Sports

Volume 22, Issue 19

Bearcats claw past UIS 59-48

By Jason Stuebe - Sports Editor

In what has become an all too familiar course of events, the Stars were in it late and faded fast in the waning minutes as they fell to the Bearcats of Brescia 59-48, dropping UIS to 7-17 on the season heading into last Saturday’s game against Harris Stowe.
“Pressure has a lot to do with it when it gets tough,” said Coach Kevin Gamble, “if you can’t make late free throws against good teams you aren’t going to win.”
The Stars had just as good of a chance as ever to upset #25 Brescia as an Antonio Puckett drained three pulled the Stars back to within four as 1:20 remained in the game. However, the Stars only went 1-10 at the charity stripe in the last three minutes blowing the opportunities to capitalize.
The end of the game wasn’t the only time the Stars were poised to take over, however. Early on in the second, a combination of solid defense which suppressed the Bearcats to only nailing nine points in the first 10 minutes and two free-throws by junior Joe Miller put UIS at 33-34 but from then on shooting from the field proved futile for UIS.
“When your shots aren’t falling you have got to try for penetration,” said Gamble of his 26.7 percent shooting Stars in the second half. Compared to the 42.1 percent shooting in the first half the difference was vastly noticeable if not depressing.
Even junior Antonio Puckett went cold only nailing 2-10 from the field in the second half.
“He’s a streak shooter,” said Gamble, “I told him like I told all the other guys, he’s got to try for penetration.
He’s a jump shooter; he has played that way all his life, you can’t really change his game at this point. Therefore we’ve got to make some other players better.”
Speaking of other players junior Collin Crull and senior Joe Miller both stood out in many ways against the Bearcats.
Crull came into the game earlier than expected when starter Antonio Andanov went out after being on the wrong end of a finger to the eye. Crull immediately put the first two Prairie Star points on the board and wound up with six on the night.
Meanwhile, Miller continued to impress coming off the bench with quality minutes being played as he knocked down seven points and pulled down five boards.
Despite his adversity, UIS was led by Puckett who had 15 points and four boards.
While the game will ultimately go down in the “L” column for the Stars, Gamble did admit that there was some victory to the match, which some contest was the best losing performance by the Stars since the McKendree game. “We can build from this, we played tough against a top-25 team. We just got to start putting it together night in and night out.”
Heading into the Saturday’s annual point-fest against Harris Stowe Gamble showed some signs of apprehension. “Just like us, they play scrappy, it could get interesting.”

Stars survive Hornets, 56-54

By Jason Stuebe - Sports Editor

UIS men’s basketball survived the tale of two halves last Saturday, winning in their bout against the Hornets of Harris Stowe State College 56-54 and improving to 8-17 overall and 4-4 in the AMC.

Freshman forward/center Collin Crull goes in for the layup. The Stars were victorious over Harris Stowe State College in the game last Saturday 56-54

The Stars opened up the game shooting the lights out with 83.3 percent shooting from behind the arc, including what was sure to be a record-setting performance by junior Antonio Puckett, who knocked down seven straight three-point shots in as many attempts. Joining in the parade of treys were junior Brian McMillen with two and senior Joe Miller with one.
“If it wasn’t for Puck lightin’ em up in the first half, we wouldn’t have won this game,” said tennis shoe-clad head coach Kevin Gamble, who was participating in the annual Coaches vs. Cancer campaign.
The Stars took their 35-23 lead into the locker rooms leaving the Hornets buzzing around aimlessly as it would seem.
That simply wasn’t the case for Harris Stowe, who had other plans for UIS.
Remember that 83.3 percent three-point shooting in the first half? That was nothing more than a distant memory for the Stars in the last 20 minutes of the game as they went 0-3 from long distance, while allowing the Hornets to knock down four of eight in three point range closing the score.
“We didn’t take a lot of three-point shots because they (Harris Stowe) were keeping us too busy,” said Gamble “and to top it off we couldn’t put the ball inside and didn’t make good decisions.”
While Puckett was shut down in the second half, only hitting three more points, he did drive in the paint for two of them which was what Gamble and Co. were wanting out of their players when the outside shot stopped working for them.
“We did get some good positioning inside,” said Gambe, “it was just an ugly game…I guess we’ll take an ugly win over an ugly loss though.”
Aside from difference between the two halves of play, another major story line was the immergence of freshman Colin Crull who was tapped to start the game, something Prairie Star fans could be seeing a lot more. Crull, who was two points shy of a double-double with eight points and 12 boards, is seen by Gamble to be a part of what could be a bright future for UIS.
“He’s developing and is a part of the big picture, he just needs to get bigger,” said Gamble, “and that’s how you build a program which is what we are trying to do.”
Puckett led the team in scoring with 24 points. Joining him was Crull and his aforementioned eight points and Curtis Collins who had seven points and nine rebounds.
As far as game totals were concerned, the Stars wound up shooting a lackluster 38.3 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from both three-point land and the free-throw line.
Next up for the Stars is a difficult road trip with back-to-back games being played at McKendree and Columbia before the men return home to wrap-up their home schedule against Williams Baptist for senior night on Thursday, January 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Stars shine bright in first half, burn out in second

