Section Sunday, April 5, 2009 ports Page 1 The Herald Journal Inside Morrill reflects on 2008-09 campaign By Shawn Harrison Colorado. dren and grandkids.” going undefeated at the Dee Glen sports editor “I am going While the Aggie head coach Smith Spectrum for the second to Colorado to spends some time with fam- straight season. Normally, Aggie men’s head see my grand- ily, his name has come up with The 2008-09 season had basketball coach Stew Morrill kids,” Morrill Aggie men’s the Washington State opening. barely come to a close and would be in Detroit this weekend. said. “There basketball There was no word from USU Morrill faced a question about Attending the Final Four is is a 4-year-old as to if he had been contacted future schedules. When the something most coaches and having a birthday. Fortunately, by the Pullman, Wash., school. reporter chuckled at the Aggie their assistants do. But Mor- he thinks grandpa is a pretty Before taking off for the week- head coaches’ response, Morrill rill was not in the Motor City good deal. end, Morrill talked about schedul- was not in a joking mood and Saturday and will not be there “It’s hard to turn down ing, this past season, expectations, asked what was so funny. Monday either. Instead, the Detroit, but I am going to go how tough the Western Athletic veteran Utah State coach is in watch the games with my chil- Conference will be next year and See MORRILL on B7 Philadelphia clinches spot in playoffs . B2 2009 Men’s Final Four Sports briefs WNIT title goes to South Florida Spectacular Spartans LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jazmine Sepulveda scored 18 points and Shantia MSU to play Grace had 16, leading South Florida to a 75-71 victory over Kansas on Saturday in in national the WNIT finals, giving the school its first postseason title contest championship of any kind. Jessica Lawson added 13 DETROIT (AP) — As points for South Florida. his Michigan State team- mates hustled downcourt, Kalin Lucas looked Sports scores around at a stadium ablaze in green and white, turned Final Four on his megawatt smile and Michigan St. 82, Connecticut 73 raised North Carolina 83, Villanova 69 both NBA his Toronto 102, New York 95 arms. Chicago 103, New Jersey 94 No Philadelphia 95, Detroit 90 Orlando 88, Atlanta 82 wor- Miami 118, Washington 104 ries, Memphis 107, Milwaukee 102 he seemed to be saying, Denver 120, L.A. Clippers 104 we’ve got you. NHL Carrying an entire state Boston 1, N.Y. Rangers 0 knocked down by the eco- New Jersey 3, Buffalo 2 nomic crisis is a lot to ask Carolina 3, Pittsburgh 2, OT of a group of college kids, Montreal 6, Toronto 2 but the Spartans are prov- Ottawa 4, Philadelphia 3, SO N.Y. Islanders 3, Tampa Bay 1 ing they’re more than up Dallas 5, St. Louis 4, OT to the task. Nashville 5, Columbus 4, SO “It means so much, so Anaheim 5, San Jose 2 much,” said Magic John- Edmonton 5, Vancouver 3 son, who sat just a few Los Angeles 6, Phoenix 1 rows behind the Michigan MLS State bench Saturday night. Seattle FC 2, Toronto FC 0 “It’s been all bad news the New England 2, FC Dallas 1 last couple of years.” D.C. United 1, Houston 0 Colorado 3, Los Angeles 2 It’s nothing but good news now. Lucas scored 21 points, Raymar Mor- On television gan broke out of his late- AUTO RACING season slump with 18 11:30 a.m. and nine rebounds, and FOX — NASCAR, Sprint the smaller Spartans ran Cup, Samsung 500, at Fort roughshod over Hasheem AP photo Worth, Texas Michigan State’s Durrell Summers (15) slams one home over Connecticut’s Stanley Robinson late in the Noon See MSU on B8 second half in Game 1 of the Final Four Saturday night in Detroit. VERSUS — IndyCar, Streets of St. Petersburg at St. Petersbug, Fla. BOWLING 11 a.m. UNC too much ESPN — PBA, Lumber Liq- uidators U.S. Open, at North Brunswick, N.J. GOLF 1 p.m. for Villanova CBS — LPGA, Kraft Nabis- FR&KDPSLRQVKLS¿QDOURXQG DETROIT (AP) — Men and the Tar Heels, with their at Rancho Mirage, Calif. vs. boys. Big brother vs. little four, five, maybe more NBA- NBC — PGA Tour, Houston brother. Future pros caliber players, stayed 2SHQ¿QDOURXQGDW+XPEOH against a bunch of on a path that has Texas good college kids. seemed almost certain MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL That summed up since the season began 6 p.m. North Carolina’s 83- in November. ESPN2 — Atlanta at Phila- 69 victory over Vil- Tyler Hansbrough delphia lanova on