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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 1991)
3,1991 e declared )ry as he t south- le issue tical fu- !ople, of f such a will, the the So- Raisa, id-up to a Treaty e power 'Do you ^reserve alist Re deration iblics in ad free- (people be fully AP) - d 42 po- from its nap, but the gov- met its political ? release raise last prison- cn hun- ; of gov- 1 during 1 reports reen po- g to the iring ru- ■rries for :ored by ; Corp., as" be ans who day and man for ic Party, ere cas- tails. 5 fled re- Adriatic 1 Durres halt the 23 politi- released m to the >1, repu- : prison, released oughout itnessed [ prison- an of an- nen told [ prison- nunger aedom. if the Fo- Human human e 120 are jpionage is group ocent. nd •ee ,1 nly eel Douglas Pils Assistant Sports Editor Davis' familiar demise leaves big questions 1 he vacation coach-snatcher strikes again. While Texas A&M's opinionated student body was playing on the nation's beaches and ski slopes, another head coach bit the dust. Former head football coach Jackie Sherrill was the demon's first victim shortly after Fall of 1988. By the time the students returned in January, Sherrill had made off with a heap of money and R.C. Slocum was the new head coach. Details were fuzzy by the time everyone returned and many were none the wiser about what had actually happened. This time the dastardly devil nabbed Kermit Davis Jr. after three months of intense investigation into the Aggie basketball program. Davis was told the Tuesday of spring break that he was no longer wanted inAggieland. Actually, the seeds for Davis' demise were planted on December 20,1990, when the first of a two-part series on alleged recruiting violations in the program appeared in the Syracuse Post-Standard. A&M immediately released a statement regarding the accusations, saying that it had been investigating the matter for about three weeks — an investigation that ended ironically on Friday, March 8, the day spring break started. In an effort to save face and possibly Davis' career, the powers that be (i.e. A&M President William Mobley and Athletic Director John David Crow), gracioujsly allowed Davis to resign on Friday. His resignation was handed in against the advice of legal counsel, who wanted to sue the school on grounds that the investigation had not turned up sufficient evidence for dismissal. Whether or not a firing would have stood up in a court of law, we'll never know. What is for certain is that once again, while 16 teams are left vying for a national championship in the NCAA's March Madness, A&M is searching for a direchon and a new coach — what a shame. Last year, names like Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton, Georgia Tech's Bobby Cremins, University of Alabama-Birmingham's Gene Bartow and the Denver Nuggets' Paul Westhead popped up as possible successors to the Shelby Metcalf era. However, in an effort to get someone young, with an untarnished record. Crow gave A&M the nation's fourth-youngest coach in Division-I with the naming of Davis. But the plan backfired. An extensive interviewing process supposedly was used to ensure A&M got the most honorable, NCAA law-abiding coach in the land. Davis was supposed to carry the program to the Promised Land, a la Tom Penders, who took the Texas Longhorns to the NCAA's Final Eight in just his second season. Davis' one-season regime dragged the program to an all-time low. The Aggies Tost a school-record 21 games and an official NCAA investigation still looms on the horizon. So now Crow must start the process all over again. This time Mobley undoubtedly will figure more prominently in the search, as both look over every prospect's resume with a fine-toothed comb. The question is, who is to blame for what went wrong this time? Scott was signed little over a month and a half after Davis was named head coach, so was Davis not as clean-cut as he appeared? Was he just naive to the ways of the likes of New York talent scout Rob Johnson or was he a con-artist who slipped through