get the plays wn everything else will take care of lelf. When I do that, I know I'll be )re comfortable and can go out there d just play instead of having to worabout where I'm supposed to be all e time. Things will feel more fluid len Fve learned the process." One of three new faces in the imecock line-up this season, Nix beves that his learning process will easier here at Carolina than it might ve been at other schools due to the Bonne j&m ^w Earn Ext! of life and there is an on-goii ave thousands of lives, some ne each month can help mal e. ich time you donate. Depend can receive up to $170 a m > and others to help share the . If you're at least 18 years < jments you can start saving Bayer 0 sting prior to acceptance, and at all times. i & Spc The Gar i TiTT^ II mm mm uj BRYAN JOHNSTON The Gamecock ide a solid contribution coming off unity and closeness of this Gamecock team. "They've accepted me with open arms from the first day I got here," he said. "It's a close-knit family on this team. I can't tell you what a great group of guys Fm playing with. Each one of them would go out of their way for me and Coach Fogler is the same way. "He's really shown us how to be responsible, how to follow through with things. We're a group of young guys and he makes sure everyone's on point. He stresses getting to classes on time, making our appointments, and so many other little things that never really get noticed. But he's also an amazing coach who knows what to do with talent." Rest assured, Carolina fans, Recus Nix has all the talent in the world. ictedl *50.00 per semester E-Mail Newsgroups Technical Support Personal Web Space Available N^lid student ID required CCGfSS / Xsooo Division of Digital Media, Inc. 779-4151 ra Credit When You 1g need Donate j right Plasma <e the You Save I Lives While il r good _ # ^ Earning Money! Bayer Corporation 1916 Taylor Columbia, SC 29201 i )RTS necock Michigan wins natioi ace HUNT ^ PVc Kickin' some Ace . II sho ... , . . - zr W elcome back to campus tor what d promises to be an exciting semester of Pja3 Gamecock athletics. Its time to trade P1^ in those days of laying around being lazy for hitting the books and getting ready to cheer on a fast improving Plaj Gamecock basketball team. ball But one thing really got me upset P*a! over the break. The lack of a true na- ^ 1 tional champion in college football. The Rose Bowl was a fun game to watch, batt but ended controversially by a bad call first by those SEC refs that we have come helc to know and mostly hate at USC games Wit this year. stop The Orange Bowl was what every- to gi body expected it to be. A blowout! Ne- Troi braska is year in and year out one of Woe the best if not the best team in college football and they get no respect. Sure, an ii the Big 12 is not the greatest football ed. 1 conference in the nation, but when Ne- the1 braska beats everybody by at least 30 to tl points that shows how strong they re- Hid ally are. an c Tennessee had Peyton Manning, ciev He didn't win the Heisman and shouldn't have seeing as how junior wer quarterback Ryan Leaf of Washington bras State had a better season than Man- and ning- the So by virtue of Nebraska's blowout wit! of Tennessee and, just as important- half ly, the retirement of Tom Osborne they leapfrogged Michigan in the coach's poll the 1 to claim a share of the national cham- sto0 pionship with Nebraska, the Sportswriter's poll top vote-getter. So, with a split national champi- sess onship, I got to thinking about how great coui, it would be to have Nebraska and Michi- 0f tj gan meet on the gridiron for the title. Qon Don't leave the polling up to peo- ines pie like Craig James and Brad Scott, lead IF"00 <cS TILL 8-1 08 ,e"r iaCK T0D0.MILLS 54 WALDEN ROAD CASH INI If you're a freshman c more with good gra ply now for a three two-year scholarsl: Army ROTC. Army ROTC sch< THE SMARTE For det< HHPPfllP mm/mm I rial champions] ve the decision up to Scott Frost ? tries Woodson. And seeing no r t of Alliance Commissioner I imer dictating that this game fed, I resorted to my last optioi ing Michigan and Nebraska ? 