Saturday NBA had 18 points and 11 11 a.m. night. The ultra-talented Tar rebounds to make this a quite ABC — San Antonio at Heels simply never gave the successful return to the Final Cleveland Wildcats a chance to breathe, Four after a remarkable dud last 1:30 p.m. let alone whip up a fresh dose year in a semifinal loss to Kan- ABC — Phoenix at Dallas AP photo of Final Four magic. sas. Next up, North Carolina 5 p.m. North Carolina players Ed Davis (32), Danny Green (14), Tyler Hansbrough Ty Lawson scored 22 points, FSN — Utah at New Orleans (50) and Wayne Ellington react to a play against Villanova. Wayne Ellington had 20 more See UNC on B8 NHL 10:30 a.m. NBC — Minnesota at Detroit PREP BASKETBALL 10:30 a.m. LHS’s Brimhall tabbed ESPN2 — Girls, National High School Invitational, championship game, teams TBA, at Bethesda, Md. 3A Coach of the Year 1 p.m. ESPN — National High By Wade Denniston River in the title tilt, Brimhall’s efforts School Invitational, champi- sports writer did not go unnoticed. The Lake Havasu onship game, teams TBA, at City, Ariz., native was recently named Bethesda, Md. the 3A Coach of the Year. TENNIS When Jeff Brimhall took over the boys basketball Logan “It was a huge surprise,” 11 a.m. boys basketball CBS — ATP World Tour/ program at Logan High, the Brimhall said. “It’s just some- WTA Tour, Sony Ericsson Grizzlies only won a com- thing I never really thought Open, men’s championship bined 14 games during his about, to be honest with you. match, at Miami first two seasons at the helm. I’m very honored and I’m WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOOPS My how things have very grateful to have had the 5 p.m. changed, though. coaches and players around me that ESPN — NCAA Division I Over the past five seasons, the can make a great season and allow WRXUQDPHQWVHPL¿QDO/RX- Grizzlies have won at least 13 games for an award like that to happen. isville (33-4) vs. Oklahoma “That’s an award that shows what (32-4) at St. Louis each year and have not had a losing 7 p.m. record since the 2003-04 campaign. kind of people are around the program ESPN — NCAA Division I Logan went 16-9 this past season — the players, the assistant coaches. Meegan M. Reid/Herald Journal WRXUQDPHQWVHPL¿QDO&RQ- and advanced to the championship Those guys are the ones that really Logan head boys basketball coach Jeff Brimhall was necticut (37-0) vs. Stanford game of the 3A state tournament. recently named the 3A Coach of the Year. Brimhall has (33-4) at St. Louis While the Grizzlies fell short to Bear See TABBED on B7 won three region titles during his tenure with the Grizzlies. The Herald Journal, Logan, Utah, Sunday, April 5, 2009 - B7 “He always pushes me everyday to get Morrill admitted to message the other day,” better,” she said. “He has helped me attain being a “little stubborn.” Morrill said of his for- Awards levels that I didn’t know I could reach.” Morrill Before the NCAA mer assistant and current Always the perfectionist, Auriemma Tournament began, the Weber State head coach. Continued from B2 helped guide the Huskies to a 37-0 Continued from B1 Aggies had an RPI of 23 “TheyThey are going to want record.record. TheyThey playplay StanfordStanford (33-4)(33-4) onon and a strength of schedule 3131 (wins)(wins) nextnext year.year. It’sIt’s it’s something that I know I will look Sunday night in the national semifinals. “It’s kind of amazing to of 135. While critics will a good problem to have, back on down the road and enjoy.” Whether playing a ranked opponent me there is a lot of people point to the strength of but to say it doesn’t weigh Moore was surprised to have won the or a lower-level team, UConn always out there that think I’m schedule, the coach used on me at times would be award. Auriemma hadn’t wanted her to was at its best. No team was able to lying or think I’m dodging Nevada as an example. a lie. It does. You like the know beforehand that she was the recip- come within single digits of the Huskies games,” Morrill said earlier The Wolf Pack played a level we’ve been at and ient, hoping she’d have time to enjoy all season, and they beat eight ranked this week. “All I’m trying tough schedule, but didn’t you work hard to try and the moment. With her entire Connecti- opponents by an average of nearly 30 to do is protect the integrity even make the NIT field. keep it there.” cut team looking on at the ceremony, points a game.