Sports Editor:
Hank Hager
hankhager@dailyemerald.com
Wednesday, April 7, 2004
Oregon Daily Emerald
SPORTS
Best bet
NHL Playoffs:
Dallas vs. Colorado
7 p.m., ESPN2
Alex Tam
Holding court
Post play
is big key
in college
basketball
This time of the year is a basketball fan's
fantasy.
After enduring hours of college basket
ball the past couple of weeks, it is now
time to gear up for the NBA playoffs. How
ever, in the midst of watching each of the
64 games of the NCAA Tournament zip
by, one question popped into my mind.
What ingredients must a basketball
team have to be successful?
Obviously, having a great coach is
one, but that can only take a team so far
without a talented lineup to grace the
hardwood.
No, the answer to that question lay
down low in this year's NCAA men's bas
ketball championship game between
Connecticut and Georgia Tech. The two
centerpieces in the middle — the
Huskies' Emeka Okafor and the Yellow
Jackets' Luke Schenscher — were the keys
for each of their respective squads down
the stretch.
In fact, having dominant big men in the
post on the offensive and defensive ends
is the recipe for success on the college and
pro level. On offense, the ability to score
inside opens up the whole perimeter
game. On defense, the big men are the an
chor. They can change the flow of a game
by disrupting their opposition's inside at
tack and forcing outside shots.
Okafor, the consensus college player of
the year, is one of those rare athletes who
has the combination of size, agility,
strength and even intelligence — not just
intelligence on the floor, but in the class
room as well. The Houston native will
graduate after his third year in school and
will likely be selected with the first pick of
this year's NBA Draft.
He carried Connecticut to its second ti
tle in six years behind a 24-point, 15-re
bound performance Monday. Okafor also
is the leading shot-blocker in the country
at a little more than four per game.
"He's an incredibly bright young man,
obviously," Connecticut head coach Jim
Calhoun told the Associated Press after the
win against Duke. "He's awfully special.
He's the best player in America. He's the
best role model I think in college basket
ball. I've said that before so many times."
And don't forget the 7-foot-1 Aus
tralia native, Schenscher, who averaged
14 points and 11.5 rebounds in the Fi
nal Four.
"He really gave himself confidence and
his teammates confidence," basketball an
alyst Digger Phelps told ESPN.com.
"They're not afraid of giving him the ball
in the paint. He's been the improvement
of Georgia Tech's success."
Now, what does this mean for the future
of the Oregon men's basketball team,
which ended its season with a
Turn to TAM, page 13
UO women begin rebuilding project
Geoff Thurner Oregon Media Services
Freshman Emily Enders achieved an Oregon personal best at the pole vault at 12-9 1/2 at the Texas Relays.
A new coaching staff and
philosophy are helping
improve a program in flux
By Alex Tam
Sports Reporter
The Oregon women's track and field
team is starting to see signs of improve
ment in the program's first year under new
head coach Martin Smith.
Several Ducks are achieving new per
sonal bests and are moving up the all-time
Oregon lists in only the first part of the
spring season.
Leading the new
- era for the Oregon
¥lf€li¥ilEINP$ women is redshirt
junior Sarah Mal
one. The Newberg,
Ore., native set an
Oregon school record in the javelin with a
mark of 179 feet, 2 inches at the annual
Texas Relays meet Saturday. Malone said
the experience of going to Mike A. Myers
Stadium in Austin, Texas — the site of this
year's NCAA Championships in two
months — was a lot of fun.
"It was great to get here a few days early
so you can cheer your teammates on and
get into the flow," Malone said.
However, when she compared the
Texas meet's environment and its officials
to Eugene, Malone said there is some
similarity between the two, but Oregon is
ultimately better.
"This is a terrific atmosphere and a great
crowd," Malone said. "And the officials are
also great — almost as good as the ones at
Hayward Field."
Malone's efforts highlighted the Ducks'
performance this past weekend. In her
meet, she defeated some elite athletes
that included the American record holder
in the javelin, Kim Kreiner, and two-time
NCAA runner-up and USC senior Inge
Stasiulionyte.
'"This is die best day and series I've had
in my career and against the best competi
tion you can get," Malone said Saturday.
"Kim is an American-record holder, and
Inge always throws awesome at big meets.
1 got better as I went along today, and
that's really satisfying. That doesn't happen
a lot to me, except in Texas it seems. I al
ways seem to throw well here."
Freshman Emily Enders also came up
huge for Oregon after winning the B
Turn to REBUILDING, page 13
Plenty of attention
coming Nyhus’ way
The Ducks' goto pitcher,
junior Ani Nyhus, earned
Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week
accolades on Tuesday
By Mindi Rice
Senior Sports Reporter
It has been a long week for Ani
Nyhus.
The Oregon pitcher threw three
consecutive complete-game shutouts
between
Wednesday
and Saturday.
SOFTBALL She has been
- the focus of
writers and
broadcasters before practice, and is still
on a list of players who may be selected
for the Canadian Olympic team. By
Tuesday, Nyhus (14-5) had garnered
enough attention with her pitching
performances to be named Pacific-10
Conference Pitcher of the Week.
"That's fun," Nyhus said of the
award. "I don't really think a whole
lot of awards and things like that. It's a
good accomplishment for our team
— with Kayleen (Hudson) winning
(Player of the Week) last week and me
winning (Pitcher of the Week) this
week — it's good for us to get recogni
tion like that."
On Wednesday, Nyhus threw a
one-hitter against Portland State. She
faced the minimum number of bat
ters, 21, with the help of a double play
in the first inning after the Vikings'
leadoff batter got their only hit. On
Turn to ATTENTION, page 12
Erik R. Bishoff Photographer
Pitcher Ani Nyhus threw three consecutive complete-game shutouts between
Wednesday and Saturday. Nyhus may be selected for the Canadian Olympic