Southwest Missouri

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- When Coppin State's leading scorers, Larry Stewart and Reggie Isaac, came out shooting bricks in last night's National Invitation Tournament game at Southwest Missouri State, Eagles coach Fang Mitchell knew the end of his team's season was in sight.We have a philosophy here," Mitchell said, "of going with the known and leaving the unknown alone. When the big boys we look for to carry us . . . aren't hitting, then we have problems."Coppin State's problems resulted in a season-ending, 57-47, loss for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season champions.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Barack Obama campaigned deep in Republican strongholds in southwest Missouri yesterday, stressing economic themes to woo fence-sitters and scoffing at rival John McCain for "tired old answers." Obama's forays into conservative-dominated districts were designed to highlight his economic offensive against McCain, but the Missouri thrust was also carefully aimed at easing swing state voters' qualms about the Illinois senator's background and political resume. "We can't afford to have eight more years of what we've been having," Obama told a crowd of 1,500 people crowded into the gym of Glendale High School in downtown Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- This was not the way Larry Stewart wanted it to end. Hurried shots falling off the rim, time running out on his career and Coppin State's basketball season.But on a night when Stewart was the only Eagle to make more than half his shots, it did end. Southwest Missouri State defeated Coppin State 57-47 in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.For Stewart, the dream was over. The two-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year felt helpless in the final minutes as Southwest Missouri milked the clock.

NCAA women Tonight's title game Purdue (31-6) vs. Notre Dame (33-2) Site: Savvis Center, St. Louis Time: 8:30 TV: ESPN Route to the title game: Purdue beat UC-Santa Barbara, 75-62; Louisiana State, 73-70; Texas Tech, 74-72; Xavier, 88-78; and Southwest Missouri State, 81-64. Notre Dame beat Alcorn State, 98-49; Michigan, 88-54; Utah, 69-54; Vanderbilt, 72-64; and Connecticut, 90-75. Coaches: Purdue's Kristy Curry is 54-14 in two seasons, both at Purdue. Muffet McGraw is 409-158 in 19 seasons as a coach, 321-117 in 14 years at Notre Dame.

It might be one of the "directional" schools the color commentators poke fun at, but Coppin State coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell knows exactly where Southwest Missouri State is coming from.The Eagles got what they wanted late last night, a telephone call from the National Invitation Tournament. What they didn't necessarily ask for was a first-round game Thursday (8:05 p.m.) at Southwest Missouri, a team little known in the East but quite familiar to the aficionados.It is one of 16 first-round games being played in the NIT. The second and third rounds also will be played at campus sites, the second round on March 18-19 and the third round on March 20-21.

COPPIN STATE vs.SW MISSOURI STATE* WHEN: Tonight, 8:05 p.m.* WHERE: Hammons Center, Springfield, Mo.* OUTLOOK: Both teams went to the NCAA tournament a year ago, but neither is embarrassed to be playing in the NIT this time. Southwest Missouri (21-11) had a string of four straight visits to the NCAAs stopped by Creighton in the Missouri Valley Conference title game. Coppin State (19-10) was upset by Florida A&M in the semifinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.There are other parallels.

Yesterday's resultsSouth Regional semifinalsAt Knoxville, Tenn. St. John's 76, Maryland 62Ohio State 72, Auburn 64West Regional semifinalsAt PhoenixGonzaga 73, Florida 72Connecticut 78, Iowa 68Today's gamesEast Regional semifinalsAt East Rutherford, N.J.Duke (34-1) vs. Southwest Missouri State (22-10), 7: 38 p.m., chs. 13, 9Purdue (21-12) vs. Temple (23-10), 9: 55 p.m.Midwest Regional semifinalsAt St. LouisMichigan State (31-4) vs. Oklahoma (22-10), 7: 55 p.m.Miami, Ohio (24-7) vs. Kentucky (27-8)

They were stacked off to the side of the equipment room after Coppin State was eliminated in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament. Neatly folded and boxed, they were packed away until -- presumably -- the start of the 1991-92 basketball season.But those Coppin uniforms were given new life yesterday, one day after the Eagles were offered a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. And for four seniors whose careers were thought to have ended on the floor of The Scope in Norfolk, Va., after a loss to Florida A&M 11 days ago, there is one more chance at redemption.

Charlie Spoonhour's friends didn't tell him he was crazy when he left a secure little coaching job at Southwest Missouri State two years ago for a more recognizable, but certainly more stressful, position at Saint Louis University."

East Regional semifinalsAt East Rutherford, N.J.No. 1 Duke (34-1) vs. No. 12 SW Missouri St. (22-10)Time: 7: 38 tonightTV: Chs. 13, 9Line: Duke by 28Conference records: Duke won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title with an unprecedented 16-0 record, followed by an ACC tournament championship. Southwest Missouri State finished third in the Missouri Valley Conference with an 11-7 record.Coaches: Duke's Mike Krzyzewski is 466-154 in his 19th year at Duke, and 539-213 in his 23rd year overall.

