Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 25

i ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL OLD AND NEW Lf a imsWi: SCORPIONS FALL New Mexico was hammered by the Austin ke Bats 7-3, snapping a four-game winning streak. CO I'Kics 3 rrrrn 'f'A'f MI'R Comics 8 New 49ers head coach Steve Mar-iucci, center, is flanked by former San Francisco head coaches Bill Walsh, left, and George Seifert. 2 LOBO BASKETBALL MEN Devaslt ttph (p en Tin JLL. JUL vJyJJLL JUL Xi xivVi-Xx-L ns TT Thomas-Less Lobos Routed By Seals' Offense, Tulsa's Defense .4 4 V. i whose Golden Hurricane, nevertheless, made a huge statement in just their third Western Athletic Conference game.

Tulsa (1.1-4, 3 0 WAC THE A85O0IAIED PHFS9 DENNIS A MENACE: Built forward Dennis Rodman stands over a cameraman after kicking him In the groin Wednesday night. Charges May Be Filed On THOMAS: Sprained ankle kept him out Mountain), Thursday Tulsa 80 Lobos 57 Noxt up UNM at Rico, Saturday, p.m. MST Radio: KOB AM (770) TV: KRQE Channel 13 Ranked rnnklod No. 4 Cincinnati, No. 6 Arizona, No.

4 Xavier (Ohio), and No. 24 Oregon Joined the Lobos as mnn's Top 25 losers on Thursday night CO Itv Chris Tomaknon Journal Staff Wriirr TULSA, Daniels watched with his chin tucked into his large right hand, and it was clear he wasn't enjoying himself. Daniels, a for mer All America center for the University of New Mexico basketball team and now the player personnel director for the Indiana Pacers, was at the Mabec Center on Thursday night to do a job. Hut that doesn't mean he wasn't affected emotionally as the 12th ranked Itbos lost to Tulsa 80-57 before 9,851 people. "This Is tough to watch," said Daniels, as the final seconds ticked down.

"I feel for these guys. You have those kind of nights sometimes, especially when you have a key player missing." The player absent was Kenny Thomas, one of the best centers UNM has had since Daniels left in 1967, Thomas sat out the game with a sprained right ankle, and the 1ibos didn't look anything like a team on the fringe of the Top 10. "It was unfortunate for them but fortunate for us," said Tulsa coach Steve Robinson, oilman I "I ii i ii iii.ii.ui. ii i. ii in hi i ii i0 KM I- I -f A 'i Vs ill I --v which handed the Ibos (1.13, 2-2) their worst defeat since an Hft 50 loss to Utah In the semifinals of the 1W5 WAC Tournament, never let UNM into the game.

The lurrienne took a 29-9 lead midway through the first half as it made six of its first seven 3 pointers. After the hot start, Tulsa relied on a suffocating defense that prevented the Ibos from getting many good looks at the basket, After shutting down Rice in a 65-33 win Monday, the Hurricane held UNM to 33 percent shooting in the first half and took a 41-20 lead. "We would try to get the ball in the post, but it wasn't respected and Tulsa would See HURRICANE on PAGE C4 NBA Checks Into Kicking Incident Associated fret MINNEAPOLIS This time, Dennis Rodman might be facing tnore than a suspension. Prosecutors were considering assault charges Thursday against the Chicago Bulls star for kicking a Courtsido cameraman In the groin during a game at Minnesota the previous night, "lie wants to say It's not OK for (Rodman) to do that" said Gale Pearson, the lawyer for cameraman Eugene Amos, "If we were on the streets, It wouldn't be OK, You've got to call it what It Is, and that's an assault." UNM Has No Excuse for Its Poor Offensive Performance HICK WKICIIT The NBA said Thursday It's reviewing the Incident and considering a suspension, which would be the second of the season for Rodman, Although the extent of Amos' injuries weren't Lakors losa Portland beit Los Angoles, ending the Lakers horns winning streak C9 TULSA, Okla. "Choke" is such an ugly word.

Giving the Kenny Thomas less University of New Mexico Iobos the benefit of the doubt, let's talk, instead, about something even uglier: UNM's offense, The Tulsa Golden Hurricane lived up to its nickname Thursday night, giving the Ibos yet another lesson (see Texas Tech, Hawaii) in how to play basketball with total commitment at both ends of the floor. Tuisa beat the Ibos 80 57 in a game that wasn't that close. Is it just that tough on the road, especially with Thomas, UNM's star center, watching in street clothes because of a sprained ankle? Those might be reasonable explanations for losing to an excellent basketball team like the Hurricane one that probably should be flip-flopped with the IiObos In the national rankings. Rut neither the road nor Thomas' absence explains why the Ibos played offensively as if Thursday's date were Oct. 16, not Jan.