By Mark Brockett - Sports Reporter

Despite coming out and shooting 42.1 percent in the first half from three-point range, the UIS women’s basketball team couldn’t maintain the same accuracy in the second half and were defeated by American Midwest Conference foe William Woods 78-71.
The Stars started the game by shooting the lights out with a 43.8 shooting percentage, as compared to William Woods who only shot 37.5 percent in the first half. Leading 38-33 going into halftime, things were looking up for the struggling Stars, who were hoping to win their second straight game. However, the Owls had other ideas. William Woods shot 40.6 percent in the second half, scored 45 points and converted several lay-ups on the weak side of the basket. Their defense stepped up and forced 16 Prairie Stars turnovers. The Stars only made 2 of 10 from three point range in the second half and weren’t able to convert second chance opportunities.
In the loss, the Stars still found large offensive production from senior forward Zabrina Harper, who led all scorers with 25 points. Freshman guard LaTrice Nettles chipped in with 15 points and senior guard Kelly Beyer had 12 points off the bench.
The loss put the Stars’ overall record to 6-17 and 2-7 in the AMC. The next contest for the team will be this Saturday at Columbia College. Tip off is set for 1 p.m.

Stuebe’s Sporting Goods
Gentlemen, start your engines

By Jason Stuebe - Sports Editor

I know, I know – many of you out there hate it when I go on a diatribe about auto racing, especially when I go so far as to proclaim it the new American pastime (at least until Boston’s win in the World Series gave the MLB a shot in the arm).
Regardless of your views on auto racing, however, there is a certain amount of respect that is and should be paid to this weekend’s 47th running of the Daytona 500. Even compatriot Jared Jones, who despises racing, gives the race some attention – though only the last ten laps.
Much like the Masters, the Final Four, the World Series and the Kentucky Derby, the ‘500’ is the Super Bowl of its sport with only the best of the best able to taste champagne in victory lane.
The Daytona 500 is not merely a race. It’s a spectacle. Take last year’s event, which featured President Bush and Ben Affleck kicking off the pre-race ceremonies. And this year’s is no different with entertainment’s biggest names coming out in droves for what 20 years ago only would have welcomed tank-top wearing Busch Light guzzling backwoodsmen.
Matthew McConaughey will act as the Grand Marshal while Ashton Kutcher will serve as the Starter (that should give the ladies a reason to watch), and several performances featuring Vanessa Williams, 3 Doors Down, Clint Black and the Beach Boys will take place during pre-race ceremonies.
But it’s not about who’s at the race, now is it? It’s about who’s in the race.
While qualifying has only determined the front row starters for the event, Thursday’s Gatorade Twin 150 Duals will decide the remainder of the field. Anticipate high adrenaline action with reckless abandon as teams scrap for the final starting positions in the most important race of the year.
As for the race itself, the 150s will shed light on who is going to have the stuff to beat on Sunday. Surely the perennial favorite tandem of defending race champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. and ’01 and ’03 champion Mikey Waltrip will be towards the top, but superstars Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick and possibly even Greg Biffle will be right on their heels.
The great thing about auto racing and in particular the 500, is that you never know what’s around the next corner. Sure the wise guy might say “oh just another left turn” but it could be more. With the ever controversial use of restrictor plates (the pesky power sapping contraptions that are used on racing’s biggest tracks to reduce speed), you’ll be sure to see tight packs and the inevitable “big one” in which upwards of 15-20 cars can be totaled in a matter of seconds. That’s why it’s so exciting to watch and be a part of.
But it’s not the wrecks that should entice you. It’s the drama of the final five laps. It’s the emotion shown in victory lane where grown men do cry. It’s the possibility that you will see something as special as Earnhardt Sr.’s dramatic victory in ’98 or his dramatic defeat in ’90 to dark horse Derek Cope in the final lap.
Just give it a chance, would you? Even if it is the last 10 laps, I guarantee you it will be the most thrilling 10 minutes you’ve ever sat in front of a TV. As always, go Stars…and go Junior!

