UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, March 14. 1996
5C
Texas, Southwest Missouri State hit town
Both women's teams have made Final Four at least once before
By Evan Blackwell Kansan sportswriter
Neither Texas nor Southwest Missouri State is a stranger to the NCAA women's basketball tournament.
Both teams will put their tournament history on the line Saturday night when they play a first-round game in Allen Field House.
The Longhorns are the No. 5 seed in the East region, and they were regular season co-champions of the Southwest Conference this season.
After missing the tournament last year, Texas is back and making its 13th NCAA appearance in 14 years.
The Bears will be making their
sixth straight appearance in the NCAA.
Both teams have gone to the Final Four at least once under their current coaches. Texas made it in 1986 and 1987, winning the national championship in '86.
Southwest Missouri State made it in 1983.
"It's an exciting time of the year," Texas women's basketball coach Jody Conradt said.
"I didn't appreciate March Madness until we sat home last year. That made us appreciate it even more."
The Longhorns had 20-8 record this season, even though they played one of the toughest schedules in the country. Texas played seven NCAA tournament teams in its nonconference schedule.
Junior guard Danielle Viglione leads the Longhorns in scoring, averaging 13.4 points a game. Perhaps the most consistent performer for Texas all year has been senior forward Erica Routt, with an average of 13.2 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.
Despite the Longhorns' storied history, Conradt said she still worried about how her young team would respond to the pressure of the NCAA tournament.
"We're a very inexperienced team," she said. "We have only one senior."
Southwest Missouri State was more than a little surprised to find itself the No. 12 seed in the East region last Sunday.
After winning both the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles and compiling a 25-4 record, the Bears expected more.
"We were very surprised," Southwest Missouri State coach Cheryl Burnett said. "When I saw the
bracket, that No. 12 really jumped out at me."
Burnett said she thought the Bears' schedule this season affected their seeding.
"I downplayed our nonconference schedule this year, and I think it worked to our disadvantage," she said.
"That's one thing we really like about our situation, playing in Lawrence," Burnett said. "We have a lot of interest in our program from the Kansas City area."
Saturday night will be a homecoming of sorts for two of Southwest Missouri State's starters. Senior forward LaTanya Davis and freshman guard Roshonda Reed both played at Washington High School in Kansas City, Kan.
Burnett said that she hoped the Kansas City connection would help in the way of fan support this weekend in Lawrence.
Betting pools usually not busted, official says
By Adam Herschman Kansan sportswriter
Illegal tournament pools add excitement, anticipation to NCAA basketball games
It was not a Manic Monday for many college basketball fans when the NCAA basketball tournament brackets showed up in the newspaper.
After the selection shows on CBS and ESPN, many knew where their favorite college basketball teams were headed.
Many people like to fill out the brackets to see how many games they can correctly predict. It is illegal to fill out brackets for money in a tournament pool, but it is not a crime that is often caught.
District attorney Mark Knight said that spotting gamblers wasn't something an officer would look for on his route.
"I don't know that we have ever prosecuted anyone for gambling," Knight said. "People aren't getting caught for it."
Kansas Statues Annotated defines a bet as "a bargain in which the parties agree that, dependent upon the chance, one stands to win or lose something of value specified in the agreement."
Moore also said that he thought gambling would be hard for authorities to catch.
Matt Moore, Lenexa senior, said he thought people bet on sports because it made games more exciting to watch.
"I think they don't crack down on it because it's so hard to enforce it when there's so many people doing it," Moore said. "They can't keep track of everybody, so people just slip through the cracks."
"I don't think it should be illegal," Moore said. "I don't think it hurts anybody.
9th and Iowa • Hillcrest Shopping Center
A nice quiet place to keep cheery and warm this winter!
Miracle Video
COUPON
1910 Haskell 841-7504
Over 900 titles in stock
LIMIT ONE PER PERSON.
EXPIRFS 4/12/96
VCR + 2 TAPES
FOR $4.99
(Sun-Fri only)
NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER.
See us for your Swimming, Snorkeling, and Scuba Diving Needs
•Training
•Equipment
•Trips
•Air and Nitrox-1
Check Out Back-To-School Dive at Panama City, Fl on Aug.14 - Aug. 19, 1996.
Save your spot with a deposit before leaving for the summer.
Come to our Temporary Store for details.
Stop in and Register to receive our newsletter "Fin Facts & Fun"
2201 F W. 25th St. (Belmil Food-4 Lunch and SAC') 749-0500
Hours Store: Horns Mn-3: 7:00 - 3:00; Sat m 9:30 - 5am Sun 1-5pm
Pets Welcome *
2166 W. 26th
843-6446
- Swimming Pool
- On KU Bus Route
- Sand Volleyball Court
- Water & Trash Paid
- 1,2,3 & 4 bedroom apartments available
- Ask about our 3 bedroom villas *Restrictions Apply
Good Luck Jayawks!
Purchase a Forever Big 8 Champion Tee Shirt and get any Regular KU Tee Shirt for 1/2 price Jayhawk Spirit
935 Massachusetts (913) 749-5194 Hours Mon-Sat 9:30 to 5:30/Thur's till 8:00, Sun 12:00 to 5:00
Coupon Coupon Coupon
AT DOS
IT'S TOURNEYTIME
SEVERAL TELEVISIONS PLACED STRATEGICALLY FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE.
GREAT FOOD AND DRINK SPECIALS.
815 New Hampshire 841-7286
Y