the cracks of Crow's extensive interview process? Were Crow's interviews thorough enough and are his controls over the entire athletic program effective? These important questions certainly must be answered . If not, Davis' resignation could be the rock that breaks the water's surface, sending ripples of change throughout the A&M athletic program. Ags whip Wildcats A&M enjoys big baseball week KARL STOLLEIS/The Battalion A&M designated hitter Billy Harlan is tagged out at home Sunday as catcher Blake Pyle (23) looks on. The Aggies went on to beat Arizona 6-2. From Staff and Wire Reports The 15th-ranked Texas A&M base ball team beat Arizona 6-2 Sunday af ternoon in front of 1,964. fans at Olsen Field to put the finishing touches on a successful spring break. The victory, coupled with a double- header split Saturday, gave the Aggies two wins over the Wildcats in tnree meetings and a 20-9 record on the sea son. Arizona fell to 14-18. Earlier in the week, A&M won the third annual Aggie Continental Classic baseball tournament at Olsen Field. The A&M finished the four-team, dou ble-round robin tourney with a 5-1 re cord to win for the third consecutive year. Sunday, freshman lefthander Jeff Granger blew away the Wildcats with a complete-game one-hitter. Granger (3- 1) struck out 11, and allowed only a seventh-inning single to Ron Oelsch- lager despite walking five. Aggie second baseman Sittichoke Huckuntod's two-run single in the sec ond inning gave Granger an early lead. A&M added single runs in the third, fifth, seventh and eighth innings to put the game away. Both Arizona runs scored in the sev enth inning and were unearned. Centerfielder Brian Thomas clouted a pair of doubles and scored two runs for A&M, while Travis Williams sin- P led three times in four trips. Mike lickey, Dan Robinson ana Conrad Colby each added two singles to spear head the 14-hit Aggie attack. Saturday's twinbill was necessitated by heavy rains that pushed Friday night's game back to Saturday. The Wildcats won the opener 5-1 they jumped Aggie ace Ronnie Allen (4-1) for three runs in the first inning and another in the second. Allen pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits and walking six while strik ing out nine. In the nightcap, the Aggies went into extra innings for the first time this season and pulled out a 4-3 win. Shortstop Jason Marshall beat out an infield hit m the bottom of the 10th in ning with two outs to score Huckun- tod, who had led off the inning with a double. Reliever Trey Witte went 2 1/3 in nings in to pick up the win, and up his record to 3-0. In the Aggie Classic, A&M started strong, winning its first five games. The Aggies beat Kansas State 7-3 last Saturday and followed with a pair of wins Sunday, edging Washington 4-3 and Illinois 3-2. A&M pounded Washington 13-3 Monday and whipped Illinois 9-4 Tues day. Kansas State inflicted a 6-0 loss on the Aggies Tuesday night, but before the Ags had locked up the title. A&M begins Southwest Conference play this weekend as Arkansas comes to town for a three-game set beginning Friday at 7 p.m. The Aggies will tune up for the Ra- zorbacks as they host the University of Texas-Arlington Tuesday in a 5:30 dou bleheader at Olsen Field. St. John's drops Longhorns 84-76 DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — St. John's bought some extra NCAA tournament time Sunday by taking its time. The fourth-seeded Redmen patiently worked for open shots against Texas' in-your-face, man-to-man defense, wearing down the fifth-seeded Longhorns 84-76 to advance to the Midwest Regional semifinals. St. John's (22-8) had failed to make it past the second round in its last four NCAA tournament appearances since 1986. If the Redmen were impatient for a second-round vic tory Sunday, it didn't show. "On offense, on defense, we were patient," coach Lou Carnesecca said. "We played with a lot of poise." "This is our best victory so far," said Chucky Sproling, whose 14 points made him one of five Redmen in double figures. "This is one step farther than we played last year." The