THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9. 2012
ADMINISTRATION
PAGE 9
University of North Dakota will resume using nickname
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BISMARCK, N.D. — The University of North Dakota will resume using its contentious Fighting Sioux nickname despite threats from the NCAA, the school's president said Wednesday, marking the latest twist in a protracted fight about a name that critics consider offensive.
A state law requiring the University to use its longtime nickname and logo, which shows the profile of an American Indian warrior, was repealed in November. The University has since been trying to retire the moniker, but nickname supporters filed petitions late Tuesday demanding that the issue be put to a statewide vote.
University President Robert
Kelley said the school decided to resume using the name and logo to respect the state's referendum process, which requires the pronickname law be in effect while the secretary of state reviews the petition signatures over the next month.
"As soon as that petition was filed last night, the law reverts," Kelley told The Associated Press. "I don't want to violate the law."
The NCAA has told the University that continued use of the nickname and logo would expose the school to sanctions. The school could not host post-season tournaments, and its athletes could not wear uniforms with the logo or nickname in post-season play.
Emails and phone messages left with the NCAA were not
immediately returned Wednesday. The University and leaders in Grand Forks, where the school is located, opposed the law.
Kelley said the men's and women's hockey teams and the women's basketball team have a chance for post-season play in the coming months, and it was unclear how the teams would be affected.
"I don't know whether this is going to put us back on the (sanctions) list or not," Kelly said. "But clearly, by being mandated by state law to be Fighting Sioux, we are right back to where we were before the repeal."
The state Board of Higher Education will likely meet with North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem on Monday to discuss whether to go to court to block reinstatement of the law.
- Regular menu also available
BASKETBALL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Georgetown's Mikael Hopkins, center, is pressured by Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams (1) and other defenders during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Syracuse, N.Y., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012.
Boeheim passes Smith, wins against top rival
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Kris Joseph scored a career-high 29 points, hitting a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute of overtime, and No. 2 Syracuse beat 12th-ranked Georgetown 64-61 on Wednesday night to give coach Jim Boeheim his 880th career win.
Boeheim took sole possession of third place all-time in Division I, one more than North Carolina's Dean Smith, but it wasn't easy against the Orange's rival.
The game was tied at 55 after regulation, and freshman Otto Porter scored the first four points of overtime for the Hoyas, swishing two free throws and hitting a baseline
jumper to give Georgetown 61-59 lead with 219 left.
Dion Waiters tied it with a pair of free throws for the Orange, and after Porter lost the ball out of bounds at the other end, Scoop Jardine fed Joseph in the left corner, and he buried his career-best sixth 3 of the game with 29 seconds left.
Jardine sealed it by forcing a turnover by Jason Clark with 4.9 seconds to go, allowing Syracuse (24-1, 11-1 Big East) to remain unbeaten at home at 16-0. Georgetown (18-5, 8-4), had won five of six entering the game.
Fab Melo had 11 points, seven rebounds and six blocks for Syracuse, which won despite being dominated on the glass 52-35. jardine finished
with eight assists.
Porter led Georgetown with 14 points, Clark had 12 and Hollis Thompson 10.
The 87th meeting between the staunch rivals — Syracuse leads 48-39 — had added significance. With Syracuse's impending move to the Atlantic Coast Conference, it might have been the last time the teams meet as Big East foes in the Carrier Dome.
It turned into one to remember for the crowd of 27,820.
Syracuse held Georgetown, second in the Big East from long range, to 5 of 21 (23.8 percent) from beyond the arc.