16. Assistant Sports Editor Neither explains why Tulsa forward Shea "Like I Said, He's Not a Pure Shooter" Seals outscored the Ibos 21-20 in the first half, or why Libos star Charles Smith had five points and three turnovers in the same span. It doesn't explain why Seals had as many offensive rebounds In the first half three as the Lobos did. Neither explains why the Iobos' eventual 23 point margin of defeat was as close as they had been since the Sre UNM on PAGE C4 L. i.i,...i.'.i initirraiii iinriD rf fc mi i in i (m JIM TMOMrSONOUrJMAL TOUGH ANGLE: Lobo Charles Smith, left, Can't get hit layup attempt past Tulsa's Michael Ruffln (51) and Jonnle Gendron.

Tulsa pounded UNM 80-57 Thursday. WOMEN New Mexico Ceases Its Losing Ways known, they weren't believed to be serious. He was treated and released at the hospital Wednesday night. Minneapolis police spokeswoman Penny Parrlsh said no charges would be filed Thursday, Pearson said she and Amos planned to meet with prosecutors today. The Investigating officer, Sgt.

Pete Jackson, was off Thursday, and Parrlsh said the process will take several days, Including attempts to contact Rodman. Clair Cole of the Minneapolis city attorney's office said charges wouldn't be filed before next week, Rodman said he didn't Intend to hurt Amos but doubted the severity of the injuries, "I thought I hit him in the thigh, then all of a sudden he went back," he said. "I said, What's wrong with you? I'm sorry I hit Then all of i Sudden, he says, 'Get away from All of a sudden, he passed out. I'm like, 'Yeah, The Incident was the latest In a growing list of transgressions and erratic behavior by Rodman. Pear-ion said she was receiving calls frqm media nationwide Thursday, See CHARGES on PAGE CB CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: New Mexico's Taml-ka Stuket la pursued by Tulsa's Ladeana Quick during Thursday's game In the Pit.

Stukes led UNM with 14 points, nine steals and nine assists. New Mexico won tMN MANSON JOURNAL Thursday lew Mexico 78, Tulsa 63 Noxt up FOce vs. UNM, the Pit, Saturday, 2 p.m. Radio: KDEFAM (1150)' UNM (1 1-4, 2 3) snapped its three game losing streak while extending the Golden Hurricane (4-10, 0-4) losing streak to four. "I was just on tonight," said Stukes, who was 6 of 12 from the field.

"I had a lot of energy." The I-obos shot a season best 44.4 percent from the field. Their 78 points also were a season high, Three other starters joined Stukes in double figures; Ahby Gnrchck scored a game high 22 points and nailed a game high three 3 pointers in six attempts; Anita Vulctlc had a career-high 16; and freshman Sonya Bryant added 14. Sre LOBO on PAGE C4 if Stukes Nearly Completes A Triple-Double Evening Hv (Jakv Hprkon For the Journal Junior point guard Tamika Stukes returned to her all-Western Athletic Conference form of a year ago, coming up with 14 points, nine steals and nine assists in the University of New Mexico's 78 63 women's basketball win over Tulsa at the Pit on Thursday. The Lobos hit their first four shots from the field in racing to a 9 4 lead and never trailed. lbuquerque Will Be Getting Another USISL Entry, After All IHO SOCCICK Now, we've preserved that." The ownership group includes Mike Baily of Modesto, and Johnn Schotte and Pierre KoshakJI, owners of a film and entertainment company with offices In Lis Angeles, Dallas and Luxembourg.

The new team will play at Division III, with plans to move up to Division II as early as next year. Jean Marie Pfaff of Bel giurn has been named the team's technical director. Fisher said a stadium for games will be chosen, but the team won't play on artificial turf, eliminating Wilson and Milne offices In Albuquerque next week." Fisher and some of the other investors were in Albuquerque last week. "We could have put this team anyplace, but we chose Albuquerque," he said. "It's the best city in the West available for a good, quality franchise.

It has a very sophisticated, hungry sports community." According to a statement from USISL Commissioner Francisco Marcos, "Albuquerque has been in our league in one fash-Ion or another for all 10 years of our existence. Ever since the demise of the Chiles, I said we'd have a team in New Mexico if it kills me. Continuity was very Important. "We were searching for new owners in Albuquerque but decided in mid December that we needed to find other Investors," Terry Fisher of Half Moon Bay, one of the new owners, said Thursday. "We don't compare ourselves to anybody who has been there," Fisher said.

"You need a certain amount of capital to make it work. Albuquerque is a wonderful place to do business." Albuquerque Is the only city to have a USISL franchise since the league was formed In 1986, The teams have gone by the names of Outlaws (1986-87), Gunners (1987-68), Koadrunners (1990 91) and, since then, Name-the-Tcam Contest To Be Held by Owners fly Dknnis Latta Journal Staff Writer With a new name and new owners, Albuquerque will have a professional soccer team this spring. The Albuquerque Chiles shut down their operation at the end of last season, but a group of out-of-state Investors Is starting a new franchise In the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues. the Chiles. The Chiles folded at the end of last season, with majority owner Fred Mattcucci citing a lack of success in selling stock options as the reason.

I-ast year, the Chiles finished third out of 77 USISL teams In attendance with an average of 3,417 for home games. In 1995, the Chiles were second when they averaged 3,854. "We're going to have a name the team contest," Fisher said. "We plan to open.