« Page 6/The Battalion/Wednesday, January 4,1989 Sports It’s official! Irish No. 1 NEW YORK (AP) — Notre Dame's record eighth national championship became official Tuesaay when the Irish were a near-unanimous choice as the No. I team in The Associated Press postseason college football Notre Dame, a S4-21 winner over West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl Monday, received 58'/i first-place votes and 1.198Vt of a possible 1,200 first-place points from a nationwide panel of 60 sports writers and sportscasters. Miami, the 1987 national champion, received the other 1 '/* first-place ballots and 1,14 P/t points. The Hurricanes, who dropped a 5J-30 decision to Notre Dame in October, beat Nebraska 23-3 in the Orange Bowl. West Virginia's loss to Notre Dame dropped the Mountaineers from third to fifth. Florida State advanced from fourth to third with 1,073 points following a 13-7 victory over Au burn in the Sugar Bowl. Michigan, a 22-14 winner over Southern California in the Rose Bowl, made the biggest jump, leaping from No. 11 to No. 4. Rounding out the “fop Ten were UCLA, Southern Cal, Au burn, Clemson and Nebraska. The final Second Ten includes Oklahoma State, Arkansas. Syra cuse, Oklahoma. Georgia, Wash ington State. Alabama. Houston, LSU and Indiana, the only new comer in the Top Twenty. Russo, Roper lead Lady Ags over TCU By Jerry Bolz Assistant Sports Editor Texas A&M's Lady Aggie hoopsters held on for an 84-72 vic tory over Texas Christian Tuesday night in G. Rollie White Coliseum. TCU was A&M’s first Southwest Conference opponent of the season. Things got sloppy in the second half as the teams combined for 33 personal fouls in the period, and a game total of 48. A&M had their biggest lead of the affair with just under three minutes left in the game (81-57) but onlv got three more points the rest of the way. TCU showed a “never die” atti tude and poured down 15 points in the final three minutes. The Lady Aggies, just home from winning the San Jose State Invitatio nal had somewhat of a lapse on the court a Coach Lynn Hkkev said she was disappointed in the teams effort, but it was probably the road trip that caused the lapse. “Until they mature a little bit there’s gonna be some bad things happening,” she said. Hickev said the team will practice twice today. Freshman guard LaTa- nya Irving, who finished with 14 points, said the practices would probably involve a lot of running. “TCU has a good team, but we were too confident we had the game won — so we didn't plav as g«H*d as we should have," Irving said. A&M started the game in a bla/e of high-percentage sn«x>ting. Senior ace shooter Donna Roper led the way with 13 first-half points and 19 for the game. The Ladv Aggies jumped out to TEXAS AGGIES WAi\l W1| an 18-8 lead on Roper’s first of two three-point shots in the game, and pushed it to 21-8 with a Mindv Neal jumper and a free throw by Sheri Dillard. Every Lady Aggie on the rostei saw action in the game and onlv four team members did not score. Beth Naughton. who led TCU with 19 points, went on a spree of backboard jumpers to pull TCU within 11 points at 33-22 with about four minutes left in the first half. But that was as close as the Ladv Frogs could get the rest of the way. A&M forward Dena Russo came out with the hot hand in the second half. Her three-point field goal at the 18:35 mark gave the Lads Ag gies their first 20-point lead of the game, at 47-26. Sne connected oh two more three-pointers in the half to finish with four long ones and 18 total points. Center Nette Garrett also had a steady hand for A&M, being the fourth Lady Aggie of the night to score in double figures (12 points). Senior Lisa Jordon, who led A&M in scoring in both of their California outings, only had two points against the Ladv Frogs. Hickey was sur prised at the low total by Jordon . “With the confidence she gained from last week, I thought she would have come out better,” Hickey said. TCU lulled for most of the second half before forwards Kathleen Olson and Yolanda Norman came on strong. Both were deadly from the free-throw line and ended with 15 and 13 points respectively. The duo, with help from Michelle Henry with nine points, closed the gap to the finishing margin of 12. I he win. A&M's fourth straight, boosted the Ladv Aggies' record to 8-3. TCU dropped to 5-5 and ended a two-game win streak. The Lady Aggies have a few days off before traveling to Dallas for a 5 p.m. game with SMI' Saturday. Hickcv said she is concerned about the Mustangs. “Thev're (SMU) very much a threat — a fine team." she said “They're just a wild bunch of Indi ans on the floor. Teams like that give us problems." 1 - ' Brandt: Aikman cinch to be Cowboys’ top pick DALLAS (AP) — When the 53rd annual Cotton Bowl ended, Gil Brandt was wearing a UCLA gimmie hat. The surest prediction you can make for 1989 is that the Dallas Cowboys will make Troy Aikman the number one pick in the NFL draft. Brandt, the Cowboys’ chief scout, was beaming after Aikman led the Bruins to a 17- 3 victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks. “The Cowboy^iavenost some luster and he (Aikman) will help us retain it,” Brandt said. "He’ll provide a little excitement to Dallas and Texas. 1 want him for my number one pick and I think poach Tom Landry will be easily convinced." Aikman shcxik oil an early interception to lead UCLA on touchdown drives of 97 and 74 yards in the first half. He made six straight third down conver sions on the first drive. On the second one, he showed his agility by faking a ban doff and rolling out fora 1-vard touchdown pass. "It wouldn’t be right to expec t Troy to take you to the Super Bowl the first vear you have ^Jiim," Brandt said. “I think he is g