next step is Pontiac, Mich., where the Redmen will face Ohio State, the top seed in the Midwest Regional. Texas (23-9) simply couldn't handle the pressure from all sides Sunday. The Longhorns tried tight man-to-man coverage, half-court traps, even an uncharacteristic full- court press. Nothing worked against the Redmen, who overwnelmed the Longhorns with their balance and pin point shooting. "We threw everything but the chairs at them, it seemed like. They just couldn't miss," coach Tom Penders said. "They're a rhythm team. Today they were in a great rhythm. They shot 61 percent." That was for the game. In the first half alone, the Red men were a sizzling 71 percent (20-for-28). They did exactly wnat Texas expected. They just did it much better than expected, repeatedly taking advantage of matchups or openings in the man-to-man coverage. "We figured they'd take advantage of what tney had," said Joey Wright, who led Texas with 32 points. "If you leave them open or give them an easy shot, they take ad vantage." St. Jolin's, ranked 20th in the nation, also forced Texas into missed shots with a tight halfcourt defense. The Long horns, ranked 23rd, hit just 40 percent in the first half, as St. John's opened a 45-36 lead. Texas put turned the ball over three times and missed a pair of shots on five possessions early in the game, allow ing St. John's to go on a 7-0 run for a 9-4 lead. The Redmen led the rest of the game, pushing their cushion to 14 points on Singleton's follow-up basket with 9:29 to play. Texas never got closer than six after that. Wnght got a cut under his right eye when he collided with St. John's Malik Sealy midway through the second half, forcing him out of the game for medical treatment for just over a minute. Razorbacks roll over Sun Devils ATLANTA (AP) — Second-ranked Arkansas didn't come close to the "40 minutes of hell" style coach Nolan Richardson espouses, but the Razor- backs did what they had to do to stay alive in the NCAA tournament. Bolting to a 12-0 lead in the first four minutes, Arkansas spent the last 36 fighting off scrappy Arizona State to beat the Sun Devils 97-90 in the second round of the Southeast Regional tour nament. "We were raggedy tonight," Rich ardson said. "A raggedy ride is better than a smooth walk. The victory sends the Razorbacks (33-3) into the regional semifinals at Charlotte, N.C., Thursday night against No. 19 Alabama, a 96-88 win ner over Wake Forest on Sunday. Oliver Miller led the Razorbacks with 19 points and 10 rebounds, Todd Day added 17 points and four others scored in double figures as Arkansas broke the previous school record of 32 victories in a season set in 1978. Arizona State (20-10) stopped Arkan sas' string of four consecutive 100- point games. Richardson says expectations have By the Associated Press UNLV passed its toughest test of the season Sunday, surviving a brutal bat tle against Georgetown to advance to the final 16 of the NCAA tournament. The Runnin' Rebels beat the Hoyas 62-54, extending their winning streak to 43 and reaching the West Regional semifinals for the fifth time in six years. UNLV (32-0) played most or Sun day's game witnout starting center George Ackles, who sprained his foot in the opening round. But they used their speed and ferocious defense to overcome Georgetown's giants, 7-foot- 2 Dikembe Mutombo and 6-10 Alonzo Mourning. Larry Johnson led UNLV with 20 points, while Greg Anthony had 15 and Anderson Hunt 14. Mutombo led the Hoyas with 16points. Georgetown (19-13) never folded, fighting back from UNLV surges that been a problem for tiis team, making him almost impossible for them to live up to advance billing. "It's a problem," he said. "The last four games we've not been in a basket ball game the last 12 minutes of the games. "I didn't expect to come to the NCAA and make a mockery of it by blowing everybody away," he said, adding he disagreed with those who believe something's wrong when the victory is by less than 25 points. "That's not true," he said. "The point is we're not going to look as sharp every ball