The NCAA News - Briefly in the News

March 10, 1997

In baseball, there is offense and then there is what Rice University has demonstrated in recent weeks.

The Owls opened their own Big Ball Sports Classic February 21 with a 37-9 victory over the University of Cincinnati. They followed that with a 25-6 thrashing of then-No. 19 Oklahoma State University and finished up with a 14-0 win over Northwestern State University.

The Owls, ranked No. 5 nationally at the time, set a school record for runs in the Cincinnati game, surpassing the mark of 34 that had been set only a week earlier against McNeese State University.

In beating Oklahoma State, the Owls handed the Cowboys the worst loss in the history of their program, perennially one of the best in the nation.

In the victories over Cincinnati and Oklahoma State, Rice scored in every inning of both games.

Meanwhile, Owls first baseman Lance Berkman posted numbers for the week that bordered on the unbelievable.

In winning recognition as a Louisville Slugger Player of the Week, Berkman blasted four home runs, one triple and one double and knocked in 18 runs in three games.

He was 13 for 16 at the plate with 12 runs scored and also walked four times, striking out only once.

To that point in the season (12 games), he was hitting .607 with 11 home runs. He was hitting .386 for his career with a slugging percentage of .707.

To go with all that offense, Berkman also has been flawless in the field, handling 116 chances at first base without an error through 12 games.

On target

Paul Cluxton, a senior guard for Northern Kentucky University, could teach the world a thing or two about free-throw shooting.

In an era when foul shooting is a lost art, Cluxton set an NCAA record February 27 when he made his 75th consecutive free throw in a 101-86 victory over Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. He moved past Mike Hall of Adams State College, who hit 74 in a row in 1992.

Cluxton went six-for-six in the game in which he broke the streak. At the most recent report, he had made all 85 free throws for 1996-97, in addition to the last four of last year.

"He is without a doubt the best shooter in the nation," Northern Kentucky coach Ken Shields said.

But success has an ironic price in this case. Teams obviously are reluctant to foul the unerring Cluxton, and his limited number of free throws have left him perilously close to the minimum required to qualify as an NCAA statistical leader. In fact, through games of February 23, he was .04 short of the minimum requirement (2.5 free throws made per game) and was not listed among the Division II individual leaders. He was qualified through games of March 2, but with more games to play, it is a close call on whether he will get enough attempts to qualify as a national statistical champion.

Tough Cases award

For the fourth consecutive year, certified athletic trainers have the opportunity to gain recognition and a cash prize through the Tinactin "Tough Cases" award program.

Each year, the maker of Tinactin products recognizes two top-performing athletic trainers for an outstanding accomplishment in the athletic training field. The award is based on how an athletic trainer handled a particular "tough case." Examples of acceptable entries would be maintaining an athlete's long-term rehabilitation program, performing an emergency procedure or developing an athletic training program for a school or a team.

The winner will receive a $1,000 cash award; the runner-up will be presented with $500.

Those interested in more information or an entry form may contact Michelle Frigo at 312/856-8811.

Scholar-Athlete Games

The second World Scholar-Athlete Games will be June 22 through July 2, primarily at the University of Rhode Island.

A total of 125 nations are expected to send representatives to the event, which will include more than 2,000 participants. That is up from 1993, when about 1,600 athletes took part in the inaugural event.

The event is organized by the Institute for International Sport. To take part, a student must demonstrate academic excellence and excel in either athletics or cultural pursuits. The event is open to athletes between the ages of 16 and 19.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting the 1997 World Scholar-Athlete Games at the University of Rhode Island, 2 Butterfield Road, P.O. Box 104, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881. The phone number is 800/843-9724; the e-mail address is wsag@uriacc.uri.edu.

-- Compiled by David Pickle