WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2003
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3P
'Unbeatable' Wildcats' future uncertain after upset loss
By Travis Hubbard
Kentucky Kernel via U-wire
University of Kentucky
MINNEAPOLIS — The team that was incapable of playing a bad game and always capable of overcoming an opponent's remarkable performance accomplished neither Saturday with a Final Four berth on the line.
University of Kentucky, the consensus No. 1 team in the nation and winners of 26 straight, was reduced to chants of "overrated" by Marquette fans as the third-seeded Golden Eagles cleaned up the final garbage minutes of a 83-69 upset
in the NCAA Midwest Regional final.
The Golden Eagles played a near-flawless game, led by All-American guard Dwyane Wade's triple-double (29 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists), and shot 50 percent from the field against what many believed was the nation's best defense.
Marquette shot 7-of-13 from three-point range, while Kentucky struggled to shoot better than 39 percent for the game and 25 percent from long range.
played 24 minutes and scored a team-high 15 points despite a sprained ankle from the Wildcats'
"We started off not making shots, and it carried over the rest of the game," said departing Kentucky senior Keith Bogans, who
Thursday night victory against Wisconsin.
Gerald Fitch also scored 15 points, but Marquis Estill — who scored a career-high 29 Thursday
was outplayed in the post by Robert Jackson, who scored 24 and grabbed 15 rebounds. Kentucky shot 4-of-16 from long range and Bogans contributed three of the team's three-pointers
cent during the first half and did not make a three-pointer until Bogans scored on a curl with 7:46 left in the first half. It was also Kentucky's only field goal in a 12-minute span until Cliff Hawkins drove and scored with 12 seconds left in the half. Marquette outscored Kentucky, 31-12, in the final 12 minutes and took a 19-point lead into the half, Kentucky's largest deficit of the season.
"At the beginning of the second half we told ourselves, 'we've been down before,'" Bogans said. "We just couldn't get it down under a double-digit lead."
Kentucky never got closer than 12,and only once did it threaten
Marquette's double-digit lead. With less than 11 minutes to play, Antwain Barbour drove on two Marquette defenders and spun in the lane before converting a layup, but the minimal contact resulted in an offensive charge on Barbour and nullified the basket, keeping the lead at 59-47. Had the foul gone the other way, a Barbour free throw could have cut the lead to 9.
Instead, Scott Merrit put the Golden Eagles up by 14 on the next possession. Then, Dwyane Wade took over and scored his last 12 points, including two explosive dunks.
Kentucky coach Tubby Smith conceded defeat with 1:26 to play
and his team down 83-64, substituting rarely-used reserves Josh Carrier, Bernard Cote, Ravi Moss and Brandon Stockton.
Kentucky had few doubters after January, but things changed Saturday.
Carrier may have scored the last 5 points of his Kentucky career when he scored the final 5 of the game. His father has publicly criticized Smith's use of his son.
Senior Estill's return for a second senior season is also uncertain. And Smith may also consider NBA coaching jobs.
Suddenly, the once-unquestionable 'Cats have plenty of uncertainties.
Hall of Famer Connor dies after long illness
The Associated Press
CHICAGO — George Connor, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the first of the Chicago Bears' great linebackers, has died. He was 78.
The first winner of the Outland Trophy, given to the nation's top college lineman, in 1946, Connor died Monday after a long illness.
A star at offensive and defensive tackle, Connor became the first of the big, mobile linebackers when the Bears asked the 6-3, 240-pounder to stop Philadelphia's great running back, Steve Van Buren. Connor not only stayed at linebacker, he defined the position for future generations of Bears greats like Dick Butkus and Mike Singletary.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975.
"George typified what the Bears were back then — tough
and hard-nosed," former teammate Ed Sprinkle said.
Connor was an All-American at Holy Cross before World War II interrupted his college career. When he returned, he made All-American twice on two undefeated Notre Dame teams.
Connor is remembered for one devastating tackle of Green Bay's Veryl Switzer on a kick return in Wrigley Field in 1955. Switzer's helmet flew one way, the ball another, and Bears linebacker Bill George recovered the fumble for a touchdown.
"After five minutes, there was a roar from the crowd," Connor once recalled. "I asked Johnny Lujack what happened and he said, 'Switzer just got up.'"
After a knee injury forced Connor to retire, he served as an assistant coach and later a broadcaster. He was a popular master of ceremonies for charity events and a successful Chicago businessman.
Final Four berth brings Texas profit
By Teresa Lo
Daily Texan via U-wire
University of Texas
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas men's basketball team's rise to the Final Four has been a profitable business for many local and out-of-state companies.
Tickets have already gone on sale for Saturday's game, and businesses are taking advantage of the event.
Representatives from Ticket City, an event ticket merchant, said tickets are being sold at prices ranging from $295 to $6,000. About 300 tickets had already been sold late Monday evening, and they expect that number to more than double by the end of the week.
The NCAA allocated 4,500 tickets to the University, all of which are expected to be sold, said Mark Harrison, assistant athletic director.
But the University's athletic department will not be making a profit from those sales.
"We have to buy the tickets from the NCAA and sell them at the same price to our customers, so the University doesn't make a profit from it," Harrison said. "Ticket prices range from $120 and $140 up to $160, and they are for both the Saturday and Monday games."
But the athletic department will make money from competing in the tournament.
Each team in the Big 12 is given $130,000 by the NCAA for every game they play in, and the University will be given another $130,000 for this Saturday's game, Harrison said.
And although the University
"It won't make a considerable difference,but we do expect to do good business."Co-op President George Mitchell said.
Co-op is a nonprofit organization, it's one business that will benefit from Final Four T-shirt and memorabilia sales.
The real money will come after Texas makes it to finals; Mitchell said.
The University will also benefit from the Co-op's revenue increase because the Co-op usually gives money back to the University.
"We will give back to the University in the same ways that we always have," Mitchell said. "We will give $75,000 to student organizations, and we fund events such as Texas Revue and 40 Acres Fest. It will just add more (money) to it."
Texas fans and student organizations, such as the Texas Wranglers and Sweethearts, have been scurrying to find tickets.
"We are trying to get tickets since we have to go through the draw just like any other student," said Kevin Rainosek, Texas Wranglers president. "We'll decide how many people we send depending on how many tickets we get, but we hope to send 10 to 15 men. The Sweet-hearts are going through the same process."
While they are waiting for tickets, scalpers are taking advantage of the situation by selling their tickets on eBay. Prices range from as low as $36 to almost $2,000.
Local hotels in New Orleans also will profit from the Final Four games.
"We are expecting a bunch of Texas fans," said Robert Alsobrooks, director of revenue management at the Garden District Hotel. "We held about 30 percent of our inventory for fans and we have sold 20 percent since last Saturday's game."