Coaches vs. Cancer makes it more than just a game

By Jason Stuebe - Sports Editor

Last Saturday’s game between UIS and Harris Stowe State College was about more than conference standings, season records and statistics. The game also kicked off the Coaches vs. Cancer fund drive, which concluded last Tuesday at the women’s game against Harris Stowe.
This is the first year that UIS and the American Midwest Conference has participated in the program, which has raised upwards of 22 million dollars since 1993 for the American Cancer Society to help find a cure for the vicious disease.
The goal set by the conference was for each school to bring in $100 per game for a men’s and women’s basketball game in the month of February or for a total of $200 per institution.
UIS was well on its way to meeting the goal collecting over $110 at Saturday’s men’s game with the help of some prodding by members of the UIS Blue Crew.
“The coaches all agreed to have each school collect for the cause,” said acting Assistant Athletic Director Paul MacDonna, “We were happy to be apart of something like this and look forward to carrying on the tradition in future years.”
As a part of the program, coaches and game officials were encouraged to put their sense of style on the line and trade the dress shoes for tennis shoes.
American Midwest Conference Treasurer Larry York will collect the funds and then cut a check to the ACS on behalf of the conference in the near future.

Campus Recreational Briefs

Sunday’s Intramural 5x5 Basketball League saw the first overtime game in the League. NIRSA came from behind in the second half to tie The Losers at the end of regulation play but wound up losing the game 59-64. In the second game of the day, The Stars, captained by Ding-Kai Ou and Tien-Hao Tsai, defeated The Girls, 70-36. The League standings show HUGE and the Stars each with a 1-0 record, followed by The Losers and NIRSA tied with a 1-1 record and The Girls at 0-2. Play continues in the UIS Gym this Saturday with two games starting at 1:30pm followed by two games on Sunday with games starting at 2:30pm. Come out and cheer the intramural teams playing!

The Intramural Badminton Doubles league for both the Women’s and Men’s Division have started play. In the Women’s Division, Never Befores took the first game of the match from V&S, 15-11, before losing the next two games in a closely played match, 14-15, and 13-15. In the Men’s Division, OZ defeated the Shuttle Cocks in two straight games, 15-5, 15-3, to lead the best three out of five match series, 1-0. Play continues through out the week in both the Women’s and Men’s Division. Check the badminton schedule on the website or the Campus Recreational Sports bulletin board for the exact times of the matches in the UIS Gym.

National Recreational Sports & Fitness Day is next Tuesday, February 22. In observance of this day, UIS Campus Recreational Sports is working out the details to sponsor Ice Skating at the Nelson Recreation Center on Friday, February 25 from 7-9pm. Watch for flyers, the website, and your e-mail for more specific information coming soon!

Informal Open Recreation Hours for 2004-05 for the Rec Center (Fitness Center and Gym) are Monday-Thursday 8am-11pm; Friday 10am-8pm; Saturday 10am-4pm; and Sunday 2-8pm. These hours are subject to change during campus vacation periods or scheduled events. Participants wishing to use the above facilities must submit a valid i-card upon entering the Rec Center.

HOW CAN I LEARN ABOUT CAMPUS REC SPORTS NEWS?
(1) Send an Email to RecSports@uis.edu to be included in the 2004-2005 Campus Rec Sports News List to receive personal up-to-date information about future events and activities. (2) Click on “Public Folders>All Public Folders>UIS>Announcements>Campus” on your UIS e-mail account and read the e-mail announcements sent out by UIS Campus Rec Sports. (3) Check out the website at www.uis.edu/recsports/. (4) Contact the Campus Recreational Sports (CRS) Office located in the Fitness Center (SLB 118) or call 206-6658.

Snapshots

Women’s Basketball
UIS vs. Hannibal LaGrange (Hannibal, MO)
The UIS women fell 71-55 to the Trojans of Hannibal LaGrange last Saturday. The loss dropped the Stars to 6-18 on the season and 2-8 in the AMC. UIS was out-shot from the field hitting only 30.2 percent compared to HLG’s 46.2 percent.
The Stars were led by freshman LaTrice Nettles who netted 16 points and perennial senior scorer Zabrina Harper who had 11 of her own.
After Tuesday night’s home closer, the Stars take to the road for their final three games, the first of which will be played at Columbia this Saturday.

AMC Conference Standings
1. Columbia College 10-0
2. McKendree 9-1
3. Hannibal LaGrange 6-4
4. William Woods 6-4
5. Missouri Baptist 4-6
6. Williams Baptist 3-7
7. UI-Springfield 2-8
8. Harris Stowe State 0-10

Men’s Basketball
AMC Conference Standings
1. Columbia College 7-1
2. Missouri Baptist Univ. 7-1
3. McKendree College 7-2
4. UI-Springfield 4-4
5. Williams Baptist 3-6
6. Harris Stowe State 1-7
7. Hannibal LaGrange 1-8

Upcoming Games
February 18
Women’s Softball
Home Opener in the Snow
has been CANCELLED

February 24
Men’s Basketball
UIS vs. Williams Baptist
Senior Day
UIS Assembly Closet 6:00 p.m.