12A • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
THURSDAY,APRIL3,2003
3 top seeds in women's Final Four
The Associated Press
Atlanta will have to find room for two 800-game winners. Tennessee's Pat Summitt is headed back to the women's Final Four and Jody Conradt of Texas will join her after a 16-year absence.
Defending champion Connecticut and Duke also made it in a field of favorites.
Connecticut, Duke and Tennessee all were No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament. Texas was a No.2 seed and got in by knocking off top-seeded LSU 78-60 in the West Regional final Tuesday night.
The national semifinals will be played at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, Connecticut (35-1) meeting Texas (29-5) and Tennessee (32-4) going against Duke (35-1), which beat the Lady Vols 76-55 back on Nov. 24.
Summitt, who has guided her teams to six NCAA titles, will make her 14th Final Four appearance with 820 victories, more than any Division I coach. Conradt, who has Texas in the Final Four for the first time since 1987, isn't far behind with 817 wins.
Connecticut is in for the fourth straight year and will try for its third title since 2000. Duke is
making its third appearance in five years.
Texas will take a 17-game winning streak and an outstanding low-post duo to Atlanta. Heather Schreiber scored a career-high 32 points in the victory over LSU, while Stacy Stephens added 14 points and 12 rebounds.
The Longhorns were one of the nation's most prominent programs through the 1980s. They slipped a little in the 1990s, then became a force again after Conradt gave up the athletic director's job for the women's department in 2001 and concentrated solely on coaching.
Texas won the Big 12 regular season and tournament championship and hasn't lost since a 71-69 setback at Kansas State on Jan. 25.
Tennessee lost badly to LSU in the finals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, but the Lady Vols had nearly two weeks to get ready for the NCAA tournament and Summitt is at her best when she has that much time to prepare.
Playing its first four tournament games at home, Tennessee won by an average margin of 33.5 points.The Lady Vols advanced as the Mideast Regional champion with a 73-49 victory over Villanova, coached by Summitt's new best friend, Harry Perretta.
Senior Kara Lawson has been playing with more determination than at any time in her Lady Vols career. She and another senior, Gwen Jackson, are the top two scorers, but many others have had big games this season because Summitt will rotate nine or 10 players, sometimes in the first half.
Connecticut, which won the East Regional with a 73-64 victory over Purdue on Tuesday night, made it back to the Final Four in what for any other school would be a rebuilding season. The Huskies lost four starters from last season's unbeaten championship team and all were taken among the top six picks in the WNBA draft.
That left UConn relying on Diana Taurasi and a group of players who had little or no previous experience, including three freshmen. Taurasi, who plays with a flair that few can match, led and the rest followed.
Connecticut won its first 31 games to run its record winning streak to 70 before stumbling against Villanova in the finals of the Big East tournament, a loss
that left the Huskies in shock. But they regrouped in the NCAA tournament and now they're headed for Atlanta, though Purdue gave coach Geno Auriemma's bunch a scare.
UConn needed five free throws by Taurasi and four by Maria Conlon in the final 2:43 to hold off the fast-charging Boilermakers, who whittled a 22-point lead to six.
Duke was ranked No. 1 until losing at home to Connecticut on Feb. 1. The Blue Devils have won 15 straight since and were winning by big margins — until getting the NCAA tournament.
While Alana Beard has continued to score in the tournament she averaged 21.5 points in the first four games—her teammates have fallen off.
Duke has not scored more than 66 points in any NCAA tournament game, but fortunately for the Blue Devils, their defense has been sound. They had 12 blocks and 11 steals in beating Texas Tech 57-51 to win the Midwest Regional on Monday night.
Still, the Blue Devils will need more from players such as Iciss Tillis, Michele Matyasovsky and Sheana Mosch to have any success in Atlanta.
Croquet, campus-style
John Nowak/Kansan
"We're breaking ground at KU," said Andy Pull, Colfax, N.D., junior, as he putted towards the hydrant near Malott Hall. Pull and friends Derek Hanson, Oskaloosa junior, and Andy Schutter, Olathe sophomore, played croquet from the Fraser Hall front lawn to Malott Hall.
Puttin' in the sun
Derek Hanson putts a croquet ball toward the stairs leading past Budig Hall. Hanson and friends Andy Pull, left, and Andy Schuttler played a croquet game through campus yesterday afternoon using objects, such as hydrants and poles, as goals. Schuttler said it was a great sunny day and no one else had ever done anything like it.
John Nowak/Kansan
Representative plans to protest Masters
The Associated Press
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Martha Burk's lawyers asked a judge yesterday to override the sheriff's decision prohibiting her from demonstrating at the front gate of Augusta National during the Masters.
The request comes 10 days before Burk plans to protest at the club because of its all-male membership. Burk, chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations, wants thousands of golf fans to walk by her demonstration.
But Sheriff Ronald Strength says the closest Burk can legally protest is a 5-acre site just less than a half mile from the gate. A city law revised last month gives Strength broad authority to regulate protests.
Burk's lawyers told a federal judge that their client was denied access to public property outside the gates because Augusta wants to protect its image — not public safety, as the sheriff has said. Burk was not at the hearing.
"This is an embarrassing protest and I'm sure the city would rather it be moved up the street where there are fewer people around to see it," said Sarah Shalf, one of Burk's lawyers.
Augusta officials deny blocking Burk's free-speech rights. They say the busy street in front of Augusta National is crammed with pedestrian and vehicle traffic during the tournament, making it dangerous for protesters.
"It is the paramount duty of the government to provide for public safety," said Jim Ellison, an attorney for the city of Augusta.
Strength has approved permits for about 900 protesters from various groups during Masters week. He testified that he never considered allowing protests at the front gate or across the street.
Though Augusta's law requires permits only for groups of five or more. Strength even one protester by the gate would be too many.
Burk's protest is planned for April 12, the third day of the Masters.
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Come to a place where your career can take flight. You'll be surrounded by professionals ready to help you at a moment's notice.You'll develop working relationships that feel like family.At the end of the day,you'll know you've made a difference doing what you love to do.
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The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Alumni Club
announces the
WANTED: Advisors who have given quality time and who have genuinely heiped KU students make good decisions about their educational and career goals.
2003 J. MichaelYoung Academic Advisor Award
Students may nominate any faculty member in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences who advises students in the College. One award is given in each of the three divisions of the College. Recipients will be honored at a public event and will receive a cash award.
Nominations due by April 10.
Nomination forms available at www.clas.ku.edu or contact nlott@ku.edu
The Lied Center
What's Happening Next? lied.ku.edu
All Tickets Half Price for KU Students!
of Kansas
Saturday April 5
7:30 p.m.
Twyla Tharp Dance
This spectacular company will perform Westerly Round, fusing classical ballet with American folk dance; Even the King; and Surfer at the River Styx.
Cantus, male vocal ensemble
Sunday, April 6
2:00 p.m.
This wonderful a cappella concert will include Gregorian chants, Renaissance molets, American folk songs and African-American spirituals.
It's a party! Following the concert, you are invited to stay for the Lied Center's 10th Anniversary, 2003-04 Season Announcement.