game. Arizona State had a lot to do with the way we played. I'm on my way to the Sweet Sixteen for the second year in a row." Arizona State, appearing in the tour nament for the first time in 10 years, had won three in a row and six of its would have put away most teams. It was UNLV's first victory ever against Georgetown. The Rebels advanced to the regional semifinals at Seattle, where they play Utah on Thursday. Utah made it to the final 16 by beating Michigan State 85-84 in double overtime. On Thursday, Indiana meets Kansas. On Friday, North Carolina plays Eastern Micnigan and Temple meets Oklahoma State at East Rutherford, N.J. At Pontiac, Mich., Ohio State plays St. John's and Duke faces Con necticut. East No. 4 N. Carolina 84, Villanova 69 At Syracuse, N.Y., North Carolina (27-5) reached the final 16 for a record 11th straight year. George Lynch had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Tar Heels. Lance Miller scored 17 points for Vil lanova (17-15). previous seven. Arkansas opened the game by hit ting five of its first six shots, including 3-pointers by Lee Mayberry and Day, two inside oaskets by Miller and an other layup by Arlyn Bowers to take a 12-0 lead with 17:25 to play. "I think we were a nervous a little early," ASU coach Bill Frieder said. Frieder said he was pleased with the way Jus team rallied to make a game of it. "I just think too much depth," he said of the Razorbacks. "I don't think we can play Arkansas much better. I don't think we could have done much differently." The Sun Devils had only 14 turn overs against a team that had been forcing almost 23 per game. The Devils missed their first eight shots before freshman Jamal Faulkner, who had a career-high 29 points, scored on a rebound layup witn 16:56 left in the half. With Faulkner scoring 10 points, Ari zona State managed to tie it 30-30 on a dunk by Isaac Austin 7:48 before half time. E. Michigan 71, Penn St. 68, OT Lorenzo Neely scored five points for the Hurons in overtime as Eastern Michigan advanced to the regional semifinals for the first time. Southeast No. 19 Alabama 96, Wake Forest 88 At Atlanta, Melvin Cheatum, Gary Waites and Latrell Sprewell each scored 21 points for Alabama (23-9). Midwest No. 5 Ohio St. 65, Georgia Tech 61 At Dayton, Ohio, Perry Carter had 19 points and 18 rebounds as Ohio State held off a late charge by Georgia Tech. West Utah 85, Michigan St. 84 (2 OT) At Tucson, Ariz., Josh Grant scored a season-high 29 points and the Utes overcame frigid free-throw shooting to reach the final 16 for the first time since 1983. NCAA Tournament EAST REGIONAL First Round Syracuse, N.Y. Friday, March 15 Eastern Michigan 76, Mississippi Perm State 74, UCLA 69 North Carolina 101, Northeastern 66 Villanova 50, Princeton 48 Second Round College Park, Md. Saturday March 16 Temple 77, Richmond 64 Oklahoma State 73, N.C. State 64 Syracuse, N.Y. Sunday, March 17 North Carolina 84, Villanova 69 Eastern Michigan 71, Penn State 68, OT SOUTHEAST REGIONAL First Round Atlanta, Ga. Friday, March 15 Arkansas 117, Georgia State 76 Arizona State 79, Rutgers 76 Alabama 89, Murray State 79 Wake Forest 71, Louisiana Tech 65 Second Round Louisville, Ky. Saturday, Marcn 16 Kansas 77, Pittsburgh 66 Indiana 82, Florida State 60 Atlanta, Ga. Sunday, March 17 Alabama 96, Wake Forest 88 Arkansas 97, Arizona State 90 MIDWEST REGIONAL First Round Dayton, Ohio Friday, March 15 St. John's 75, Northern Illinois 68 Texas 73, St. Peter's 65 Ohio St. 97, Towson St. 86 Georgia Tech 87, DePaul 70 Second Round Minneapolis March 16 Duke 85, Iowa 70 Connecticut 66, Xavier 50 Dayton Sunday, March 17 Ohio State 65, Georgia Tech 61 St. John's 84, Texas 76 WEST REGIONAL First Round Tucson, Ariz. Friday, March 15 Michigan State 60, Wisconsin- Green Bay 58 Utah 82, South Alabama 72 Georgetown 70, Vanderbilt 60 UNLV 99, Montana 65 Second Round Salt Lake City Saturday, March 16 Arizona 76, Brigham Young 61 Seton Hall 81, Creighton 69 Tuscon Sunday, March 17 Utah 85, Michigan State 84, 20T UNLV 62, Georgetown 54 UNLV edges Hoyas, Buckeyes nip 'Jackets