Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Jan. 23, 2002, edition 1 / Page 23
Part of Elon University Student Newspaper / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Jan. 23, 2002 Sports Page 23 Americans, world unite for Olympic glory in Salt Lake City Jon Whitkin Reporter The Winter Olympic Games have returned again, and they will be’held in Salt Lake City, Utah from Feb. 8 and to Feb. 24. The 2002 games have already gained a negative image after the now infamous bidding scandal, which concerned both the loca tion of the events and the televi sion rights and sponsorship. However, as always, the Games will provide the competi tion, determination and desire of the athletes. Watching an Olympic event for a few hours can serve as an outlet and provide relief for Americans as the fight for war on terrorism continues. Ice Skating All but four of the 14 members of the U.S. figure skating team for next month’s Winter Games in Salt Lake City are returning from the 2001 World Championship roster. The Americans won three medals at last year’s world cham pionships and hope to do the same at the Olympics: two medals for the women, one for the men and a barrage of handshakes for the dancers. Men The American men have not won an Olympic medal since Paul Wylie’s surprise silver in 1992. That should change this time, with three present or former na tional champions entered. The best chance belongs to Todd Eldredge, the reigning world bronze medallist, who’s making his tiiird Olympic appear ance. Wftiioiit a qtia^m|>le jump however, he has little diauce of beating Russia’s Evgeny Plbshenko or Alexi Yagudin, who should place one and two if tfeey ar6 healthy. Eldredge is steady enough for third if he can shake the Jdight- mares that plagued hitn in Nagano and AJbcsrtville. Whether Eldredge or not, the third spot is destined for the Americans, Tim Goebel, who lost his U.S. crown to Eldredge last week, has the skills and confi dence to beat him if he is on his game. Michael Weiss, who barely made the squad, has two medals in his trophy case, both bronzes. Women History says Michelle Kwan will win, as the reigning world champion has dominated the competition 16 of her last 19 competitions. Though Kwan had a difficult Grand Prix season, she’s never lost to Russia’s Irina Slutskaya at a world champion ship. Despite doubts and concerns about her fitness and motivation after dumping coach Frank Carroll just before the season, Kwan looked solid after winning her sixth U.S^.^ title over the week end of Jan, 19. If Kwan can land her elusive triple-triple combina tion, the rest of her package should be enough to beat the er ratic Slutskaya. If she does not, and Slutskaya has a flawless night, Kwan may have to settle for her second Olympic silver. The third medal should belong to the Americans, who have won a pair at two of the last three Games. Sarah Hughes won the bronze in Vancouver, but Sasha Cohen outscored her last week, which could squeeze Hughes out of a medal. Dance The Americans have not won an Olympic medal in ice dancing since the event was added in 1976. Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev have made the top 10 at the last three world cham pionships, but they missed the Grand Prix season because Tchernyshev suffered shin splints. Eighth place would be a rea sonable showing for the U.S. The Olympic preview is a two article series. This is part one. Men’s basketball squad undefeated at home against Big South competition Colin Donohue Sports Editor The Phoenix probably forgot the familiarity of their home court after a long December, which saw them pick up one win in five games. Yet, they retumed in good form reeling off three consecutive Big South con ference games at the Nest. “I must not know what I’m think ing,” head coach Mark Simons said of Elon’s tough out of conference schedule. “But it helps us prepare.” The Phoenix men’s basketball team (7-9, 3-1) closed out the figu rative first half of their season against three tough out of conference foes. Elon traveled to Clemson University Dec. 15 to face their third ACC op ponent of the year. They played tough, only trailing the Tigers by one point at the half, 45-44. However, Clemson, led by Jamar Knight’s game-high 23 points would pull away for a hard-fought 88-78 win. Junior guard Ross Simms poured in 21 points with five assists to lead the Phoenix. Elon made the trip to Birming- ham-Southem University Dec. 18 to face a Panther team that will be added to the Big South next season. Again, the Phoenix kept the game close, but the Panthers, who had five players score in double digits, put it away 65- 58. Redshirt freshman Gary Marsh led all scorers with 16. The Panthers were paced by T.R. Reed’s 12 points and 11 rebounds. The men completed out of con ference play with a match-up against Arkansas Dec. 29. The Phoenix struggled offensively all game, and lost in horrific fashion, 96-52. Fresh- mdn gucird Sean Newton was Elon’s lone bright spot scoring 10 points iind going 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. A dejected Elon team faced a tough conference opener after such a hard loss. Radford, last season’s Big South regular season champions, traveled to the Nest Jan. 2 hoping to keep Elon’s losing streak alive. The Phoenix responded in resil ient form, playing the Highlanders close all game. The difference in the ball game was the Phoenix’s ability to press full court. They forced Radford into 24 turnovers, and even tually took the ball game 61-58. Radford’s seven-foot center Andrey Savtchenko, the projected Big South player of the year, scored 13 points to match his 13 boards. Elon’s preseason All-Big South team member senior guard Brendon Rowell led Elon with 13 points. The Buccaneers came to Elon having dropped one game in the con ference already. Tlie first half was tight, as Elon nursed a 29-28 lead at the half. Elon stepped up their effort in the second half and won 75-69, despite a Charleston Southern Uni versity 22-13 run to close the game. Rowell finished the game with 22, but the game MVP honors belonged to junior forward Shamar Johnson, who racked up career highs in scor ing (16 points) and rebounds (11). Elon closed out their three-game homestand against Coastal Carolina University, taking the game rather easily 91-80. Again Rowell led Elon with 24 points. Simms added 19, and Marsh followed with 18 of his own. The Phoenix shot 51 percent from the field in their win. Following the game, Simons was pleased at the three game streak. “There’s so much parity in the league,” he said. “It’s tough to win on the road. The teams on top win at home and split on the road.” Elon dropped its first conference game at Winthrop University. The game marked Winthrop’s 23rd con secutive conference win, which is the nation’s second longest trailing only Utah. Elon seemed lost offensively Tim Rosner / Photographer Brendon Rowell with emphatic dunk in win over Chanticleers. (36 percent from the field, 22 per cent from three-point land) and their press proved ineffectual. Winthrop won 76-64 marking their first con ference win. Rowell dumped in 22, and senior guard David Hall had 17 points. “We were playing their type of game,” Rowell said after the loss. “We weren’t able to run, and they play like Champions.” Staying on the road, the Phoenix made the trip to the University of North Carolina at Asheville to face the Big South’s first place team. Elon would continue their struggles away from home, dropping the contest 76- 64. Rowell’s 22 points moved him into the lop ten on Elon’s all-time scoring list. The Bulldogs received career- highs in points from Bryan McCullough (17) and Michael Harper (15). A week later, Elon took their 3-2 conference mark back home to t’acc a 3-15 Liberty University squad. The Flames played a hotly contested first half, nursing a two point lead into halftime. Tlie Phoenix came out in the sec ond half reinvigorated. They outscored Liberty 41-17 in the final frame to win the game 75-53. Tlie win broke an ugly O-IO Phoenix record when trailing at the half. Rowell had 18, and Johnson chipped in with 13 points and seven rebounds. Tlie Phoenix now stand at 8-10 overall and 4-2 in the conference. Simons thinks the team’s chemistry has been the key, “We’re more together as a teiun,” he said. “I believe we truly get along, and we really compete against each other in practice. That’s the biggest difference.”
Elon University Student Newspaper
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 23, 2002, edition 1
23
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75