Women's Final Four Tonight's semifinals Site: Savvis Center, St. Louis Southwest Missouri State (29-5) vs. Purdue (30-6) Time: 7 TV: ESPN Coaches: Cheryl Burnett is 303-122 in 14 years, all at Southwest Missouri State. Purdue's Kristy Curry is 53-14 in two seasons, both at Purdue. Southwest Missouri State's lineup: The Lady Bears' attack begins and ends with Jackie Stiles, the NCAA's all-time leading scorer, averaging a career-best 30.6 points a game. She is perhaps the most electrifying player in the women's college game since Sheryl Swoopes carried Texas Tech to the 1993 title.

Louisiana Tech coach Leon Barmore saw it clearly. Connecticut had just dismantled his team to win the East Regional final on Monday, scoring within six seconds of the opening tip and never relenting on the perimeter, under the basket, or in transition. "It's pretty obvious to me," Barmore said, "that if they handle their business, they are going to be national champions." Business is booming for the Huskies as UConn's never-ending supply of talent meets the demand of high expectations.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Asked on the eve of the East Regional semifinal whether there was more pressure coaching a team that was heavily favored, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski answered without hesitation:"I'd rather have my team getting ready for Southwest Missouri State than Steve Alford [getting ready for Duke]," Krzyzewski said. "I'm happy with the position that I'm in."The reason the Duke coach was happy was on display last night as center Elton Brand dominated the inside, and Trajan Langdon put on a shooting exhibition as the top-seeded Blue Devils defeated No. 12 seed Southwest Missouri, 78-61, to advance to tomorrow's East Region final.

East Regional semifinalsAt East Rutherford, N.J.No. 1 Duke (34-1) vs. No. 12 SW Missouri St. (22-10)Time: 7: 38 tonightTV: Chs. 13, 9Line: Duke by 28Conference records: Duke won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title with an unprecedented 16-0 record, followed by an ACC tournament championship. Southwest Missouri State finished third in the Missouri Valley Conference with an 11-7 record.Coaches: Duke's Mike Krzyzewski is 466-154 in his 19th year at Duke, and 539-213 in his 23rd year overall.

PointsRyan Robertson, Kansas 31Scott Padgett, Kentucky 29Danny Moore, SW Missouri 25Wally Szczerbiak, Miami, Ohio 24Galen Young, NC-Charlotte 23Brian Cardinal, Purdue 20Andre Miller, Utah 20Eduardo Najera, Oklahoma 20William Avery, Duke 19Tim James, Miami, Fla. 19Wayne Turner, Kentucky 19ReboundsNajera, Oklahoma 15Young, NC-Charlotte 13Mario Bland, Miami, Fla. 11Eric Chenowith, Kansas 10Padgett, Kentucky 10AssistsAlex Spaulding, Oklahoma 8Mateen Cleaves, Michigan...

You're waiting for the men's basketball committee to announce the pairings for the 64-team NCAA tournament. You want family feuds, revenge, maybe a sense of humor.How about Duke against Old Dominion, Jeff Capel the player against Jeff Capel the coach? Wouldn't you love to see Indiana meet Southwest Missouri State, Bob Knight against Steve Alford? Make arrangements for a second-round game between Arizona's Lute Olson, the weather wimp, and St. Joseph's in Pittsburgh. Pray for snow.All very tidy, and all very improbable.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Asked on the eve of the East Regional semifinal whether there was more pressure coaching a team that was heavily favored, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski answered without hesitation:"I'd rather have my team getting ready for Southwest Missouri State than Steve Alford [getting ready for Duke]," Krzyzewski said. "I'm happy with the position that I'm in."The reason the Duke coach was happy was on display last night as center Elton Brand dominated the inside, and Trajan Langdon put on a shooting exhibition as the top-seeded Blue Devils defeated No. 12 seed Southwest Missouri, 78-61, to advance to tomorrow's East Region final.

COLLEGE PARK -- After a season of pressure and heightened expectations, Southwest Missouri State women's basketball coach Cheryl Burnett figures tonight's second-round NCAA tournament game with Maryland is fun time.And who can argue with her logic? After all, the pressure of advancing to next weekend's Midwest Regional semifinals is clearly on the 11th-ranked and second-seeded Terps, who play in a bigger conference, have bigger players and have a bigger reputation."We played the entire conference schedule as the team to beat.

Charlie Spoonhour's friends didn't tell him he was crazy when he left a secure little coaching job at Southwest Missouri State two years ago for a more recognizable, but certainly more stressful, position at Saint Louis University."