1 ^station. The game was simulated on 1 fstation with the game "College F< 98." The game features the ex fs and players that are a pari .11 Divison I college football tea] The game started out as a cl ;le for field position for most of' ; quarter as the Michigan defei I the triple option to near nothi h the running game virtura iped by Michigan, Scott Frost 1 3 to the air and challenge Heisrr )hy winning defensive back Chai dson. Ana w ooason won tne battle w aterception as the first quarter ei rhe good field position only requi Wolverines to move the ball 45 ya ae goal line and that is what tl as the turnover calmed down E xriese and he started hitting his ers with a fervor. In only 55 seconds the Wolverii e up 7-0 on 10 point favorite I ska. After another defensive sta strong passing effort from Grie Wolves scored another touchdo l less than a minute left in the fi to stretch the lead to 14-0. Nebraska could muster nothing final minute and the halftime so d at 14-0 Michigan. Nebraska continued to strugj fumbled the ball on their first p ion of the second half. Michig d do nothing with the ball by virl leir fumble recovery being at t ihusker 25-yard line, the Wolv kicked a field goal to make th 17-0. i week, the sports staff will ask ions. After reading the questioi iorts@aol.com by 9 p.m. o name, year in school, ere s your cnance to voice your for you. This we w would you ha s NCAA football No. 5^ $3500.00 , 5MYROTC.SCHOLARSHI QNG00I >r sopho- ships pe Ldes, ap- and fees -year or month, dp from leaders offic( rTTADERSHipl Dlar- K p; sive EXCSlen^ ARMY ROTC ST COLLEGE COURSE 1 nils, visit Legare Collec 777-6543/6542 - rTTTTTT 3 rT IT I 1 D p f L l e MHlM a v IflllpUjljfl p e s e KShSw 99 ppppptiiv 1 ? a G I lMlA f Page 11 hip in first Ace Bowl ind By now I was wishing that I could eal change the channel, but with still a toy quarter and a half to be played I 1 1 il. 1 \T 1 1 1.1 f. 1 ue xnew mat ixeDrasKa couia come DacK, i of and that is what they did. Scott Frost finally decided to go to the air and found his tailback Ahman the Green for a couple of big gains and then wt- v finally the end zone to make the game act 17.7 with only seconds remaining in t ?f the third quarter. After a Cornhusker defensive stop, ose Nebraska started running all over the the Wolverines. Green showed why he will lse be an NFL first-round draft pick with n?- several big gains. Than, faced with third ^ and long from their own 45-yard line, Green broke into the open field to score ian and bring the score to 17-14 with three minutes left in the game. . k Michigan made two first downs, ^ and looked to be in a good position to run down the clock much like they ^ where able to do in the fourth quarter of the Rose Bowl, but could not convert 16V ^ on a third down opportunity that would have allowed them to run out the clock. reNebraska got the ball back with ieg 55 seconds remaining and no timeouts. ^e_ Frost started firing the ball down the ^ field, and appeared to be on their way ,se to victory when, on second and 10 from ^ the Wolverine 45-yard line, Frost was ygt intercepted by Woodson and the game was over. rjn The Wolverines ran out the Dre clock, and pulled the upset to prove that they where the true national champigle onsos Although Michigan won that game an I still think Nebraska has the depth ;ue and talent to beat anyone in the coun;he try nine times out of 10.1 dont guess er- college football fans will ever really eir know until we have "January Madness" in the form of a college football playoff. you a probing question. What we want is a, we want you to email your response to n Wednesday. Be sure to include your major and hometown. opinion. Don't say we never did anything :ek's question is: ve determined this ' national champion? ) GRADES iy tuition, most books >, plus $ 150 per school They also pay off with hip experience and ^r credentials impresto future employers. m CAN TAKE je or call W I IR AVE NIE D I T E sl I N E R lis 0 R A R F U M E IN A T U R A L A P E sJhrN i Tp A V 0 RiiT 0 Q E TjH E R M 0 N1BF 0 A L S|E M U E RilE L A T EliS A I L NllS LAS HBM E R L E Tjl MEN TljS 0 R T E D M U G||BC E D "? O P Q A P A V E N G E D V E|N 0 0 S E|A R I A E Die O V E RID I R T R 1 E ^| E 1 R | A1 SI E M E 1 P 1 E 1 E > . /