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r Ligety Split: 21-year-old American upstages DCfd Miller for Alpine gold Howard Fendnch I THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SESTRIERE, Italy — Not that long ago, Ted Ligety was everything Bode Miller is not: unknown, unsponsored, unaccomplished. Now, thanks both to his own clean, aggressive skiing and errors by Miller and other favorites, Ligety is an Olympic champion. Miller still is not. “It’s great to be where I am,” the 21-year-old Ligety said, his voice hoarse, “but ^ it’s unexpected, that’s for P sure.” Never before a competitor at a Winter Games, never before a winner of any major race, Ligety produced two spectacular slalom runs to pull out the combined event Tuesday night, only the fourth time in Olympic history an American man has collected a gold medal in Alpine skiing. A few hours before, it appeared Miller might win that medal. Fastest in the downhill portion of the ^ three-leg event, he was W disqualified after straddling a gate in the first slalom. Trailing far behind after the afternoon downhill, Ligety took a star turn under the floodlights during the evening slalom. He was as consistent as a metronome, rocking smoothly back and forth, back and forth, smacking away gates with his orange gloves and black shin guards. “You’ve just got to get in the starting gate,” Ligety said, “and throw down whatever you’ve got.” When he finished his final run, the day’s fastest at 43.84 seconds, the youngster nicknamed “Ligety Split” raised his hands and took a well-deserved bow. Still, Ligety had to wait to celebrate. First, Ivica Kostelic of Croatia finished a half second shy. Then, World Cup slalom champion Benjamin Raich of Austria went off-course about 30 seconds into his run. That was it. U.S. skiers Steven Nyman and Scott Macartney ran over to tackle Ligety, and the trio of teammates rolled in the snow. Ligety took a victory ride on the others’ shoulders, waving a U.S. flag. “It’s a great day, especially with Bode skiing out,” Macartney said. “Ted stepped up.” Ligety, from Park City, Utah, had never finished better than 10th in a top level combined race. On Tuesday, he was best with a total time of 3 minutes, 9.35 seconds. Kostelic won the silver, 0.53 behind, and got a hug from sister Janica, herself a champion Olympic skier. Rainer Schoenfelder of Austria was third, 1.32 back. Raich, meanwhile, pushed his goggles atop his head and slowly made his way down the hill. “Bad luck,” he said. “Of course, I’m sad, but life must go on.” It wasn’t the first time Ligety benefited from an error by Raich. Ligety’s first career World Cup podium finish came in December at Beaver Creek, Colo., when Raich skied off-course on the second run of a slalom, allowing the American to finish third. That was Ligety’s breakthrough, and his coaches have been predicting ^ven greater things for him _ albeit not this quickly. “I’m not surprised he’s on the podium,” U.S. men’s coaeh Phil McNichol said. “I’m a bit surprised he won gold.” The performance must have been a relief to the team, after Miller and Daron Rahlves were afterthoughts in Sunday’s downhill, and Lindsey Kildow had a horrifying crash in women’s downhill training. On Tuesday, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association president and chief executive Bill Marolt found himself defending tfie team’s motto: “Best in the World.” Charles Krupa / The Associated Press Bode Miller of the United States in action during the Slalom portion of the Men’s Com bined at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Sestriere Colie, Italy, on Tuesday. pflsiennu • compm 3. 1 and Done 2-0 4. Dynasty 2-0 5. JPN Allstars 2-0 Garnet League AKA Like to think we’re competitive but we’d get beat like a drum and made to cry if we were in Gold ' League: 1. Sellers for House 3-0 ft 2. The Nastiness 3-0 ^ 3. GEA Red Pens 3-0 4. The Emerging Maple ■ Syrup Conglomerate 3-0 5. Deer Slayers 3-0 Black League AKA We’re out here for the exercise: 1. Ludacris 3-0 2. Eat Me 2-0-1 3. The Octahon 2-0-1 4. BCM 2-0 5. Levyburg Used Gyro Stand and Drycleaning 2 0 CoRec AKA uh, CoRec: 1. Warthogs ft 2. Southern Avengers 3. Strict Liability 4. Phi Sig Spider Monkeys 5. Blackville Beers Fraternity AKA Best of lie worst (sorry, it’s true): 1. Sigma Alpha Epsilon 1-0 2. Omega Psi Phi 3-0 3. Sigma Phi Epsilon 3 ) 4. Phi Delta Phi 3-0 5. Phi Beta Sigma 2-0 Women’s/Sorority AKA Htle LX: 1. Trees 3-0 2. PT Cruisers 3-0 3. Alpha Delta Pi 2-0 4. Chi Omega 2-1 5. The Destruction 2-1 r----—-— I BASKETBALL • COflTinUED PROfTl 12 Day grabbed a rebound off a Jean Felix missed three. On a drive, fellow junior Brandon Wallace missed an easy ally-hoop pass from Kelley, leaving Balkman in the lane to cleanup the mess and score. That shot keyed a 9-1 run for the Gamecocks that would ultimately be enough cushion for the win. While Balkman dominated the Crimson Tide defense, Kelley and Alabama guard Ronald Steele provided a spotlight of the two of the best guards in not only the I SEC but the country. “I do think that Ronald Steele is one of the best, if not the best point guards in our league,” Odom said. “(I told Tre’) the one that wins tonight is not necessarily the one that scores the most points. It’s the one that’s going to direct his team at the offensive and defensive ends throughout.” Kelley, who hit a three around the five minute mark to put USC up 13, finished the night with 12 points but more importantly eight assists. Steele, who finished with 13 points and six assists, committed three turnovers. “When I came here, I wanted to prove a lot of people wrong and show that I could run the basketball team on this level,” Kelley said. “Most of the time I don’t worry about who’s this or who’s that in the league. I just come out and play my game.” The win keeps the flicker hopes of an NCAA berth in March alive for the Gamecocks, who play four of the next five games at home. If the streak continues, USC could be on the bubble for the big dance. “The biggest thing about the weekend is the game (against Kentucky). We cannot lose focus on the game,” Odom said. “Kentucky’s always a difficult team to play, particularly when their backs against the wall. And that’s where they are now.” Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocksports@giom.se. edu Join Amenta's #1 Student Tour Operator UNCUN ACAPULCO JAMAICA Don't Get Left Behind! BOOK TODAY! »l — — yBJLiiPoui/aB 3$ Greek §| Update I ^B ^HFor^ eir involvemenT oM iHjrbtli&t^i m reb ing schools in Dillion SC. “ ^E*For the u performace ofZach Ba *For the Ivement of their brothe \ »For their to the improvement of their I the recognifon of iity of the Month | j ALP GA _ i ■ ■ fm Ml' , Jfe —r ja— Inviting keep worki ard to make our Gre tern better awarding them a ck to their nth ropy as well as congratulating thfeir nationals. VBnBBBHBHD